16 years ago - in 1999, on the basis of the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Anatoly Kornukov in the calendar of holidays and anniversaries The Day of Long-Range Aviation of Russia appears. The official date for celebrating the Day of Long-Range Aviation is December 23, and this date was by no means taken “out of thin air”. It was on December 23, 1914, that the Ilya Muromets air squadron was formed. The formation took place by decision of the Military Council of the Army.
About a year earlier, the four-engine giant (by the standards of the time) C-22 Ilya Muromets made test flights. This aircraft was developed in St. Petersburg by a department of the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works by a group of engineers led by Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky.
"Ilya Muromets" became the first bomber. Its characteristics at that time were more than impressive.
Wingspan: upper - 30.87 m, lower - 22 m; empty aircraft weight - 3.8 tons, maximum takeoff weight 5.1 tons, flight duration - up to 4 hours, flight range - up to 440 km, takeoff run - 450 m, climb time of 1 km - about 9 minutes.
During the December tests of 1913, the Ilya Muromets lifted a cargo weighing about 1.1 tons to a height of 1 km, thereby setting a new world record.
Subsequently, passenger versions of the Sikorsky aircraft began to be produced in Russia. And by the beginning of World War I, 4 Ilya Muromets bombers were transferred to the Imperial Air Force.
The pilots of long-range bomber aviation proved themselves from the first days of the Great Patriotic War. IN historical archives documents have been preserved, from which it is known that long-range bomber aviation carried out the first battle already about 8 hours after the Nazis crossed the borders Soviet Union. The documents say that the pilots attacked the concentration of Nazi troops in the areas of Suwalki and Prasnysh. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that long-range bomber aircraft, about a month and a half after the start of the war, launched an air strike on the heart of the Nazi Reich - Berlin. Three groups of long-range bombers, formed from the 22, 200 long-range bomber aviation regiments and 81 air divisions, participated in the attack on Berlin. From August 8 to the beginning of September, 90 sorties were made and 10 massive strikes were carried out on the German capital.
The bombing of Berlin came as a real shock to the Nazis, because just a few weeks after the start of the war, the main propagandist of Nazism, Goebbels, announced that Soviet aviation was completely destroyed. In addition, the loud statement of the commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe Goering was also known, who stated that "not a single bomb will ever fall on the capital of the Third Reich." Fell... And not alone...
When the Soviet long-range bombers DB-3 of the Baltic Fleet Air Force, taking off from the island of Ezel (now the Estonian island of Saaremaa), crossed the eastern German border for the first time, representatives of the air defense forces could not even think that the Russians were flying to bomb them. The planes were mistaken for their own - “lost” German ones, and in one of the cases, with the help of searchlights, the Germans decided to help the pilots land at one of the airfields. From "help" Soviet pilots, taken for their own, for obvious reasons, refused, which, in principle, did not cause much suspicion among the German military.
On the night of August 8, the first Soviet air bombs rained down on Berlin, which was flooded with the light of lanterns and became an ideal target. The industrial facilities of the Nazi capital flared up, bomb explosions were noted in the Stettin area. During the first minute, the enemy could not get out of the state of shock. When the bombs were already exploding in the capital, the Germans guessed to turn on the blackout.
At the final stage of the operation to deliver the first air strike on Berlin, radio operator Vasily Krotenko went on the radio and uttered historic words:
My place is Berlin! The task was completed. We return to the base!
At about 4 a.m. the bombers Baltic Fleet were already landing at their native airfield, having accomplished, it seemed, the impossible at that time. Despite the fact that the blows did not cause significant damage, the psychological effect of this step was much more important. German newspapers the next day came out with articles that British Royal Air Force planes had hit Berlin, which was very surprised in London. They were even more surprised (and this is putting it mildly) in Germany when they received confirmation that it was Russian planes that attacked Berlin from the air.
On the night of August 7-8, a group of Baltic Fleet aircraft made a reconnaissance flight to Germany and bombed the city of Berlin. 5 planes dropped bombs over the center of Berlin, and the rest on the outskirts of the city. I express my gratitude to the personnel of the aircraft participating in the flight. I am entering with a petition to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on rewarding those who have distinguished themselves. Issue 2,000 rubles to each crew member who participated in the flight. From now on, to establish that each member of the crew who dropped bombs on Berlin should be given 2,000 rubles. An order to announce to the crews of the aircraft that participated in the first bombing of Berlin, and to all personnel of the 81st long-range air division.
Five days later, on August 13, 1941, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the first four pilots who bombed the German capital were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The heroes were Colonel E.N. Preobrazhensky, Captain V.A. Grechishnikov, Captain M.N. Plotkin, Captain A.Ya. Efremov (navigator of the flagship crew).
On March 7, 1942, at that time, Major Mikhail (Meer) Nikolaevich Plotkin died while returning from a combat mission to lay minefields in the Helsinki roadstead.
And today, long-range aviation presents special surprises to the "friends" of Russia. Thus, long-range and strategic aviation aircraft are participating in the counter-terrorist operation, inflicting crushing blows on targets and positions of militants in Syria. The Ministry of Defense presented footage of a massive strike by long-range aircraft (Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3) on ISIS infrastructure facilities:
Today, long-range aviation is not only one of the most serious means of combating terrorist groups sponsored by third countries, it is one of the most important components of the nuclear deterrence force. This is the means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for solving strategic problems.
Long-range aviation is armed with Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers, Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, Il-78(M) tanker aircraft, An-30B special aircraft, An-12 and An-26 transport aircraft, Mi- 8 and Mi-26.
Long-range aviation aircraft perform flights to patrol the air borders of Russia, appear in neutral waters over Northern Europe, off the east and west coasts of North America. In 2014, long-range aircraft landed at the airfields of Nicaragua and Venezuela. The range of work is really huge.
"Military Review" congratulates pilots and veterans of long-range aviation on their professional holiday! Let the number of takeoffs always equal the number of landings!
The beginning of our long-range aviation was laid by the Ilya Muromets squadron. It was the world's first heavy bomber warhead. Nicholas II approved the decision to create it on December 23, 1914. During the First World War, the squadron completed four hundred sorties. In the entire history, the Germans managed to shoot down only one Muromets.
After February Revolution the collapse of the army. In September 1917, the planes had to be burned so that they would not go to the enemy. At that time, the squadron included twenty aircraft.
The Bolsheviks also understood the importance of long-range aviation. In 1918, a group of three "Murom" was formed. A qualitative turning point came with the commissioning of the TB-3 model designed by Tupolev. At the beginning of the 1930s, several long-range aviation corps were created. The thirties were marked by the creation of strategic aviation. At that time, such formations did not exist anywhere in the world.
During these years, there was a rapid development of aviation. Several design bureaus worked on the creation of fundamentally new models of heavy bombers. In parallel with this, organizational work was underway to form the structure of long-range aviation. At the beginning of World War II, about one and a half thousand aircraft and about a thousand crews were on combat duty.
The role of long-range aviation manifested itself from the first day of the war. On June 22, planes bombed the Germans near Suwalk and Przemysl. The next day - the enemy extinguished Danzig, Warsaw, Krakow and several other cities. On the night of August 11, 1941, heavy aircraft bombed Berlin.
During the war, long-range aviation crews took part in all the most important operations. They made more than 220 thousand sorties, dropped two and a quarter million bombs of various calibers. Six servicemen became twice heroes of the Soviet Union, 269 people received the Hero's Star.
Long-Range Aviation was created in 1946 armed forces. The 18th Air Army served as the base for the creation. The war almost completely wore out the aircraft fleet. In the late forties, it was decided to copy the American B-29. The Tu-4 entered service in 1947, and since 1951 these aircraft have been on combat duty with nuclear weapons.
The main reorganization of long-range aviation took place in the 60s and 80s. At this time, the management structures were reformed, new models of aircraft were received. It was in the 60s that our pilots first began to fly "around the corner", the development of the Arctic began. Aviation complexes Tu-22M3, Tu-160, Tu-95MS could strike with cruise missiles from any point on any target.
The collapse of the USSR deprived the long-range aviation of the Ukrainian Tu-160 regiment and tankers. In the late 90s, a gradual restoration of the number and funding of strategic units began. 2001 was marked by the first appearance of our giants over the North Pole in ten years.
The combat readiness of the crews has sharply increased. In 2003, two 160s and four 95s make a unique flight to the Indian Ocean. In the second half of 2007, regular flights to remote regions are resumed. Currently, areas of intensive shipping and economic activity of the country are actively patrolled.
There have never been easy times for long-range aviation. But, despite the problems, the soldiers are doing their duty to ensure combat readiness. On December 23, pilots and employees of support units receive well-deserved congratulations and awards.
16 years ago - in 1999, on the basis of the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Anatoly Kornukov, the Day of Long-Range Aviation of Russia appears in the calendar of holidays and memorable dates. The official date for celebrating the Day of Long-Range Aviation is December 23, and this date was by no means taken “out of thin air”. It was on December 23, 1914, that the Ilya Muromets air squadron was formed. The formation took place by decision of the Military Council of the Army.
About a year earlier, the four-engine giant (by the standards of the time) C-22 Ilya Muromets made test flights. This aircraft was developed in St. Petersburg by a department of the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works by a group of engineers led by Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky.
"Ilya Muromets" became the first bomber. Its characteristics at that time were more than impressive.
Wingspan: upper - 30.87 m, lower - 22 m; empty aircraft weight - 3.8 tons, maximum takeoff weight 5.1 tons, flight duration - up to 4 hours, flight range - up to 440 km, takeoff run - 450 m, climb time of 1 km - about 9 minutes.
During the December tests of 1913, the Ilya Muromets lifted a cargo weighing about 1.1 tons to a height of 1 km, thereby setting a new world record.
Subsequently, passenger versions of the Sikorsky aircraft began to be produced in Russia. And by the beginning of World War I, 4 Ilya Muromets bombers were transferred to the Imperial Air Force.
Pilots of long-range bomber aviation proved themselves from the first days of the Great Patriotic War. Documents have been preserved in historical archives, from which it is known that long-range bomber aviation carried out the first battle already about 8 hours after the Nazis crossed the borders of the Soviet Union. The documents say that the pilots attacked the concentration of Nazi troops in the areas of Suwalki and Prasnysh. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that long-range bomber aircraft, about a month and a half after the start of the war, launched an air strike on the heart of the Nazi Reich - Berlin. Three groups of long-range bombers, formed from the 22, 200 long-range bomber aviation regiments and 81 air divisions, participated in the attack on Berlin. From August 8 to the beginning of September, 90 sorties were made and 10 massive strikes were carried out on the German capital.
The bombing of Berlin came as a real shock to the Nazis, because just a few weeks after the start of the war, the main propagandist of Nazism, Goebbels, announced that Soviet aviation was completely destroyed. In addition, the loud statement of the commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe Goering was also known, who stated that "not a single bomb will ever fall on the capital of the Third Reich." Fell... And not alone...
When the Soviet long-range bombers DB-3 of the Baltic Fleet Air Force, taking off from the island of Ezel (now the Estonian island of Saaremaa), crossed the eastern German border for the first time, representatives of the air defense forces could not even think that the Russians were flying to bomb them. The planes were mistaken for their own - “lost” German ones, and in one of the cases, with the help of searchlights, the Germans decided to help the pilots land at one of the airfields. The Soviet pilots, mistaken for their own, for obvious reasons, refused to "help", which, in principle, did not arouse much suspicion among the German military.
On the night of August 8, the first Soviet air bombs rained down on Berlin, which was flooded with the light of lanterns and became an ideal target. The industrial facilities of the Nazi capital flared up, bomb explosions were noted in the Stettin area. During the first minute, the enemy could not get out of the state of shock. When the bombs were already exploding in the capital, the Germans guessed to turn on the blackout.
At the final stage of the operation to deliver the first air strike on Berlin, radio operator Vasily Krotenko went on the radio and uttered historic words:
My place is Berlin! The task was completed. We return to the base!
At about 4 am, the bombers of the Baltic Fleet were already landing on their native airfield, having accomplished what seemed impossible at that time. Despite the fact that the blows did not cause significant damage, the psychological effect of this step was much more important. German newspapers the next day came out with articles that British Royal Air Force planes had hit Berlin, which was very surprised in London. They were even more surprised (and this is putting it mildly) in Germany when they received confirmation that it was Russian planes that attacked Berlin from the air.
On the night of August 7-8, a group of Baltic Fleet aircraft made a reconnaissance flight to Germany and bombed the city of Berlin. 5 planes dropped bombs over the center of Berlin, and the rest on the outskirts of the city. I express my gratitude to the personnel of the aircraft participating in the flight. I am entering with a petition to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on rewarding those who have distinguished themselves. Issue 2,000 rubles to each crew member who participated in the flight. From now on, to establish that each member of the crew who dropped bombs on Berlin should be given 2,000 rubles. An order to announce to the crews of the aircraft that participated in the first bombing of Berlin, and to all personnel of the 81st long-range air division.
Five days later, on August 13, 1941, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the first four pilots who bombed the German capital were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The heroes were Colonel E.N. Preobrazhensky, Captain V.A. Grechishnikov, Captain M.N. Plotkin, Captain A.Ya. Efremov (navigator of the flagship crew).
On March 7, 1942, at that time, Major Mikhail (Meer) Nikolaevich Plotkin died while returning from a combat mission to lay minefields in the Helsinki roadstead.
And today, long-range aviation presents special surprises to the "friends" of Russia. Thus, long-range and strategic aviation aircraft are participating in the counter-terrorist operation, inflicting crushing blows on targets and positions of militants in Syria. The Ministry of Defense presented footage of a massive strike by long-range aircraft (Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3) on ISIS infrastructure facilities:
Today, long-range aviation is not only one of the most serious means of combating terrorist groups sponsored by third countries, it is one of the most important components of the nuclear deterrence force. This is the means of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for solving strategic problems.
Long-range aviation is armed with Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers, Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, Il-78(M) tanker aircraft, An-30B special aircraft, An-12 and An-26 transport aircraft, Mi- 8 and Mi-26.
Long-range aircraft carry out flights to patrol the air borders of Russia, appear in neutral waters over Northern Europe, off the east and west coasts of North America. In 2014, long-range aircraft landed at the airfields of Nicaragua and Venezuela. The range of work is really huge.
"Military Review" congratulates pilots and veterans of long-range aviation on their professional holiday! Let the number of takeoffs always equal the number of landings!
This holiday is celebrated by those who served or are serving, who tied their fate with the 37th Air Army of the Supreme Strategic High Command. This military association is the elite of the Air Force, an important component of the nuclear strike force of our state and its strategic reserve.
Long-range aviation plays a huge role in ensuring defense capability and protecting Russia's borders from encroachment.
Story
This date is associated immediately with several important events, not only for Russian Empire but all over the world.
- A lot of effort and time were devoted to the design of a heavy bomber. The father of the Ilya Muromets, the largest four-engine aircraft in those days (the great-grandfather of modern missile carriers), can be called the legendary Igor Sikorsky. In December 1913, the first test flight was made.
- A year later, the Military Council decided to form the first squadron of such aircraft. The decree, signed by Emperor Nicholas II, marked the beginning of the existence of heavy bomber aircraft.
- The pioneers of long-range aviation served to the glory of the Fatherland during the First World War. But they were burned in 1917 in order to prevent capture by German troops that came close to their deployment.
- Council Decree People's Commissars in March 1918, the formation of the Northern Group of these ships was approved.
- In the further development and rearmament (in the 30s), teams took part under the leadership of Tupolev A.N. and Ilyushin S.V., who developed new aircraft.
The years of the Great Patriotic War confirmed the importance of such aircraft and their crews. Many soldiers and officers were awarded awards and the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Traditions
At present, the celebrations of this day are held with special warmth. At the state level, distinguished servicemen are awarded medals and orders for special merits. They remember and honor those who gave their lives for a peaceful sky above their heads.
The personnel are instructed to perform the most complex and responsible tasks:
- maintain equipment in combat readiness and improve your professional level taking into account modern achievements;
- conduct operational and strategic intelligence;
- destroy terrorist bases and various military targets of the enemy at distances of many thousands of kilometers from their bases at any time of the day:
- participate in air parades in honor of the day of aviation and victory.
Separate formations are sent to remote places and make fearless flights far from their homeland. They help by their presence the civilian population and legally elected governments to protect their constitutional rights and freedoms. Therefore, trips of honored artists with performances to such hot spots have become a tradition.
Holiday concerts with the participation of young and eminent vocalists and creative teams are held on radio and television. Congratulations from the leaders of the country are sure to sound. Celebrations are also organized for family members.
