Sergei Alekseevich Danilin

Born Oct. 8 (21), 1901, in Moscow. Soviet pilot; lieutenant general of the engineers (1943). Hero of the Soviet Union (1937). Member of the CPSU since 1938.

Danilin entered the Soviet Army in 1919 and graduated from the Moscow Higher School of Aerial Photogrammetry in 1921. He joined the staff of the Air Force Scientific and Testing Institute in 1922. In 1937, Damilin flew with M. M. Gromov and A. B. Iumashev across the north pole from Moscow to the USA, setting a world distance record over a straight course (10,148 km). Danilin served as director of the Scientific and Testing Institute of the Air Force Special Services in 1943 and 1944. Between 1944 and 1951 he served as deputy director of a state research institute and chief of a directorate of the air force.

Danilin was one of the organizers of the navigation service of the air force of the USSR. He supervised the development of piloting and navigation instruments and radio-communications, radar, photographic aerial-survey, and radio-navigation gear. Danilin also developed techniques for instrument flying and landing as well as for bombing from behind cloud cover. He was assistant air force commander in chief in charge of radio engineering from 1951 to 1953 and chief of a directorate of the air force from 1953 to 1959. Danilin retired in 1960.

Danilin was a deputy to the first convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Danilin has been awarded two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov Second Class, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class, two Orders of the Red Star, and various medals.