A quick one for today, Cosmonaut One (1965). This is one of many Russian pamphlets for children and the general public about Yuri Gagarin's first manned space flight. I like this one for its earlier date and painted illustrations.
From WORLDCAT:
Kosmonavt - 1. Michail Vasilʹevič Vodoṕjanov; Illustrations by E I Seleznev. Moskva : Malyš. 58 p. 21 cm.(1965) OCLC# 551136306
WESTERNIZED SPELLING:Written by Mikhail Vodopyanov. Illustrated by E. Seleznev.
In 1965, had it been revealed that the Vostok pilots ejected from their spacecraft before landing? If not, then that last painting gives the game away (unless it was labelled as a 'training for all eventualities' exercise!).
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm a Swiss science journalist and space historian. Can you confirm the dating of this book? As the comment above notes, this book reveals the secret of Gagarin's landing separately from the Vostok capsule, which many sources claim was revealed only in 1971. If dating is confirmed, it would be a remarkable find.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I understand, "Он прыгнул с парашютом" means "he landed with (his) parachute".
I can confirm the date of this book. It was 1965. The author, Mikhail Vodopyanov, was a Major General in the Soviet Air Force. I own a copy and there is an additional copy in a library in Berlin: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Haus Potsdamer Straße
DeleteSBB-PK, Potsdamer Straße, Berlin, 10785 Germany
Sorry, I hadn't seen your reply! Thank you!
ReplyDelete