Numbered Soviet Aviation Factories, 1921–1941 Keith Dexter University of Warwick
[email protected] PERSA Working Paper No. 22 Political Department of Economics Economy Research in Soviet Archives Version: 15 October 2002 Numbered Soviet Aviation Factories, 1921-1941 Keith Dexter World War 1 accelerated the growth of the Russian aviation industry which, towards the end of 1917 employed 10-12,000 people in 27 factories of which, 14 manufactured aircraft, 7 aeroengines, 3 propellers and skis, 2 electrical engine components and 1 aviation instruments. Sources differ from a minimum total of 21 to a maximum of 29 aviation factories but the figures quoted above seem sensible. All these facilities were privately owned. In addition, seven more plants were being built. However aircraft technology had not kept pace with the rest of Europe; all engines and 70% of airframes were still based on foreign designs. In spite of the civil unrest which erupted in 1917 1,099 aircraft and 374 engines were built. The Revolution and Civil War reduced these numbers in 1918 to 225 and 79 respectively and the upheavals wrought by the continuation of the Civil War ensured that only 668 new aircraft and 264 aeroengines were produced during that time; it is understandable that throughout this troubled period aircaft could not be given high prority. Nationalisation of the aircraft industry began slowly in January 1918 and continued until the end of the year at the earliest. In June 1918 Lenin signed a decree to extend the nationalisation to cover all means of production; a lengthy process and one fraught with many problems.