19. 11. 1900 - 3. 12. 1976

Alexander Novikov was Commander of the Air Force, the Red Army; Air Chief Marshal.

He was born on November 19, 1900 in Kryukovo, Nerekhtsky district, Kostroma region. Russian. In 1918 he graduated from Kineshma-Khrenovsk Teachers’ Seminary. He worked as a teacher in Peshevo, not far from his native village.

Joined the Red Army in 1919. A. Novikov participated in the Civil War, in the suppression of counter-revolutionary uprising in Kronstadt, fought in the Caucasus. A member of the CPSU (B) since 1920.

In 1922 he completed “The shot” courses. In 1930 A. Novikov graduated from the Military Academy named after Frunze. In March 1933 he was transferred to the Air Force and was appointed Staff Chief of air brigade. Later he was squadron commander, Air Force Chief of Staff Military District. During the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940 he was Chief of Air Staff of the North-Western Front.

During the Great Patriotic War, A. Novikov served as Air Force Commander of the Northern and Leningrad military districts. He proved himself a thoughtful and proactive commander. In the spring of 1942 he led the Air Force Red Army; he became Deputy Commissar of Defense for aviation. On February 21, 1944 he was promoted to Air Chief Marshal (the first to get this rank). As a representative of the Supreme Command he coordinated military actions of some air armies in the Battle of Stalingrad, the Kuban and the air battle of Kursk, when liberating the Ukraine, Belorussia, Baltic countries, East Prussia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and storming Berlin, defeating the Kwantung Army in the Far East.

On April 17, 1945 Alexander Novikov was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

On September 8, 1945 for his leadership in the Far East he was awarded a second Gold Star medal.

After the war, in April 1946, when Stalin’s son, Vasily complained to his father that American planes were better than the Soviet, A. Novikov and Minister of Aviation Industry of the USSR, A. Shakhurin were arrested. In May 1946, A. Novikov, A. Shakhurin, a member of the Military Council of the Air Force, N. Shimanov, deputy commander of the Air Force, A. Repin, Chief of the Air Force head office of orders, N. Seleznev, heads of departments of the personnel of the Central Committee, A.Budnikov and G. Grigorian were sentenced to prison. By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on May 20, 1946 he was denied the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and all state honors. After Stalin’s death in May 1953, he was pardoned and restored to service in the Soviet Air Force. By the Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet dated 13 June 1953 the title of Hero and all state awards were returned.

In 1953-55 he was range aviation commander, and at the same time in 1954-55 - Deputy Chief of the Soviet Air Force. Since 1956 - in reserve, and Chief of the Supreme Civil Aviation College of the Fleet. He wrote his memoirs, “In the skies of Leningrad” (1970), textbooks and works on the history of the Soviet aviation. In 1958, A. Novikov was awarded the title of Professor. He was elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the 2nd convocation.

He died on December 3, 1976, and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.

He was awarded three Orders of Lenin (1940, February 1945, April 1945), three Orders of the Red Banner (1941, 1944, 1953), three 1^st Class Orders of Suvorov, (1943, June 1944, August 1944), the 1^st Class Order of Kutuzov (1944), the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1961), two Orders of the Red Star (1967, 1968), medals, and foreign awards.

A bronze bust of Hero was installed in Kostroma, some plaques - in Moscow and Kostroma. State specialized secondary educational institution “Aviation and Transport College of Civil Aviation” (St. Petersburg) was named after him. Previously Balashov Higher Military Aviation School, a ship of the Ministry of Fisheries the streets in Moscow and Kostroma were also named after him.