THE HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL AIRCRAFT SPORTS IN THE VOLUNTARY DEFENSE SOCIETIES OF THE USSR IN 1926-1960

This article is devoted to the history of the development of aircraft modeling in the USSR's defense sports organizations. Interest in the development of aircraft modeling in the USSR's defense organizations stems from its versatility: aircraft modeling provided an opportunity to engage youth and children, develop technical and design thinking, train future design specialists, and instill respect for the USSR Armed Forces and aviation in the population. Voluntary defense organizations, the most important of which was DOSAAF, played a significant role in spreading aircraft modeling to the masses in the Soviet Union. The paper analyzes the results of defense societies' activities in hosting sporting events and attracting various segments of the population to the technical sport of aircraft modeling.