This site is a collection point for images and information about Latvian aviation, 1918 - 1940.

When the Soviet Union dissolved, historical material which had previously been kept from the public began to re-appear. Perhaps most interesting of all, this included old photographs of Latvia's first fliers, the aircraft they flew, and Latvia's earliest aerodromes.

I began purchasing and collecting these photos. I eagerly read everything I could about the subject, and the very scarcity of this material made the pursuit exciting. Eventually, I realized that I had accumulated a modest collection of images, many of them originals which, stored in my collection, were unavailable to others with a similar interest. More and more it seemed to me that this is a disservice to other such enthusiasts. So, I bought a book about web page design, and set about creating a public forum for this material. Since that time, my photos have been supplemented by images from many other sources as well. - GDZ

The "Swastika"
Let us deal with this issue right off the top.
You will notice that many of the aircraft depicted on this site carry the insignia commonly known as the Swastika. I am very aware of the painful association which many of us have with this symbol. Please understand that the symbol had a history and usage which dates from long before the nazis co-opted it. In Latvia, it was called the Ugunskrusts (which translates as "fire cross") and was a positive cultural symbol centuries before the first nazi was born. The latvian aviators adopted this symbol in 1919, and its use continued until 1940.
The symbol appears here in this historical context only.
It would be a great error for the reader to infer any political statement from its inclusion here.
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CONTENTS

• HISTORY

  Pre-1919	1919	1920	1921	1922
  1923	1924	1925	1926	1927
  1928	1929	1930	1931	1932
  1933	1934	1935	1936	1937
  1938	1939	1940	Post-1940

  
  
• LOCATIONS
  • Aerodromes
  • Other Locations
  
  
• AIRCRAFT
  • Pioneers
  • Air Force
  • Naval
  • National Guard (Aizsargi)
  • Purchases Not Realized
  • Civil & Sport
    • Air Transport
    • Civil Registry
    • Gliders
  
  
• PEOPLE
  • Aviators
  • Aircraft Designers
  • Others
  • The Clifford B. Harmon Award Winners
  
  
• EVENTS
  • Aviation Festivals
  • Historical Flights
  • Losses and Incidents
  • Other Events
  
  
• LATVIAN AVIATORS IN WORLD WAR II
  • The Soviet Limited Occupation (1939 - 1940)
  • Soviet Occupation (1940 - 1941; 1945 - 1990)
    • The Gulbene Squadron
    • Other Latvian Aviators in Soviet Service
  • Transition - Germans Invade, Soviets Depart (1941)
  • German Occupation (1941 - 1945)
    • Liepaja-Grobini Training Facility
    • The Latvian Squadrons
    • The Latvian Fighter Pilots
  
  
• MISC
  • The Book Index Project
  • Clip Art
  • Contact Information
  • Scale Models
  • Questions
  • Sources
    • Bibliography
    • Internet Resources
  • Special Items
    • The Edvins Bekmanis album (V.Skirmants)
    • Janis Alksnis documents (G.D.Zulis)
    • The Aviation Regiment Band (G.D.Zulis)
  • Who Are These Guys?
    • Individuals and Small Groups
    • Groups and Events
  • Site Map
  • What's New