http://dictatorshipoftheair.com/2006/07/08/what-is-russian-about-russian-aviation/ Russia History Culture Technology (and, of course, Aviation) Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:20:10 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://dictatorshipoftheair.com/2006/07/08/what-is-russian-about-russian-aviation/comment-page-1/#comment-19 Vadim Nikitin Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:08:41 +0000 http://dictatorshipoftheair.com/2006/07/08/what-is-russian-about-russian-aviation/#comment-19 I have come across many instances when my educated American friends were completely in the dark about Yuri Gagarin, or Mendeleev, or any number of pioneers who happened not to be anglosaxons. I am confident that were the first man to conduct such a long and pioneering flight not American, or his journey not one between two English speaking countries, he or she would hardly register on the American cultural radar, which I have found to be dominated almost exclusively by english speakers and some western european personages (and with Asian or African pioneers as if nonexistent entirely!). Instead of simply blaming Russian ignorance of Lindbergh on stalinist nationalism, it should be asked whether the same sort of nationalism was responsible for Lindbergh's popularity amongst Americans. I have come across many instances when my educated American friends were completely in the dark about Yuri Gagarin, or Mendeleev, or any number of pioneers who happened not to be anglosaxons. I am confident that were the first man to conduct such a long and pioneering flight not American, or his journey not one between two English speaking countries, he or she would hardly register on the American cultural radar, which I have found to be dominated almost exclusively by english speakers and some western european personages (and with Asian or African pioneers as if nonexistent entirely!). Instead of simply blaming Russian ignorance of Lindbergh on stalinist nationalism, it should be asked whether the same sort of nationalism was responsible for Lindbergh’s popularity amongst Americans.

]]> http://dictatorshipoftheair.com/2006/07/08/what-is-russian-about-russian-aviation/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Brett Mon, 10 Jul 2006 06:38:44 +0000 http://dictatorshipoftheair.com/2006/07/08/what-is-russian-about-russian-aviation/#comment-5 Very interesting. It makes me think of Alan Cobham, probably the closest British equivalent to Lindbergh (or Chkalov, who I for one am not familar with!), and who was probably more famous in Britain in the interwar period. But I suspect Lindbergh's name is now much more likely to be recognised than Cobham's. (The same might be said of Charles Kingsford Smith in Australia.) Aside from pure nationalistic pride in a home-grown aviator, I think one reason for Cobham's popularity was that he strongly associated himself with patriotism and imperial unity. Or is that two reasons? Anyway, I certainly agree that you can divine something about a nation's culture by whom it chooses for its heroes. Very interesting. It makes me think of Alan Cobham, probably the closest British equivalent to Lindbergh (or Chkalov, who I for one am not familar with!), and who was probably more famous in Britain in the interwar period. But I suspect Lindbergh’s name is now much more likely to be recognised than Cobham’s. (The same might be said of Charles Kingsford Smith in Australia.) Aside from pure nationalistic pride in a home-grown aviator, I think one reason for Cobham’s popularity was that he strongly associated himself with patriotism and imperial unity. Or is that two reasons? Anyway, I certainly agree that you can divine something about a nation’s culture by whom it chooses for its heroes.

]]>