Welcome to my 'web' home-- Red Banner Aviation!
I am historian and profile artist Erik Pilawskii. Red Banner was launched in 2011 to serve as a parent vehicle for my aviation related activities, attempting to incorporate these 'under a single roof' (as one might say). Whether it's Warbird Colour's activities, profile art posters, scale line drawings, archival work, book editing or self-publication which takes your fancy, you should find it here.

Please use the main subject category buttons, above, to navigate the site. News, features and highlighted items will appear below. I hope you enjoy your stay....



The Pe-2 & Pe-3 Part II In Profile & Scale is released. Buy it on Lulu.com.


 Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.

An updated and expanded version of Fighter
  Aircraft Performance has been released. Buy it on Lulu.com.


 Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.

  A new feature highlighting interesting VVS related web content.

  August 2026
 The Indomitable An-2

Bomb load and Armament Schedule of the Il-2

 Il-2 Research Part 3: Fuselage

 Il-2 Research Part 2: Wings

  IL-2 Research in 2025-- What Next?

 Spitfire vs Yak Fighter Development

 The Curious Delays of the Tu-2 Project

 Anti-Shipping Modification of A-20s of the VVS VMF Part I and Part II

Painting and Colouration of the Tupolev TB-3, Part III

 Painting and Colouration of the Tupolev TB-3, Part II

Painting and Colouration of the Tupolev TB-3, Part I

Aviaarktika Colouration-- Updates and Correction

The Glavkhimizdat 1948 Chip Book Debacle Ended

  Early I-16 Colouration

  Misunderstanding NKAP Camouflage-- An Explanation

  Il-2 Wing Identification-- Straight or Arrow?


Training Aircraft, Part 3: Civilian U-2s


  Agfacolor (and other) Photo Analysis

Training Aircraft of the VVS: Part 2, the UT-2

Training Aircraft of the USSR: Part 1, the UT-1


 
  USAAF photography of VVS aircraft during Operation Frantic



 For those new to the topic, some basic introductory information is available on WW2-era Soviet Air Force camouflage and markings, to include digital colour chips.

  A LINK to the VPB IL-2 Phase 9 web pages.

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