The Russo-Baltic Works

In 1838, in Riga under Tsarist Russia, in the area known as Courland, but now the capital of Latvia — the Russko-Baltiski Vagoni Zavod (R-BVZ), the Russo-Baltic Wagon Works, was founded. It became the largest builder of railroad cars in Russia which, during the nineteenth century, built up an extensive rail network, mainly in Europe, but extending, from 1891 to 1904, to the Pacific Ocean via the Trans-Siberian Railway. In 1905, the R-BVZ started to build motor cars, producing the Russobalts, some of which were purchased by the Tsar. The Riga works also turned out farm machinery and tramcars. It was a company of considerable stature in the Russian industrial world.

In 1910, it widened its horizons further by forming an aeronautical division, building French aircraft, mainly those designed by Roger Sommer. Such progressive flexibility was inspired by the remarkable general director of R-BVZ, Mikhail V. Shidlovsky, who decided to move the aeronautical division to St Petersburg in 1912, to occupy some old factory buildings on the north bank of the Neva River. His attention was drawn to the creative talents of a young man from Kiev, and on the advice of Baron General Kaulbars, Igor Sikorsky became the chief designer of R-BVZ’s aircraft works in St Petersburg. He was not yet 23 years old.

Le Grand

Early in 1912, Sikorsky had, with the help of friends from the Kiev Polytechnic, built, after earli­er experimental types, the S-6B biplane, powered by a lOOhp German Argus engine, a type favored by Sikorsky until the Great War cut off supplies. On 14 March he established a record by carrying four passengers at a speed of 106km/(65mph). The S-6B then won a competition against seven other aircraft, including foreign entries; but Sikorsky decided to eliminate the ever-present danger of disaster through engine failure, simply by having more than one. On 17 September 1912, he persuaded Shidlovsky (who, in turn, persuaded the R-BVZ board and the Russian Army) to allow him to build a twin-engined version of the S-6B.

This aircraft, which was to become Le Grand, was built by master carpenters. Its fuselage was
made of four main ash longerons, framed by transverse and vertical members of pinewood, braced with piano wire and additional pine tie-rods, covered with a skin of 4mm (0.15in) Kostovich Arborit, a Russian patented plywood. The doped fabric-covered wings had the high aspect ration of 12-1. Sixteen Nieuport IV wheels, in eight pairs were used for the landing gear. The most remark­able feature was the cabin, which featured wicker armchairs, a table, electric lights, curtained win­dows, glass paneled doors between the cabin and thecockpit, and even a toilet in the rear.