The coaxial-rotor pioneer who gave Soviet naval aviation its wings
Kamov and Skrzhinsky proposed the word "vertolyot" (вертолёт) for the new flying machine they were building. The Russian word for helicopter was born with their design.
Soviet aerospace engineer, pioneer of the coaxial-rotor helicopter, and founder of the Kamov Design Bureau (OKB Kamov). In 1929 he and Nikolai Skrzhinsky built the KASKR-1, the USSR's first autogyro; in 1940 he was assigned to create a dedicated helicopter OKB, which produced the Ka-8, Ka-15, the Ka-25 and Ka-27 naval helicopters, and the Ka-50 "Black Shark" attack helicopter, the backbone of Soviet naval aviation. At a time when the single-rotor layout dominated, Kamov bet on the technically demanding coaxial scheme, and his compact, highly maneuverable Ka-series proved the wager right. Hero of Socialist Labour and USSR State Prize laureate, both in 1972.
Career Timeline
- 1923Graduated Tomsk Technological Institute; youngest graduate and engineer on record
- 1924–27Reverse-engineered Junkers Ju-13 at Dobrolyot; improved wing design
- 1927–29Marine aircraft design under Grigorovich, then Richard
- 1929Built KASKR-1, first Soviet autogyro, with Skrzhinsky
- 1931–39Head of TsAGI autogyro brigade; A-7 for reconnaissance and artillery spotting
- 1940–73Chief Designer and director of helicopter OKB (OKB Kamov)
- 1948–68Ka-8, Ka-10, Ka-15, Ka-18, Ka-25 naval helicopter, Ka-22 rotorcraft, Ka-26
- 1972Hero of Socialist Labour; USSR State Prize