SYNOPSIS:  In the 1980s the Soviets acknowledged the development of the Advanced Tactical Fighter, which later became known as the F-22 Raptor - which at the time was the most powerful fighter jet in the world.  This Soviet creation set the United States in motion to manufacture an equally deadly jet to maintain its position as a superpower.  Many American spies were captured or killed trying while trying to infiltrate the Soviet's military to get a better understanding of its Air Force.  Those days have long since ended, and in Azov Films' The Aviators, a former Red Army pilot takes the Azov boys on a tour of the Aviation and Military museum that houses some of these once top secret aircraft.

EDITORIAL REVIEW: History buffs will love this one!  Get an up-close look at some of the Soviet Union's once most secret military aircraft.  It's hard to believe that only a little more than 2 decades ago the mere idea of opening up a Soviet military base to tourists could find you arrested by the KGB and jailed without trial.  Today, for just a few Hryvnia (Ukrainian currency), you can see first hand what was never possible and what got many a spy killed. 

Fighter jets, attack aircraft and helicopters that were once amongst the most durable and powerful in the world now lay dormant; covered in rust and sitting in a weed-laden graveyard of sorts that is in dire need of some lawn care.  Vasily, your tour guide for the afternoon, in full military uniform, still speaks proudly of the days he flew a number of these aircraft preparing for a battle against "the west".  A battle that, thankfully, never happened.  The Azov boys, Artem, Alexey, Dima, Igor and Jaroslav listen intently and hang on every word as Vasily goes from aircraft to aircraft describing its capabilities.  The boys ask a lot of questions and get first hand knowledge from someone who actually flew most of the aircraft on display here at the Aviation and Technical Museum.  This is quite a treat, not only for the boys, but for a few other families who tagged along with our personal tour.  Having a Soviet pilot (who is still active, but for the Ukrainian military) personally take you through the museum does not happen, so this is quite an honor (it's usually an usher, or a museum employee like in Azov Films' A Matter of History: A Boys Video Essay).  The Azov boys have never known life without Ukraine's current democratic republic.  So to learn about communist Soviet history right from someone who not only lived it, but fought for the "motherland", is definitely something the boys will remember forever.

After the boys are schooled about their parents' Soviet past, they do a little schooling of their own in the Russian baths.  Like what happens when you try to cheat at a spirited game of Checkers!  Getting soaked in soda aside, the usual sauna antics prevail as these five boisterous boys spend the rest of the afternoon getting soaked and steamed until their energy is drained.  Depleted enough to finish the day with a relaxing on-camera interview with each other.  As usual, not only is this enlightening interview subtitled, but the entire feature is as well!  Which really helps to understand what Vasily the pilot is talking about, and of course you get a better understanding of the boys' personality and lives as well.  Even though the boys' conversations with each other is mindless babble most of the time, filled with inside jokes and personal stuff, you get the feeling of being a fly on the wall, of sorts, because they are completely natural when around each other!

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* This DVD will play WORLDWIDE.

STARRING: Igor Livanov, Artem Vasin, Alexey Sashko, Dimitriy Novikov, Jaroslav Koronev.
DIRECTOR: Sergey Kotov.
AVAILABILITY: In stock! Ships within one business day.
LENGTH: 101 minutes + previews.
LANGUAGE: Russian, with OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES.
SPECIAL FEATURES: 1.33:1 (4:3 Full Screen); 2.0 Stereo; 1 disc; History of Naturism biography; Trailers.
VIEWER DISCRETION: Naturist, European culture.
PICTURE QUALITY: Excellent picture quality. (what's this mean?)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Ukraine (2009).
ALSO KNOWN AS:
DATE OF PRODUCTION: June, 2009.
DATE ADDED TO OUR LIBRARY: September 11, 2009.

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*There is no sexual content in this professionally produced film. ** This film is suitable for viewing by naturists and those interested in the naturist lifestyle.