The VVS commander who rebuilt a shattered force into the air armada that swept the Luftwaffe from the sky
From December 1942 to February 1943 Novikov organized the aerial blockade of the encircled German force at Stalingrad, cutting its transport supply line.
Born a peasant's son in Kostroma province and trained as a village teacher, he joined the Red Army in 1919 and graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in 1930. He moved to the VVS in 1933, fought in the Winter War and in April 1942 became commander-in-chief of the VVS. He converted front air forces into air armies and formed homogeneous aviation corps, enabling massed air operations, coordinated the Stalingrad aerial blockade and the Kursk, Königsberg and Berlin operations, and in 1943 became the first Marshal of Aviation, in 1944 the first Chief Marshal. Arrested in the 1946 'aviators' affair' and broken by sleepless interrogation into a confession, he served at Tiksi, was released in 1952 and rehabilitated in 1953, then commanded Long Range Aviation. From 1956 he headed the Leningrad Higher Civil Aviation School, retiring after a stroke in 1966.
Activities and affiliations
Career Timeline
- 1919–30Red Army infantry; graduated Frunze Military Academy
- 1933–38Transferred to VVS; light bomber squadron CO; COS VVS Leningrad MD
- 1939–41Winter War; CO VVS Leningrad MD; defence of Leningrad
- 1942–46C-in-C VVS & Dep. People's Commissar of Defence for Aviation; reorganization
- 1943–44First Marshal of Aviation (1943); first Chief Marshal of Aviation (1944)
- 1945Air ops at Königsberg, Berlin, Manchuria; twice Hero of the Soviet Union
- 1946–53Arrested in aviators' affair; imprisoned; released 1952, civil aviation work
- 1953–55Rehabilitated; CO Long Range Aviation & Deputy C-in-C VVS
- 1956–66Head of Higher Civil Aviation School, Leningrad; professor
Related historical events
- 1918–1922The Civil War and Foreign InterventionRed Army infantry
- 1939.11–1940.03The Winter WarCommander, Leningrad Military District Air Force
- 1941–1945The Great Patriotic WarVVS Commander-in-Chief & Stavka representativeAppointed VVS C-in-C in April 1942, he reorganized front air forces into air armies and created homogeneous aviation corps. As Stavka representative he coordinated air power at Stalingrad, Kursk, Königsberg, Berlin, and in Manchuria. He became the first Marshal of Aviation (1943) and first Chief Marshal of Aviation (1944).
- 1941–1944Siege of LeningradLeningrad air-defence commanderAs commander of the Leningrad Military District air force, he took part in the defence of Leningrad.
- 1942–1943Battle of StalingradStalingrad air blockade organiserFrom December 1942 to February 1943, he organised the aerial blockade of the encircled German force, cutting its transport supply line.
- 1945.08The Soviet Entry into the War against JapanManchurian air operations coordinatorIn 1945, he coordinated air operations in Manchuria.