Victor Fyodorov

Lieutenant Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov (11 November 1885 - 4 March 1922) was a Russian World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories while flying with the French military air service. Having left Russia for Belgium in 1908, with a further move to France, Fyodorov was still living in the latter when World War I began. On 21 August 1914, he volunteered for the French Foreign Legion, and served with them until wounded and invalided from infantry service. After preliminary duty as a chauffeur, he became a pilot on 27 November 1915. After acquiring Pierre Lanero as his mechanic, aerial observer, and gunner, Fyodorov scored three aerial victories in March 1916 with Lanero manning the twin engine Caudron G4's guns.

They were shot down and wounded on 1 April 1916. Upon recovery, Fyodorov wangled an assignment to the Kingdom of Romania in October. While they were there, he managed a transfer in the Imperial Russian Air Service for the two of them by the end of 1916. However, Fydorov's stint in Russia during 1917 was unsuccessful; he fell ill without scoring any aerial victories. By the time he recovered, through Lanero's ministrations, the Russian Revolution had taken Russia out of the war. "The Air Cossack of Verdun" and his mechanic returned to France in March 1918. By June, Fyodorov returned to combat, flying for the French. He scored two more victories as the war roared to a close, and was wounded for the third time on 16 October 1918. It was the end of his war.

Fyodorov remained in France postwar, swearing lifelong friendship for Lanero. However, Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov died in Saint-Cloud, France on 4 March 1922.

Biography

Early life and military service Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov was born in Alma-Ata, Russian Turkestan on 11 November 1885. It was a region in straitened circumstances, being dependent on cattle husbandry and farming. Fyodorov left it behind when he departed for the University of Kharkov; he became one of only 12,500 college students in the entirety of Russia. While at university, he became imbued with Social Democratic Party politics. As those views were considered revolutionary at the time, Fyodorov moved to Belgium in 1908. From there, he went on to France, and found life there enjoyable.

When World War I erupted, he was still in France. On 21 August 1914, he volunteered for military service in the 2nd Regiment of the French Foreign Legion. He was assigned to Battalion F, and committed to front line service on 24 October 1914.

Transfer to aviation service

On 23 March 1915, he was wounded in action and hospitalized. His wound was so severe that he was unfit for further infantry duties. He implored the Russian military attaché for help transferring to aviation duty.

Lanero would continue as Fyodorov's usual gunner for flights through the balance of March. Several times, they tackled superior numbers of German planes; they shot down enemy planes on both the 21st and 30th, while repelling enemy formations on other occasions. On 22 March 1916, both of them were nominated for the Médaille militaire for their courageous feats. Four days later, they were mentioned in despatches.

In December 1916, they were forwarded to Odessa to train Russian pilots. Fyodorov objected to rear echelon duties, and was returned to combat,

The squadron shifted bases on 29 September 1918 to support the Meuse-Argonne offensive. On 9 October 1918, while on a bomber escort sortie, Fyodorov shot down a German fighter for his fifth accredited victory. A week later, he was once again wounded and evacuated to hospital. It was the end of his combat career.

Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov lived on Veronese Street in Paris after his recovery. He swore lifelong friendship for Lanero. However, Fyodorov died at Saint-Cloud, France on 4 March 1922.

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I for French victory standards, as well as List of World War I flying aces from the Russian Empire.

Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically.

No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes 1 14 March 1916 Caudron Enemy aircraft Cernay, France Victory shared with aerial observer Pierre Lanero 2 21 March 1916 Caudron Enemy two-seater West of Douaumont, France Victory shared with Lanero 3 30 March 1916 Caudron Enemy aircraft Moranville, France Victory shared with Lanero 4 18 September 1918 SPAD Enemy two-seater Belrupt, France Victory shared with four other pilots 5 9 October 1918 SPAD Enemy fighter Damvillers, France

Sources of information