Postnikov, Fyodor Alekseevich
From OnAirpower.org
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[edit] Biography
Postnikov completed the Pskov Cadets Corps in 1889 and the 1st Pavlov Imperial School in 1891. He served with the Usursk Cossacks starting in 1892. In August, 1894, he entered the Imperial Military Engineering Academy in St. Petersburg. In October, 1897, Postnikov completed training in ballooning, and in June, 1899, graduated from the Military Engineering Academy. After graduation his next assignment was to Port Vladivostok[1].
After the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, Postnikov proposed the use of observation balloons to spot underwater mines. Since there were no balloons available in Vladivostok, Postnikov began construction of the balloon "Espero" (the Esperanto word for "hope"), which was completed on May 14, 1904. On May 15, 1904, Postnikov was named commander of the 1st Naval Balloon Unit, which consisted of Postnikov's balloon plus a complement of twenty sailors. For the unit's service during the war, Postnikov was promoted to the rank of Lt. Col. in August, 1905[1].
After the wave of unrest in Russia that came about after the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Postnikov emigrated to the United States[1].
[edit] Sources
- Postnikov, Fyodor Alekseevich (in Russian)
