1922-1932

Peruluft Progress

These vehicles did credit to Deruluft’s ground service department. Each has the Mercedes emblem on its radiator, (photo: Lufthansa)

During the mid-1920s, the Soviet aircraft manufacturing industry was slowly getting on its feet. Not until the Kalinin K-5 was introduced in 1929, and the ANT-9 in 1931, did the U. S.S. R. have anything to match the products of western Europe. Meanwhile, however, the joint Soviet-German airline, Deruluft, had the advantage of a steady source of supply from Germany (see page 13).

The early Fokker F. IIIs were replaced by Dornier Merkurs, transferred from Deutsche Luft Hansa (D. L.H.) from 1929 onwards. Bearing in mind the pioneering element of the operating environment at the time, during a period when commercial air transport was still feeling its way everywhere, Deruluft’s standards were high, and, as the illustrations show, this was evident on the. ground as well as in the air.

Deruluft had handsome service vehicles, even in the embryo years, (photo: Lufthansa)