Gurevich, Mikhail

Gurevich, Mikhail Iosifovich 

Born Dec. 31, 1892 (Jan. 12, 1893), in the village of Rubanshchina, in present-day Sudzha Raion, Kursk Oblast. Soviet aircraft designer. Hero of Socialist Labor (1957). Doctor of technical sciences (1964).

Upon graduating from the aircraft construction department of the Kharkov Technological Institute (1925), Gurevich designed and built gliders. In 1929 he began to work in the aviation industry. From 1938 to 1957 he was deputy chief designer, and from 1957 to 1964 he was a chief designer. In 1940, together with Ar. I. Mikoyan, he designed and built the high-speed, high-altitude MiG-1 fighter plane. After several improvements which increased the possible flight range and allowed heavier armament, the fighter, under the name MiG-3, was widely used in the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. After the war Gurevich took part in the designing and construction of high-speed jet fighter planes. He was awarded the State Prize of the USSR (1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1953) and the Lenin Prize (1962). He also received four Orders of Lenin, three other orders, and medals.