The Flying Elephant (Russian: Летающий слон, romanized: Letaushi slon) is a novel by Boris Akunin, the first part of the second book on the adventures of Russian and German spies during the First World War.
It describes the dangerous adventures of Joseph von Teofels in Russia in early 1915.
The offensive plan is carefully designed, the advantage in artillery is overwhelming, but the Russian Army suddenly has a "miracle weapon" that can frustrate all the Germans' efforts.
Neither the explosion of "Ilya Muromets" or the murder of the inventor would help: the Russians will immediately understand that this is the work of the Germans, and they will do their best to start the mass production of the bomber.
The only chance for Theophels is to compromise the concept, to portray the plane in a negative light during a general inspection which will be headed by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich.