April 26, 2016 in Open Joint Stock Company Ilyushin Aviation Complex marked 90 years from the birthday of Radii Petrovich Papkovskyi – Soviet aviation designer, Lenin Prize laureate, honorary aviation worker.
In 1943 17 year old youth he started to work as a at aviation factory №381, where famous Il-2 attack planes were produced.
After finishing of Great Patriotic War he entered Moscow aviation Institute. He had engineering practice at Ilyushin Design Bureau. After graduating the institute at 1951 he returned to work here. He worked at the enterprise for 55 years, and his career started from design-engineer to chief designer of Design Bureau.
He participated in creation of structures and development of theoretical issues of special equipment, integrating it in serial production and operation at the aircrafts Il-14, Il-18, Ил-28, Il-38, Il-62 and its modifications.
He has made a great input in creation of antisubmarine aircraft Il-38 and military transport aircraft Il-76, including aerial-delivery system, armament, survival equipment, control record and other special equipment.
In 1978 for the input in creation of military transport aircraft Il-76 Radii Petrovich Papkovskyi was given the award of Lenin Prize laureate.
In the following years in the quality of the chief designer he directed the development of all modifications of military transport aircraft Il-76, and from 1982 works on operation of all «Il» aircrafts, including upgrading of technical characteristics, service life extension, support of airworthiness of Il-18, Il-62, Il-76, Il-86 aircrafts. He was the representative of Open Joint Stock Company Ilyushin Aviation Complex abroad, took part on development of business contacts with the foreign companies. By the condition of the health he retired at 2006.
Remarkable was high professionalism, analytical mind, system approach to the solution of tasks, great commitment at work, ability to shear rich aviation designer experience, that gave him respect and high authority at the enterprise and abroad.
In every day work he was intelligent, respectful to colleagues, able to shear rich aviation designer experience. In the process of co work with Radii Petrovich many specialists received great experience for the development of the current and prospective projects.
For the successful activity in aviation industry Radii Petrovich was awarded the order of the October Revolution, two orders of Red Banner, Valorous labor medals marking 100-year anniversary from Lenin V.I. birthday, for the Valorous labor in Great Patriotic War in 1941-1945, «50 year victory anniversary in Great Patriotic War in 1941-1945», «300 years to Russian Fleet», «Comradeship in arms reinforcement», «Veteran of work». Honorary degree was given «Honorary aviation worker».
Radii Petrovich Papkovskyi died on January 5th 2014, and was buried at Perepechinskyi cemetery.
On July 15th 2014 one of antisubmarine aircrafts Il-38Н of the Navy in honor of aviation designer received own name – «Radii Papkovskyi».