Commander Victor Vladimirovich Dibovsky CMG

nobody@flickr.com (IWM Collections) — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:13:27 -0700

Imperial Russian Navy

Victor Dibovsky, an officer of the Russian Imperial Navy, was one of the early pioneers of aviation, learning to fly in 1908.

During the First World War, he was deployed on a mission to England where he played an important role in the development of British armed fighter aircraft.

In 1916, Dibovsky worked with Warrant Officer F W Scarff (inventor of the Scarff gun mounting) to develop interrupter mechanisms allowing pilots to fire a machine gun straight ahead through a revolving propellor.

The Royal Naval Air Service fitted several of the gears (patented as the Scarff-Dibovsky Interrupter Gear) to their Sopwith aircraft. In May 1917, Dibovsky invented an improved machine-gun cartridge belt. After the war, Dibovsky continued to work in aeromechanics in England.

Faces of the First World War
The full story is not always known to us. If you know more, please tell us in the comments below.

Find out more about this First World War Centenary project at www.1914.org/faces.

This image is from IWM Collections.

2 Lieutenant Maurice Sharpe

nobody@flickr.com (IWM Collections) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:15:10 -0700

IWM Collections posted a photo:

21 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps

Lieutenant Sharpe's aircraft was disabled on 28 October 1916 whilst flying over the front line during the Battle of the Somme.

Lt Sharpe was reported missing and no further trace of him was ever found. Lt Sharpe is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.

Faces of the First World War
The full story is not always known to us. If you know more, please tell us in the comments below.

Find out more about this First World War Centenary project at www.1914.org/faces.

This image is from IWM Collections.

This image is subject to the IWM Non-Commercial license. Find out more here

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Commander Victor Vladimirovich Dibovsky CMG

2 Lieutenant Maurice Sharpe