The Imperial Russian Air Service

Hello Geshtahl,

Here is a link to photographs c1910's of Russian airplanes etc. that may be of interest to you:

http://www.sadcom.com/pins/aero.htm

List of photos although without identifying captions as yet:

http://www.sadcom.com/airplanes/index.html

Photograph of the first Russian Aero Exhibition in 1912:

http://www.sadcom.com/pins/oldies.htm

Also I have among my notes some info on aerodromes that I will try to find for you.

Joanna

Maybe we can persuade Rob to put "Aerial Russia" up on the site.

I recently found a book by an American Pilot who flew missions for the Imperial Air Force and he says he was the last officer to receive a medal fron Nicholas II.  He arrived right at the end of things and was not too impressed with the Imperial air force taking an opposite view to the one given out by the Russian pilots themselves.

Bob

Ok, I feel like I am asking too many questions without contributing answers, so I will stop with: Did Russia use dirigibles (like zeppelins) or were they limited to balloons?






--Geshtahl

By 1914, the Russian army operated 14 dirigibles of various types, at least 3 of which ("Astra", "Kondor" and "Berkut") participated in a bombing raid against German supply bases and rail stations in 1915.

Unlike the zeppelins, most Russian dirigibles were of a semi-rigid design - see e.g. the "Albatross":

Better late than never,  Here is a pic. of some Pilot uniforms..

Awesome pic George! Do you have any idea as to where it was taken?








--Geshtahl

If I recall correctly My Grandmother said he was at the Gatchina flying school.

George

Hi Geshtahl,

Heres a link to a site.
Imperial russian pilot
My grandmothers first husband.

Enjoy
George
http://www.earlyaviators.com/ely.htm

George that is fascinating! Do you know how many (if any) aerial victories he may have had?











--Geshtahl

Hi Geshtahl,

My Grandmother did not speak much of him.

I spoke to my Great aunt when she was still with us and she told me it hit my Grandmother very hard when He Died in an accident..

We did not even Know she had these momentos until we had to clear out the family home when we moved her to live with us 10+ years ago.

I was lucky enought to get what little info I did.

I've Tried to research Him out on the internet with no success.

Well I'll keep tring.

Ill take better pictures of the wings etc. and post them later

Thanks
George

[rdp4v]

A Russian Pilot by Vassily Svarog (cover of the Solntse Rossii monthly, ca. 1916)



Thanks to rdp4v from Kazan, who posted the picture in his blog .

Here are the VERY first Russian ARMY pilots from the Imperial Air Force in Gatchina near Saint Peterburg.
The chief of the unit was Colonel S A Oulianine ( or Ulianin)
2nd row fifth from the left.
In front first on the left, the hero Lieutenant P N Nesterov.



from W W Korol
The wings of Saint Petersburg
(in Russian)
Ed Polytechnika
Saint Petersburg
1997

Emperor Nicholas II and GD Alexandre Mikhailovich visited the first pilot-officers of the Gatchina School October 26, 1911.

Aerial Russia is finally up online -

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/aerialrussia/

Bob