Alexander Matveevich Kowanko
Alexander Matveevich Kowanko (Александр Матвеевич Кованько, 1856–)[1] was an engineer and aeronaut who reached the rank of Генерал-лейтенант (Lieutenant General) in the Russian military.
(His name is typically spelled Kowanko in the West despite the fact that an English speaker might want to spell it Kovanko. Kowanko spoke French, English, and Turkish as well as Russian,[2] and he may have preferred the German transliteration for some reason.)
Along with Mikhail Aleksandrovich Rykatcheff, Kowanko was Russia's representative to the International Commission for Scientific Aeronautics.
He maintained a large library on aeronautics and translated numerous foreign works into Russian.[2]
Biography
Kowanko was born to nobility in St. Petersburg in 1856. After school he began a career as military engineer, in 1878 becoming second lieutenant in the 4th batallion of pontooners, and constructing a bridge on the Danube. He returned to Russia in 1879 and entered military school for electrician-miners, after which he joined the sappers and developed naval mines and submarines.[2]
In 1884 Kowanko was secretary of the commission to study military aerostatics (Комиссия по применению воздухоплавания, голубиной почты и сторожевых вышек к военным целям)[1]; he became lieutenant of the Russian balloon corps in 1890. Wilfrid de Fonvielle described him as the driving force behind Russian aeronautics as a unique national phenomenon:[2]
Grâce à M. de Kowanko et à ses collaborateurs, il existe réellement dans l'immense empire, sur lequel règne un digne successeur de Pierre le Grand, une école aéronautique ayant son cachet particulier, son caractère spécial et son genre national.
Aeronautical activities
- 1885-10-06 – Balloon flight from St. Petersburg to Novgorod.[1]
- 1886-05-18 – Photography of St. Petersburg and Kronstadt from a captive balloon.[1]
- 1887-08-07 – planned ascension with chemist Dmitri Mendeleev (Дмитрия Менделеева) to observe a solar eclipse. (The balloon couldn't take off with both of them so Mendeleev went by himself.)[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Анатолий Муравлев, "Первый русский воздухоплаватель", Алтайская правда (cf. w:ru:Алтайская правда), 13 September 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Fonvielle, 1899, Portraits d'aéronautes contemporains. Colonel Alexandre de Kowanko
| Names | Alexander Matveevich Kowanko; Александр Матвеевич Кованько; Alexander Matveevich Kovanko |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 1856-03-16 |
| Death date | 1919-04-20 |
| Countries | RU |
| Locations | St. Petersburg |
| Occupations | military officer, engineer |
| Tech areas | LTA, Marine, Meteorology, Photography, Military |
| Affiliations | Russian balloon corps, International Commission for Scientific Aeronautics, Central Physical Observatory |
| Wikidata id | Q1977643 |
Publications by or about Alexander Matveevich Kowanko or Александр Матвеевич Кованько or Kowanko or A. Kowanko
- Moedebeck, , Manuel de la navigation aérienne militaire. Traduction rédigée par le lieutenant Kovanko (Simple title: Manual of Military Air Navigation. Translation by Lieutenant Kovanko)
- Kowanko, 1899, Bericht über die Thätigkeit der Abtheilung für Luftschiffahrt auf dem X. Kongress der russischen Aerzte und Naturforscher in Kiew im Jahre 1898 (Simple title: Report on the Activities of the Airship Division at the Xth Congress of Russian Physicians and Naturalists in Kiev in 1898, Journal: Ill. Aër. Mitt.)
- Fonvielle, 1899, Portraits d'aéronautes contemporains. Colonel Alexandre de Kowanko (Simple title: Portraits of contemporary aeronauts. Colonel Alexander of Kowanko, Journal: L'Aérophile)
- Lebedev, 2014, First Airfields of Saint Petersburg (Simple title: First Airfields of Saint Petersburg, Journal: 29th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences)
Alexander Matveevich Kowanko (or Александр Матвеевич Кованько or Kowanko or A. Kowanko) participated in these events:
- Saint Petersburg Conference on the Exploration of the Atmosphere (Start date: 1904-08-29, Locations: Saint Petersburg, Country: RU, Tech focus: Meteo • LTA • Kite • Instrument • Military)
- All-Russian Aeronautics Festival (Start date: 1910-09-21, Locations: St. Petersburg, Country: RU)
