The Tupolev SB was a state-of-the-art bomber when it first appeared in the Soviet Union during  1934,  and it went through protracted development during the middle and late thirties, seeing action first with the Spanish Republicans during the Spanish Civil War, and later with the Chinese and the Soviets against the Japanese prior to Pearl Harbor.

 Initially designated  BB, and shortly afterwards, SB, for High Speed Bomber,  the actual prototype was called the ANT-40 by the design bureau, and the designations,  along with other details of the bomber, and its development and operational service, remained obscure and confusing to Western historians due to the lack of technical information coming from the Soviet Union.  Now that things have changed, and information is more available,  various writers have published more accurate and reliable information on the various Soviet aircraft used during the Communist Era.

 One notable change has been the emergence of a number of Russian historians who are trying to “set the record straight” by providing accurate information on Soviet aircraft backed up by official documentation from primary historical sources, rather than the sometimes inaccurate data provided by secondary sources.

 Probably one of the most famous Soviet pre-World War II bombers,  the Tupolev SB first appeared during 1934  This aircraft pioneered a number of design features for Soviet aircraft, and was probably one of the most advanced aircraft of its class in the world at the time.   Featuring such innovations as  all metal construction, retractable landing gear,  enclosed cockpits,  internal bomb stowage, and controllable pitch propellers,  the SB was produced in considerable numbers prior to the outbreak of war in Europe, and although it was the major Soviet light bomber at the beginning of the war,  the design was already  six years old, and aeronautical developments had rendered it obsolescent by the time it was committed to combat against the Luftwaffe, which was equipped with modern fighters.  It did not fare too well against Messerschmitts and Focke Wulfs, although it must be remembered that the majority of these aircraft were destroyed on the ground during the first few days of the German attacks.

  The Maslov book, in hardcover, contains 224 pages of high quality text; previously unpublished photos,  excellent detail drawings, some of  which appear to be from manufacturer’s or maintenance manuals;  highly accurate 1/72 scale  three view drawings of virtually every variant of the design, including the civil variants and special modifications, and  16  pages of excellently drawn color profile drawings, also in 1/72 scale, depicting  the SB in Soviet military and civilian, Spanish, Finnish, Czech, Slovak,  Bulgarian,  Chinese. and German  service.

 The book  is excellent in all respects, with high quality reproduction of photographs, fine line drawings, and good color register.  It covers the entire development and service use of the SB, and includes not only the technical development, but personal accounts of what the aircraft was like to fly in combat, and also references to the political pressures placed on their designers in the late thirties, especially during the Purge Trials, when a number of aircraft designers actually worked on their designs from prisons while they were considered to be “politically unreliable”.   The background of the Tupolev Design Bureau is also covered in depth, along with the aircraft they developed along the way to the production of the SB bomber.  The author also describes the unsuccessful attempts to create a successor to the SB, which was replaced in Soviet bomber squadrons by the Petylyakov Pe-2 at the beginning of the war.

 This book is a wealth of information for the modeler for a number of reasons.  Not only does it cover EVERY variant of the design, but it provides drawings that could be used to convert a model into whatever variant the modeler wishes.  Excellent photos and drawings give detailed information on cockpit interiors, turrets, wheel wells, and any other area that the modeler would wish to superdetail.  The color pages provide a wealth of information,  with plan views as well as side profiles, including 66 drawings, not to mention the color photos on the back cover.

 Another feature is the section on the only surviving SB, and how it came to be placed on exhibit at the Russian Air Force Museum at Minino, Russia, outside of Moscow.  This is an interesting story in itself, although it is mentioned that there may be other surviving wrecked aircraft that have not been recovered,  as it seems that many World War II vintage aircraft are just now being discovered in Russia and recovered for restoration. A few vintage Russian aircraft are even flying again, but it is doubtful that an SB will ever be seen in the air again.

 This book is impressive for a number of reasons.  The extent of research, with Russian source material close at hand, is impressive.  The photos,  many obviously taken by individuals rather than officials (although not credited to sources), are impressive,  especially since photography of aircraft must have been very difficult during Stalin’s regime, when everyone was suspected of disloyalty. With the drawings and color views, this publication will undoubtedly become the definitive work on this historically significant airplane, and will provide the modeler and historian with a wealth of information, allowing for the superdetailing of a model of the aircraft in virtually any scale.

 KITS

 By the way, there are currently two 1/72 scale kits of the SB available. The old Frog kit has to be almost forty years old by now, and is very crude by modern standards. It is basically accurate in outline, and depicts the  M-100 variant with the flat frontal radiators with two or three bladed propellers.  With a lot of work,  a decent model could be made.  Recently a new kit of the AR-2 dive bomber was produced in Eastern Europe, and although it has vacuformed canopies, it does build into a good model.  Pavla is rumored to be producing an SB to modern standards, although I haven’t seen this one yet.

This is certainly an airplane that belongs in any representative model collection, and the Maslow book certainly provides enough information to model any specific variant.

 This book is highly recommended, and is fascinating reading.

January 2005

 The publisher has recently moved to the following address:  Icarus Aviation Press,  2459 Hwy 14,  Columbia, IA  50057.  Email address is  icarus@icarusbooks.com

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