Background
Nikolai Kamanin was born in Melenki, in Vladimir province (now Melenkovsky District, Vladimir Oblast), Russian Federation.
aviator commander colonel-general
Nikolai Kamanin was born in Melenki, in Vladimir province (now Melenkovsky District, Vladimir Oblast), Russian Federation.
He graduated from the Leningrad military-theoretical flight school (1928), the Borisoglebsk military aviation school (1929), the Zhukovskiy Military Engineering Academy (1938), the General Staff Academy (1956).
In 1938 he was appointed the commander of an air brigade. By the end of the Soviet-Finnish War in 1940, he commanded a Military District Air Force. Kamanin commanded various air armies on the Ukrainian front and ended the war in Prague. After the war, he held high positions in the command of the DOSAAF civilian reserve forces (All-Union Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Air Force, and Navy). From 1960 to 1971 he was in charge of the Soviet cosmonaut team. In this position, he had to invent entirely new methods for selecting and training cosmonauts, and conducting manned space operations. During this same period, he was Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of the VVS Air Forces for Outer Space. Following the death of the Soyuz 11 crew, he was dismissed from his position. In 1972 he retired from the service.
Took part in the rescue operation of SS Chelyuskin crew from an improvised airfield on the frozen surface of the Chukchi Sea near Kolyuchin Island.
While in charge of the Soviet cosmonaut team he had invented entirely new methods for selecting and training cosmonauts, and conducting manned space operations.
Quotations: ''All my life, like a machine,I do everything with the expectation of not losing a single minute for nothing. Maybe it will seem boring to some people, but I am convinced that every cultural person must plan their working and personal time and use it rationally.''
Nikolai Petrovich was distinguished by a strong-willed, purposeful character. He firmly defended his principled views on the most important issues.
He was married, had two sons.
