All Aero

Pyotr Dmitrievich Grushin (Russian: Петр Дмитриевич Грушин) was born in Volsk, Saratov Governorate, Russian Empire on January 2 (15), 1906.

He began his aeronautical construction activity while still a student at the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) with the Stal-MAI model that was developed between 1931 and 1934. His diploma work consisted of the project of a light aircraft, developed in 1932 jointly with Dmitr Babad and Afanasiev Marakazov and named ” Brigadny “. This project was presented in the contest developed by the OSOAVIAJIM on October 13, 1932, obtaining the first prize.

After graduating as a mechanical engineer in aeronautical construction, Grushin remained at the MAI, being appointed from 1933 as main builder of the KB MAI.

Between 1934 and 1940 he worked on various developments including the Oktyabrionok light aircraft, the development of a “blind” cockpit for training flights, an experimental steam engine for the Polikarpov U-2, the ground attack aircraft Sh -Tandem and the BB-MAI light bomber.

In 1940 Grushin was transferred to Factory No.135 in Kharkov as the main builder of the OKB JAZ. The IDS escort aircraft project, also known as Gr-1 (Grushin – 1), stands out in this period.

After the evacuation of 1941 Grushin went to work at Factory No.21 as a senior engineer in Semyon Lavochkin ‘s construction bureau, later being appointed as his replacement.

At the end of 1953 Grushin became head of the Special Construction Bureau No.2 (OKB-2) which since 1967 has been renamed KB “Fakel”. The first major work of this bureau was the development of the 1D (V-750) missile. for the S-75 anti-aircraft system developed by the OKB-1, which entered service with the PVO in December 1957. For the development of this missile on June 25, 1958, Grushin was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor and the Order of Lenin.

Anti-aircraft systems developed by Grushin saw service in Vietnam, Egypt, Syria, and Cuba.

Piotr Grushin died in Moscow on November 29, 1993, at the age of 87.

The former OKB-2, which since 1967 was called KB Fakel today bears the name of Grushin: OAO Bureau of Machine-Building Fakel academician PD Grushin.

In 1987 Grushin gave 140,000 rubles from his private funds to build the “Comprehensive” House of Young Technicians in the city of Khimki, Moscow district, where he lived and worked from 1953 until his death.

A bust of Grushin was erected in his hometown of Volsk, in the Saratov District.