Osoaviakhim

The Society for the Assistance of Defense, Aircraft and Chemical Construction (Russian: Общество содействия обороне, авиационному и химическому строительству), commonly abbreviated as Osoaviakhim (Осоавиахим), was a mass voluntary society in the Soviet Union from 1927 to 1948. It was established with the goal of propagating civil defense training among the civilian population and of garnering popular support for Soviet Armed Forces. Starting with three voluntary societies for support to aviation, chemistry, and civil defense, it quickly branched out in several other directions, including mailer pigeon and military-service dog sections. The Osoviakhim was the largest mass voluntary society in the Soviet Union before and during World War II until it was dissolved in 1948 and split into three successor organizations, which were reunited in 1951 to form the similar DOSAAF.