Touches to the Portrait of the Aviation Designer and Military Pilot Kostyantyn Kalinin

The article is dedicated to the exploration of the lesser-known aspects of the life of the prominent designer and aviator of the 20th century, Kostyantyn Oleksiyovych Kalinin. The purpose of the study is to develop existing notions about Kalinin's personality and life path through historical-psychological analysis. The relevance of the publication is determined by the need to revive historical memory and form a more objective picture (free of ideological overlays) of the life activities of the famous aircraft designer. This will help professionals in the field understand the reasons that prevented the realization of Kalinin's creative potential and the implementation of his most progressive and forward-looking aviation discoveries and developments. The subject of the study is biography of K.O. Kalinin, particularly the events between 1916 and 1919, which later led to political repression, his arrest, and execution. As a result of the analysis of newly introduced documents and data, it was revealed that from December 1918, K.O. Kalinin was the commander of the 1st Volyn (Zhytomyr) Aviation Division, and from February 1919, he commanded the air squad of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR) and the Ukrainian Galician Army (UGA), and was also an inspector of the UGA. In the summer and autumn of 1919, he served as the head of the aviation warehouse of the Active Army of the UPR. Later, Kalinin voluntarily agreed to cooperate with the Bolsheviks, concealing some facts of his biography. Describing in 1938 the events that occurred from 1918–1919, Kostyantyn Oleksiyovych tried to avoid repression and save his life. He aimed to realize himself as an aviation designer in his homeland. Partially, he succeeded: from 1923 to 1935, Kalinin designed a series of aircraft, including experimental ones. However, the Bolshevik authority neglected the talent, design skills, and achievements of this extraordinary inventor, aviator, and engineer. On October 22, 1938, after interrogations and torture on fabricated charges, Kostyantyn Oleksiyovych Kalinin was executed. Conclusions: Researching the biographies and achievements of famous domestic aircraft designers allows a better understanding of how the aviation industry developed in our country and what factors influenced this process. A deeper knowledge of the fate, life path, and personal characteristics of K.O. Kalinin will help future aircraft builders form the necessary worldview, value orientations, and personal qualities to overcome contemporary challenges and aspire to develop domestic aircraft construction.