Click for RUSSIAN language
THE WORLD FIRST AERIAL VICTORY

The 1st aerial victory in history was achieved by staff-captain Peter N. Nesterov, the commander of 11KAO. On 26th August 1914 he paid his own life for ram by his unarmed Morane G the Austrian recon Albatros B.I. (Nesterov was also the world 1st performer of "the dead loop" - 27th August 1913).


 

WW1 aces of Russian Empire

service conflict - side victory sub-index
Russian Empire WW1 - Entente R
France WW1 - Entente F
Great Britain Civilian War - the intervents W
the Whites Civilian War W
the Reds Civilian War; Polish war S
Not-officialN

Victories
Pilot
Awards
Planes
Units
 		Wars end status
19 (+13N) Alexander A. Kazakov (Kozakoff)
Golden Weapon of St.George (Russia) Order of St.George, 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, 2nd Class with Swords, 3rd Class with Swords and Bow (Russia) Order of St.Stanislas, 2nd Class with Swords and Bow, 3rd Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 2nd and 3rd Class with Sword (Russia) Distinguished Service Order (GB) Distinguished Flying Cross (GB) Military Cross (GB) Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (France) Croix de Guerre with 1 Palm (France) Morane G ; SPAD A4 ; Nieuport 9 , 11 , 17 ; Sopwith 1.5 , Snipe Russian Empire 4KAO , 19KAOinsignia of 19KAO , 1BAGBAG commander ; British intervents 1st Slavo-British Sqd KiFa Suicide, Aug'19
16 Vasily I. Yanchenko
Order of St.George, 4th Class (Russia) Cross of St.George, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords and Bow (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Knight's Cross of the Order of the Star (Romania) Military Service Medal, 2nd Class (Romania) Nieuport 10, 11, 17, 21 ; Moran Monocoque Russian Empire 7IAO , 32KAO ; Russian Volunteer Army 2nd Air Sqd Survived Survived
15 [6F+9R] (+2N) Paul V. Argeyev (d'Argueff)
Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (France) Croix de Guerre with 8 Palms (France) Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords and Bows (Russia) Order of St.George, 4th Class (Russia) Nieuport 17 ; SPAD 13 France N28 ; Russian Empire 19KAOinsignia of 19KAO , BAG commander 3BAG ; France Spa124 insignia of Spa124 Survived Survived
10 Ivan V. Smirnov (Smirnoff)
Golden Weapon of St.George (Russia) Order of St.George, 1st Class (Russia) Cross of St.George, some Classes (Russia) Order of St.Stanislas, 3rd Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 3rd and 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Croix de Guerre with 1 Palm (France) Knight's Cross of the Order of the White Eagle (Serbia) Morane-Saulnier N-5 ; Nieuport 10, 17 ; SPAD 7 Russian Empire 19KAOinsignia of 19KAO Survived Survived
10 (+2N)Grigory E. Suk
Cross of St.George, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Class (Russia) Knight's Cross of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Morane-Saulnier M ; Voisin ; Nieuport 10, 11, 21 ; Vickers FB.19 ; SPAD 7 Russian Empire 26KAO , 9KAO KiA Crashed, Nov'17
7 (+2N) Vladimir I. Strizhevsky
Cross of St.George, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Class (Russia) Knight's Cross of the Order of the Crown (Romania) Nieuport 21 Russian Empire 9KAO  
6 (+5N) Victor G. Fyodorov (Fedoroff)

"cossak of Verdun"
Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (France) Medaille Militaire (France) Croix de Guerre with 3 Palms, 1 Silver Star (France) Caudron G.4 ; Nieuport ; SPAD 13 France C49insignia of C49 , N26 , Spa89 , Spa3insignia of Spa3 ; Russian Empire 9KAO Survived Survived
6 [1F+5R]
(+4N [1F+3R]) 		Efgraf N. Kruten
Order of St.George, 3rd and 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Stanislas, 2nd and 3rd Class (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Croix de Guerre with 1 Palm (France) Voisin LA ; Nieuport 11 , 17c1 , 23 personal insignia: Ilya Murometz warrior Russian Empire 21KAO , 2IO ; France N3insignia of escadrille 3 ; BAG commander 2BAG KiFa Crash, June'17
6 (+4N)Ivan A. Loyko
Order of St.George, 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Stanislas, 2nd Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 2nd 3rd and 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Knight's Cross of the Order of the Star (Romania) Moran Parasol ; Nieuport 10, 11, 17 Russian Empire 30KAO , 9IAO  
6 [3R+3S] Alexey D. Shirinkin
Cross of St.George, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, with Swords
Order of the Combat Red Banner Order of the Combat Red Banner 		Nieuport 23 ; Ansaldo A.1 Balilla Russian Empire 1IAO; Red Army 7IAO Survived Survived
5 [2R +3S] (+1N) Grigory S. Sapozhnikov
Cross of St.George Order of the Combat Red Banner Nieuport ; Sopwith Snipe personal insignia: ace of spades Russian Empire 9KAO ; Red Army 1AO insignia of 1AO KiFa Crash , Sept'20
5 [4F+1R] (+3N) Eduard M. Pulpe
Order of St.George, 4th Class (Russia) Croix de Guerre with 5 Palms (France) Medaille Militaire (France) Morane-Saulnier ; Nieuport 11 France MS23 / N23 ; Russian Empire 8IO KiA Killed , 1916
5 (+3N)Konstantin K. Vakulovsky Golden Weapon of St.George (Russia) Order of St.George, 4th Class Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords and Bow Order of St.Stanislas, 2nd Class with Swords, 3rd Class with Swords and Ribbon Order of St.Anne, 2nd 3rd and 4th Classes with Swords Farman ; Albatros(capt.) ; Nieuport 11 ; Morane-Saulnier I Russian Empire 1KAO? , 33AO , 1IO? KiFa Crash , 1918
5 (+3N)Nikolay K. Kokorin
Golden Weapon of St.George (Russia) Order of St.George, 4th Class Cross of St.George, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Class Order of St.Anne, 4th Class with Swords Farman 22 ; Morane Parasol , Monocoque ; SPAD A2 , 7 ; Nieuport 11 Russian Empire 4KAO , 2IO KiA Killed , May'17
5 (+1N) Mikhael I. Safonoff Order of St.Vladimir, 3rd Class with Swords and Bow (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 4th Class with Swords (Russia) M-9, M-15 flying boats ; Nieuport NR.I Russian Empire 2FAOnaval flag Survived Survived
5 (+1N)Jury V. Gilsher
Golden Weapon of St.George (Russia) Order of St.George, 4th Class Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords and Bows Order of St.Stanislas, 3rd Class Order of St.Anne, 4th Class Voisin ; S-16 ; Nieuport 21 Russian Empire 4AAO , 7IAO KiA Killed , July'17
5 (+1N)Alexander M. Pishvanov
Order of St.George, 4th Class Cross of St.George, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Class Order of St.Stanislas, 3rd Class Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords Order of St.Anne, 4th Class Nieuport 21; Sopwith Camel Russian Empire 27KAO , 10IAO ; White Army 6 AO Survived Survived
5Ernst K. Leman
Order of St.George, 4th Class Cross of St.George, 4th Class Order of St.Stanislas, 3rd Class Order of St.Anne, 4th Class with Swords SPAD A2 ; Nieuport Russian Empire 19KAOinsignia of 19KAO Suicide deadDec'17
5Victor V. Utgoff
Golden Weapon of St.George (Russia) Order of St.George (Russia) Cross of St.George (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir (Russia) Order of St.Stanislas (Russia) Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (France) Curtis , M-9 flying boats Russian Empire 1FAOnaval flag Survived Survived
4 (+3N) Ivan A. Orlov
Order of St.George, 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Stanislas, 3rd Class with Swords (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 3rd and 4th Class with Swords (Russia) Cross of St.George, 2nd 3rd and 4th Class (Russia) Croix de Guerre with 1 Palm (France) Farman ; Morane G ; Voisin ; S-16 ; Nieuport 17, 21, 23 Russian Empire 5KAO , 7IAO
France N3 insignia of Spa3 		KiA Killed, June'17
3 (+10N) Alexander N. P. Seversky

designer of P47 Thunderbolt 		Golden Weapon of St.George (Russia) Order of St.George, 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Vladimir, 4th Class (Russia) Order of St.Stanislas, 2nd and 3rd Class (Russia) Order of St.Anne, 2nd 3rd and 4th Class (Russia) M-9 flying boat ; Nieuport 21 Russian Empire 2FAOBaltic fleet Survived Survived
Notes:
  • These data were taken from many sources, which ones rarely agreed. If you can provide me with any aditional info, please do it.
  • In Russian (and then in Soviet) army counted as confirmed victories only planes, downed to friendly territory.

    Unit designations :   KAO - Corps Air Sqd
    IAO - Ftr Air Sqd
    AAO - Army Air Sqd
    FAO - Fleet Air Sqd
    BAG - Combat Air Group

    Also I need to say about one especial ace. He is especial pilot because of many sources told as he is the French or he is the Russian; but indeedly he is the Serbian :
    21 (+1N) Petar (Pierre) Marinovich Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (France) Medaille Militaire (France) Croix de Guerre with 10 Palms (France) Nieuport; SPAD France N38insignia of N38 , Spa94 Survived WW1, but crashed in 1919

    Decorations
    Golden Weapon of St.George - Victorybringer (Russian) Order of St.George, 4 classes (Russian) Order of St.Vladimir, 4 classes, swords, bow (Russian) Order of St.Stanislav, 3 classes, swords, bow (Russian) Order of St.Anne, 4 classes, swords (Russian) Cross of St.George, 4 classes (Russian)
    Order of the Combat Red Banner (Soviet)
    Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (French) Medaille Militaire (French) Croix de Guerre, palms, silver stars (French)
    Knight's Cross of the Order of the White Eagle (Serbian)
    Knight's Cross of the Order of the Star (Romanian) Knight's Cross of the Order of the Crown (Romanian) Military Service Medal, classes (Romanian)
    Distinguished Service Order (British) Distinguished Flying Cross (British) Military Cross (British)

    Russian/Soviet air symbols

    All fighter aces of Spanish War
    Allied fighter aces of Wars in China
    Soviet bomber aces of WW2
    Soviet fighter aces of WW2
    Foreign fighter aces in VVS
    All fighter aces of Korean War
    All fighter aces of Vietnam War

    Russian aviation in WW1 and Civilian War

    War is Over Main page

    Support this site

    main URL