Dobrolet
On 9 February, 1923 the Soviet State announced the creation of a joint stock company named the Volunteer Association of the Aerial Fleet, or Dobrolet. It was the nation's first major civil air organization. Initially, the airline operated with a mixed fleet of De Havilland, Vickers, Junkers and other aircraft.
By 15 July, 1923, was operating a regular air service
using German Junkers F-13 airplanes along a 250-mile route between the cities
of Moscow and Nizhnii Novgorod (later known as Gorky). Services on these
flights were poor, and the passengers had to suffer many indignities such as
loud noise, late flights, cold temperatures, and poor in-flight service.
Despite these problems, Dobrolet expanded through the decade, as it extended
its service to far off places into Siberia and even Outer Mongolia.
Junkers F.13 operating on Aeroflot routes
By the late 1920s, however, the Bolshevik government began to view corporations like Dobrolet with great suspicion. The communist leaders were intent on wiping out all private ownership. On 29 October, 1930, the government combined Dobrolet with the government's Main Administration of the Civil Air Fleet into one state-owned organization -- Dobroflot (Dobrovolny Flot “Volunteer Fleet” ) and flew all services within Russia.
By 1932 the airline was called Aeroflot.
Advertising Poster for Dobrolet from 1923
