Russian Units and Pilots after February 1917

[Manfred]

Did the Russian Provisional government maintain an air service after Nicholas II's overthrow? What did the pilots become? Where the markings changed at all? Did they continue to fight or did many desert to the Bolsheviks?

[Balloon_Buster]

I just read a book on the Russian Revolution. The Russian Air Force consisted mainly of French equipment. Perhaps exclusively, and usually outdated Nieuports and such. The Provisional Government was under pressure to continue the war by the Allies.

When the Revolution broke out, the air force, such as it was, was split up depending on whether the outfit sympathized with the Reds or the Whites. Not sure if the provisional government or the White Army changed the markings, but seems to me Red aircraft were adorned with Red stars.

[rammjaeger]

"Memoirs of a Russian Aviator" recollected by Georgii Leonidovich Sheremetevsky and published in 4 parts in Cross & Cockade can give a lot of information about the requested time and Russian aviation in WWI!

Visit www.crossandcockade.com for more info about WWI aviation!

VBR
Rammjaeger

[Manfred]

Thanks, very useful information. I shall try to find the mentioned book, but it will be hard here in Saudi Arabia!!!!

[agblume]

Hello Manfred, Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate on 15 March 1917 (new style) and the Provisional Government took over. The Russian Military Air Fleet remained intact, aircraft markings remained as before. however, all symbols of the Romanov's were removed from airmen's badges. Grand Duke Aleksandr Mikhailovich (a Romanov) was forced to resign as commander of the Air Fleet. The Air Fleet continued combat operations until 7 November 1917 (new style) (25 October 1917 old style) when the Bolsheviks seized power.

during the course of the war Russian factories produced between 6,700 and 6,900 aircraft, not all of which were accepted by the Air Fleet. Russia had imported about 1,150 aircraft from France, another 250 from Britain. in November 1917 the Russian Military Air Fleet (such as it was) had about 1,500 aircraft, and 35,000 officers and men; 91 aviation detachments, four bomber units, the Baltic Sea Air Division, the Black Sea Air Division, 87 balloon units, seven Air Parks, as well as various commands, plus 16 aviation schools.

The Air Fleet was demobilzed during the chaotic period between November 1917 and March 1918. a few units became Polonized, some Ukrainized, about 33 units became Bolshevik, while some units simply disbanded on their own, with their airmen later forming anti-Bolshevik units in North Russia, South Russia and Siberia. The Workers' and Peasants' Red Military Air Fleet was created on 28 January 1918 (new style). hoping these overly brief facts will help you. cheers, august

[TomVrille]

Greetings Manfred

By all means, go to the link posted by rammjaeger, and read the article by Col. (eventually) Sheremetevsky. Parts 3 and 4 of this article cover the post-revolutionary period in Russia, and both parts can be read in their entirety on the C&CI website.

The only drawback of the Sheremetevsky article, relative to your original question, is that Sheremetevsky joined the IRAS in the early days of the war, and much of his article is written from the command perspective, to which he advanced at a rapid pace.

There is an additional reference that may be difficult to find, but is worth the effort. This is a book written by a pilot who entered flight training almost on the eve of the revolution, and most of his reminiscences are from the era most relevant to your question. The book is Gatchina Days by Alexander Riaboff, published by the Smithsonian Institution Press in 1986. (See ISBN 0-87474-802-X) You may be able to obtain this reference though inter-library loan.

Hope this helps.

[MikeW]

and both parts can be read in their entirety on the C&CI website.

I don't think they can - just the first page of part 4 can currently be read on the C&CI website and that will disappear when the first Journal of 2006 is published.

[Jos]

Hello Manfred,

According to Military Aircraft Insignia of the World was the period following the revolution of disintegrating chaos. Many units defected to the revolutionaries and their aircraft markings were based on the colour of the revolution, namely red. Initially roundels were overpainted red, then overpainted white with a red star, sometimes leaving the red outer ring of the original marking. With the formation of the Workers and Peasants Red Air Fleet on 24 March 1918 the red star was the preferred marking, and this, with very little variation, has been used on wings, fuselage and fin up until the present day.

Jos

[agblume]

Hello Jos, after the Bolshevik takover on 7 November 1917 (n.s.) (25 October old style thus The October Revolution), there were many variations in Red markings which can be seen in the book "Red Stars 3" by C-F. Geust and G. Petrov, publshed by Apali Oy in Tampere, Finland in 1999 - the ISBN is 952-5026-16-7; and also "Aviatsiya Grazhdanskoi Voini" (Aviation in the Civil War) by Vyacheslav Kondratiev and Marat Khairulin, published by Tekhnika - Molodezhi in Moscow in 2000 - ISBN 5-93848-002-7. both are invaluable. the first Red units began forming from old units as early as late November - early December 1917. at first Red circles were simply painted over the old red-blue-white roundels. Red stars had different shapes until they finally became the straight edged Red stars. it's a very rich field for research. cheers, august

[TomVrille]

- just the first page of part 4 can currently be read on the C&CI website and that will disappear when the first Journal of 2006 is published.

Oops again!
Right- only the first page of the Sheremetevsky article is presented on the website...but...the first page of part 3 is also still available. (I imagine everyone now knows how deeply I researched the topic before posting!)