In June 1924, retired Colonel Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen became a permanent representative of the Reichswehr's Truppenamt, the secret General Staff of the German Army, in Moscow. At the same time, seven German instructors were sent to the Red Air Force. On 15 April 1925, Lieth-Thomsen signed a contract to establish a German fighter-pilot school at Lipetsk.[1]