Georgy Filippovich Baydukov (; – 28 December 1994) was a

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

test pilot,

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

(1936), writer and hunter.

Early years

Baydukov was born at the Taryshta railway station in the

Tomsk Governorate Tomsk Governorate () was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, the Russian Republic, and the Russian SFSR, which existed from 1804 to 1925 as part of Siberian Governorate-General (1804–1822) and West Siberian ...

of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

(now

Novosibirsk Oblast Novosibirsk Oblast () is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast) located in southwestern Siberia. Its administrative center, administrative and economic center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of N ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

)Байдуков Георгий Филиппович // Большая Российская Энциклопедия / редколл., гл. ред. Ю. С. Осипов. том 2. М., научное издательство "Большая Российская Энциклопедия", 2005. in family of a railway worker.Байдуков Георгий Филиппович // Советская военная энциклопедия / ред. А. А. Гречко. том 1. М., Воениздат, 1976. стр.367Байдуков Георгий Филиппович // Герои Советского Союза: краткий биографический справочник (в 2-х тт.) / редколл., гл. ред. И. Н. Шкадов. том 1. М., Воениздат, 1987. стр.106 He became an orphan at the age of 9 and was homeless for some time. Baydukov was taken to an orphanage and worked in railway construction for some time. In March 1926 he enlisted in the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

as a volunteer. In 1926 he graduated from the Leningrad Air Force School. In 1928 he graduated from the Kacha school for military pilotsА. Горохов. Георгий Байдуков: "Хотел бы слетать через полюс" // газета "Правда", № 146 (25133) от 26 мая 1987. стр.6 and served as a fighter pilot from 1928 to 1931.

Test pilot

Georgy Baydukov was transferred to the Air Force's Testing institute and became an aircraft

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

in 1931. He tested a number of fighter planes from 1931 to 1934 and was instrumental in developing

instrument flight rules In aviation, instrument flight rules (IFR) is one of two sets of regulations governing all aspects of civil aviation aircraft operations; the other is visual flight rules (VFR). The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) ''Instrument Fl ...

for the Soviet Air Force.

Ultra-long distance flights

Georgy Baydukov became a student at the Air Force Academy in 1934. During that time, he became involved with a number of ultra-long-distance flights conducted by the Soviet Union. He tried to reach

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

flying from

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

via the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...

in August 1935 as a member of Levanevsky's crew, flying the

ANT-25 The Tupolev ANT-25 was a Soviet long-range experimental aircraft which was also tried as a bomber. First constructed in 1933, it was used by the Soviet Union for a number of record-breaking flights. Development The ANT-25 was designed as the r ...

. The flight was terminated because of technical problems.полковник В. Пинчук. Через полюс - в Америку // газета " Красная звезда" от 26 мая 1986. стр.4 �нтервью с Г. Ф. Байдуковым/ref> Baydukov continued to participate in the testing of the ANT-25 from 1935 to 1936. He was a member of the Communist Party from 1936.Байдуков Георг. Фил. (р. 1907) // Большой энциклопедический словарь (в 2-х тт.). / редколл., гл. ред. А. М. Прохоров. том 1. М., "Советская энциклопедия", 1991. стр.97

Valery Chkalov Valery Pavlovich Chkalov (; ; – 15 December 1938) was a test pilot awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union (1936). Early life Chkalov was born to a Russian family in 1904 in the upper Volga region, the town of Chkalovsk, Russia, Vasi ...

, Georgy Baydukov and Alexander Belyakov flew an improved ANT-25 via the

to Udd Island, in the

Sea of Okhotsk The Sea of Okhotsk; Historically also known as , or as ; ) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean. It is located between Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, Japan's island of Hokkaido on the sou ...

(distance 9,374 km, flight time 56 h 20 min) from July 20, 1936, to July 22, 1936. Georgy Baydukov was awarded the title of

for this deed on July 24, 1936. The same crew an ANT-25 from

Vancouver, Washington Vancouver ( ) is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, located in Clark County, Washington, Clark County. Founded in 1825 and incorporated in 1857, Vancouver had a population of 190, ...

via the

from June 18, 1937, to June 20, 1937 (distance 8,504 km). Georgy Baydukov resumed his work as a test pilot in 1937. He tested

PE-2 The Petlyakov Pe-2 ( — nickname «Пешка» (Pawn); NATO reporting name: Buck) was a Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war,Ethell 1996, p. 152. it also proved su ...

and SB bombers, and also participated in tests of the DB-A bomber.

Second World War

In 1939–1940, Baydukov participated in the

Soviet-Finnish War The Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peac ...

. He served in the 85th Bomber Regiment. In August 1941, Baydukov was sent to meet with

US president The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

to secure the purchase of warplanes. He managed to arrange the sale of several

P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by th ...

fighter planes to the Soviet Union. He returned to the front lines in January 1942. Baydukov served as deputy commander of the 31st Mixed Aviation Division from December 1941. In February, he assumed command of the division. In March 1942, he became commander of the Air Force of the

4th Shock Army The 4th Shock Army was a combined arms army of the Soviet Armed Forces during World War II. The Army was formed from the 27th Army on 25 December 1941 (1st formation) within the Northwestern Front. On 1 October 1942 it included the 249th, 332 ...

. In May 1942, Baydukov was appointed commander of the 211th Mixed Aviation Division. In June 1942, he became commander of the 212th Assault Aviation Division. In May 1943, the division became the

4th Guards Assault Aviation Division Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

. In January 1944, Baydukov became commander of the 4th Assault Aviation Corps.

Post-war years

In December 1945, Baydukov became deputy commander of the

13th Air Army The 76th Air Army was a unit of the Soviet Air Forces from 1949 to 1980, and again from 1988 to 1998. As the 13th Air Army, it was originally formed on 25 November 1942 and based on air units of the Leningrad Front. 13th Air Army's initial compon ...

. In July 1946, he became deputy head of the

State Red Banner Air Force Research and Testing Institute State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

for flight testing. Baydukov participated in the

Tupolev Tu-70 The Tupolev Tu-70 (; NATO reporting name: Cart) was a Soviet Union, Soviet passenger variant of the Tupolev Tu-4, Tu-4 bomber, an unlicensed, Reverse engineering, reverse engineered copy of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Designed immediately aft ...

tests in fall 1947. From December 1947 until December 1949, he was a head of the Main Department of the

Civil Air Fleet PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (, ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; , , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. Aeroflot is headquartered in the Central Administrative Okrug, Moscow, with its hub being Sheremetyevo Internati ...

(GVF). In September 1949, Baydukov entered the Higher Military Academy, graduating in December 1951. Baydukov was a colonel-general of aviation from May 1961. In the 1980s, he was a consultant of the Ministry of Defense. Georgy Baydukov served with the Soviet Air Force in various capacities until May 1988, when he retired with the rank of

colonel general Colonel general is a military rank used in some armies. It is particularly associated with Germany, where historically General officer#Old European system, general officer ranks were one grade lower than in the Commonwealth and the United States, ...

Honours and awards

USSR

(July 1936) * Two

Orders of Lenin The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...

(July 1936, November 1950) *

Order of the October Revolution The Order of the October Revolution (, ''Orden Oktyabr'skoy Revolyutsii'') was instituted on 31 October 1967, in time for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It was conferred upon individuals or groups for services furthering communis ...

(December 1972) * Four

Orders of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner () was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. It was the highest award of Sovi ...

Order of Kutuzov The Order of Kutuzov ( ''orden Kutuzova'') is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named after famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745–1813). The Order was established during World War II t ...

1st class (May 1945) * Two Orders of Suvorov 2nd class (1944, 1944) *

2nd class (April 1945) *

Order of the Patriotic War The Order of the Patriotic War () is a Soviet Union, Soviet military Order (decoration), decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to Partisan (military), partisans for heroic deeds in the Easte ...

1st class *

2nd class *

Order of the Red Banner of Labour The Order of the Red Banner of Labour () was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to the Soviet state and society in the fields of production, science, culture, literature, the arts, education, sports ...

(May 1977) * Four Orders of the Red Star *

Order for Service to the Homeland Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * H ...

1st, 2nd, and 3rd class * campaign and jubilee medals :*

Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg" The Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg" () was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on June 9, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to satisfy the petition of the People's Commissariat for ...

Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Medal "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established on May 9, 1945, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote military partici ...

:* Medal "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR" *

USSR State Prize The USSR State Prize () was one of the Soviet Union’s highest civilian honours, awarded from its establishment in September 1966 until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. It recognised outstanding contributions in the fields of science, mathem ...

(1970) *

honorary citizen Honorary citizenship is a status bestowed by a city or other government on a foreign or native individual whom it considers to be especially admirable or otherwise worthy of the distinction. The honor usually is symbolic and does not confer an ...

Nikolayevsk-on-Amur Nikolayevsk-on-Amur () is a town in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia located on the Amur River close to its liman in the Pacific Ocean. Population: 17,815 (2024); History Medieval and early-modern history In the late Middle Ages, the people living al ...

(since August 1981)

Russian Federation

Order of Friendship The Order of Friendship (, ') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by Boris Yeltsin by presidential decree 442 of 2 March 1994 to reward Russian and foreign nationals whose work, deeds and efforts have been aimed at ...

(April 1994)

Foreign awards

Officer of the Legion of Merit An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

(USA) *

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. ...

(USA) * Distinguished Flying Cross (USA) * Medal for Odra, Nisso and the Baltic (Poland) * Medal for Warsaw (Poland) * Order of the Grunwald Cross 2nd class (

Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic (1952–1989), formerly the Republic of Poland (1947–1952), and also often simply known as Poland, was a country in Central Europe that existed as the predecessor of the modern-day democratic Republic of Poland. ...

, 1946) *

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...

2nd and 3rd classes (Poland) *

Order of Sukhbaatar The Order of Sukhbaatar (or Order of Suche Bator) is a state decoration of Mongolia, originally instituted on 16 May 1941. It was awarded to Mongolians and foreigners "for special services to defenses, economic and cultural construction of the Mon ...

(Mongolia) *

Order of the Red Banner (Mongolia) The Order of the Red Banner () is a military decoration of Mongolia, originally established as the "Order for Military Merit" of the People's Republic of Mongolia. The medal has been awarded to citizens as well as foreigners and institutions for ...

* Czechoslovak War Cross (Czechoslovakia) *

Order of the White Lion The Order of the White Lion () is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia having no civilian decoration for its citizens in the 192 ...

1st class (Czechoslovakia) *

1st class For Victory

References

External links