Victor Fyodorov Lieutenant Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov ( 11 November 1885 - 4 March 1922 ) was a Russian World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories while flying with the French military air service . Having left Russia for Belgium in 1908 , with a further move to France , Fyodorov was still living in the latter when World War I began . On 21 August 1914 , he volunteered for the French Foreign Legion , and served with them until wounded and invalided from infantry service . After preliminary duty as a chauffeur , he became a pilot on 27 November 1915 . After acquiring Pierre Lanero as his mechanic , aerial observer , and gunner , Fyodorov scored three aerial victories in March 1916 with Lanero manning the Caudron ' s guns . They were shot down and wounded on 1 April 1916 . Upon recovery , Fyodorov wangled an assignment to the Kingdom of Romania in October . While they were there , he managed a transfer in the Imperial Russian Air Service for the two of them by the end of 1916 . However , Fydorov ' s stint in Russia during 1917 was unsuccessful ; he fell ill without scoring any aerial victories . By the time he recovered , through Lanero ' s ministrations , the Russian Revolution had taken Russia out of the war . " The Air Cossack of Verdun " and his mechanic returned to France in March 1918 . By June , Fyodorov returned to combat , flying for the French . He scored two more victories as the war roared to a close , and was wounded for the third time on 16 October 1918 . It was the end of his war . Fyodorov remained in France postwar , swearing lifelong friendship for Lanero . However , Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov died in Saint - Cloud , France on 4 March 1922 . Biography . Early life and military service . Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov was born in Alma - Ata , Russian Turkestan on 11 November 1885 . It was a region in straitened circumstances , being dependent on cattle husbandry and farming . Fyodorov left it behind when he departed for the University of Kharkov ; he became one of only 12 , 500 college students in the entirety of Russia . While at university , he became imbued with Social Democratic Party politics . As those views were considered revolutionary at the time , Fyodorov moved to Belgium in 1908 . From there , he went on to France , and found life there enjoyable . When World War I erupted , he was still in France . On 21 August 1914 , he volunteered for military service in the 2nd Regiment of the French Foreign Legion . He was assigned to Battalion F , and committed to front line service on 24 October 1914 . On 21 November , he was promoted to Caporal . Transfer to aviation service . On 23 March 1915 , he was wounded in action and hospitalized . His wound was so severe that he was unfit for further infantry duties . He implored the Russian military attaché for help transferring to aviation duty . After his discharge from hospital , he joined French aviation as a chauffeur on 8 May 1915 . He was subsequently recommended for , and received , pilot ' s training at Buc and d ' Amberieux . On 27 November 1915 , he received Military Pilot ' s Brevet No . 2004 . His first flying assignment , on 21 January 1916 , was to " Escadrille C42 " as a Caudron pilot . His first task was to find a satisfactory mechanic . After several candidates had been found wanting , Fyodorov was sent " . . . a kid from the Class of ' 16 . . . Dirty , not groomed , unshaven , swimming in those large blue pants , drenched in oil . . . " After flying a Caudron tuned by young Caporal Pierre Lanero , Fyodorov landed to proclaim , " Now I am able to be at ease , my back does not hurt and does not vibrate . I can walk wonderfully . " Fyodorov had found his mechanic for the rest of his war . On 21 February 1916 , Fyodorov was promoted to sergeant , even as the Battle of Verdun erupted . His flights were in support of the ongoing ground action . He gained the reputation of being cheerfully willing for a fight , and eager to press home an attack in the air . On 14 March , he took Lanero along as an observer / gunner . It was the young mechanic ' s first combat sortie . Fyodorov dove on four German airplanes crossing into friendly territory . In the ensuing gun battle , Lanero shot down a German plane , and the Caudron suffered 17 bullet holes . Lanero and Fyodorov had scored their first victory . Lanero would continue as Fyodorov ' s usual gunner for flights through the balance of March . Several times , they tackled superior numbers of German planes ; they shot down enemy planes on both the 21st and 30th , while repelling enemy formations on other occasions . They posted victory claims for six enemy aircraft ; three were verified . On 22 March 1916 , both of them were nominated for the " Médaille militaire " for their courageous feats . Four days later , they were mentioned in despatches . On 1 April 1916 , their luck ran out . They were shot down in combat with three German planes , with a wounded Fyodorov barely able to pull off a crashlanding through some wire fences in a mountain meadow . Lanero was also wounded by bullet fragments in his back . Fyodorov was medically evacuated to Melun on 3 April . By then , the Germans had nicknamed the Russian the " Air Cossack of Verdun " . In the midst of this , on 2 April , Fyodorov ' s award of the " Médaille militaire " came through . When he discovered Lanero had not been similarly decorated , Fyodorov protested to no avail . He was informed that one medal per squadron per day would suffice . Romanian and Russian service . A promotion into the officer ' s ranks , as a " Sous lieutenant " , came on 9 August 1916 , with a personal thanks for his service rendered by General Joffre . Now well again , Fyodorov was reassigned to " Escadrille 26 " , a relatively inactive Nieuport squadron . This unit would become one of the famous " Les Cigognes " , and known as a premier squadron , but Fyodorov was not happy there . A strain of homesickness inhabited his correspondence at that time as he applied to join the French Military Mission to Romania . He was accepted , and on 10 October 1916 , he and Lanero began their journey to the Romanian front . They would join the Franco - Romanian " Escadrila N3 " under the command of " Capitaine " Maurice Gond . They would operate from an airfield near Bucharest until forced to retreat on 8 December 1916 by advancing German and Bulgarian advances . When the six pilots of the understrength squadron relocated to Tecuci , Fyodorov was close enough to Russia to apply for instatement into the Imperial Russian Air Service . Fydorov was accepted at a salary of 600 rubles per month with a travel allowance of 2200 rubles , while Lanero received 300 rubles per month with travel stipend of 500 . In December 1916 , they were forwarded to Odessa to train Russian pilots . Fyodorov objected to rear echelon duties , and was returned to combat , posted to the 11th " Korpusnoi Aviatsionniy Otryad " ( Corps Aviation Detachment ) commanded by Alexander Kazakov . Lanero became well known for his mechanical skills while maintaining Fyodorov ' s Nieuport 17 with its squadron insignia of the Star of David . After failing to score any further aerial victories , Fyodorov was reassigned to instructor duty , this time at Sevastopol . He then fell ill and was confined to hospital in Moscow . Lanero found him out , nursed him night and day , scrounged up medicines for his pilot . Fyodorov believed no brother could have taken better care . When Fyodorov became heartsick over the events of the ongoing Russian Revolution , his young mechanic comforted him . By the time Fyodorov was discharged , Russia had quit fighting and was engaged in the Russian Civil War . Return to France . Fyodorov and Lanero left Russia in March 1918 . When they had returned to Russia , they had been promised a departure travel allowance of 775 rubles for the pilot and 300 for the mechanic ; it is unknown if they collected this . However , they arrived back in France on 10 April 1918 . After a wait for reassignment , Fyodorov joined " Escadrille 89 " , a SPAD squadron , in June 1918 , and became a temporary Lieutenant on 9 August 1918 . On 12 August , he was honored with an award of the " Legion d ' honneur " : the citation read : " Magnificent example of patriotism , bravery , and sense of duty . Wounded in the infantry , then transferred to the aviation service , distinguished himself by his bravery and his brilliant combats during which he shot down four enemy planes . After the campaigns of Romania and Russia , returned to the French front being always in combat a model of spirit , courage , and tenacity . " " Escadrille 89 " was one of the French squadrons whose operational control was assigned to American General John J . Pershing ' s command , the First Army . It was placed under the direct command of Colonel Billy Mitchell on 7 September 1918 . The Saint Mihiel offensive kicked off five days later . On 18 September , while overflying the battle , he was a member of a patrol of five credited with shooting down a German two - seater . The squadron shifted bases on 29 September 1918 to support the Meuse - Argonne offensive . On 9 October 1918 , while on a bomber escort sortie , Fyodorov shot down a German fighter for his fifth accredited victory . A week later , he was once again wounded and evacuated to hospital . It was the end of his combat career . An award citation of 7 November 1918 eloquently outlined his wartime service : " Victor Federov , " Sous - Lieutenant " in the Foreign Regiment , pilot in the squadron Spa . 89 , courageous officer . Although in action for a period of four years , was never discouraged by fatigue and injuries . On October 16 , 1918 , attacked by three Fokker s and wounded during the combat , successfully brought back his bullet - riddled plane to our lines . " Viktor Georgiyevich Fyodorov lived on Veronese Street in Paris after his recovery . He swore lifelong friendship for Lanero . However , Fyodorov died at Saint - Cloud , France on 4 March 1922 . List of aerial victories . See also Aerial victory standards of World War I for French victory standards , as well as List of World War I flying aces from the Russian Empire . Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically .