Konstantin Artseulov – The Author Of The “Spin” In Aviation

On September 24, 1916, the grandson of the great Armenian artist Aivazovsky, pilot Konstantin Konstantinovich Artseulov, for the first time intentionally performed a “spin” and took his plane out of it.

In 1916, he was the first in the Russian Empire to develop and apply techniques for getting an aircraft out of a spin. These would become a revolutionary achievement in practical aviation.

Artseulov, a pioneer of Russian and Soviet gliding, was a noble and the son of Konstantin Artseulov (son of Nikolai Artseulov), a hereditary sailor who served in Sevastopol and Major General of the Corps of Naval Engineers, and Zhanna Artseulova, the daughter of famous marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky.

Artseulov was born in Yalta and spent his childhood in Feodosia, in the house of his grandfather Ivan Aivazovsky, showing outstanding abilities for drawing and painting.

During his service in the 18th KAO, Artseulov made 21 reconnaissance flights with a total duration of 42 hours 4 minutes. He flew on the Farman airplane.

In one of his air battles, he knocked out a German Albatross C.III reconnaissance aircraft. The German pilot was captured and the aircraft repaired. On this aircraft, Artseulov made reconnaissance flights, photographing enemy military facilities.

Artseulov was awarded two orders – St. Vladimir of the 4th degree with swords and a bow and St. Stanislaus of the 3rd degree with swords and a bow.

Artur Sargsyan