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Petropavlovsk was part of the seven-ship unit of the Nikolaev type (project 1134B Berkut), which was a gas-turbine alternative design to the units of the project 1134A.

The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden was constructed as an interceptor with high horizontal speed and climb rate. Achieving good performance in the aforementioned parameters resulted in worse maneuverability, but it was still a very successful design.

The English Electric Lightning (later known as BAC Lightning) is the first British fighter to achieve twice the speed of sound. The plane was constructed in the 1960s (339 copies were built).

The Fiat G.55 Centauro fighter was designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli in 1942 and flown in the spring of the same year (April 30). The plane was to be a response to the demand for an interceptor capable of operating at high altitudes, which was dictated by the increasing intensity of Allied air raids on Italian cities and military infrastructure.

The Bristol Blenheim was one of the most popular British aircraft at the beginning of World War II. It was a very versatile and modifiable machine, and therefore typical bomber, reconnaissance, and fighter (including night) versions were created.

Junkers Ju 188 - German bomber during World War II, successor of the Ju 88, was flown in January 1943.

The Navy Carrier Torpedo Bomber Tenzan or Nakajima B6N, was codenamed Jill by the Allies. It was the replacement of the famous Nakajima B5N (Kate) torpedo bomber and although more B6N's were built than B5N's, the plane never achieved the spectacular success of its predecessor. It entered service in the second half of 1943 but wouldn't be used on a large scale until June, 1944 during the air and sea battles in the Philippine Sea for the Mariana Islands. Later it would be used in Taiwan, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa and for Kamikaze attacks. The crushing air superiority of the Allies and the loss of nearly all the Japanese aircraft carriers and their trained pilots led to many Tenzans being lost, while never having had a chance to prove their worth. In spite of the fact that the Tenzan never achieved any real successes, it was undoubtedly one of the best carrier based torpedo bombers of WWII.

Although the German Me 163 Komet rocket fighter was created as a remedy for the mass air raids of the Allied air force on Germany, its origins date back to 1938.

The French aircraft carrier "Clemenceau" is one of the largest and most powerful ships that served the Marine Nationale. Her keel was laid in November 1955 at the Brest Arsenal Ch. Atlantique in St. Nazaire, and she was launched two years later - on December 21st, 1957. Together with the twin "Foch", it was built on the basis of a project developed from the beginning of the 1950s, which included almost all of then novelties that were introduced in the construction of this type of ships. Therefore, she received, among others: a sloped flight deck with two lifts, mirror systems facilitating the approach to landing, means of observation enabling early detection of surface units and means of air attack, and modern catapults adapted to work with jet aircrafts with a large take-off mass. The length of the flight deck was 257 meters, the main runway was 165.5 meters long and 29.5 meters wide, with a deviation from the centre of the ship by 8 degrees. The hangar below it was 180 meters long and 22 meters wide. In more than forty years of service, which began on November 22, 1961, the "Clemenceau" performed countless tasks in both European and Pacific waters. She supported the activities of the land forces, incl. in former French colonies and during nuclear tests. Together with "Foch", she formed one of the strongest task force in the Mediterranean region and the waters of Western Europe.

Highly illustrated look at the ship in the years 1944-1945 including descriptions, technical data and professional drawings.

Detailed look at three variants of the world's first operational jet-powered bomber, built in the closing stages of World War II.

Highly illustrated look at the Yakovlev Yak-3, considered one of the best World War II fighter planes.

The PzKpfw III (Panzerkampfwagen III) is a German medium tank designed by Daimler-Benz AG. The first tests of the vehicle took place in 1936. The construction of the PzKpfw III consisted of four main modules: the turret, the front of the hull, the rear of the hull with the engine compartment cover and the lower hull. The first version of PzKpfw III - Ausf. A - was produced in May 1937. Soon after, the Ausf. B and C versions also entered production. Ausf. D version was introduced in January 1938. Early PzKpfw III models were prototype vehicles and were not suitable for mass production on a large scale. They were powered by Maybach HL 108 TR petrol engines with 250 HP. They were armed with 37mm guns and three MG-34 machine guns (two in the turret and one in the hull).

Junkers Ju 88 was one of the most universal aircrafts taking part in the Second World War. It was designed as a fast bomber and it worked perfectly well in this role, especially during low-level airstrikes and shallow diving attacks. It could also be the night fighter, torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The heavy fighter and fighter-bomber version of the Ju 88 was marked as variant C. The aircraft was designed to have strong offensive armament and be able to carry a certain bomb load, as in version A. The Ju 88 C had a solid nose which was adapted for the installation of machine guns and cannons. Usually the weaponry consisted of one MG FF cal. 20 mm cannon and three MG 17 machine guns cal. 7.92 mm. The characteristic gondola under the nasal section of the fuselage was originally kept, but in some units it was dismounted to reduce the airframe¿s weight and air resistance, thus increasing the aircraft¿s performance. Eventually the Ju 88 C evolved to the night fighter and gained the most popularity in this role.

Petropavlovsk was part of the seven-ship unit of the Nikolaev type (project 1134B Berkut), which was a gas-turbine alternative design to the units of the project 1134A.

Petropavlovsk was part of the seven-ship unit of the Nikolaev type (project 1134B Berkut), which was a gas-turbine alternative design to the units of the project 1134A.