Vladimir Ilyushin

Vladimir Ilyushin Владимир Сергеевич Ильюшин
Major-General Vladimir Sergeyevich Ilyushin, VVS
Born	(1927-03-31)March 31, 1927 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	March 1, 2010(2010-03-01) (aged 82) Russia
Aviation career
First flight	Su-11, Т-5, Su-15, Su-17, Su-24, Т-4, Su-25, Su-27
Rank	Major-General
Awards	Order of Merit for the Fatherland Order of the Red Banner Order of the Red Banner of Labour (2) Order of the Red Star Order of the Badge of Honour Order of Alexander Nevsky IRB Hall of Fame

Major General Vladimir Sergeyevich Ilyushin (Russian: Владимир Серге́евич Ильюшин) (March 31, 1927, Moscow  – March 1, 2010) was a Soviet general and noted test pilot, and the son of aerospace engineer Sergei Ilyushin. He spent most of his career as a test pilot for the Sukhoi OKB. In 1961, Ilyushin was the subject of spurious rumors that he, rather than Yuri Gagarin, was the first cosmonaut in space; according to the conspiracy theory, his mission had gone badly, and the Soviet Union had covered it up. Ilyushin was also notable as a rugby union administrator who was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2013.

Ilyushin had a prominent career as a test pilot and lieutenant general in the Soviet Air Force. He piloted the maiden flights of the Sukhoi's Su-11 (1958), Т-5 (1958), Su-15 (1962), Su-17 (1966), Su-24 (1967), Т-4 (1972), Su-25 (1975) and the famous Su-27 (1977).