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That long range bombing should have come to the fore so early in Tzarist Russia is perhaps not surprising given the vast size of the sprawling Romanov empire. The big Sikosky four engine bombers, collectively the "Iliya Murometz" series, were the largest heavier than air aircraft in the world in their time and, although they may not look it to modern eyes, technologically extremely advanced. Technical difficulties often go hand in hand with advanced tachnology and the "Murometz" were no exception. In the early part of 1916 things were not going well for the Russian armies. Beset on all battle fronts by superior enemies the peasant soldiery was demoralised and war weary. If unrest in St Petersberg and Moscow were not to turn into open revolt it was imperative that the enemy be halted in his tracks and that morale at home and at the front be restored. |
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Cometh the hour cometh the man. The need for a stunning propaganda victory and the means to acheive it were brought together in the person of one man, the brilliant young cavalry officer Alexei Nokitoff. A gold medalist in the mens free style bicycle throw at the Stockholm Olympiad of 1912, the last games at which the event took place, Nokitoff was already a hero to the Russian people before the war began. He was just what the propaganda machine needed. Russia's undoubted superiority in the field of long range aviation led to a decision to launch a long rang air raid on a prestige target deep inside German territory. The target was to be Wurstfabrik der Armeegruppe LXXII. It was felt that, if successful, the raid would not only restore Russian morale but seriously damage that of the German army. Before preparations were very far advanced |
| it became apparent that there would be insufficient Sikorski bombers available to launch the proposed attack before the spring of 1917 and alternative methods were sought. Experience with British supplied Submarine Scout Dirigibles led to the brilliant concept of launching a suitably modified aircraft from beneath the envelope of an airship. The aircraft selected for this daring plan was the Dux built Nieuport IX. | |
| The plan was that the airship would fly to the target under cover of darkness and release the aircraft within range of it's objective. The Nieuport would then drop it's bombs on the hopefuly lightly defended Wurstfabrik der Armeegruppe LXXII before returning low level to the Russian lines. It was calculated however that the Nieuport would have insufficient range to complete the return to friendly territory, falling some 200km short, and this problem had to be resolved if the raid was not to be a one way suicide mission. One obvious solution in view of Nokitoff's prowess was to take along a bicycle to expidite the return journy and this was set in train. |
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The plan was that the airship would fly to the target under cover of darkness and release the aircraft within range of it's objective. The Nieuport would then drop it's bombs on the hopefuly lightly defended Wurstfabrik der Armeegruppe LXXII before returning low level to the Russian lines. It was calculated however that the Nieuport would have insufficient range to complete the return to friendly territory, falling some 200km short, and this problem had to be resolved if the raid was not to be a one way suicide mission. One obvious solution in view of Nokitoff's prowess was to take along a bicycle to expidite the return journy and this was set in train.
The mission was set for August 1916 when the moon would be full and the Wurstfabrik der Armeegruppe LXXII in full production. But at the last minute it was called off and the reasons have only recently been revealed in documents discovered in a store room of the old Air Ministry building in St Petersberg. It would seem that, at the last minute, it became known that Arch Duke Alexis, the uncle of the Tzar, was a major shareholder in the Wurstfabrik der Armeegruppe LXXII, having received shares as a birthday present from his cousin Wilhem II. Additionally, Nokitoff could throw a bicycle 28.47 metres but could not actually ride one
Prof Doktor Hertz van Rental, 2001