Nikolay Ilyich Kamov

Nikolay Ilyich Kamov was born on September 1, 1902 in Irkutsk. His father, Ilya Mikhailovich was a teacher of literature. Nicholas graduated with a gold medal commercial school, was fond of chemistry, biology and technology. In 1918 he was second in points passed examinations in the Tomsk Technological Institute. In 1920, the young man tried to enter the Squadron, but was not accepted due to a hand injury received at birth. Nicholas decided to build planes. He studied books on aviation, which was possible to get experimenting with screws. Kamov attended Tomsk Institute of Technology and graduated with honors, his name was inscribed on a marble plaque.

After graduation in 1923, mechanical engineer Kamov went to Moscow and went to work at the factory Junkers concession IVA. For 3 years he studied production technology. In the evenings young engineer he studied aerodynamics. One day, unable to bear the roughness of the German master, he told him in German, and was dismissed.

In 1924 he entered the central Kamov airplane workshops "Dobrolet" (predecessor of Aeroflot), who were engaged in repairing mainly German cars. Gathering a group of assistants, a young engineer on his own initiative prepared a set of drawings of the aircraft U-13. This would eliminate the purchase of foreign parts and the assistance of foreign experts.

Later, examining the structure of the German aircraft, repair Kamov improved wing, increasing the flaps in order to reduce the running machine. The young engineer was invited in 1927 to the design D.P.Grigorovicha Bureau, which was engaged an experienced naval shipbuilding.

Kamov participated in the development of aircraft MDE bis. In his spare time, he initiated the establishment of the gyroplane. By 1928, Nikolai Ilyich was a leading designer and head of the team CB Richard Fields, a guest from France. In 1928-1929, Kamov, together with the engineer N.K.Skrizhinskim, created the first Soviet autogyro KASKR-1 "Red Engineer".

Due to the lack of methods to create and test the gyroplane was held in difficult conditions. The first test in the wind blade cut off the tail of the gyroplane. Repaired, on 25 September 1929 test pilot I.V.Miheev first pulled the car off the ground and became the first Soviet helicopter. In 1930-1931, Nikolai Ilyich was one of the leaders of the Sea OKB aircraft construction. He was the lead engineer for the production of all-metal aircraft torpedo seas TOM-1.

In October 1931 he was appointed head of the Kamov design team at TsAGI. He proposed a new draft of the gyroplane A-7, which is designed for the Air Force commissioned as a scout and artillery spotter. On September 20, 1934, the A-7 took off. In 1938, one of the gyros type A-7 was sent to rescue the station SP-1 papain. On March 21, 1939 it was decided to build a special plant producing gyros. Kamov became its chief designer and director, M. Miles - deputy.

A few days after June 22, on the initiative of Kamov, A-7 gyroplanes flew to the front, and then drove himself to the chief designer of the organization of repair. Autogyros participated in the fighting, and to the guerrillas brought supplies.

In 1946, Nikolai Ilyich organized a group to design the first domestic helicopter pine scheme Ka-8. In the summer of 1948 a helicopter took part in an air festival at the Tushino airfield. And after the holiday offered to organize helicopter Kamov Design Bureau.

Since October 1948 NI Kamov - the chief designer of OKB for the helicopters, which in 1949 was transformed into Ukhtomsky Helicopter Plant (now named NI Kamov). The word "helicopter" as applied to the gyro was proposed by Kamov. In November 1948 he published a book of NI Kamov "Screw aircraft" In the autumn of the same year proposed to the Soviet Navy Kamov helicopter connected. With a group of colleagues developed the aircraft Ka-10 "from Irkutsk."

In 1952, the government issued a decree on the construction of the ship's helicopters Ka-15. April 14, 1953 Ka-15 flew for the first time. For mass production of Ka-15 identified plant in Siberia. Later, the plant began to produce parallel Ka-15 in agricultural, passenger, medical versions.

One of the plans that remained was the Kamov helicopter car. In the summer of 1960 in an article he wrote that such a machine would relieve the street and get on Mayakovsky Square to Izmailov 10, and up to 30 minutes for Domodedovo. Practical attempts to solve the problem was the Ka-18 "Baby". Ka-18 created in the passenger, postal and sanitary versions. In 1958 at the World Exhibition in Brussels multipurpose Ka-18 was given the gold medal.

Nikolai Ilyich became a pioneer in the development of rotorcraft that combined vertical takeoff of the helicopter and aircraft speed. Kamov design bureau has developed a Ka-22 rotorcraft. Design started in 1952. In the spring of 1959 rotorcraft was ready, and May 9 1961 the car shown at the air parade in Tushino. October 12, 1661 the rotorcraft set 8 world records for flight speed and carrying capacity.

In parallel with the rotary-wing Kamov design bureau developed under the order of the sailors an ASW helicopter, more powerful than the Ka-15. In this complex work it took 10 years. May 21, 1961 the helicopter made its first flight.

In September 1962, for his contribution to Soviet aircraft in connection with the 60th anniversary of Nikolai Ilyich was awarded the Order of Lenin. For the creation of anti-submarine helicopter Kamov Ka-25, November 4, 1973 was awarded the State Prize. In 1967, one of the Ka-25 converted the Ka-25K for the demonstration at the airport at Le Bourget near Paris.

November 4, 1968 the first serial Ka-26 took to the air. Helicopter developed mainly young designers, Kamov supervised their work. In addition to gold medals at exhibitions in different countries, the Ka-26 is the world record. 8 minutes 51.2 seconds, he reached an altitude of 3000 m.

In the early 70's, the Kamov design bureau engaged in the development and testing of the helicopter coaxial system to work in the Arctic. In the summer of 1973 the first car the Ka-32 was ready for testing. However, serious illness did not allow to see Nikolai Ilyich flying the Ka-32. The life of a talented aircraft ended 24 November 1973, and on 24 December 1973 the Ka-32 successfully took to the air.