Oleg Antonov

Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov (7 February 1906 – 4 April 1984) was a Russian and Soviet aeroplane designer. He founded the Research and Design Bureau No. 153 (OKB-153) in Novosibirsk, which was moved to Ukraine in 1952 and is now called Antonov in his honor. Antonov designed a number of Soviet aeroplanes (such as the Antonov An-2, Antonov An-12) and numerous gliders for both civilian and military use.

Early life Antonov was born on 7 February 1906 in Troitsy, Moscow Governorate, Russian Empire (now Podolsky District of the Moscow Oblast), to a family of Russian ethnicity. In 1912, the Antonovs moved to Saratov, where he attended the non-classical secondary school (now gymnasium №1) and secondary school (now school №23). From an early age, Antonov was fascinated with aviation and spent much of his spare time at the local airfield.

Early engineering career At the age of 13, Antonov together with friends founded the "Aviation Enthusiasts Club" (Russian: «Клуб любителей авиации») and later joined the "Organization of Friends of the Air Force". Later he designed the OKA-1 "Pigeon", a glider that was entered in a competition in Moscow where he won the first prize, a flight on a Junkers 12 aircraft.

In 1930, Antonov graduated from the Kalinin Polytechnical Institute in Leningrad. He continued to design gliders and in 1931 Antonov became the chief designer at the Moscow Glider Factory. During the next eight years, he designed 30 different gliders including the Standard-1, Standard-2, OKA-6 and the large "City of Lenin" glider. Due to a requirement that all pilots in the Soviet Union had to begin their flight training in gliders, Antonov was able to produce up to 8,000 gliders per year.

Antonov was appointed chief designer for the Yakovlev Design Bureau. In 1940 a new aircraft design bureau under his own management was established in Leningrad. The German invasion resulted in the closure of the plant and he was reassigned to work on the A-7 glider. The factory was later reorganised to produce A-7s.

Postwar career and establishment of the Antonov Design Bureau

After the war, Antonov requested that Yakovlev let him work independently, heading Yakovlev's subsidiary design office at the aircraft manufacturing factory at Novosibirsk. On 31 May 1946, Antonov was appointed head of the newly redesignated facility (subsequently known as the Antonov Research and Design Bureau), which was later moved to Kiev, Ukrainian SSR. In September 1946, Antonov, in addition to his management of the design bureau, became the director of the Siberian R&D Institute for Aeronautics.

Family Antonov was married three times (to Elena Kochetkova, Yelyzaveta Shahatuni, and Elvira Antonova) and was the father of four children (Rolan, Anna, Elena, and Andrei).

Death Oleg Antonov died 4 April 1984 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, and was buried in Baikove Cemetery.

Honorary titles, awards and legacy

During his lifetime, Antonov was recognized as a Doctor of Science, Academician of the Academy of Science of the Ukrainian SSR (1968), Hero of Socialist Labor (1966), and elected member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 5th, 6th and 7th convocations.

Among numerous awards, Antonov received the State Award of the USSR in 1952 and Lenin Award in 1962.

Antonov was decorated with three Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and the Medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" 1st class.

A street in Kyiv's Solomyanka neighborhood is named after Oleg Antonov.

In 1999, Antonov was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

A coin was minted of copper nickel alloy in 2006 by the National Bank of Ukraine honoring Antonov. In addition, a silver proof coin was issued by the Bank of Russia to commemorate 100 years since Antonov's birth.