Alexander Mikulin was born 2 (14) February 1895. His father was a mechanical engineer and worked as an inspector in Vladimir factory. In 1898, the family moved to Odessa, and in 1901 in Kiev, where his father served as a district factory inspector, defended the rights of workers and wrote on the subject journalistic articles (which, in particular, referred to in the works of V.I. Lenin). Mikulin’s mother, Vera Egorovna, was the sister of Zhukovsky. Being young Alexander Mikulin Jr. lived in Zhukovsky homestead, was brought up under his influence. Passion for designing Alexander showed in early childhood. Once, he decided to raise a bucket of water from the well by means of designed and built steam turbine. When tested under light load turbine is operating normally. However, in attempt to force the turbine, "gave more steam" and that led to project failure: the boiler exploded. Inventor himself got a little hurt. So there was the first in his life acquaintance with turbo engine.
In 1902, Alexander entered the Catherine real school where the education was given mainly in German. He learned not bad in general but without much zeal. The exception was Physics. Young Mikulin loved tinkering, giving vent to his passion for design, including automobile engines with the help of the driver and a mechanic friend of the private car "Daimler-Benz". An important milestone in the life Mikulin was the arrival M.E. Zhukovsky in Kiev in late October 1908. "Father of Russian Aviation" read at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute lecture on aeronautics and the prospects of aircraft heavier than air. The whole family met Mikulin Zhukovsky and was present at the lecture, which was a great success. After the lecture Zhukovsky run the airplane model with rubber little motor which he brought from Paris. At the end of the hall airplane, hitting the pillar fell, and it so happened that it was in the hands of a schoolboy Igor Sikorsky, the future famous aircraft designer. Alexander Mikulin went to rescue model: so he became acquainted with Sikorski. But while it was a passing acquaintance. Returning home, Mikulin conceived to produce a similar model, built it, but it did not want to fly normally. Zhukovsky suggested that the reason was lack of wing area. Alexander remade the model, and the next "summer experiment" was a success. So for the first time his interest in engines became intertwined with the interest in aerodynamics. Wanting to demonstrate his success, Mikulin brought the model to the school. The natural reaction was craze for building flying models, which grew to city dimensions. Spring of 1909 in Kiev there was the competition of model airplanes. Mikulin presented his model, which he called "Sparrow" ... took second place, first place won Sikorsky model. At competitions Mikuliin and Sikorski met for the second time and became friends.
In the spring of 1910 the famous aviator Sergei Utochkin came to Kiev and carried out demonstration flights. Mikulin and Sikorski, accompanied by high school students and the realists were present at the first performance Utochkin. Later Mikulin was present at all flights of the Aviator. Once in flight due to a failure on the aircraft magneto the engine was stalled. Fortunately, it ended well. To improve the reliability of the motor Mikulin offered Utochkin duplicate magneto. He immediately realized this simple but effective idea, expressing gratitude to Alexander. Since then magneto was duplicated on almost all aircraft engines.
In 1912 Mikulin graduated from school and was admitted in the Kiev Polytechnic Institute. He liked Institute in the first place because it had wonderful workshops: the casting, forge with a small steam hammer, machine shop with lathes, drilling, planing and milling machines. Mikulin mastered in a matter of months, casting and forging, and work on all machines. He enthusiastically played basics of production technology. Shortly after beginning his studies, Alexander planned to design and build the engine for his own boat. First he carefully studied all the literature on boat motors, which was in the institute's library, then developed drawings. In workshops Mikulin made himself the crankcase and engine propeller. Then machined forged piston and crankshaft. When designing the engine, Alexander hoped to use ready-carb, but it was not possible to get. A new idea: make the motor without carburetor, with direct feed fuel into the cylinder. When the ice came down, Mikulin started his motor boat on the Dnieper. However, the design of the motor installation was faulty due to lack of fuel pump, he had using the usual mug continuously pour gasoline from the lower to the upper reservoir.
In 1913, in Kiev, the International Fair of Agricultural Machinery was held, one of the organizers of which was the father Mikulin. As a Chairman of the jury at the competition tractors renowned expert on GIS Professor Nikolai Romanovich Brilling was invited. Mikulin elder offered son to take part as a judge at competitions tractors. Alexander recorded the test results crawler tractor company "Caterpillar", the only successfully passed all stages. During competitions Mikulin Jr. met Professor Brilling and told him about his motor without carburetor. Brilling asked: "Motor with nozzle?" Mikulin responded negatively, than much intrigued the professor. After asking the design features of the engine Brilling offered Mikulin become a student of ETS (later - School), but the parents did not want to let go of the young man in Moscow.
Zhukovsky, knew that his nephew became interested in Motors, also strongly invited him. After the death of the mother of Zhukovsky, when it became necessary from relatives who are pragmatic move to Moscow to live near Zhukovsky, the family decided to send Mikulin junior. The spring of 1914, Alexander successfully passed the exams for the second year and received permission to transfer to ETS. Soon he moved to Moscow to settle on an apartment Zhukovsky. At the request Brilling in Moscow, he brought outboard own design, which has been scrutinized in the engine laboratory ETS.
1914 - August. The First World War. Production of the best firebombs
1915 - Together with BS Stechkin design and build a two-stroke engine AMBS-1 (Alexander Mikulin Boris Stechkin - first) 300 hp
1916 - Failure. Engine AMBS-1 worked only three minutes. The rods were bent.
1917 - February revolution. The owner - businessman Lebedenco with all the money received from the War Department, fled abroad
1918 - December. Under the initiative, ME Zhukovsky TsAGI was created, where he heads a group of snowmobiles Compass Construction
1921 - Graduated from the Moscow Higher Technical School
1921 - Nikolai Romanovich Brilling turns laboratory at the VRNG in the full scientific Engine Institute (NAMI). Mikulin - draftsman
1923 - НАМІ, конструктор
1923 – NAMI, designer
1924 – NAMI developed low power motor for light tank T-19
1926 – NAMI Chief Designer
1930 – CIAM, created engine AM-34 for ANT-25, TB-3, engine AM-35A for MiG-1, Mig-3, bomber TB-7 (Pe-8)
1935 - began teaching at the Moscow State Technical University of Bauman and VVIA (Higher Military Engineering Academy)
1936 - 05 жовтня. Перм. Голова держкомісії. Прийняв завод «М», названий пізніше заводом ім.Свердлова, нині ВАТ «Пермські мотори». Завод був прийнятий з оцінкою "відмінно"
1936 - 05 of October. Chairman of the State Commission. Took the factory "M", named after the plant Sverdlov, now JSC “Perm Motors”. The plant was admitted with high assessment.
1936 – aviation engines plant named after M.V.Frunze
1940 – Hero of the Socialist Labor
1941 - headed the creation of nozzle engines AM-38F and AM-42 for the front fighter Il-2 and Il-10
1941 –first Stalin’s Prize
1942 – Second Stalin’s Prize
1943 – was appointed on the work of the chief designer experimental aircraft engines plant No 30 in Moscow
1943 – AS of USSR academician
1943 – got third Stalin’s Prize
1943 – convinced I.Stalin to release Stechkin for the work in his DB
1944 – got the rank of general – major- engineer
1946 –fourth Stalin’s Prize
1955 - retired from the teacher position in MVTU of Bauman and VVIA(Higher Military Engineering Academy)
1955 - lost his patron Malenkov
1955 - dismissed from his post at aircraft engines plant № 30. During the work here created turbo jet engines of different thrush, including AM-3 and TU-104.
1955 –work in engines laboratory of AS USSR headed by Stechkin nephew
1959 - leave the engines laboratory of AS USSR
1970 – having the health problems took a vegetarian diet and became a follower of Dr. Zamhau, author of "The Institute of separate nutrition." In his own experience began to write a book that does not want to publish because the author had no medical education
1971 – was admitted in the medical institute
1975 – got a diploma of the medical doctor
1976 – got a degree of candidate of medical sciences
1977 – published the famous book “ Active life”
1985 - May 13th. Died at the age of 90
Info sources: Lev Berne, Vladimir Perov “Alexander Mikulin - the man – legend”