Photo of twice Hero of the USSR V. Kokkinaki at the anniversary of the Borisoglebsk flight school

The original photo is in excellent condition. Size 100*145 mm. the picture shows twice hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Kokkinaki surrounded by officers and cadets of the Borisoglebsk flight school. The guarantee of authenticity.

Vladimir Konstantinovich Kokkinaki (12 [25] June 1904, Novorossiysk — January 7, 1985, Moscow) — test pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1938, 1957), honored test pilot of the USSR (1959), major General of aviation (1943). In 1921 he graduated three classes of primary school. He worked on the farm the vineyards, was a seaman and a longshoreman in the port. December 1925 — the red army, till July, 1927 he served in the infantry. In 1928 he graduated from the Leningrad military-theoretical school air force in 1930 — Borisoglebsk military aviation school pilots. He served in line units the air force MBO. In April-December, 1931 — pilot-instructor of the Leningrad military-theoretical school air force. On 20 April 1936 for the first time in the world to perform a loop the loop on a heavy twin-engine bomber TSKB-30. On 27-28 June 1938, on the plane TSKB-30 "Moskva", the crew consisting of pilot Vladimir K. Kokkinaki and Navigator M. A. Brandinchi made a nonstop flight Moscow — far East (Spassk-Dalniy, Primorsky Krai) length of 7580 km (6850 kilometers in a straight line). Starting June 27 at 8 hours. 36 min. from the airfield near Moscow in Shchelkovo, June 28, in 16 hours. 12 min. local time the plane landed in the city of Spassk-far. The flight lasted more than a day (24 hours 36 minutes). Kokkinaki and Brandisky set a speed record in a two-seater, at the same time paving a new shortest path from Moscow to the shores of the Pacific ocean. For this flight test pilot Kokkinaki, Vladimir Konstantinovich and co-driver Brandscome Alexander M. 17 Jul 1938 was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

On April 28-29, 1939 on the plane TSKB-30 "Moskva" with the Navigator of H. M. Gordienko made a nonstop flight Moscow — North America (on the route Moscow — Novgorod — Helsinki — Trondheim — Iceland — Cape Farvel (southern tip of Greenland) — island Miscou) with a length of 8,000 kilometers. January 14, 1965 V. K. Kokkinaki by the decision of the International air transport Association awarded the diamond necklace "Chain pioneer of the rose", as the aviation pioneer of the shortest route between Europe and America. January 2, 1963, the crew under the command of V. K. Kokkinaki made the first test flight on the aircraft Il-62. Vladimir Romanov also owns 22 world records. Head of testing new types of aircraft (1941-1945). Vice-President (1961), President (1967-1968), from December 1968 — honorary President of the International aeronautical Federation.