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Mikhail Gromov
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons13

Mikhail Gromov

Russian-Soviet test pilot, aviator, researcher

Mikhail Mikhailovich Gromov (Russian: Михаи́л Миха́йлович Гро́мов; 24 February [O.S. 12 February] 1899 – 22 January 1985) was a Russian and Soviet military aviator, test pilot, and Hero of the Soviet Union.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Mikhail Gromov (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Feb 24, 1899, died Jan 22, 1985.1

Companies

Early life and education

Gromov's father, Mikhail Konstantinovich Gromov, was of noble intelligentsia and served as military medic. His mother, Lyubov Ignatyevna Andreeva, was from peasant family and received training as an obstetrician. Gromov spent his childhood in Kaluga, Rzhev, Myza-Raevo (near Moscow). He graduated from Voskresensky Real School in Moscow, and went on to study at the IMTS from 1916 to 1917. In 1917, Gromov graduated from aviation theoretical courses at IMTS and started his army service.

From Wikipedia’s article on Mikhail Gromov (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: aircraft pilot, statesperson, fighter pilot, test pilot, powerlifter, military officer, university teacher.7

Institutional positions

Upon graduation, Gromov served as a flight instructor and military pilot. In 1923, he won the Soviet championship in weightlifting. In 1925, he started working as a test pilot for the Air Force Research Institute testing the planes designed by Andrei Tupolev and Nikolai Polikarpov. From 1930 to 1941, Gromov then worked at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute and became chief-pilot.

From March to August 1941, Gromov was the first director of the Flight Research Institute, a flight research and testing centre in Zhukovsky. The name of M. M. Gromov was awarded to the institute in 1991 to celebrate the Institute's 50th anniversary.

After the war, Gromov was deputy commander of the Long-Range Aviation from 1946 to 1949. Later, till 1955, he was head of Department of flight service of Ministry of Aviation Industry. In 1955 he was discharged.

From 1937 to 1946, Gromov was deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1st convocation).

In late 1940, he initiated the establishment of the Fedotov Test Pilot School.

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Testing history

Gromov was involved in extensive testing and promotion of Russian airplanes throughout Europe and Asia. For example, from June to September 1925, Gromov flew the Polikarpov R-1 in the long-haul group flight of nine aeroplanes on the route Moscow-Beijing-Tokyo. A year later, in 1926, Gromov completed a 7,150 kilometers (4,440 mi) European promotional flight in a Tupolev ANT-3 on the route Moscow-Königsberg-Berlin-Paris-Rome-Vienna-Prague-Warsaw-Moscow. Notably, on 25 April 1927, he made the first Soviet parachute jump out of a Polikarpov I-1 in a testing that involved the plane having entered into an unrecoverable spin.

From 10 to 12 September 1934, Gromov, A. I. Filin, and I. T. Spirin made a record closed-circle non-stop flight on the route Moscow-Ryazan-Kharkov in a Tupolev ANT-25, flying 12,411 kilometers (7,712 mi) in 75 hours. Gromov was subsequently awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for this feat.

In July 1937, Gromov, Andrey Yumashev, and Sergey Danilin established a new non-stop flight distance record of 10,148 kilometers (6,306 mi) from Moscow to San Jacinto, California, via the North Pole in a Tupolev ANT-25.

Service in World War II

During World War II, Gromov took command of several units:

From December 1941 to February 1942, Gromov was commander of 31st Mixed Aviation Division (Kalinin Front).

From February to May 1942, he was commander of the Air Force of Kalinin Front.

From May 1942 to May 1943, he took command of the 3rd Air Army.

From May 1943 to June 1944, he was commander of the 1st Air Army.

From 1944 to 1946, Gromov was head of the Main Department of combat training of frontline aviation of the Air Force.

From Wikipedia’s article on Mikhail Gromov (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornFeb 24, 1899, Tver8
  • DiedJan 22, 1985, Moscow9
  • CitizenshipRussian Empire, Soviet Union10

Awards

  • Date not recordedCommander of the Legion of Honour11
  • Date not recordedHero of the Soviet Union11
  • Date not recordedHonoured Master of Sports of the USSR11
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy"11
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"11
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"11
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"11
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin"11
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"11
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"11
More awards (13)
  • Date not recordedJubilee Medal "XX Years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army"11
  • Date not recordedMedal "For Labour Valour"11
  • Date not recordedMedal "For the Defence of Moscow"11
  • Date not recordedMedal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"11
  • Date not recordedMedal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow"11
  • Date not recordedMedal "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR"11
  • Date not recordedOrder of Lenin11
  • Date not recordedOrder of Suvorov, 2nd class11
  • Date not recordedOrder of the October Revolution11
  • Date not recordedOrder of the Patriotic War, 1st class11
  • Date not recordedOrder of the Patriotic War11
  • Date not recordedOrder of the Red Banner11
  • Date not recordedOrder of the Red Star11

Sources

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