Kazakhov Sopwith Snipe markings?

[Romani]

Greetings,

The top russian ace, Captain Kazakhov flew a Sopwith Snipe in 1919 with the White Russian/ British army on the Russian Civil War (source Osprey "Nieuport aces") , in wich he fatally crashed, suspected suicide. I am confused, I thought he flew a Camel.

The question:
Would this Snipe/Camel wear Imperial russian cockades, or british? Did it have on the rudder the same skull and crossbones marking as in all of his previous aircraft?

Romani,

Howdy. I took a look in, "THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN AIR SERVICE, Famous Pilots and Aircraft of World War I; by Thomas Darcey, Alan Durkota and Victor Kulikov." I found this information.

"Although the Bolsheviks continually requested Kozakov's services, he elected to join the British military forces at Murmansk in June 1918. He was given the rank of major and appointed commander of the Slavo-Brittish air detachment stationed at the airfield at Benezniky. Kozakov flew continuously for the next six months. However, during a bombing mission in early January 1919, he was badly injured by a bullet that enetered his chest at an acute angle and came out his shoulder (via his lung). He was hospitalized until March 1919.

By the time Kozakov had returned to the front, the situation for the British forces had become serious. As a result, their military units started evacuating Murmansk at the end of July 1919. Although Kozakov was offered a post in England, he refused it. The following week, on the evening of August 1, he took off in a Sopwith Snipe and was killed moments later when it crashed.

Several British officers commented theat Kozakov appered very gloomy and upset before take off. Furthermore, once in the air, he had made no attempt to gain altitude until suddenly going straight up as if to loop the aircraft. However, at the highest point of the maneuver, the aircraft stalled and fell vertically into the ground. Kozakov died before help could reach him. Several days later, on August 4,1919, he was remembered as his nation's greatest fighter pilot and buried with full military honors in a small chapel in Berezniky. He was almost 31 years old."

Now the spelling of his name is a little different. But what with Russian names being what they are, not to mention their letters, it is probably the fellow you are looking for.

Cool breeze,
Moggie

(I'd guess that the Snipe had British markings, but I've learned not to guess, you guys are too smart for me!)

[Romani]

Yep, same guy. I will have to look up the name in cyrillic to get a more approximate spelling. Thanks for confirming that he flew a Snipe. I hope I can find pictures of this aircraft, I would take for certain that it had British markings. Now I hope to find out if he used the skull and crossbones on the rudder.