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The sky has always attracted people. In the last century, aviation has gone from a makeshift glider, which lasted a matter of seconds in the air, to supersonic fighters and hypersonic spacecraft. The military became one of the main users of all technological innovations in aviation. Air Force pilots have always been a kind of army elite: tough selection, remarkable endurance and a sharp mind. Even their uniforms have always been distinguished by their signature wool-trimmed leather jacket. In addition to them, there are development engineers, mechanics, navigators and employees of the mission control center.
Hundreds of thousands of people have served and are serving in the Air Force. It is not surprising that a holiday was established in honor of the numerous branches of the military. Healthy Food Near Me talks about Air Force Day, which will be celebrated in 2022 as well.
When is Air Force Day celebrated?
This is a non-transferable holiday, the date is fixed. In 2022, Air Force Day is celebrated 12 August. However, the celebrations themselves are shifted a few days later. A few days after the war, the entire air fleet will celebrate its holiday – on the third Sunday of August. Therefore, these dates often overlap.
history of the holiday
Collecting information about aeronautics and trying to find a use for new devices in the Empire began in the second half of the XNUMXth century. However, then the technology was at the level of balloons, balloons and airships – units that were not very effective for military purposes. They began to assemble their aircraft and train professional pilots closer to the First World War.
On the historical date of August 12, 1912, on the day of which the holiday is celebrated, the following happened: the order of the Military Department No. 397 was issued. From now on, the Main Engineering Directorate was not engaged in advanced weapons, but a separate aeronautical unit was introduced. And a little later, aircraft will be completely separated from the more bulky and less efficient aeronautical means – balloons and airships.
A new kind of troops will show itself already on the fronts of the First World War. And during the Great Patriotic War and further armed conflicts, it will become one of the key and strategically important.
In the USSR, military pilots were also honored. Back in the 30s, the commander of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army Air Forces, Yakov Alksnis, proposed establishing a professional celebration. His idea was accepted and a date was allocated – August 18th. Interestingly, at that time this day always fell on a day off. The labor calendar was arranged differently – workers rested on fixed days of each month 6, 12, 18, 24, 30. The usual seven-day period returned to us by the forties. But the date of the holiday remained.
In 1997, President Boris Yeltsin signed a decree establishing a new official date – Air Force Day. August 12 became the professional holiday of all those involved. In 2015, in connection with the reorganization of the Ministry of Defense, the celebration changed its name. The Air Force became part of the Military Space Forces (VKS). The holiday was renamed accordingly in connection with the new name.
Air Force Day Traditions
When the Day of the Air Fleet was established in the Red Army at the dawn of military aviation, an air parade was held in the very first year of the celebration. As conceived by the creators, this was supposed to serve to popularize aviation among the broad masses. The bet played. The Soviet tradition was not abandoned in the new Our Country either. However, according to presidential decree No. 949 of 1997 (updated in 2006), it was decided to hold festive events dedicated to the Day of the Air Force on the Day of the Air Fleet.
Specialists of the Air Force most often spend their holiday at the airfield – they perform training flights, conduct a solemn formation, present awards to those who have distinguished themselves, and arrange meetings with veterans.
In the cities where the Air Force units are deployed, there are military airfields. On the weekends closest to the holiday, they often hold something like an open day: they invite citizens on excursions, allow those who wish to get acquainted with samples of military aircraft and hold demonstration performances.
Interesting facts about the Air Force
- The Air Force also includes the Air Defense Forces (Air Defense). However, not all: part of the pvoshniks are classified as ground forces.
- The first military aircraft in the Empire were purchased from France.
- The founder of aerobatics in the world is the pilot Pyotr Nesterov. He was not only a pilot, but also a design engineer. The first to perform a dead loop (1913). He went to the front of the First World War and died while ramming an enemy reconnaissance aircraft. It is interesting that at that time machine guns were not installed on aircraft. The ships were used for bombing and reconnaissance. Nesterov wanted to hit an enemy glider with his landing gear, but did not calculate the trajectory and died in a plane crash.
- Many people think that the Soviet Union tested its air fleet for the first time in the Finnish war. In fact, this happened earlier, during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).
- In the 90s and until 2009, the situation of military aviation was critical. However, the Ministry of Defense sharply increased funding for this area and the Air Force began to improve.