Full Description
The Russian SA-2, nicknamed "Red SAM",is history's dominant antiaircraft missile. In 1960, it famously downed Gary Powers' U-2 spyplane, and two years later it was one of the missiles deployed during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which almost sparked a nuclear showdown between America and the USSR. The SA-2 was also deployed in Vietnam, North Korea, Egypt, and even the Gulf War. Using photographs, color artwork, and rare accounts from the weapon's designers, Steven J Zaloga examines the missile's development, linking this to its massive impact on Cold War air campaigns, and investigates the design changes that have helped the SA-2 stand the test of time.
Contents
SAM Origins * The Spyplane Menace * Operation AnadyrMissile Crisis * Deep Modernization * The Flying Telephone Pole in Vietnam * Operation Kavkaz: S-75 in the 1967-73 Middle East Wars * Foreign Guidelines * Final Refinements * Further Reading * Color Plate Commentary * Index
