Georgy Baydukov

Georgy Filippovich Baydukov (Гео́ргий Фили́ппович Байдуко́в; &mdash; December 28, 1994) was a Soviet aircraft test pilot, a Hero of the Soviet Union (1936) and a writer.

Early years
Georgy Baydukov had been born in Taryshta railway station (Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia) to a railway worker. He became an orphan in the age of 9 and had been homeless for some time. Baidukov had been taken to orphanage and worked at railway construction for some time.

Georgy Baydukov enlisted into the Red Army in 1926. He graduated Air Force Technical School and Kacha school for the military pilots in 1928 and served as a fighter pilot in 1928-1931.

Test pilot
Georgy Baydukov had been transferred to an Air Force's Testing institute and became an aircraft test pilot in 1931. He tested number of fighter planes in 1931-1934 and had been instrumental in developing instrument flight rules for the USSR's Air Force.

Ultralong Flights
Georgy Baydukov became a student of Air Force Academy in 1934. During that time he became involved with number of ultralong flights conducted by the Soviet Union. He tried to reach North America flying from Russia through the North Pole in August 1935 as a member of Levanevsky's crew, flying the ANT-25. The flight had been terminated because of technical problems. Baydukov continued to participate in ANT-25's testing in 1935-1936.

Valery Chkalov, Georgiy Baydukov and A. V. Belyakov flew an improved ANT-25 through the North Pole to Udd Island, in the Sea of Okhotsk (distance 9,374 km, flight time 56 h 20 min) from July 20, 1936 to July 22, 1936. Georgiy Baydukov had been awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union for this deed July 24, 1936.

The same crew piloted an ANT-25 from Moscow to Vancouver, Washington through the North Pole from June 18, 1937 to June 20, 1937 (distance 8,504 km).

Georgy Baydukov resumed his work as a test pilot in 1937. He tested PE-2 and SB bombers, as well as participated in tests of a DB-A bomber.

During the Second World War
Georgy Baydukov participated in the Soviet-Finnish War in 1939-1940. He served in 85th Bomber Regiment.

Baydukov had been sent to the USA to discuss a purchase of American warplanes in 1941. He returned to the front lines in January 1942.

Baydukov served as a deputy commander of the 31st Air Force Division, commander of the air force of 4th strike army, commander of the 212nd (since May 1943 - the 4th Guard) Air Force Division. Commander of an Air Force Corps since January 1944.

Post-War years
Georgy Baydukov had served with the Soviet Air Force in various capacities until 1988, when he retired with the rank of General Colonel.

Honours and awards

 * Hero of the Soviet Union
 * Two Orders of Lenin
 * Order of the October Revolution
 * Four Orders of the Red Banner
 * Order of Kutuzov 1st class
 * Two Orders of Suvorov 2nd class
 * Order of Kutuzov 2nd class
 * Order of the Patriotic War 1st class
 * Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class
 * Order of the Red Banner of Labour
 * Order of Friendship of Peoples
 * Four Orders of the Red Star
 * Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 1st class
 * Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 2nd class
 * Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 3rd class
 * Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary since the Birth of Vladimir Il'ich Lenin"
 * Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
 * Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
 * Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
 * Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
 * Medal "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "XX Years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army"
 * Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy"
 * Jubilee Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Medal "In Commemoration of the 1500th Anniversary of Kiev"
 * State Prize of the USSR

Foreign awards

 * Officer of the Legion of Merit (USA)
 * Army Distinguished Service Medal (USA)
 * Distinguished Flying Cross (USA)
 * Medal for Odra, Nisso and the Baltic (Poland)
 * Medal for Warsaw (Poland)
 * Order of the Grunwald Cross 2nd Class (Poland)
 * Order of Polonia Restituta 2nd and 3rd classes (Poland)
 * Order of Sukhbaatar (Mongolia)
 * Order of the Red Znamyani (Mongolia)
 * Czechoslovak War Cross (Czechoslovakia)
 * Order of the White Lion 1st Class (Czechoslovakia)
 * Order of the White Lion 1st Class For Victory