Vladimir Ilyushin

Who was Vladimir Ilyushin?

Major General Vladimir Sergeyevich Ilyushin 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.