Soviet air show
Encyclopedia
In the life of Soviet Union
, air shows were a highly regarded type of parade
, almost always of military nature. They happened on various occasions and anniversaries, in many locations across the country, but if one would want to point one most notable air show
, it would be the Tushino Air Show happening annually in August.
initiative, and was held in Gorky Park (Moscow)
(the Central Moscow Aerodrome), but since the next year the show became located on Tushino airfield near Moscow
, where it remained for entire decades. In 1937, the parade was attended by nearly a million of viewers, observing the masses of aircraft spelling in the sky "LENIN
", "STALIN" and "SSSR". The celebrations repeated until the fall of Soviet Union, and are continued in Russia (location is now Zhukovskiy airport
, see MAKS airshow
).
s.
The October revolution
anniversary usually included air parade, but as it was held on November 7, the aircraft were often cancelled because of weather conditions. The same problem pertained to the November 19, the Soviet Rocket Forces and Artillery Day.
Notably, the 50th anniversary of October revolution air show was held in the summer, on July 9, 1967 at Domodedovo airport. In an unprecedented display of air power, it featured no less than twelve new types (or variants) of military aircraft previously unknown, and prompted almost hysterical reaction in the West.
s (OKBs). Both Eastern and Western public opinion benefited from it, as well as foreign military intelligence.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, air shows were a highly regarded type of parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, almost always of military nature. They happened on various occasions and anniversaries, in many locations across the country, but if one would want to point one most notable air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
, it would be the Tushino Air Show happening annually in August.
Soviet Air Fleet Day
The most frequent date of air shows was the Soviet Air Fleet Day . It was also known as the Soviet Air Forces Day , or Soviet Aviation Day. It was established in 1933 and was most usually held on third Sunday of August, if weather permitted. The initial exhibition on August 18, 1933, was a result of Yakov AlksnisYakov Alksnis
Yakov Ivanovich Alksnis was the commander of Red Army Air Forces in 1931–1937.Jēkabs Alksnis was born in a farmer's family in Naukšēni parish, Vidzeme . He attended school in Ramnieki and a teachers seminary in Valmiera , where he joined the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party...
initiative, and was held in Gorky Park (Moscow)
Gorky Park (Moscow)
Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure is an amusement park in Moscow, named after Maxim Gorky.-History:...
(the Central Moscow Aerodrome), but since the next year the show became located on Tushino airfield near Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, where it remained for entire decades. In 1937, the parade was attended by nearly a million of viewers, observing the masses of aircraft spelling in the sky "LENIN
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
", "STALIN" and "SSSR". The celebrations repeated until the fall of Soviet Union, and are continued in Russia (location is now Zhukovskiy airport
Ramenskoye Airport
Ramenskoye Airport , also known as Ramenskoye Airfield or Zhukovsky Airfield, is an airport in Moscow Oblast, Russia located 40 km southeast of Moscow and near the town of Ramenskoye. It serves as a major aircraft testing facility since the Cold War years with the majority of the major Russian...
, see MAKS airshow
MAKS Airshow
MAKS is an International Air Show held near Moscow, Russia on Zhukovskiy LII air field. The first show, Mosaeroshow-92, was held in 1992. Since 1993, it was renamed to its current name and is held on odd years .MAKS is an important event in Russian business...
).
May Day
The 1st of May was dedicated to multitude of parades throughout the Soviet Union. They often included large-scale flypastFlypast
Flypast is a term used in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and other countries to denote ceremonial or honorific flights by groups of aircraft and, rarely, by a single aircraft...
s.
Other
The Soviet Air Fleet Day became primarily associated with Soviet Air Forces (VVS), so a separate day has been established for Soviet Air Defense Forces (PVO) a second arm of Soviet military that employed numerous fighter squadrons. It was called Soviet Air Defense Forces Day , occurred on the second Sunday of April, and was celebrated with air parades of lesser scale.The October revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
anniversary usually included air parade, but as it was held on November 7, the aircraft were often cancelled because of weather conditions. The same problem pertained to the November 19, the Soviet Rocket Forces and Artillery Day.
Notably, the 50th anniversary of October revolution air show was held in the summer, on July 9, 1967 at Domodedovo airport. In an unprecedented display of air power, it featured no less than twelve new types (or variants) of military aircraft previously unknown, and prompted almost hysterical reaction in the West.
Notable first appearances
The Soviet air shows conveyed much more value than mere entertainment. In the atmosphere of harshly enforced clandestinity, these air shows were frequently the main source of information about the recent aviation achievements of Soviet design bureauOKB
OKB is a transliteration of the Russian acronym for "Опытное конструкторское бюро" - Opytnoe Konstructorskoe Byuro, meaning Experimental Design Bureau...
s (OKBs). Both Eastern and Western public opinion benefited from it, as well as foreign military intelligence.
| Year | Month Day | Airfield | New fighters (Soviet designation) | New bombers (Soviet designation) | Other new aircraft | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | August 3 | Tushino airfield | Yak-19 Yakovlev Yak-19 -See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. Yakovlev Aircraft since 1924. London, UK: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1997. ISBN 1-55750-978-6.-External links:*... , La-150 Lavochkin La-150 The Lavochkin La-150 , was designed by the Lavochkin design bureau in response to a 1945 order to build a single-seat jet fighter using a single German turbojet... , La-156, La-160, Su-9 Sukhoi Su-9 (1946) The Sukhoi Su-9, or Samolyet K , , was an early jet fighter built in the Soviet Union shortly after World War II. The design began in 1944 and was intended to use Soviet-designed turbojet engines. The design was heavily influenced by captured German jet fighters and it was subsequently redesigned... , Su-11 |
Tu-4, Tu-77 | - | new jet designs | |
| 1954 | May 1 | Tushino airfield | - | Myasishchev M-4 Myasishchev M-4 The Myasishchev M-4 Molot , USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 37", NATO reporting name 'Bison'.) is a four-engined strategic bomber designed by Vladimir Myasishchev and manufactured by the Soviet Union in the 1950s to provide a bomber capable of attacking targets in North America... |
- | - | |
| 1956 | June 24 | Tushino airfield | MiG-21, Su-7B, Su-9 | - | |||
| 1961 | July | Tushino airfield | Tu-28 | Tu-22, Yak-28 | Be-12, Ka-25, Mi-8 MI-8 MI-8 may refer to:* MI8, the WWII British signals intelligence agency* Mil Mi-8, the Soviet-designed helicopter* Mitten im 8en, an Austrian TV soap/comedy series* Black Chamber, the United States' first peacetime cryptanalytic organization... , Mi-10 Mil Mi-10 -See also:-References:Bibliography* Gordon, Yefim, Komissarov, Dmitriy and Komissarov, Sergey, Mil's Heavylift Helicopters; Mi-6/Mi-10/V-12/Mi-26, Red Star Volume 22, Midland Counties Publications, 2005-External links:*http://www.aviation.ru/Mi/#10... |
- | |
| 1967 | July 9 | Domodedovo Airport | MiG-23, MiG-25, Su-11, Su-15, Su-17, STOL aircraft (MiG, Su, Yak-36) | - | - | major impact in the West | |
| 1971 | May | Vnukovo Airport | - | - | Tu-144, Tu-154, Il-76, Il-62M, Tu-134A, Yak-40, B-12 | civil aviation exhibition |
See also
- Air showAir showAn air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
- FlypastFlypastFlypast is a term used in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and other countries to denote ceremonial or honorific flights by groups of aircraft and, rarely, by a single aircraft...
- Military parade
- MAKS air show, the current biannual Russian air show