187 - Vsevolod de MARTINOFF (1893–1976), known as Vova, former officer of the Russian Imperial Guard, aviator.

Vsevolod de MARTINOFF (1893–1976), known as Vova, former officer of the Russian Imperial Guard, aviator. 11 letters from the sender and 2 letters to the sender, 1929–1933, to his friend Jean MERMOZ; 29 pages, quarto size, one on letterhead from the Aéropostale and one from Maurice Roux, a coachbuilder. A lovely, friendly exchange of letters regarding the planned flight. Paris, 1929. Regarding the construction of an airplane they intend to purchase jointly for a flight, for which he places an order with Bernard and calculates the costs: “The price of the airplane is 450,000 francs—250,000 francs in cash and 200,000 after the successful flight. The route imposed by Bernard goes through Buenos Aires for the commercial promotion of his airplane in South and Central America, and he will give us a percentage of the airplanes sold in those countries. […] I presented the flight as: Paris to St. Louis nonstop. – St. Louis–Rio de Janeiro and, if possible, further on without a stopover. – Buenos Aires–Buenos Aires–New York with stopovers for promotional purposes – and finally New York–Paris”… (February 28). We need to find an engine: “The best engine currently available is the air-cooled, gear-reduced Gnome & Rhône Jupiter 500 HP”; he mentions Mermoz’s departure for Chile with the Count of La Vaulx, and Laurent Eynac’s new ban on flights (March 7, 1929). He congratulates Mermoz “on the success of your remarkable feat in the Andes. I had a terrible time when we heard nothing from you.” Minister Laurent Eynac’s very firm ban on all air raids jeopardized their project (March 21). He congratulated Mermoz on having emerged “safe and sound” from his odyssey in Chile: “Here, people speak very highly of you, considering you a prodigious pilot”; he kept him informed of other expeditions and aviation news, and mentioned several pilots (Guillaumet, the Count of La Vaulx, Assolant, Lotti) and aircraft manufacturers (Hispano, Blériot)… (April 12). He sent the account of Mermoz’s exploits in the Cordillera to the editor of *L’Aéronautique* (June 8). The final test of Mermoz’s “zinc” (Le Comte-de-La-Vaulx) went well, and it should depart at the same time as the Graf Zeppelin: “What a great flight! Needless to say, I’m rooting for you” (May 10, 1930). Prague, 1933. He was working in Prague for the Aéropostale. He learned of Mermoz’s departure from Natal and his “remarkable success” (May 21). He discusses the reorganization of air navigation and airmail in Central Europe among the Cie Unique, the CIDNA, Air Union, and the Aéropostale, and is preparing a report on “the Cie Unique’s postal propaganda in general and particularly in Central Europe,” which he will send to Mermoz for his opinion (August 1, 1933). His life became difficult following the liquidation of the Aéropostale (August 16). He shared Mermoz’s frustrations: “If only you knew how well I understand that desire that sometimes overtakes you to flee to other horizons, to leave everything behind, to finally find peace… that physical and moral peace which alone can provide the reason and satisfaction for living. There isn’t a moment in my life when I don’t think of you, my dear old friend. You are always by my side; I speak to you so often, I share my sorrows and joys with you”… (August 26). Enclosed is a handwritten letter by Martinoff and Mermoz to their friend Charpentier, dated January 31, 1936 (2 pages, oblong in-12), with a cover letter from Charpentier to Mrs. Mermoz, the mother (1951). Provenance: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down within the family