Viktor Fedorov is the air hero of Russia and France
History The Russian Air Force officially began on August 12, 1912. It was on this day that the last Russian emperor Nicholas II signed an order to create the first aviation units under the General Directorate of the General Staff. A little later, this part became the basis of a new type of Russian armed forces - the Imperial Air Force fleet. For one hundred and three years of its existence, the Russian and Soviet air forces have given the country thousands of true Heroes. Millions of Soviet and Russian citizens have served at different times in the Air Force of the country, having made, despite differences in positions and ranks, their contribution to the defense of our country. The names of the legendary Soviet aces - Kozhedub, Pokryshkin, Gastello, Chkalov - are known to everyone today. But I would like to recall those people who stood exactly at the beginning of Russian military aviation - the first Russian military pilots who began their service more than a century ago. It is noteworthy that some of them excelled while serving in foreign armies, but this does not detract from their valor and their contribution to the victory over the common enemy of the Russian state and its foreign allies.
The man of amazing fate was the legendary pilot Viktor Fedorov. It was he who was nicknamed by the Germans, against whom he fought in the First World War, "Verdun Air Cossack". Seven decades later, a writer and also a military pilot, veteran of the Great Patriotic War Yury Manuilovich Galperin entitled his book so much. By the way, Halperin himself was an outstanding man. A graduate of the Engel Military Aviation School, during the Great Patriotic War, he spent all the family savings to build a fighter aircraft and went to the front on it. And after the war he became a journalist and a writer. Halperin did a lot to “popularize” the names of the first Russian pilots - Akashev, Slavorossov, Utochkin, Efremov, Fedorov. When 11 November 1885 of the year on the periphery of the Russian lands, in the city of Verniy - the administrative center of the Semirechensk region (now - Alma-Ata, Republic of Kazakhstan) a boy was born, named by Viktor - “Winner”, hardly anyone would think that after thirty years he would be destined to become famous as one of the first Russian air aces. The parents of Viktor Fedorov were people of moderate means. Father, court counselor Georgy Petrovich Fedorov, taught Russian literature at a local men's gymnasium, and his mother, a Siberian Cossack Anna Feodorovna, was engaged in raising children. The children in the family of the court counselor Fedorov were nine — eight sons and one daughter. The family lived modestly, but there were enough funds for raising nine children. All Georgy Petrovich tried to give education. Even despite the fact that back in 1887, during the famous earthquake in Verniy, the house of Fedorov was very badly damaged - like the houses of many other citizens. On that terrible day, the 322 man died, but the Fedorov family was lucky - they miraculously survived. Subsequently, the Fedorovs' family moved from Verny to Tashkent, which by then had already turned into a sufficiently developed city economically and culturally. In Tashkent, Georgy Petrovich Fedorov also engaged in teaching activities, and his sons continued their studies.
- The town of Verny, the building of the governor’s palace, the women's and men's gymnasiums before the 1887 earthquake.
Revolutionary youth
Viktor Fedorov’s youth fell on the turbulent years of the First Russian Revolution. Both he and his brothers sympathized with the revolutionary ideas, although they were, at the same time, the true patriots of their homeland. The brothers Peter, Yakov and Konstantin went on a military path. Peter died during the Brusilov breakthrough, Konstantin went missing during the First World War, and Jacob "gave in the face" to a senior officer who mocked soldiers. For this he was demoted and fired from military service. Semen Georgievich Fedorov did not stay aside - he, who worked as a customs officer, played an important role in the delivery of revolutionary literature to Central Asia. Yevgeny Fedorov, another brother who later became a professor - historian, was also not a stranger to the revolutionary movement in his youth, moreover - he took part in the activities of the socialist underground and was arrested by the tsarist secret police. Viktor Georgievich Fedorov went to study at Kharkov University - he was going to become a lawyer, but participation in the revolutionary movement confused his plans. Young Victor joined the Social Democratic organization. When Victor's participation in the anti-government movement came to light, he was expelled from the university. I had to return to my father's house - in Tashkent, where Victor hoped to continue the revolutionary agitation, spreading Social Democratic ideas among the inhabitants of Russian Turkestan.
Turkestan was a distant periphery of the Russian empire - both economic and political. Therefore, the revolutionary movement here was not seriously influenced - at least, political parties of a revolutionary orientation were less active here than in the central and western provinces. However, Turkestan had its own political specifics, explained by local social, economic and cultural conditions. First, the socialist revolutionaries had less influence - if in the Central Russia the Social Revolutionaries had the support of the peasant population, then in Turkestan the Russian peasantry was practically absent, therefore the Social Revolutionaries could only rely on the diverse intelligentsia, small groups of immigrant peasants and workers. Secondly, anarchist organizations were practically absent in Central Asia. Finally, as for the Social Democrats, they here had even less influence than the Social Revolutionaries, and at the beginning of their activities they even entered into common organizations with the socialist revolutionaries. Later, the Tashkent group of the RSDLP and the Turkestan Union of the RSDLP were distinguished. The Social Democrats of Turkestan relied on the support of part of the railway workers and employees, as well as the raznochinnoy intelligentsia. Therefore, if it made sense to conduct propaganda activities, it was only among railway workers who were in Central Asia almost the only organized and politically competent detachment of the proletariat. The revolutionary work in Turkestan was significantly complicated by the specific features of the local population. The overwhelming majority of the population here were representatives of Central Asian peoples - Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Karakalpaks. Due to historical and cultural peculiarities, religion, language barrier, they are much less than the Russians and other peoples of the western part of the Russian Empire, were inclined to assimilate political concepts of European origin, including Marxism. The bulk of the Central Asian peasants and artisans simply did not know how to speak Russian, which made communication impossible. But even overcoming the language barrier, including with the help of Tatar translators, still did not mean the possibility of carrying out successful revolutionary propaganda. Therefore, the main “electorate” for the revolutionary organizations was the Russian and Russian-speaking population of Turkestan, especially since there were many exiles among them, people who had problems with the royal power and left “away” from their native provinces, etc. Apparently, the young Viktor Fedorov, after being expelled from Kharkov University who returned to Turkestan, launched agitational activities among railway workers. He hoped that through the dissemination of proclamations, “intimate conversations” and spontaneous rallies, he would be able to attract a significant number of Turkestan workers to the side of the social democratic organization. Naturally, Fedorov’s campaign activities attracted the attention of the local secret police. The Russian intelligentsia in Turkestan, due to its small size and potential inclination for radical sentiment, and so was the object of increased attention from the gendarmes, and Viktor Fedorov who was dismissed and attracted in political affairs even more so.
November 27 1905 city Viktor Fedorov was arrested at the railway station Aktyubinsk. Victor presented documents to the gendarmes in the name of Sergey Nikiforov, the son of a judge of the Samarkand district court, but after a while his true identity was established. Victor was imprisoned in Aktyubinsk prison, then transferred to Tashkent prison. 5 May 1906 city The Tashkent Court of Justice has filed a charge against a twenty-year-old former law student of Kharkov University with Fedorov Viktor Georgievich. As it was said in conclusion, on November 27, Fedorov sat in the station of Turkestan in a car of the 1905 class and then began talking with passengers on political topics, openly stating that he was a member of the Social Democratic Party. During conversations, Fedorov "denounced the government and the Sovereign, called His Majesty a donkey and a bloodsucker, and that all the higher government, beginning with the ministers, should be cut and hung and so forth." In addition, Fedorov agitated passengers to support the upcoming December 6 1905. railroad strike. With him, Fedorov had proclamations of the Tashkent group of the RSDLP, but by the time of his arrest he was able to distribute them all among the passengers and people who were at the stations. At the large stations, Fedorov got off the train and delivered agitational speeches to the assembled people. Victor Georgy Petrovich Fedorov’s father, although he was a simple teacher of Russian literature, he enjoyed and had certain connections in society. In the end, he managed to get his son Vitya released on bail pending trial. Of all the evidence - only the report of a secret officer, who was watching Victor, and a fake passport in the name of Nikiforov. Victor did not have any proclamations by the time of his arrest — and this seriously facilitated the line of defense. However, having left prison, Victor did not leave dangerous revolutionary activity. He resumed campaigning among workers in Tashkent and soldiers stationed in the city military units. When the police again became interested in the activities of Viktor Fedorov, he preferred to flee Tashkent without waiting for the detention. A few months later, a trace of the Turkestan revolutionary was revealed ... in the capital of the Russian Empire. It turned out that there Viktor Fedorov continued to engage in revolutionary activities - again, among railway workers and employees. 18th of December 1906 in St. Petersburg, gendarmes conducted an operation to liquidate the All-Russian Railway Union - the railway workers' trade union, which played an important role in organizing the anti-government labor movement. During the raid on the apartment of a certain Maria Ivanovna Zubkova, Mr. Nikolayev of Thebesky, the son of a priest, was detained. However, soon the gendarmes managed to establish his identity - this is Viktor Fedorov, who is wanted by the Tashkent District Court. The arrested revolutionary was convoyed to Tashkent, where he was placed in a local prison, in a cell for political prisoners. Although this time, besides another fake passport in the name of the priest's son, there was no evidence for Fedorov. 29 August Victor Fedorov was sent to the city of Kazanlinsk, where he was to be tried and, most likely, sentenced to a real term of imprisonment. When the train arrived at Kazanlinsk station - at the destination, the escorts and local gendarmes who met them did not find Viktor Fedorov in the prison carriage. Orientations to Viktor Georgievich Fedorov, who ran on August 29 in the evening from Tashkent station, were sent to all gendarme offices. It was not clear how Fyodorov could deal with the sawing of the grates, if the convoy soldiers regularly watched the prison car. In the end, they found the probable "switchman" - the soldier Fedotov, who was on duty at the time of Fedorov's flight. However, there was no real evidence against Fedotov - no one could guarantee that the soldier missed Fedorov intentionally, and not by accidental oversight.
Russian volunteer with a machine gun belt
Political immigrant Viktor Fedorov lived in France, then in Belgium. All the time while he was living abroad, he remained under the supervision of the foreign agents of the royal secret police. After all, Fedorov never broke off his ties with the revolutionary movement, but he actively participated in the activities of the revolutionary emigration and received the nickname “Victor Voenny” among its members. In March, the 1910 Fedorov married Maria Andreevna Albitskaya, also an emigrant from the Russian Empire, and soon their daughter Galya was born. A former law student worked in Belgium at the local jeweler's workshop - faceter. Later he moved to Italy - it was here, in the hospitable Apennines, that his wife and daughter lived. As is known, the Italian authorities did not pose particular obstacles for Russian political émigrés, therefore, since the end of the 19th century, many revolutionaries who had fled the Russian Empire settled in Italy, especially in the vicinity of Genoa. Victor Fedorov was no exception. However, then from Cavi de Lavagna Fedorov and his family moved to Nice - here he managed to get a place in the newspaper. Here, in Nice, 29-year-old Viktor Fedorov found the First World War. German troops rapidly invaded the territory of Belgium and Luxembourg, creating the danger of a subsequent invasion of France. These days, many French and even immigrants who were on French soil, decided to volunteer to join the ranks of the army. Many Russians decided to fight on the side of the Entente; rather, among the revolutionaries, rather Francopile views were spread, since Germany and Austria-Hungary were considered the embodiment of "reaction." Even the prince Peter Kropotkin, the world-known ideologue of anarchism, who in the face of war set aside for a time his anti-state slogans and became one of the leaders of the "defencists", called for the struggle against Germany and Austria-Hungary. Thus, in the ranks of the French army, the famous “Marusia” fought - Maria Nikiforova, many other Russian émigrés served - both revolutionaries and the most ordinary immigrants from Russia who had no political or military past. Many of them were in the ranks of the Foreign Legion, others entered directly into the units of the French army. Viktor Fedorov joined the ranks of the French army as a volunteer. Here, in France, no one was particularly interested in his Russian revolutionary past, and the soldiers of the French army were needed. Moreover, such determined and courageous people like Viktor Fedorov. He enlisted as a machine-gunner in the battalion of the French army staffed by Russian volunteers and very quickly rose to the rank of corporal. 23 February 1915 city Viktor Fedorov was seriously wounded during one of the battles. The trenches in which the machine-gunners from the division of Viktor Fedorov were located were covered with German artillery fire. Comrades saw that the corporal was bleeding and began to call the orderly. The life of Viktor Fedorov was saved. The fragments of the German projectile hit their heads and legs, but high-quality medical care in the French military hospital did its job - after three months, Victor went on the mend and was able to get back into service. While Fedorov was in the hospital, he had a lot of time to reflect - not only about his life course, but also about the art of war in modern times, about the course of hostilities and modern military specialties. After the sudden bombing of Paris by German airships, Victor believed in the future of military aviation as a wonderful means of defense and attack in modern warfare. Somehow it immediately came to him and the desire to become an aviator - it seemed very interesting and romantic, and even his nearly thirty-year-old Fedorov did not see any hindrance in order to get the profession of a military pilot.
At the service of aviation
Here, in brief, it is worth telling about what French military aviation was like in the period under review. The French aviation industry was one of the first in Europe, and the first aviation schools appeared here, attracting not only French, but also foreign cadets. France was considered the world's leading aviation power and strongly supported this image, attracting the attention of aviators from all countries of the world, including the Russian Empire. At the origins of the French aviation stood, in particular, Louis Bleriot - the first Frenchman to receive a pilot certificate. It was he who made the first flight over the English Channel, produced his own airplanes and created a renowned aviation school. By the way, in the famous school of Bleriot, many famous pilots studied, including Jules Vedrin - one of the founders of the French military transport aircraft, who served as a fighter during the First World War. It Vedrin introduced to the aviation of the young Antoine de Saint-Exupery - who later became famous not so much as an aviator, but as an excellent writer.
By the time of entry into the First World War, France possessed one of the strongest air forces in Europe, and the French “specialized” on fighters, unlike German aviation, which actively engaged bombers. Lieutenant Roland Garrot, who served in the 26 of the French Aviation Squadron, mounted a machine gun on his plane and in the first two weeks managed to shoot down two German planes. The next day he shot down another plane. However, April 16 Garro was shot down and captured in German. So the Germans learned the secret of the invention of the French pilot - a machine gun capable of shooting through the rotating propeller blades. Garro managed to escape from captivity only in 1918 year. And the Germans managed to create their own fighters, "who drank a lot of blood" of the Entente aviation in the First World War.
Another legendary French ass was Georges Guenemer. Despite the fact that he lived the entire 22 year - was born in 1894, and died in 1917, his name is written in golden letters not only in the history of the French Air Force, but also in the history of world military aviation. Ginemeru was denied admission to an aviation school for a long time, because the young man was not very healthy and was of small stature. However, in the end, the dream of a young Frenchman came true and he became a fighter pilot. Already in July, 1915, in the very first battles, he managed to shoot down the first, then the second German aircraft. By February 1916, Ginemer's track record was already five downed enemy planes, and the young man himself was declared an “air ass.” In just two years of participation in the air battles, Ginemer, having served from the corporal to the captain of French aviation, shot down an enemy aircraft 53. Another famous French aviator, René Paul Fonck (pictured on the background of the aircraft) (1894-1953) shot down 75 of enemy aircraft. He was more fortunate than Ginemera - he not only survived, but also continued his military career, rose to the rank of colonel of aviation and survived World War II. Fonk, Ginemere, Garros, Vedrin became examples for other French pilots and for Russian émigrés who dreamed of serving in French aviation. And such, by the way, was a lot. Thus, Konstantin Vasilievich Akashev, also a Russian political émigré, whose fate closely resembles Fedorov’s fate, came to volunteer as a volunteer in French aviation, with the only difference that Akashev was, firstly, not an Social Democrat, but an anarcho-communist, and second, he returned to Russia and managed to achieve top positions already in Soviet military aviation. By the way, Akashev also received aviation education abroad - in Italy, in the famous Caproni school, whose cadet was after forced emigration from the Russian Empire. Khariton Nikolaevich Slavorossov served as a military pilot in the rank of sergeant of aviation — another Russian, though not a revolutionary, but just an itinerant aviator, an athlete who, shortly before the start of World War I, moved to France from neighboring Italy. In addition to Russian pilots who served in the ranks of French aviation, in France during the First World War, many officers were also on probation and were on active duty in the Russian Imperial Air Force. Among them were the staff captain E. Kruten, about which we shall say below, and Second Lieutenant I. Orlov, who later commanded the 7 th fighter aviation detachment of the Russian army.
"Air Cossack of Verdun"
After being discharged from hospital, Viktor Fedorov entered the Dijon military school, where pilots were taught. The course was then only four months. Having received knowledge of driving and the device of airplanes, Fedorov in a rank of the sergeant was distributed to a part of military transport aircraft. Although Victor himself was eager to fight and dreamed of attacking German positions from the air, the command decided that the Russian sergeant who had recovered from his wounds not so long ago could not go to the front - he could serve France in the rear: deliver correspondence, cargo, flying new airplanes. Despite the fact that he filed a report on sending to front-line units several times, the command refused, citing serious injuries received while he was a machine-gunner. Finally, at the beginning of 1916, Fedorov still managed to “persuade” the commanders. He was given permission to transfer to the famous Stork squadron, which fought on the German front. At this time, fierce battles were fought near Verdun. In history, they were called the “Verdun meat grinder” - huge German and French armies fought on the territory of Lorraine. On the French side, under the command of Generals Henri Petain and Robert Nivel, fought 1 140 000 soldiers and officers, from the German side, commanded by General Erich von Falkenhayn - 1 250 000 soldiers and officers. Military aircraft from both sides were used in combat, both bomber and fighter. Viktor Fedorov piloted the double Cordon G4.
During the 16 days, the Russian pilot, who had just been released from a flying school, conducted 9 air battles and shot down 8 of German airplanes. The glory of the bold aviator instantly scattered and the French front-line parts, and in parts of the enemy. It was the Germans who nicknamed Fedorov "the Russian air Cossack of Verdun." However, the German assam could not bring down the "Cossack". But the higher French command marked Sergeant Fedorov with high awards.
- the legendary pilot Viktor Fedorov
Marshal Georges de Joffre, commander-in-chief of the French army, signed an order awarding Sergeant Viktor Fedorov with a Military Medal. The order listed the feats of arms of the Russian émigré: “March 14 1916 attacked the enemy aircraft 4 alone. Three put to flight, the fourth planted on its territory. March 19 in the first flight attacked three aircraft, in the second - four aircraft. Both times forced the enemy to take flight. 21 March shot down an enemy airplane. ” After the award, French newspapers wrote about the exploits of a wonderful Russian pilot. Still, in just two weeks, Sergeant Viktor Fedorov managed to earn all the highest military awards of the French army. He received national fame and, having gone on a three-day vacation to Paris, was met by people with applause. In Parisian cafes, who came to drink wine or coffee from Viktor Fedorov, the assembled visitors greeted standing and applause. Many French newspapers wrote about the exploits of the Russian military pilot who fought for France - it was in them that Fedorov's nickname for the first time was “Russian air Cossack”. However, 2 April 1916, joining the air battle immediately with three German Fokkers, Viktor Fedorov knocked down one of them, but was wounded in the leg. Once in the hospital, Fedorov began to seriously think about how he would move from France to his native Russia. He wanted to fight and shed his blood, first of all, in his native land - protecting it from the invasion of the Germans and the Austro-Hungarians. Moreover, almost all the brothers Victor also in the harsh years of the First World War fought on the German front. The hero of the French aviation, through his acquaintances in the Russian embassy, began to learn about the possibility of returning to his homeland and continuing to fight in the air — only as a part of the Russian aviation. However, the answer came disappointingly - due to previous “political adventures” of Viktor Fedorov, he is still an undesirable person for staying in the territory of the Russian Empire. It did not even help that he had a unique experience of air battles and numerous awards of the French army. Such a person, and even with real combat experience, the tsarist government was afraid of more than ever. Moreover, there were fears of the possible continuation by Fedorov of revolutionary agitation and propaganda in military units, including among aviators. Therefore, the French command, in order to somehow help Viktor Fedorov in his dream of moving to his native Russia, sent him as part of the French military mission to the Romanian front. In Romania, Fedorov shot down another German aircraft. By this time, Victor had already been promoted and wore epaulets of the “lieutenant” (junior lieutenant) of French aviation. Considering that two years ago he began his military career as an ordinary, this could be called a very good promotion, especially for a foreign volunteer who had no military education before.
In Russia and again in France
The French military mission in the Russian Empire was headed by Colonel Ludman - himself a military aviator and a good man, with respect to the Russian ass Victor Fedorov. Ludman was a de facto consultant under the head of the Directorate of the Air Force, Major General Yakovlev, and had a certain influence on him. In particular, Ludman, being responsible for training Russian aviators, managed to draw attention to Viktor Fedorov, insisting that the experience of this French pilot would contribute to more effective training of Russian military pilots. At the same time, Fedorov’s political past raised many questions from the Russian command. On the other hand, Viktor himself was worried, who did not want to get into the prison cell instead of the front. Therefore, he asked Lyudman to preserve his status as a French aviation officer who would protect him from a possible arrest in Russia - after all, the Russian authorities would not risk arresting the French military by running into an international scandal, and with an ally in the Entente. Ludman, understanding the position of Fedorov, agreed to help and organized his meeting with Grand Duke Alexander, who commanded Russian aviation. The meeting with the representative of the august house of the Romanovs was held in Kiev - yesterday's revolutionary, political prisoner and state criminal, who was wanted, sat at the same table with the Grand Duke. However, we must pay tribute to Alexander, that he, aware of the past of Fedorov, did not conduct a conversation with him on political topics, but immediately got down to business. The Grand Duke promised to forgive Fedorov for "the sins of his young years," if he served Russia well.
Viktor Fedorov, formally remaining in the French military mission, was sent to serve in Odessa - in the branch of the Gatchina Aviation School, as an instructor. His duties included training beginner Russian pilots tactics of air combat, aerobatics. Fedorov taught fighter aviators.
At the end of May 1917, Viktor Fedorov was sent to the front - to the 9 corps detachment of the fighter group Yevgraf Kruten. Captain Evgraf Nikolaevich Kruten (1890-1917), despite his young age, was a very experienced military pilot. He commanded the 2 th Fighter Aviation Group, but the most interesting thing was that he was training in France, where, after graduating from the Air Shooting School at Cazo, he served in that same Stork squadron in which he served as S-Lt. Fedorov. Naturally, the latter gladly went to the fighter squadron of the Russian air fleet. So Victor's dream came true - he was able to make war against the German aggressors, defending his native Russian land. But at the same time, Fedorov continued to wear epaulets of French lieutenant and to be registered in French military service. 15 June 1917 The city of Fedorov attacked a German plane in the Smorgon area, then another. By this time, the February revolution had already taken place in Russia and nothing threatened Viktor Fedorov. However, for some reason, he did not linger as a part of Russian aviation - in the same 1917, he was first transferred to the Sevastopol aviation school, and then reported that he translated "entirely to the maintenance of the French government." This meant the need to return to France. However, Fedorov also enjoyed fewer and fewer events in Russia, where antiwar sentiments grew. Fedorov did not understand the exit of Soviet Russia from the war, for he had given all his strength over the past four years to the war against Germany and her allies, and here he faced not only a lack of understanding of yesterday’s colleagues, but also his own perplexity about what was happening. After the termination of his trip to Russia, Fedorov returned to France. He was going to continue his war where he began - in the ranks of the French squadron "Storks". 28 July 1918 Mr. Victor Fedorov was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor. Thus, he entered the elite of the French military. And, of course, continued to serve in the ranks of the front aviation. In August, Fedorov was again wounded in one of the air battles, but three weeks later he returned to service. The command never ceased to admire the courage and patriotism of the Russian officer of the French service. In the next order, it was emphasized that “Viktor Fedorov, lieutenant of the 2 foreign regiment, pilot squadron SPA-89, a valiant officer. At his post for four years, he never let himself be crushed either by fatigue or wounds. October 9 1918 rushed to the aid of our bombers, who fought with the enemy, and shot down one fighter, which fell in a flame. October 10, attacked by three "Fokkers" and wounded during the battle, nevertheless managed to return to his airfield on an airplane with many holes ... ".
7 November 1918 was the last in the aviation career of Fedorov. Having taken off on patrol of the front line, the lieutenant Fedorov found a flying armada of several dozen bombers, accompanied by fighters. Although Fedorov was alone in the air, he made the insane decision to attack. Indeed, otherwise, the bombers would unleash their terrible burden on any of the French cities. Fedorov managed to shoot down two bomber before the enemy fighters attacked him. The pilot managed to shoot down another plane, while his machine, hit by the enemy, did not fly to the ground in a fire — to the territory controlled by the enemy. Until the end of World War I, Fedorov did not manage to fly off just four days. However, fate this time also took away the seemingly inevitable death from Viktor Georgievich. He managed to survive and escape from a burnt plane. After destroying the military book and dropping the form of a pilot, Fedorov tried to get to the front line and reach his own, but was captured by a German patrol. The Germans did not believe in Fedorov’s version that he was a French soldier who had escaped from captivity and arrested him as a spy. He stayed in German captivity much longer than he had been supposed to, although most of the prisoners of war were already sent home. In the end, the news of the arrest of Fedorov on German territory was received by the French government. Viktor Fedorov was released, and he returned to France - a seriously ill person. A famous pilot discovered pharyngeal consumption and, despite the course of treatment at the hospital, he could hardly take care of himself. At the request of Victor, his brother Konstantin Georgievich Fedorov, who settled down in the French capital as a taxi driver, rushed to Paris. It was he who had to go to the renowned pilot. Viktor Fedorov died at the hands of his brother Konstantin 4 March 1922. He was only thirty-six years old. The wife and daughter Fedorov by this time lived in Russia. The latest news about them falls on the pre-war years - they lived in Rybinsk, then the trace of the closest relatives of the heroic pilot was lost. However, it is known that Viktor Fedorov’s grand-nephew also became a military pilot — only in the Soviet Union already.
Today, the name of Viktor Fedorov is little known in Russia. After all, the main combat exploits of his life this man accomplished outside our country, while on active service in the armed forces of another state. However, the fate of people like Fedorov, can not cause respect. Moreover, Viktor Fedorov, ultimately, was directly involved in the organization of the Russian military-air fleet, acting as an instructor of the Odessa branch of the Gatchina Aviation School.
The man of amazing fate was the legendary pilot Viktor Fedorov. It was he who was nicknamed by the Germans, against whom he fought in the First World War, "Verdun Air Cossack". Seven decades later, a writer and also a military pilot, veteran of the Great Patriotic War Yury Manuilovich Galperin entitled his book so much. By the way, Halperin himself was an outstanding man. A graduate of the Engel Military Aviation School, during the Great Patriotic War, he spent all the family savings to build a fighter aircraft and went to the front on it. And after the war he became a journalist and a writer. Halperin did a lot to “popularize” the names of the first Russian pilots - Akashev, Slavorossov, Utochkin, Efremov, Fedorov. When 11 November 1885 of the year on the periphery of the Russian lands, in the city of Verniy - the administrative center of the Semirechensk region (now - Alma-Ata, Republic of Kazakhstan) a boy was born, named by Viktor - “Winner”, hardly anyone would think that after thirty years he would be destined to become famous as one of the first Russian air aces. The parents of Viktor Fedorov were people of moderate means. Father, court counselor Georgy Petrovich Fedorov, taught Russian literature at a local men's gymnasium, and his mother, a Siberian Cossack Anna Feodorovna, was engaged in raising children. The children in the family of the court counselor Fedorov were nine — eight sons and one daughter. The family lived modestly, but there were enough funds for raising nine children. All Georgy Petrovich tried to give education. Even despite the fact that back in 1887, during the famous earthquake in Verniy, the house of Fedorov was very badly damaged - like the houses of many other citizens. On that terrible day, the 322 man died, but the Fedorov family was lucky - they miraculously survived. Subsequently, the Fedorovs' family moved from Verny to Tashkent, which by then had already turned into a sufficiently developed city economically and culturally. In Tashkent, Georgy Petrovich Fedorov also engaged in teaching activities, and his sons continued their studies.
Revolutionary youth
Viktor Fedorov’s youth fell on the turbulent years of the First Russian Revolution. Both he and his brothers sympathized with the revolutionary ideas, although they were, at the same time, the true patriots of their homeland. The brothers Peter, Yakov and Konstantin went on a military path. Peter died during the Brusilov breakthrough, Konstantin went missing during the First World War, and Jacob "gave in the face" to a senior officer who mocked soldiers. For this he was demoted and fired from military service. Semen Georgievich Fedorov did not stay aside - he, who worked as a customs officer, played an important role in the delivery of revolutionary literature to Central Asia. Yevgeny Fedorov, another brother who later became a professor - historian, was also not a stranger to the revolutionary movement in his youth, moreover - he took part in the activities of the socialist underground and was arrested by the tsarist secret police. Viktor Georgievich Fedorov went to study at Kharkov University - he was going to become a lawyer, but participation in the revolutionary movement confused his plans. Young Victor joined the Social Democratic organization. When Victor's participation in the anti-government movement came to light, he was expelled from the university. I had to return to my father's house - in Tashkent, where Victor hoped to continue the revolutionary agitation, spreading Social Democratic ideas among the inhabitants of Russian Turkestan.
Turkestan was a distant periphery of the Russian empire - both economic and political. Therefore, the revolutionary movement here was not seriously influenced - at least, political parties of a revolutionary orientation were less active here than in the central and western provinces. However, Turkestan had its own political specifics, explained by local social, economic and cultural conditions. First, the socialist revolutionaries had less influence - if in the Central Russia the Social Revolutionaries had the support of the peasant population, then in Turkestan the Russian peasantry was practically absent, therefore the Social Revolutionaries could only rely on the diverse intelligentsia, small groups of immigrant peasants and workers. Secondly, anarchist organizations were practically absent in Central Asia. Finally, as for the Social Democrats, they here had even less influence than the Social Revolutionaries, and at the beginning of their activities they even entered into common organizations with the socialist revolutionaries. Later, the Tashkent group of the RSDLP and the Turkestan Union of the RSDLP were distinguished. The Social Democrats of Turkestan relied on the support of part of the railway workers and employees, as well as the raznochinnoy intelligentsia. Therefore, if it made sense to conduct propaganda activities, it was only among railway workers who were in Central Asia almost the only organized and politically competent detachment of the proletariat. The revolutionary work in Turkestan was significantly complicated by the specific features of the local population. The overwhelming majority of the population here were representatives of Central Asian peoples - Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Karakalpaks. Due to historical and cultural peculiarities, religion, language barrier, they are much less than the Russians and other peoples of the western part of the Russian Empire, were inclined to assimilate political concepts of European origin, including Marxism. The bulk of the Central Asian peasants and artisans simply did not know how to speak Russian, which made communication impossible. But even overcoming the language barrier, including with the help of Tatar translators, still did not mean the possibility of carrying out successful revolutionary propaganda. Therefore, the main “electorate” for the revolutionary organizations was the Russian and Russian-speaking population of Turkestan, especially since there were many exiles among them, people who had problems with the royal power and left “away” from their native provinces, etc. Apparently, the young Viktor Fedorov, after being expelled from Kharkov University who returned to Turkestan, launched agitational activities among railway workers. He hoped that through the dissemination of proclamations, “intimate conversations” and spontaneous rallies, he would be able to attract a significant number of Turkestan workers to the side of the social democratic organization. Naturally, Fedorov’s campaign activities attracted the attention of the local secret police. The Russian intelligentsia in Turkestan, due to its small size and potential inclination for radical sentiment, and so was the object of increased attention from the gendarmes, and Viktor Fedorov who was dismissed and attracted in political affairs even more so.
November 27 1905 city Viktor Fedorov was arrested at the railway station Aktyubinsk. Victor presented documents to the gendarmes in the name of Sergey Nikiforov, the son of a judge of the Samarkand district court, but after a while his true identity was established. Victor was imprisoned in Aktyubinsk prison, then transferred to Tashkent prison. 5 May 1906 city The Tashkent Court of Justice has filed a charge against a twenty-year-old former law student of Kharkov University with Fedorov Viktor Georgievich. As it was said in conclusion, on November 27, Fedorov sat in the station of Turkestan in a car of the 1905 class and then began talking with passengers on political topics, openly stating that he was a member of the Social Democratic Party. During conversations, Fedorov "denounced the government and the Sovereign, called His Majesty a donkey and a bloodsucker, and that all the higher government, beginning with the ministers, should be cut and hung and so forth." In addition, Fedorov agitated passengers to support the upcoming December 6 1905. railroad strike. With him, Fedorov had proclamations of the Tashkent group of the RSDLP, but by the time of his arrest he was able to distribute them all among the passengers and people who were at the stations. At the large stations, Fedorov got off the train and delivered agitational speeches to the assembled people. Victor Georgy Petrovich Fedorov’s father, although he was a simple teacher of Russian literature, he enjoyed and had certain connections in society. In the end, he managed to get his son Vitya released on bail pending trial. Of all the evidence - only the report of a secret officer, who was watching Victor, and a fake passport in the name of Nikiforov. Victor did not have any proclamations by the time of his arrest — and this seriously facilitated the line of defense. However, having left prison, Victor did not leave dangerous revolutionary activity. He resumed campaigning among workers in Tashkent and soldiers stationed in the city military units. When the police again became interested in the activities of Viktor Fedorov, he preferred to flee Tashkent without waiting for the detention. A few months later, a trace of the Turkestan revolutionary was revealed ... in the capital of the Russian Empire. It turned out that there Viktor Fedorov continued to engage in revolutionary activities - again, among railway workers and employees. 18th of December 1906 in St. Petersburg, gendarmes conducted an operation to liquidate the All-Russian Railway Union - the railway workers' trade union, which played an important role in organizing the anti-government labor movement. During the raid on the apartment of a certain Maria Ivanovna Zubkova, Mr. Nikolayev of Thebesky, the son of a priest, was detained. However, soon the gendarmes managed to establish his identity - this is Viktor Fedorov, who is wanted by the Tashkent District Court. The arrested revolutionary was convoyed to Tashkent, where he was placed in a local prison, in a cell for political prisoners. Although this time, besides another fake passport in the name of the priest's son, there was no evidence for Fedorov. 29 August Victor Fedorov was sent to the city of Kazanlinsk, where he was to be tried and, most likely, sentenced to a real term of imprisonment. When the train arrived at Kazanlinsk station - at the destination, the escorts and local gendarmes who met them did not find Viktor Fedorov in the prison carriage. Orientations to Viktor Georgievich Fedorov, who ran on August 29 in the evening from Tashkent station, were sent to all gendarme offices. It was not clear how Fyodorov could deal with the sawing of the grates, if the convoy soldiers regularly watched the prison car. In the end, they found the probable "switchman" - the soldier Fedotov, who was on duty at the time of Fedorov's flight. However, there was no real evidence against Fedotov - no one could guarantee that the soldier missed Fedorov intentionally, and not by accidental oversight. Russian volunteer with a machine gun belt
Political immigrant Viktor Fedorov lived in France, then in Belgium. All the time while he was living abroad, he remained under the supervision of the foreign agents of the royal secret police. After all, Fedorov never broke off his ties with the revolutionary movement, but he actively participated in the activities of the revolutionary emigration and received the nickname “Victor Voenny” among its members. In March, the 1910 Fedorov married Maria Andreevna Albitskaya, also an emigrant from the Russian Empire, and soon their daughter Galya was born. A former law student worked in Belgium at the local jeweler's workshop - faceter. Later he moved to Italy - it was here, in the hospitable Apennines, that his wife and daughter lived. As is known, the Italian authorities did not pose particular obstacles for Russian political émigrés, therefore, since the end of the 19th century, many revolutionaries who had fled the Russian Empire settled in Italy, especially in the vicinity of Genoa. Victor Fedorov was no exception. However, then from Cavi de Lavagna Fedorov and his family moved to Nice - here he managed to get a place in the newspaper. Here, in Nice, 29-year-old Viktor Fedorov found the First World War. German troops rapidly invaded the territory of Belgium and Luxembourg, creating the danger of a subsequent invasion of France. These days, many French and even immigrants who were on French soil, decided to volunteer to join the ranks of the army. Many Russians decided to fight on the side of the Entente; rather, among the revolutionaries, rather Francopile views were spread, since Germany and Austria-Hungary were considered the embodiment of "reaction." Even the prince Peter Kropotkin, the world-known ideologue of anarchism, who in the face of war set aside for a time his anti-state slogans and became one of the leaders of the "defencists", called for the struggle against Germany and Austria-Hungary. Thus, in the ranks of the French army, the famous “Marusia” fought - Maria Nikiforova, many other Russian émigrés served - both revolutionaries and the most ordinary immigrants from Russia who had no political or military past. Many of them were in the ranks of the Foreign Legion, others entered directly into the units of the French army. Viktor Fedorov joined the ranks of the French army as a volunteer. Here, in France, no one was particularly interested in his Russian revolutionary past, and the soldiers of the French army were needed. Moreover, such determined and courageous people like Viktor Fedorov. He enlisted as a machine-gunner in the battalion of the French army staffed by Russian volunteers and very quickly rose to the rank of corporal. 23 February 1915 city Viktor Fedorov was seriously wounded during one of the battles. The trenches in which the machine-gunners from the division of Viktor Fedorov were located were covered with German artillery fire. Comrades saw that the corporal was bleeding and began to call the orderly. The life of Viktor Fedorov was saved. The fragments of the German projectile hit their heads and legs, but high-quality medical care in the French military hospital did its job - after three months, Victor went on the mend and was able to get back into service. While Fedorov was in the hospital, he had a lot of time to reflect - not only about his life course, but also about the art of war in modern times, about the course of hostilities and modern military specialties. After the sudden bombing of Paris by German airships, Victor believed in the future of military aviation as a wonderful means of defense and attack in modern warfare. Somehow it immediately came to him and the desire to become an aviator - it seemed very interesting and romantic, and even his nearly thirty-year-old Fedorov did not see any hindrance in order to get the profession of a military pilot.
At the service of aviation
Here, in brief, it is worth telling about what French military aviation was like in the period under review. The French aviation industry was one of the first in Europe, and the first aviation schools appeared here, attracting not only French, but also foreign cadets. France was considered the world's leading aviation power and strongly supported this image, attracting the attention of aviators from all countries of the world, including the Russian Empire. At the origins of the French aviation stood, in particular, Louis Bleriot - the first Frenchman to receive a pilot certificate. It was he who made the first flight over the English Channel, produced his own airplanes and created a renowned aviation school. By the way, in the famous school of Bleriot, many famous pilots studied, including Jules Vedrin - one of the founders of the French military transport aircraft, who served as a fighter during the First World War. It Vedrin introduced to the aviation of the young Antoine de Saint-Exupery - who later became famous not so much as an aviator, but as an excellent writer.
By the time of entry into the First World War, France possessed one of the strongest air forces in Europe, and the French “specialized” on fighters, unlike German aviation, which actively engaged bombers. Lieutenant Roland Garrot, who served in the 26 of the French Aviation Squadron, mounted a machine gun on his plane and in the first two weeks managed to shoot down two German planes. The next day he shot down another plane. However, April 16 Garro was shot down and captured in German. So the Germans learned the secret of the invention of the French pilot - a machine gun capable of shooting through the rotating propeller blades. Garro managed to escape from captivity only in 1918 year. And the Germans managed to create their own fighters, "who drank a lot of blood" of the Entente aviation in the First World War.Another legendary French ass was Georges Guenemer. Despite the fact that he lived the entire 22 year - was born in 1894, and died in 1917, his name is written in golden letters not only in the history of the French Air Force, but also in the history of world military aviation. Ginemeru was denied admission to an aviation school for a long time, because the young man was not very healthy and was of small stature. However, in the end, the dream of a young Frenchman came true and he became a fighter pilot. Already in July, 1915, in the very first battles, he managed to shoot down the first, then the second German aircraft. By February 1916, Ginemer's track record was already five downed enemy planes, and the young man himself was declared an “air ass.” In just two years of participation in the air battles, Ginemer, having served from the corporal to the captain of French aviation, shot down an enemy aircraft 53. Another famous French aviator, René Paul Fonck (pictured on the background of the aircraft) (1894-1953) shot down 75 of enemy aircraft. He was more fortunate than Ginemera - he not only survived, but also continued his military career, rose to the rank of colonel of aviation and survived World War II. Fonk, Ginemere, Garros, Vedrin became examples for other French pilots and for Russian émigrés who dreamed of serving in French aviation. And such, by the way, was a lot. Thus, Konstantin Vasilievich Akashev, also a Russian political émigré, whose fate closely resembles Fedorov’s fate, came to volunteer as a volunteer in French aviation, with the only difference that Akashev was, firstly, not an Social Democrat, but an anarcho-communist, and second, he returned to Russia and managed to achieve top positions already in Soviet military aviation. By the way, Akashev also received aviation education abroad - in Italy, in the famous Caproni school, whose cadet was after forced emigration from the Russian Empire. Khariton Nikolaevich Slavorossov served as a military pilot in the rank of sergeant of aviation — another Russian, though not a revolutionary, but just an itinerant aviator, an athlete who, shortly before the start of World War I, moved to France from neighboring Italy. In addition to Russian pilots who served in the ranks of French aviation, in France during the First World War, many officers were also on probation and were on active duty in the Russian Imperial Air Force. Among them were the staff captain E. Kruten, about which we shall say below, and Second Lieutenant I. Orlov, who later commanded the 7 th fighter aviation detachment of the Russian army.
"Air Cossack of Verdun"
After being discharged from hospital, Viktor Fedorov entered the Dijon military school, where pilots were taught. The course was then only four months. Having received knowledge of driving and the device of airplanes, Fedorov in a rank of the sergeant was distributed to a part of military transport aircraft. Although Victor himself was eager to fight and dreamed of attacking German positions from the air, the command decided that the Russian sergeant who had recovered from his wounds not so long ago could not go to the front - he could serve France in the rear: deliver correspondence, cargo, flying new airplanes. Despite the fact that he filed a report on sending to front-line units several times, the command refused, citing serious injuries received while he was a machine-gunner. Finally, at the beginning of 1916, Fedorov still managed to “persuade” the commanders. He was given permission to transfer to the famous Stork squadron, which fought on the German front. At this time, fierce battles were fought near Verdun. In history, they were called the “Verdun meat grinder” - huge German and French armies fought on the territory of Lorraine. On the French side, under the command of Generals Henri Petain and Robert Nivel, fought 1 140 000 soldiers and officers, from the German side, commanded by General Erich von Falkenhayn - 1 250 000 soldiers and officers. Military aircraft from both sides were used in combat, both bomber and fighter. Viktor Fedorov piloted the double Cordon G4.
During the 16 days, the Russian pilot, who had just been released from a flying school, conducted 9 air battles and shot down 8 of German airplanes. The glory of the bold aviator instantly scattered and the French front-line parts, and in parts of the enemy. It was the Germans who nicknamed Fedorov "the Russian air Cossack of Verdun." However, the German assam could not bring down the "Cossack". But the higher French command marked Sergeant Fedorov with high awards.
- the legendary pilot Viktor Fedorov
Marshal Georges de Joffre, commander-in-chief of the French army, signed an order awarding Sergeant Viktor Fedorov with a Military Medal. The order listed the feats of arms of the Russian émigré: “March 14 1916 attacked the enemy aircraft 4 alone. Three put to flight, the fourth planted on its territory. March 19 in the first flight attacked three aircraft, in the second - four aircraft. Both times forced the enemy to take flight. 21 March shot down an enemy airplane. ” After the award, French newspapers wrote about the exploits of a wonderful Russian pilot. Still, in just two weeks, Sergeant Viktor Fedorov managed to earn all the highest military awards of the French army. He received national fame and, having gone on a three-day vacation to Paris, was met by people with applause. In Parisian cafes, who came to drink wine or coffee from Viktor Fedorov, the assembled visitors greeted standing and applause. Many French newspapers wrote about the exploits of the Russian military pilot who fought for France - it was in them that Fedorov's nickname for the first time was “Russian air Cossack”. However, 2 April 1916, joining the air battle immediately with three German Fokkers, Viktor Fedorov knocked down one of them, but was wounded in the leg. Once in the hospital, Fedorov began to seriously think about how he would move from France to his native Russia. He wanted to fight and shed his blood, first of all, in his native land - protecting it from the invasion of the Germans and the Austro-Hungarians. Moreover, almost all the brothers Victor also in the harsh years of the First World War fought on the German front. The hero of the French aviation, through his acquaintances in the Russian embassy, began to learn about the possibility of returning to his homeland and continuing to fight in the air — only as a part of the Russian aviation. However, the answer came disappointingly - due to previous “political adventures” of Viktor Fedorov, he is still an undesirable person for staying in the territory of the Russian Empire. It did not even help that he had a unique experience of air battles and numerous awards of the French army. Such a person, and even with real combat experience, the tsarist government was afraid of more than ever. Moreover, there were fears of the possible continuation by Fedorov of revolutionary agitation and propaganda in military units, including among aviators. Therefore, the French command, in order to somehow help Viktor Fedorov in his dream of moving to his native Russia, sent him as part of the French military mission to the Romanian front. In Romania, Fedorov shot down another German aircraft. By this time, Victor had already been promoted and wore epaulets of the “lieutenant” (junior lieutenant) of French aviation. Considering that two years ago he began his military career as an ordinary, this could be called a very good promotion, especially for a foreign volunteer who had no military education before.
In Russia and again in France
The French military mission in the Russian Empire was headed by Colonel Ludman - himself a military aviator and a good man, with respect to the Russian ass Victor Fedorov. Ludman was a de facto consultant under the head of the Directorate of the Air Force, Major General Yakovlev, and had a certain influence on him. In particular, Ludman, being responsible for training Russian aviators, managed to draw attention to Viktor Fedorov, insisting that the experience of this French pilot would contribute to more effective training of Russian military pilots. At the same time, Fedorov’s political past raised many questions from the Russian command. On the other hand, Viktor himself was worried, who did not want to get into the prison cell instead of the front. Therefore, he asked Lyudman to preserve his status as a French aviation officer who would protect him from a possible arrest in Russia - after all, the Russian authorities would not risk arresting the French military by running into an international scandal, and with an ally in the Entente. Ludman, understanding the position of Fedorov, agreed to help and organized his meeting with Grand Duke Alexander, who commanded Russian aviation. The meeting with the representative of the august house of the Romanovs was held in Kiev - yesterday's revolutionary, political prisoner and state criminal, who was wanted, sat at the same table with the Grand Duke. However, we must pay tribute to Alexander, that he, aware of the past of Fedorov, did not conduct a conversation with him on political topics, but immediately got down to business. The Grand Duke promised to forgive Fedorov for "the sins of his young years," if he served Russia well.
Viktor Fedorov, formally remaining in the French military mission, was sent to serve in Odessa - in the branch of the Gatchina Aviation School, as an instructor. His duties included training beginner Russian pilots tactics of air combat, aerobatics. Fedorov taught fighter aviators.
At the end of May 1917, Viktor Fedorov was sent to the front - to the 9 corps detachment of the fighter group Yevgraf Kruten. Captain Evgraf Nikolaevich Kruten (1890-1917), despite his young age, was a very experienced military pilot. He commanded the 2 th Fighter Aviation Group, but the most interesting thing was that he was training in France, where, after graduating from the Air Shooting School at Cazo, he served in that same Stork squadron in which he served as S-Lt. Fedorov. Naturally, the latter gladly went to the fighter squadron of the Russian air fleet. So Victor's dream came true - he was able to make war against the German aggressors, defending his native Russian land. But at the same time, Fedorov continued to wear epaulets of French lieutenant and to be registered in French military service. 15 June 1917 The city of Fedorov attacked a German plane in the Smorgon area, then another. By this time, the February revolution had already taken place in Russia and nothing threatened Viktor Fedorov. However, for some reason, he did not linger as a part of Russian aviation - in the same 1917, he was first transferred to the Sevastopol aviation school, and then reported that he translated "entirely to the maintenance of the French government." This meant the need to return to France. However, Fedorov also enjoyed fewer and fewer events in Russia, where antiwar sentiments grew. Fedorov did not understand the exit of Soviet Russia from the war, for he had given all his strength over the past four years to the war against Germany and her allies, and here he faced not only a lack of understanding of yesterday’s colleagues, but also his own perplexity about what was happening. After the termination of his trip to Russia, Fedorov returned to France. He was going to continue his war where he began - in the ranks of the French squadron "Storks". 28 July 1918 Mr. Victor Fedorov was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor. Thus, he entered the elite of the French military. And, of course, continued to serve in the ranks of the front aviation. In August, Fedorov was again wounded in one of the air battles, but three weeks later he returned to service. The command never ceased to admire the courage and patriotism of the Russian officer of the French service. In the next order, it was emphasized that “Viktor Fedorov, lieutenant of the 2 foreign regiment, pilot squadron SPA-89, a valiant officer. At his post for four years, he never let himself be crushed either by fatigue or wounds. October 9 1918 rushed to the aid of our bombers, who fought with the enemy, and shot down one fighter, which fell in a flame. October 10, attacked by three "Fokkers" and wounded during the battle, nevertheless managed to return to his airfield on an airplane with many holes ... ". 7 November 1918 was the last in the aviation career of Fedorov. Having taken off on patrol of the front line, the lieutenant Fedorov found a flying armada of several dozen bombers, accompanied by fighters. Although Fedorov was alone in the air, he made the insane decision to attack. Indeed, otherwise, the bombers would unleash their terrible burden on any of the French cities. Fedorov managed to shoot down two bomber before the enemy fighters attacked him. The pilot managed to shoot down another plane, while his machine, hit by the enemy, did not fly to the ground in a fire — to the territory controlled by the enemy. Until the end of World War I, Fedorov did not manage to fly off just four days. However, fate this time also took away the seemingly inevitable death from Viktor Georgievich. He managed to survive and escape from a burnt plane. After destroying the military book and dropping the form of a pilot, Fedorov tried to get to the front line and reach his own, but was captured by a German patrol. The Germans did not believe in Fedorov’s version that he was a French soldier who had escaped from captivity and arrested him as a spy. He stayed in German captivity much longer than he had been supposed to, although most of the prisoners of war were already sent home. In the end, the news of the arrest of Fedorov on German territory was received by the French government. Viktor Fedorov was released, and he returned to France - a seriously ill person. A famous pilot discovered pharyngeal consumption and, despite the course of treatment at the hospital, he could hardly take care of himself. At the request of Victor, his brother Konstantin Georgievich Fedorov, who settled down in the French capital as a taxi driver, rushed to Paris. It was he who had to go to the renowned pilot. Viktor Fedorov died at the hands of his brother Konstantin 4 March 1922. He was only thirty-six years old. The wife and daughter Fedorov by this time lived in Russia. The latest news about them falls on the pre-war years - they lived in Rybinsk, then the trace of the closest relatives of the heroic pilot was lost. However, it is known that Viktor Fedorov’s grand-nephew also became a military pilot — only in the Soviet Union already.
Today, the name of Viktor Fedorov is little known in Russia. After all, the main combat exploits of his life this man accomplished outside our country, while on active service in the armed forces of another state. However, the fate of people like Fedorov, can not cause respect. Moreover, Viktor Fedorov, ultimately, was directly involved in the organization of the Russian military-air fleet, acting as an instructor of the Odessa branch of the Gatchina Aviation School.
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