V. T. Beregovyi: unknown materials from scientific archive of the Poltava Museum of Aviation and Cosmonautics to the biography of a participant of an aviation case of the 1930's

Abstract

Events in aviation and cosmonautics, achievements of the scientists, designers, engineers, aviators, astronauts of Poltava region, peculiarities of creative laboratories of specialists and facts of their biographies have always been in the spotlight of the Ukrainian researchers of aerospace science and technology.

However, some pages of this story, which are related to the life and activities of some of its figures persons, are still poorly researched. There are numerous publications, which became the results of research devoted to the life path and creative work of one of the most famous astronaut pilots – representatives of Ukraine – the 12th cosmonaut in the USSR, the 32nd astronaut in the world, Lieutenant-General Aviation, of the Honored Test Pilot, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, laureate of the State Prize, twice awarded the title of Hero (during the war and for space flight) of Georgy Beregovy (April 15, 1921 – June 30, 1995).

However, practically unknown for broad public movement remains achievements and life path of the instructor, pilot, parachutist Victor Beregovy – older brother G.T. Beregovy, under the influence of which he chose his professional path. In 1930's Victor Beregovy was arrested as an enemy of the people. On January 4, 1938, he was shot. He has remained, besides his parents and brothers, the wife Vira Prokopivna (maiden name was Efymova) and a little daughter of Leda (she was born July 8, 1937). Victor Berehovy was rehabilitated only September 5, 1957 (posthumously). For many years, the family had no information about his fate. Only in the mid- 1980's G. T. Beregovy managed to get an answer to his request for the brother's fate, to get acquainted with the documents of a personal affair, to make statements. However, taking into account the realities of that time, the family did not hurry to distribute this information.

The researchers of the Poltava Air and Space Museum were among the first to work with documents and information from the personal archive of G. Beregovy devoted to his brother Viktor.

The article reviews and analyzes the collection of documents from the personal archive of the pilot-cosmonaut Georgy Beregovy concerning the activities and the fate of his older brother, a graduate of the All-Ukrainian Pilot School in Poltava Victor Beregovy. The documents, which were copied in the scientific archive of the Poltava Air and Space Museum, have not yet been published. The information from them is an important addition to the aviation history of Poltava region, since the brothers V. and G. Beregovy are natives of the Poltava region, and also contain interesting facts from the history of aviation of the 1930's.