Ka-22 "Vintokryl" - the first convertiplane

Introduction: Kamov Helicopters – An Instrument of Russian Aggression

February 2022. A full-scale war begins when the Russian Federation commits an act of aggression against Ukraine. In the first days of hostilities, hundreds of Ka-52 helicopters, like a swarm of locusts, flew in the Kyiv direction, intending to seize the Hostomel airfield and ensure the landing of troops on Il-76 aircraft for a quick defeat of the Ukrainian army. However, Ukraine offered determined resistance: Ukrainian soldiers started shooting down these helicopters en masse, not allowing the enemy to gain a foothold.

This moment became the point of no return for me, Nikolaev Andrii Vadymovych. I could no longer keep the secrets related to another aircraft — the Ka-22 "Vintokryl", whose fate was closely intertwined with my family. I no longer wanted to show leniency to Russia, the Kamov design bureau, and Nikolai Ilich Kamov himself — the man under whose leadership this machine was created. I decided to reveal at what cost the Ka-22 was built and what tragedies lie behind the pompous reports of its records.

🌟 WORLD EXCLUSIVE - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Ka-22 Vintokryl experimental convertiplane during test flight, Tashkent, 1962. This extraordinary aerial photograph from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal family archive has never been published before. Shows the unique Soviet aircraft in flight configuration just before the tragic crash. Possibly photographed by lead test engineer Vadym Nikolaiev himself - a precious document of aviation history revealed for the first time.

Ka-22: A Record-Breaking Machine or a Symbol of Negligence?

Ka-22 Vintokryl experimental convertiplane on Tashkent airfield, 1962. This technical photograph from Vadym Nikolaiev's archive perfectly captures the unique configuration of the Soviet aircraft - combining helicopter rotors with jet propulsion. The dramatic sky and clear view of the revolutionary design make this one of the finest documentation shots of the Ka-22 project.

Officially, the Ka-22 "Vintokryl" went down in history as a record-breaking aircraft: it achieved about a dozen accomplishments in speed, payload capacity, and lifting height. However, all these successes hid a bitter truth: the aircraft was created in a rush, with low production quality, and the risk to the test pilots was enormous.

🌟 EXCLUSIVE TEAM PHOTO - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Complete Ka-22 Vintokryl team: flight crew and maintenance personnel, Tashkent 1962. This remarkable group photograph from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal archive shows the entire team that worked on the revolutionary Soviet convertiplane project. Among these faces is lead test engineer Vadym Nikolaiev himself. The camaraderie and professionalism visible in this image makes the subsequent tragedy even more poignant. Never published before - revealed for the first time from family archive.

One of the key testers was my father — Nikolaev Vadym Andriiovych:

• Ukrainian by nationality (both on his father’s and mother’s side).
• Champion of Kharkiv in Sambo – among the leading engineers, he was unmatched in physical training.
• An amateur artist.
• He was the best in his field in terms of competence – graduated from the Kharkiv Aviation Institute.
• Spoke six languages: Ukrainian (native), Russian, Moldovan, English, and French.

He was born before the war, and during the Second World War he was a boy evacuated to Kyrgyzstan. There he came to love Central Asia, its culture, and its color. Therefore, when he graduated from the Kharkiv Aviation Institute, he was assigned to Tashkent. He was glad about such an appointment: from childhood, he had absorbed the atmosphere of Eastern fairy tales.

🌟 EXCLUSIVE WITH PERSONAL INSCRIPTION - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 'September 23, 1961. Above the city waiting for the vintokryl. Viktor Ivanovich Biryulin, deputy chief designer, and myself in Li-2.' - Written by Vadym Nikolaiev himself. This intimate photograph from exactly one year before the tragedy shows the lead test engineer with project leadership during the Ka-22 development phase. The personal inscription makes this a precious family document revealed for the first time.

By the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Ka-22 project was gaining momentum. My father became the lead flight test engineer — among the youngest specialists in the country. But August 1962 changed everything: the Ka-22 lost control and crashed, taking the lives of seven crew members, including my father.

🌟 WORLD EXCLUSIVE - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Ka-22 Vintokryl in airplane flight configuration, October 13, 1961, Tashkent. This extraordinary photograph from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal family archive shows the convertiplane during test phase with rotors in horizontal position for forward flight. Clear documentation of the revolutionary Soviet aircraft just months before the tragic crash. Never published before - revealed exclusively from family archive.

September 1961: At the Controls

Just months before the tragedy, Vadym Nikolaiev was actively testing the Ka-22, unaware that this revolutionary machine would become his final mission.

💥 WORLD EXCLUSIVE - NEVER SEEN BEFORE 💥 Ka-22 Vintokryl during flight test piloted by lead test engineer Vadym Nikolaiev, photographed from escort aircraft, September 29, 1961, Tashkent. This extraordinary aerial photograph from the family archive captures the convertiplane in active testing phase, with handwritten date marking this historic moment. One of the rarest aviation photographs ever - showing the doomed aircraft in flight just months before the tragedy, with the future victim at the controls. First publication from personal archive.

🌟 WORLD EXCLUSIVE - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Ka-22 Vintokryl in helicopter flight configuration, Tashkent 1961. Same aircraft as previous photo, but with rotors rotated to vertical position for hovering and vertical takeoff. This remarkable photograph from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal archive demonstrates the revolutionary tiltrotor concept - one machine capable of both helicopter and airplane flight modes. Test engineer Vadym Nikolaiev conducting flight trials of this groundbreaking Soviet convertiplane. Never published before.

🌟 EXCLUSIVE PERSONAL MOMENT - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Ka-22 Vintokryl test crew relaxing on the aircraft wing during summer break, Tashkent 1962. Third from right: lead test engineer Vadym Nikolaiev. Far right: Yuriy Garnaev, pilot of the second Ka-22 crew, who would later become famous in both USSR and France. This intimate photograph from the family archive captures the human side of the dangerous testing program - a moment of camaraderie before tragedy struck. Published for the first time.

EXCLUSIVE FIRST PUBLICATION: Ka-22 Vintokryl test team, Tashkent 1962. Rare photograph from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal family archive, possibly taken by the lead test engineer himself. This unique image shows the complete team of pilots, engineers, and technicians who worked on the revolutionary Soviet convertiplane project.

🌟 EXCLUSIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENES - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Ka-22 Vintokryl crew during official photoshoot, Tashkent 1962. While the team poses for the camera, chief pilot Dmitry Efremov and lead flight test engineer continue their technical discussion - a perfect capture of the professional dedication that drove the project. This candid moment from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal archive shows the blend of official protocol and serious engineering work that characterized the Ka-22 program. Never published before.

Complete Flight Mode Transformation: Exclusive Sequence

These 63-year-old photographs from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal archive capture the complete Ka-22 transformation sequence - the only known documentation of tiltrotor transition phases from helicopter to airplane mode.

🌟 WORLD EXCLUSIVE TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Complete Ka-22 Vintokryl tiltrotor transformation from helicopter to airplane mode, 1961. These extraordinary 63-year-old photographs from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal family archive represent the only known visual documentation of the Soviet convertiplane's complete flight mode transition. From vertical rotor hovering to horizontal forward flight - a revolutionary aviation concept captured by the lead test engineer himself. Despite film aging, technical details clearly show the pioneering tiltrotor technology that cost seven lives including photographer's own father. Never published before - revealed exclusively from family archive.

Two Photographs: Three Testers and the Fourth Man They Kept Silent About

There is one detail in this story that seems to reflect the mendacity of the Soviet system: two photographs. The first is widely known and published in numerous books and articles about the Vintokryl. It shows three testers: my father, the chief pilot, and another specialist.

"Official Soviet-approved photograph of Ka-22 crew: V.A. Nikolaiev, D.K. Efremov, O.K. Yarkin (left to right) at Ka-22, Tashkent, August 25, 1962. This censored version was approved for publication and appeared in Soviet media for decades - deliberately hiding the fourth crew member whose widow would later confront designer Kamov."

However, there was also a second photograph, where there were four people. The fourth was the husband of the very woman who would later go down in history as the “woman in black.” They did not want to show this photo. The system saw it as dangerous evidence: behind each deceased person stands a personal story, a family, loved ones, and grief. Official propaganda preferred to reduce everything to the impersonal statistic “7 people died,” without allowing anyone to see their faces or the specific tragedies of their families.

"💣 HISTORICAL BOMBSHELL - FIRST PUBLICATION 💣 The complete Ka-22 crew including the FOURTH MEMBER that Soviet system erased from history. This suppressed photograph shows all four crew members before their fatal flight, August 25, 1962. The fourth man (right) was the husband of the 'woman in black' who took revenge on designer Kamov by appearing at his birthday celebration in mourning dress. Hidden for 60+ years - revealed exclusively from Nikolaiev family archive."

The August 1962 Tragedy: “The Bolt Nut Disaster”

Officially, the cause of the Ka-22 crash in August 1962 was called an unsecured nut in the control system. The blame was placed on a master named Bolotov — a Russian by nationality, who was responsible for quality control. But I, as the son of the deceased engineer, do not believe this version.

When I vowed to find out what exactly killed my father, I followed in his footsteps:

• I enrolled in and graduated from the Kharkiv Aviation Institute in the same field.
• I served for two years in the army as an aircraft and engine technician.
• In our aviation regiment, there were 150 fighter aircraft — and not on a single one of them could there have been a situation where a control system nut was not secured (cotter-pinned).

It’s simply inconceivable, it’s simply impossible. That leaves me with two conclusions:

1. A horrifying negligence — sloppiness by people who had lost all professionalism and conscience;
2. Or a deliberate sabotage — an intentional act that cut short the lives of seven test pilots.

Just a year earlier, Ukrainian cosmonaut Valentin Bondarenko died under mysterious circumstances...

One way or another, the Ka-22 embarked on that long seven-hour flight from Tashkent to Moscow with an “unsecured” nut — and the aircraft lost control. The control system could not withstand the vibrations, and the Vintokryl crashed, killing everyone on board. Officially, it was blamed on “Master Bolotov’s mistake,” but there was never any real explanation as to how such an absurd oversight could have been allowed on a top-secret, high-priority project.

💔 EXCLUSIVE FIRST PUBLICATION - FINAL MOMENTS 💔 Ka-22 Vintokryl crew waiting for refueling completion before their fatal flight, Tashkent, 1962. This poignant photograph from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal archive captures the last ordinary moments before tragedy struck. The team stands unaware that this routine preparation would be their final mission. A precious historical document revealing the human side of aviation testing - published for the first time from family archive.

Final Preparations: The Last Ordinary Moments

This exclusive panoramic view shows the Ka-22 crew during their final refueling before the fatal departure to Moscow. Nobody in this photograph knew that this routine preparation would be their last mission.

💔 EXCLUSIVE PANORAMIC VIEW - FIRST PUBLICATION 💔 Complete panorama of Ka-22 Vintokryl final refueling before the fatal flight, August 1962, Tashkent. This unique panoramic photograph assembled from three film frames shows the last routine preparations before tragedy. Fuel truck marked 'ОГНЕОПАСНО' (Fire Hazard), crew members, and the doomed aircraft in final moments. Created from Vadym Nikolaiev's personal archive - never published before.

Kamov’s Banquet and the Woman in Black

One might think that the deaths of seven people would be a national tragedy, requiring a thorough investigation and mourning. But Kamov, the designer — bald, with a mustache that resembled either Hitler or some village accountant — responded differently. Two weeks after the accident, he hosted a lavish banquet to celebrate his 60th birthday.

This celebration, filled with the festive atmosphere of party and economic officials, was interrupted by a woman in black — the widow of that very fourth man the system tried to erase from the photographs. She broke the merriment with the words:

“Congratulations, Nikolai Ilich, on your anniversary on behalf of the deceased crew of the Ka-22 Vintokryl.”

The hall fell completely silent.

Everyone knew that seven people had recently died, but no one wanted to remember it. Officials buried themselves in their glasses, someone coughed, trying to dispel the tension. Kamov, who had just been holding a champagne glass, seemed to freeze in place. He said nothing — he didn’t know what to say.

Sitting next to him was a military representative — an elderly colonel with a tired face, who quietly said, turning to the birthday man:

“Women will bear more children.”

He did not even say it loudly — just stated it, like recording in a document: “Circumstances are being clarified,” “Measures have been taken,” “Testing continues.” And the woman, without waiting for a response, turned around and left.

Thus, she delivered a pinpoint blow to the entire mendacious system. Naturally, this brave widow was subsequently subjected to harassment, discrimination, and persecution. But she opened the eyes of many people: for those “demigods,” human lives meant little, and even the death of an entire crew could not interfere with the banquet.

"🌟 WORLD EXCLUSIVE - FIRST PUBLICATION 🌟 Women in black at Ka-22 Vintokryl crew funeral, August 1962. This tragic photograph has never been published before - from the personal family archive of Vadym Nikolaiev. Shows the hidden human cost of Soviet aviation: widows and orphaned children mourning seven test crew members, including lead flight test engineer Vadym Nikolaiev. A suppressed historical document revealed for the first time."

This was not an isolated case. Just a year earlier, Ukrainian cosmonaut Valentin Bondarenko died under mysterious circumstances 30 days before Gagarin's flight, clearing the path for a 'simple Russian guy' to become the triumph of Soviet space program. The pattern was obvious: Ukrainians were the Atlases holding up the enormous showcase of 'Russian glory.'

“Demigods” and Broken Testers

Garnaev — another figure linked to the Ka-22. He was the chief pilot of the second Vintokryl; he became famous both in the USSR and in France, where he subsequently died while fighting a fire with a helicopter. Before that, the system had broken him: for some disagreement with a KGB officer, he ended up in prison. A person who risked his life for the sake of developing Soviet aviation was simply imprisoned on a bureaucratic whim.

The same callous machine did not spare the widow of the deceased tester. Anyone who tried to protest or express outrage faced official pressure and a label of “unreliable.”

Igor Sikorsky: Condolences That Weren’t Needed

In the aviation world, the name Igor Sikorsky is legendary. Learning about the Ka-22 catastrophe and the deaths of the Soviet testers, he sent Kamov a telegram of condolences. It would seem that such solidarity from a great designer should have been regarded as a significant and friendly gesture. But Kamov had no time for grief — he had pre-anniversary preparations and a grand banquet.

As a result, the telegram was most likely simply ignored, as was the tragedy itself, in an effort to forget about its victims as soon as possible. This once again showed just how cynical the party elite was, playing games with people’s destinies.

My Father's Legacy: Why I Speak the Truth

I, Nikolaev Andrii Vadymovych, could not come to terms with such a version of events. I followed in my father’s footsteps to understand every detail of the catastrophe and ultimately saw the true face of the Soviet system.

The Soviet system is a lie, and its successor — Russia — is death, destruction, and grief.

While Ukrainian engineer Nikolaev Vadym Andriiovych gave his all to get the aircraft off the ground, the Russian barin Kamov held feasts and pretended there was no tragedy. The Russian serf Bolotov was designated the one to blame to close the case. Garnaev — a talented pilot — ended up in prison just for daring to contradict a KGB officer, and later died in France, saving the lives of Europeans.

The huge number of records set by the Ka-22 cannot negate the fact that all these achievements were built on the blood and self-sacrifice of people, whom the system immediately erased from memory as soon as something did not go according to plan.

However, the memory of true heroes — of my father, of those who were not afraid to stand on the side of truth — cannot be destroyed. My story about the Ka-22 is a story about the price we pay for scientific and technological progress when it’s founded on a corrupt and deceitful system.

I share this truth in the hope that no one else will silently endure injustice and hide behind fear. If everyone had spoken the truth the way that woman in black did, perhaps there would have been fewer casualties, and the Ka-22 itself might have had a more honest fate.

This Is Not Fiction: On Posthumous Awards in the Civilized World

No, this is not fiction. In the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and many other countries, it is indeed common to posthumously award military personnel, test pilots, firefighters, police officers, and others who died in the line of duty.

How It Works in Different Countries

United States 🇺🇸

1. Medal of Honor – the highest military award, also bestowed posthumously.
2. Distinguished Flying Cross – awarded for outstanding achievements in aviation, including cases of heroic death.
3. Congressional Space Medal of Honor – awarded to NASA astronauts who die in the line of duty (for example, the crews of Challenger and Columbia).
4. Purple Heart – awarded to service members who are wounded or killed in action.
5. Defense Distinguished Service Medal – for service members who die in critical missions.

Examples:

• Test pilots of “Skyraiders,” “Tomcats,” and X-15 (hypersonic aircraft) were often awarded posthumously.
• Those who died during the testing of the Space Shuttles received the Medal of Honor.

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

• Victoria Cross – the highest award, often conferred posthumously.
• George Cross – for both civilians and military personnel killed in peacetime.
• Air Force Cross – for outstanding feats in aviation.

France 🇫🇷

• Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur (National Order of the Legion of Honor) – awarded posthumously as well.
• Médaille de l’Aéronautique (Aviation Medal) – awarded to test pilots.
• Croix de Guerre (War Cross) – can be awarded to a fallen hero.

And What About the USSR/Russia?

• Pilots who died in test flights often remained unawarded.
• If anyone did get an award, it was only after massive public pressure or decades later.
• For instance, the Tu-144 crew (1973) was awarded, but all the other “inconvenient” ones were quickly forgotten.

Conclusion: In civilized countries, the honor of those who die in the line of duty is preserved and recognized, whereas in the USSR/Russia, they often do everything possible to forget the tragedy, especially if it is inconvenient for those in power.

Ukraine: Posthumous Awards for Heroism

Yes, in Ukraine, they also posthumously award military personnel, pilots, rescuers, police officers, and other heroes who died in the line of duty.

What Posthumous Awards Are Granted in Ukraine?

1. Hero of Ukraine (Zolota Zirka) 🇺🇦
   The highest state award.
   Conferred for outstanding service to the country, including posthumously.
   Examples:
   • Pilots who carried out combat missions and died in battle.
   • Soldiers who protected their positions with their own lives to save their comrades.
   • Rescuers who perished while eliminating disasters.
2. Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky (I, II, III Class)
   Awarded for heroism in battle and military valor.
   Many Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel receive it posthumously.
3. Order “For Courage” (I, II, III Class)
   Conferred for saving lives and acts of valor in peacetime.
   Granted to both military and civilians.
4. Order “Golden Star” and the Cross of Military Merit
   Awarded since 2022 for heroism in combat.
   Many Ukrainian defenders have been honored posthumously.
5. Breast Badges “For Defense,” “For Saving Lives”
   Conferred on military personnel, police officers, medics, and rescuers.

Examples of Posthumous Awards in Ukraine

• Ukrainian Air Force pilots who carried out ramming maneuvers against Russian aircraft in 2022 received orders and the title “Hero of Ukraine.”
• Soldiers who threw themselves onto grenades to save their comrades were awarded the Order “For Courage.”
• Rescuers who died during the evacuation of people in Bucha and Irpin were awarded posthumously.

Conclusion: In Ukraine, heroes are not forgotten, unlike in the USSR/Russia, where they were often erased from history. Ukraine honors the memory of the fallen and awards them for their deeds.

Conclusion

In Ukraine, heroes are not forgotten, unlike in the USSR/Russia, where they were often erased from history. Ukraine honors the memory of the fallen and awards them for their deeds.

Final Thoughts

The story of the Ka-22 "Vintokryl" is not just about a failed project. It is a mirror of the Soviet (and later Russian) system, which, in pursuit of records and ambitions, does not care about real people. The destinies of testers, engineers, and their families were merely statistics to the authorities, which they could embellish or delete when a birthday celebration came around.

But even this statistics worked selectively. The management, designers, and party officials received awards, titles, and honorary diplomas. Their names were recorded in books, and they were commemorated in anniversary collections. Meanwhile, those who truly risked their lives—test pilots, mechanics, frontline engineers—remained in the shadows. If they died, the system erased them from memory, as if their contribution was insignificant and their sacrifice meaningless.

The Soviet authorities did not consider them their own—they were merely expendable pawns. They completed their task, but as soon as tragedy struck the crew, their fate became an inconvenient topic. Awards bypassed them, their names were rarely mentioned, and their families were often left with nothing more than a dry official statement: "Killed in the line of duty."

Meanwhile, civilized countries, both in the past and today, honor the memory of fallen heroes, awarding them posthumously and preserving their names in history. Ukraine, defending itself from Russian aggression, clearly demonstrates that it is ready to honor its warriors and not hide the truth about its losses.

Let this article serve as yet another testament to how costly world records and political ambitions can be when they are backed by a soulless system. And let it strengthen our belief that truth and memory are stronger than any propaganda.

Source:
“OKB N.I. Kamova. 100th Anniversary of the Birth of the Designer of Rotary-Wing Aircraft Nikolai Ilich Kamov. Volume II,” Polygon-Press Publishing, Moscow, 2001.