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AEROFLOT - Fly Soviet
Despite the borders of the USSR being closed to majority of its population, Soviet citizens were among the world's most frequent flyers.
Following the 1917 Revolution, Vladimir Lenin made the development of aviation a priority. Assisted by advertising campaigns by artists such as Alexander Rodchenko, Soviet society was mobilised to establish an air fleet - from the very beginning of the USSR through to its demise in 1991, Soviet aviation flew its own unique path.
This book unfolds the story of Soviet air travel, from early carriers like Deruluft and Dobrolet, to the enigmatic Aeroflot. Organised like an Air Force, with a vast fleet of aircraft and helicopters, Aeroflot was the world's biggest air carrier of passengers and cargo, responsible for a wider range of duties than any other airline.
In an era when it was still common to smoke on board, the Aeroflot emblem appeared on cigarette packets, matchboxes and many other everyday goods. Aeroflot publicity alerted domestic passengers to new destinations or proudly presented the introduction of faster, more comfortable aircraft, while colourful advertising enticed Western travellers to use Aeroflot's international services.
Aeroflot - Fly Soviet uses this ephemera to illustrate a parallel aviation universe that existed for 70 years. It pays tribute to generations of aircraft engineers, designers, pilots, ticket sellers, flight dispatchers, air traffic controllers, ground handlers and flight attendants, who jointly created this remarkable chapter of Soviet civil aviation history.
Following the 1917 Revolution, Vladimir Lenin made the development of aviation a priority. Assisted by advertising campaigns by artists such as Alexander Rodchenko, Soviet society was mobilised to establish an air fleet - from the very beginning of the USSR through to its demise in 1991, Soviet aviation flew its own unique path.
This book unfolds the story of Soviet air travel, from early carriers like Deruluft and Dobrolet, to the enigmatic Aeroflot. Organised like an Air Force, with a vast fleet of aircraft and helicopters, Aeroflot was the world's biggest air carrier of passengers and cargo, responsible for a wider range of duties than any other airline.
In an era when it was still common to smoke on board, the Aeroflot emblem appeared on cigarette packets, matchboxes and many other everyday goods. Aeroflot publicity alerted domestic passengers to new destinations or proudly presented the introduction of faster, more comfortable aircraft, while colourful advertising enticed Western travellers to use Aeroflot's international services.
Aeroflot - Fly Soviet uses this ephemera to illustrate a parallel aviation universe that existed for 70 years. It pays tribute to generations of aircraft engineers, designers, pilots, ticket sellers, flight dispatchers, air traffic controllers, ground handlers and flight attendants, who jointly created this remarkable chapter of Soviet civil aviation history.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 26, 2022
What an amazing read.
AEROFLOT, Fly Soviet is a colourful book that covers, in barely 240 pages, the span of Soviet aviation history with a focus on its main airline. It starts by shedding some light into the beginnings of the industry in the tumultuous period of the Bolshevik Revolution, and then goes on continue to explain the evolution of Aeroflot as an inextricable part of the planned economy. The book ends with an overview of the challenges Aeroflot faced in the 80s and early 90s; along with the major restructuring it underwent due to the collapse of the Soviet Union itself.
This book is in no way an authoritative piece of work, it is more like a summary of soviet aviation history. But its strongest point is the quantity and quality of photographs, illustrations and memorabilia that features its pages. Everything is in full colour and it certainly adds value to the easy to follow, and to the point narrative.
Price in my local book shop was not cheap. But this little book is worth every penny. I thoroughly enjoy reading it, and I'm sure that any aviation fan would as well.
A well deserved 5 stars.
AEROFLOT, Fly Soviet is a colourful book that covers, in barely 240 pages, the span of Soviet aviation history with a focus on its main airline. It starts by shedding some light into the beginnings of the industry in the tumultuous period of the Bolshevik Revolution, and then goes on continue to explain the evolution of Aeroflot as an inextricable part of the planned economy. The book ends with an overview of the challenges Aeroflot faced in the 80s and early 90s; along with the major restructuring it underwent due to the collapse of the Soviet Union itself.
This book is in no way an authoritative piece of work, it is more like a summary of soviet aviation history. But its strongest point is the quantity and quality of photographs, illustrations and memorabilia that features its pages. Everything is in full colour and it certainly adds value to the easy to follow, and to the point narrative.
Price in my local book shop was not cheap. But this little book is worth every penny. I thoroughly enjoy reading it, and I'm sure that any aviation fan would as well.
A well deserved 5 stars.
December 16, 2021
Daug paveiksliukų. Labai daug paveiksliukų :) Belgo sudaryta knyga su daug tarybinių Aeroflot reklamų, nuotraukų ir kitos simbolikos bei neilgas sovietinio skraidymo istorijos aprašymas. Kaip ne kaip, byrant Sovietų Sąjungai, 1990-aisiais Aeroflot buvo didžiausia aviakompanija pasaulyje praktiškai pagal bet kokį kriterijų. Tiesa, 95% buvo skraidymas tiesiog šalies viduje visokiais kukurūznikais, sraigtasparniais Sibire ir gabenimu vietinių turistų į Krymo ir Kaukazo kurortus. Gal kiek pritrūko gylio - vietomis užkabintos priežastys, kodėl nutiko vienaip ar kitaip, tai norėjosi, kad būtų daugiau paplėtotos tos temos.
November 24, 2021
Compact history of Aeroflot and Soviet civil aviation in general. Exceptionally well researched, yet easy to read, it offers a balanced mix of text and archive promotional materials from the author's collection. As with other Fuel Publishing books, the production quality is outstanding – especially the book's cover using silver foil.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews