Almost unanimous was the opinion that Soviet aviation in 1941 did not show serious resistance to the Luftwaffe. Inexperienced Soviet pilots on outdated aircraft, with a general confusion and mediocre command, allegedly could not fight the Germans on equal terms. They even claim that the Soviet aces at the end of the war did not come close to the combat achievements of the best German pilots, and the Soviet aircraft designers could not keep up with the engineering thought of Germany. Was that really so? Military historian G.V. Kornyukhin debunks today's myths about the 1941 air war. He unfolds in front of the reader a stunning, dramatic picture of a military confrontation in which the heroism and courage of our people were fully manifested.