Aviation in the agricultural sector: experiments with aviation in the USSR in the 1930-ies

Vitalij Bondarev,Olga Ruday,Olga Baryshnikova,D Rudoy,N Ugrekhelidze,A Olshevskaya

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202127307016

Abstract

The article analyzes the experience of agricultural aviation usage for sowing of grain crops in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. A historiographical review of this problem has been carried out, which testifies to its indisputable scientific, theoretical and applied relevance. The motives for aircraft attracting to sowing operations in the first half of the 1930s have been indicated, and the methods and scale of experiments for conducting aerial sowing have been revealed. By analyzing the scientific literature, archival documents and periodicals of the 1930s, the effectiveness of sowing operations using aviation has been established. The reasons have been revealed, according to which the Party-Soviet leadership eventually abandoned the usage of aircraft as an “air seeder”, having focused the air group efforts on the fight against agricultural pests, firefighting, etc.

Highlights

The mechanization of agriculture developed in the USSR in the 1930s was not limited to the introduction of tractors, combines and other technical means into agricultural production
Despite the obvious drawbacks of aerial sowing, initially it attracted many supporters among experts and the party leadership. They were impressed by the very idea of revolutionary changes in the traditional means of agricultural crop sowing
For the first half of 1933 with the help of aircraft in the major regions of the USSR around of 68.2 hectares (62 thousand hectares of 90.9 % of crops) was held, which is 3 times higher than in 1932 At the same time, sown of 68.2 hectares to 40 hectares was carried out very early sowing

Summary

Introduction

The mechanization of agriculture developed in the USSR in the 1930s was not limited to the introduction of tractors, combines and other technical means into agricultural production. It was a rather complex process, during which a variety of mechanisms were tested, including those that were not typical for the agricultural sector. The facts of the aircraft usage in sowing operations were stated, but the analysis of aerial sowing methods and their effectiveness was not carried out 2003; Civil Aviation of Russia. 80 years: 1923-2003: M., 2003)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion