Luftwaffe Aces
At the suggestion of some Western authors, carefully accepted by domestic compilers, German aces are considered the most effective fighter pilots of the Second World War, and, accordingly, in history, who achieved fabulous success in air battles. Only the aces of Nazi Germany and their Japanese allies are charged with winning accounts containing more than a hundred aircraft. But if the Japanese have only one such pilot - they fought with the Americans, then the Germans have as many as 102 pilots who “won” more than 100 victories in the air. Most German pilots, with the exception of fourteen: Heinrich Baer, Hans-Joachim Marseille, Joachim Münchenberg, Walter Oesau, Werner Mölders, Werner Schroer, Kurt Büligen, Hans Hahn, Adolf Galland, Egon Mayer, Joseph Wurmheller and Joseph Priller, as well as night pilots Hans-Wolfgang Schnaufer and Helmut Lent achieved the bulk of their “victories,” of course, on the Eastern Front, and two of them, Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn, recorded more than 300 victories.
The total number of air victories achieved by more than 30 thousand German fighter pilots and their allies is mathematically described by the law of large numbers, more precisely, the “Gauss curve”. If we construct this curve only based on the results of the first hundred of the best German fighters (Germany’s allies will no longer be included there) with a known total number of pilots, then the number of victories declared by them will exceed 300-350 thousand, which is four to five times more than the number of victories declared by the Germans themselves , - 70 thousand shot down, and catastrophically (to the point of losing all objectivity) exceeds the estimate of sober, politically unengaged historians - 51 thousand shot down in air battles, of which 32 thousand were on the Eastern Front. Thus, the reliability coefficient of victories of German aces is in the range of 0.15-0.2.
The order for victories for German aces was dictated by the political leadership of Nazi Germany, intensified as the Wehrmacht collapsed, did not formally require confirmation and did not tolerate the revisions adopted in the Red Army. All the “accuracy” and “objectivity” of German claims for victories, so persistently mentioned in the works of some “researchers”, oddly enough, raised and actively published on the territory of Russia, actually comes down to filling out the columns of lengthy and tastefully laid out standard questionnaires, and the writing , even if calligraphic, even if in Gothic font, is in no way connected with aerial victories.
Luftwaffe aces with over 100 victories recorded
Erich HARTMAN (Erich Alfred Bubi Hartmann) - the first Luftwaffe ace in World War II, 352 victories, colonel, Germany.
Erich Hartmann was born on April 19, 1922 in Weissach in Württenberg. His father is Alfred Erich Hartmann, his mother is Elisabeth Wilhelmina Machtholf. He and his younger brother spent his childhood in China, where his father, under the patronage of his cousin, the German consul in Shanghai, worked as a doctor. In 1929, frightened by the revolutionary events in China, the Hartmans returned to their homeland.
Since 1936, E. Hartman flew gliders in an aviation club under the guidance of his mother, an athlete pilot. At the age of 14 he received his glider pilot diploma. He piloted airplanes from the age of 16. Since 1940, he trained at the 10th Luftwaffe training regiment in Neukurn near Königsberg, then at the 2nd flight school in the Berlin suburb of Gatow.
After successfully completing the aviation school, Hartman was sent to Zerbst - to the 2nd Fighter Aviation School. In November 1941, Hartmann flew for the first time in the 109 Messerschmitt, the fighter with which he completed his distinguished flying career.
E. Hartman began combat work in August 1942 as part of the 52nd Fighter Squadron, which fought in the Caucasus.
Hartman was lucky. The 52nd was the best German squadron on the Eastern Front. The best German pilots fought in it - Hrabak and von Bonin, Graf and Krupinski, Barkhorn and Rall...
Erich Hartmann was a man of average height, with rich blond hair and bright blue eyes. His character - cheerful and unquestioning, with a good sense of humor, obvious flying skill, the highest art of aerial shooting, perseverance, personal courage and nobility impressed his new comrades.
On October 14, 1942, Hartman went on his first combat mission to the Grozny area. During this flight, Hartman made almost all the mistakes that a young combat pilot can make: he broke away from his wingman and was unable to carry out his orders, opened fire on his planes, got into the fire zone, lost his orientation and landed “on his belly” 30 km away. from your airfield.
20-year-old Hartman scored his first victory on November 5, 1942, shooting down a single-seat Il-2. During the attack by the Soviet attack aircraft, Hartman's fighter was seriously damaged, but the pilot again managed to land the damaged aircraft on its “belly” in the steppe. The plane could not be restored and was written off. Hartman himself immediately “fell ill with a fever” and was admitted to the hospital.
Hartman's next victory was recorded only on January 27, 1943. The victory was recorded over the MiG-1. It was hardly the MiG-1, which were produced and delivered to the troops before the war in a small series of 77 vehicles, but there are plenty of such “overexposures” in German documents. Hartman flies wingman with Dammers, Grislavski, Zwerneman. From each of these strong pilots he takes something new, adding to his tactical and flight potential. At the request of Sergeant Major Rossmann, Hartman becomes the wingman of V. Krupinski, an outstanding Luftwaffe ace (197 “victories”, 15th best), distinguished, as it seemed to many, by intemperance and stubbornness.
It was Krupinski who nicknamed Hartman Bubi, in English “Baby” - baby, a nickname that remained with him forever.
Hartmann completed 1,425 Einsatzes and took part in 800 Rabarbars during his career. His 352 victories included many missions with multiple kills of enemy aircraft in one day, his best being six Soviet aircraft shot down on August 24, 1944. This included three Pe-2s, two Yaks, and one Airacobra. The same day turned out to be his best day with 11 victories in two combat missions, during the second mission he became the first person in history to shoot down 300 aircraft in dogfights.
Hartman fought in the skies not only against Soviet aircraft. In the skies of Romania, at the controls of his Bf 109, he also met American pilots. Hartman has several days on his account when he reported several victories at once: on July 7 - about 7 shot down (2 Il-2 and 5 La-5), on August 1, 4 and 5 - about 5, and on August 7 - again about 7 at once (2 Pe-2, 2 La-5, 3 Yak-1). January 30, 1944 - about 6 shot down; February 1 - about 5; March 2 - immediately after 10; May 5 about 6; May 7 about 6; June 1 about 6; June 4 - about 7 Yak-9; June 5 about 6; June 6 - about 5; June 24 - about 5 Mustangs; On August 28, he “shot down” 11 Airacobras in a day (Hartman’s daily record); October 27 - 5; November 22 - 6; November 23 - 5; April 4, 1945 - again 5 victories.
After a dozen “victories” “won” on March 2, 1944, E. Hartmann, and with him Chief Lieutenant W. Krupinski, Hauptmann J. Wiese and G. Barkhorn were summoned to the Fuhrer at Berghof to present awards. Lieutenant E. Hartman, who by that time had chalked up 202 “downed” Soviet aircraft, was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross.
Hartman himself was shot down more than 10 times. Basically, he “faced the wreckage of Soviet planes that he shot down” (a favorite interpretation of his own losses in the Luftwaffe). On August 20, “flying over the burning Il-2,” he was shot down again and made another emergency landing in the Donets River area and fell into the hands of “Asians” - Soviet soldiers. Skillfully feigning injury and lulling the vigilance of careless soldiers, Hartman fled, jumping out of the back of the semi-truck that was carrying him, and returned to his own people that same day.
As a symbol of the forced separation from his beloved Ursula, Petch Hartman painted a bleeding heart pierced by an arrow on his plane and inscribed an “Indian” cry under the cockpit: “Karaya.”
Readers of German newspapers knew him as the “Black Devil of Ukraine” (the nickname was invented by the Germans themselves) and with pleasure or irritation (against the backdrop of the retreat of the German army) read about the ever-new exploits of this “promoted” pilot.
In total, Hartman was recorded 1404 sorties, 825 air battles, 352 victories were counted, of which 345 were Soviet aircraft: 280 fighters, 15 Il-2, 10 twin-engine bombers, the rest - U-2 and R-5.
Hartman was lightly wounded three times. As the commander of the 1st Squadron of the 52nd Fighter Squadron, which was based at a small airfield near Strakovnice in Czechoslovakia, at the end of the war Hartman knew (he saw the advancing Soviet units rising into the sky) that the Red Army was about to capture this airfield. He ordered the destruction of the remaining aircraft and headed west with all his personnel to surrender to the US Army. But by that time there was an agreement between the allies, according to which all Germans leaving the Russians should be transferred back at the first opportunity.
In May 1945, Major Hartman was handed over to the Soviet occupation authorities. At the trial, Hartmann insisted on his 352 victories, with emphatic respect, and defiantly recalled his comrades and the Fuhrer. The progress of this trial was reported to Stalin, who spoke of the German pilot with satirical contempt. Hartman's self-confident position, of course, irritated the Soviet judges (the year was 1945), and he was sentenced to 25 years in the camps. The sentence under the laws of Soviet justice was commuted, and Hartman was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison camps. He was released in 1955.
Returning to his wife in West Germany, he immediately returned to aviation. He successfully and quickly completed a course of training on jet aircraft, and this time his teachers were Americans. Hartman flew the F-86 Saber jets and the F-104 Starfighter. The last aircraft during active operation in Germany turned out to be extremely unsuccessful and brought death to 115 German pilots in peacetime! Hartmann spoke disapprovingly and harshly of this jet fighter (which was completely fair), prevented its adoption by Germany and upset his relations with both the command of the Bundes-Luftwaffe and high-ranking American military officials. He was transferred to the reserve with the rank of colonel in 1970.
After being transferred to the reserve, he worked as an instructor pilot in Hangelaer, near Bonn, and performed in the aerobatic team of Adolf Galland “Dolfo”. In 1980, he became seriously ill and had to part with aviation.
It is interesting that the commander-in-chief of the Soviet and then Russian Air Force, Army General P. S. Deinekin, taking advantage of the warming of international relations in the late 80s - early 90s, several times persistently expressed his desire to meet with Hartman, but did not find mutual understanding with the German military officials.
Colonel Hartmann was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class, and the German Cross in Gold.
Gerhard Gerd Barkhorn, second Luftwaffe ace (Germany) - 301 air victories.
Gerhard Barkhorn was born in Königsberg, East Prussia, on March 20, 1919. In 1937, Barkhorn was accepted into the Luftwaffe as a fanen-junker (officer candidate rank) and began his flight training in March 1938. After completing his flight training, he was selected as a lieutenant and at the beginning of 1940 accepted into the 2nd Fighter Squadron "Richthofen", known for its old combat traditions, formed in the battles of the First World War.
Gerhard Barkhorn's combat debut in the Battle of Britain was unsuccessful. He did not shoot down a single enemy aircraft, but he himself twice left a burning car with a parachute, and once right over the English Channel. Only during the 120th flight (!), which took place on July 2, 1941, Barkhorn managed to open his account of his victories. But after that, his successes gained enviable stability. The hundredth victory came to him on December 19, 1942. On the same day, Barkhorn shot down 6 planes, and on July 20, 1942 - 5. He also shot down 5 planes before that, on June 22, 1942. Then the pilot’s performance decreased slightly - and he reached the two hundredth mark only on November 30, 1943.
Here's how Barkhorn comments on the enemy's actions:
“Some Russian pilots didn’t even look around and rarely looked back.
I shot down many who didn't even know I was there. Only a few of them were a match for European pilots; the rest did not have the necessary flexibility in air combat.”
Although it is not explicitly stated, from what we have read we can conclude that Barkhorn was a master of surprise attacks. He preferred dive attacks from the direction of the sun or approached from below from behind the tail of the enemy aircraft. At the same time, he did not avoid classic combat on turns, especially when he piloted his beloved Me-109F, even that version that was equipped with only one 15-mm cannon. But not all Russians succumbed so easily to the German ace: “Once in 1943, I endured a forty-minute battle with a stubborn Russian pilot and was unable to achieve any results. I was so wet with sweat, as if I had just stepped out of the shower. I wonder if it was as difficult for him as it was for me. The Russian flew a LaGG-3, and both of us performed all conceivable and inconceivable aerobatic maneuvers in the air. I couldn't reach him, and he couldn't reach me. This pilot belonged to one of the guards air regiments, which brought together the best Soviet aces.”
It should be noted that a one-on-one air battle lasting forty minutes was almost a record. There were usually other fighters nearby ready to intervene, or on those rare occasions when two enemy aircraft actually met in the sky, one of them usually already had the advantage in position. In the battle described above, both pilots fought, avoiding unfavorable positions for themselves. Barkhorn was wary of enemy actions (perhaps his experience in combat with RAF fighters had a strong influence here), and the reasons for this were as follows: firstly, he achieved his many victories by flying more sorties than many other experts; secondly, during 1,104 combat missions, with 2,000 flying hours, his plane was shot down nine times.
On May 31, 1944, with 273 victories to his name, Barkhorn was returning to his airfield after completing a combat mission. During this flight, he came under attack from a Soviet Airacobra, was shot down and wounded in the right leg. Apparently, the pilot who shot down Barkhorn was the outstanding Soviet ace Captain F. F. Arkhipenko (30 personal and 14 group victories), later Hero of the Soviet Union, who on that day was credited with victory over the Me-109 in his fourth combat mission. Barkhorn, who was making his 6th sortie of the day, managed to escape, but was out of action for four long months. After returning to service with JG 52, he brought his personal victories to 301, and was then transferred to the Western Front and appointed commander of JG 6 Horst Wessel. Since then, he has had no more success in air battles. Soon enlisted in Galland's strike group JV 44, Barkhorn learned to fly Me-262 jets. But already on the second combat mission, the plane was hit, lost thrust, and Barkhorn was seriously injured during a forced landing.
In total, during the Second World War, Major G. Barkhorn flew 1,104 combat missions.
Some researchers note that Barkhorn was 5 cm taller than Hartmann (about 177 cm tall) and 7-10 kg heavier.
He called his favorite machine the Me-109 G-1 with the lightest possible weapons: two MG-17 (7.92 mm) and one MG-151 (15 mm), preferring the lightness, and therefore the maneuverability of his vehicle, over the power of its weapons.
After the war, Germany's No. 2 ace returned to flying with the new West German Air Force. In the mid-60s, while testing a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, he “dropped” and crashed his Kestrel. When the wounded Barkhorn was slowly and laboriously pulled out of the wrecked car, despite his severe injuries, he did not lose his sense of humor and muttered with force: “Three hundred and two...”
In 1975, G. Barkhorn retired with the rank of major general.
In winter, in a snowstorm, near Cologne on January 6, 1983, Gerhard Barkhorn and his wife were involved in a serious car accident. His wife died immediately, and he himself died in the hospital two days later - on January 8, 1983.
He was buried in the Durnbach War Cemetery in Tegernsee, Upper Bavaria.
Luftwaffe Major G. Barkhorn was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class, and the German Cross in Gold.
Gunter Rall - third Luftwaffe ace, 275 victories.
The third Luftwaffe ace in terms of the number of victories counted is Gunther Rall - 275 enemy aircraft shot down.
Rall fought against France and England in 1939–1940, then in Romania, Greece and Crete in 1941. From 1941 to 1944 he fought on the Eastern Front. In 1944, he returned to the skies of Germany and fought against the aircraft of the Western Allies. All his rich combat experience was gained as a result of more than 800 “rabarbars” (air battles) carried out on the Me-109 of various modifications - from Bf 109 B-2 to Bf 109 G-14. Rall was seriously wounded three times and shot down eight times. On November 28, 1941, in an intense air battle, his plane was so badly damaged that during an emergency belly landing, the car simply fell apart, and Rall broke his spine in three places. There was no hope left for returning to duty. But after ten months of treatment in the hospital, where he met his future wife, he was finally restored to health and declared fit for flying work. At the end of July 1942, Rall took his plane into the air again, and on August 15 he scored his 50th victory over Kuban. On September 22, 1942, he chalked up his 100th victory. Subsequently, Rall fought over the Kuban, over the Kursk Bulge, over the Dnieper and Zaporozhye. In March 1944, he surpassed the achievement of V. Novotny, chalking up 255 aerial victories and leading the list of Luftwaffe aces until August 20, 1944. On April 16, 1944, Rall won his last, 273rd, victory on the Eastern Front.
As the best German ace of the time, he was appointed commander of II by Goering. / JG 11, which was part of the Reich air defense and armed with the “109” new modification - G-5. Defending Berlin in 1944 from British and American raids, Rall more than once came into conflict with US Air Force aircraft. One day, the Thunderbolts tightly pinned his plane over the capital of the Third Reich, damaging his control, and one of the bursts fired into the cockpit cut off the thumb on his right hand. Rall was shell-shocked, but returned to duty a few weeks later. In December 1944, he headed the training school for Luftwaffe fighter commanders. In January 1945, Major G. Rall was appointed commander of the 300th Fighter Group (JG 300), armed with the FV-190D, but he did not win any more victories. It was difficult to imagine a victory over the Reich - downed planes fell over German territory and only then received confirmation. It’s not at all like in the Don or Kuban steppes, where a report of victory, confirmation from a wingman and a statement on several printed forms was enough.
During his combat career, Major Rall flew 621 combat missions and recorded 275 “downed” aircraft, of which only three were shot down over the Reich.
After the war, when the new German army, the Bundeswehr, was created, G. Rall, who did not think of himself as anything other than a military pilot, joined the Bundes-Luftwaffe. Here he immediately returned to flying work and mastered the F-84 Thunderjet and several modifications of the F-86 Saber. The skill of Major and then Oberst-Lieutenant Rall was highly appreciated by American military experts. At the end of the 50s he was appointed to the Bundes-Luftwaffe Art. an inspector supervising the retraining of German pilots for the new supersonic fighter F-104 Starfighter. The retraining was successfully completed. In September 1966, G. Rall was awarded the rank of brigadier general, and a year later - major general. At that time, Rall led the fighter division of the Bundes-Luftwaffe. In the late 1980s, Lieutenant General Rall was dismissed from the Bundes-Luftwaffe as Inspector General.
G. Rall came to Russia several times and communicated with Soviet aces. On the Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General of Aviation G. A. Baevsky, who knew German well and communicated with Rall at the aircraft show in Kubinka, this communication made a positive impression. Georgy Arturovich found Rall’s personal position to be quite modest, including regarding his three-digit account, and as an interlocutor, he was an interesting person who deeply understood the concerns and needs of pilots and aviation.
Günther Rall died on October 4, 2009. Lieutenant General G. Rall was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class, the German Cross in gold; Great Federal Cross of the Worthy with Star (cross of the VI degree from the VIII degrees); Order of the Legion of Worth (USA).
Adolf GALLAND - outstanding organizer of the Luftwaffe, recording 104 victories on the Western Front, Lieutenant General.
Gently bourgeois in his refined habits and actions, he was a versatile and courageous man, an exceptionally gifted pilot and tactician, enjoyed the favor of political leaders and the highest authority among German pilots, who left their bright mark on the history of the world wars of the 20th century.
Adolf Galland was born into the family of a manager in the town of Westerholt (now within the boundaries of Duisburg) on March 19, 1912. Galland, like Marseille, had French roots: his Huguenot ancestors fled France in the 18th century and settled on the estate of Count von Westerholt. Galland was the second oldest of his four brothers. Upbringing in the family was based on strict religious principles, while the severity of the father significantly softened the mother. From an early age, Adolf became a hunter, catching his first trophy - a hare - at the age of 6 years. An early passion for hunting and hunting successes are also characteristic of some other outstanding fighter pilots, in particular A.V. Vorozheikin and E.G. Pepelyaev, who found in hunting not only entertainment, but also a significant help for their meager diet. Of course, the acquired hunting skills - the ability to hide, shoot accurately, follow the trail - had a beneficial effect on the formation of the character and tactics of future aces.
In addition to hunting, the energetic young Galland was actively interested in technology. This interest led him to the Gelsenkirchen gliding school in 1927. Graduating from gliding school and acquiring the ability to soar, find and select air currents was very useful for the future pilot. In 1932, after graduating from high school, Adolf Galland entered the German Air Transport School in Braunschweig, from which he graduated in 1933. Soon after graduating from school, Galland received an invitation to short-term courses for military pilots, secret in Germany at that time. After completing the courses, Galland was sent to Italy for an internship. Since the fall of 1934, Galland flew as co-pilot on the passenger Junkers G-24. In February 1934, Galland was drafted into the army, in October he was awarded the rank of lieutenant and sent to instructor service in Schleichsheim. When the creation of the Luftwaffe was announced on March 1, 1935, Galland was transferred to the 2nd Group of the 1st Fighter Squadron. Possessing an excellent vestibular apparatus and impeccable vasomotor skills, he quickly became an excellent aerobatic pilot. During those years, he suffered several accidents that almost cost him his life. Only exceptional persistence, and sometimes cunning, allowed Galland to remain in aviation.
In 1937, he was sent to Spain, where he flew 187 attack missions in a Xe-51B biplane. He had no aerial victories. For battles in Spain he was awarded the German Spanish Cross in gold with Swords and Diamonds.
In November 1938, upon returning from Spain, Galland became a commander of JG433, re-equipped with the Me-109, but before the outbreak of hostilities in Poland he was sent to another group armed with XSh-123 biplanes. In Poland, Galland flew 87 combat missions and received the rank of captain.
On May 12, 1940, Captain Galland won his first victories, shooting down three British Hurricanes at once on the Me-109. By June 6, 1940, when he was appointed commander of the 3rd Group of the 26th Fighter Squadron (III./JG 26), Galland had 12 victories to his name. On 22 May he shot down the first Spitfire. On August 17, 1940, at a meeting at Goering's Karinhalle estate, Major Galland was appointed commander of the 26th squadron. On September 7, 1940, he took part in a massive Luftwaffe raid on London, consisting of 648 fighters covering 625 bombers. For the Me-109, this was a flight almost to the maximum range; more than two dozen Messerschmitts on the way back, over Calais, ran out of fuel, and their planes fell into the water. Galland also had problems with fuel, but his car was saved by the skill of the glider pilot sitting in it, who reached the French coast.
On September 25, 1940, Galland was summoned to Berlin, where Hitler presented him with the third ever Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Galland, in his words, asked the Fuhrer not to “belittle the dignity of the British pilots.” Hitler unexpectedly immediately agreed with him, saying that he regretted that England and Germany did not act together as allies. Galland fell into the hands of German journalists and quickly became one of the most “promoted” figures in Germany.
Adolf Galland was an avid cigar smoker, consuming up to twenty cigars daily. Even Mickey Mouse, who invariably adorned the sides of all his combat vehicles, was invariably depicted with a cigar in his mouth. In the cockpit of his fighter there was a lighter and a cigar holder.
On the evening of October 30, having declared the destruction of two Spitfires, Galland chalked up his 50th victory. On November 17, having shot down three Hurricanes over Calais, Galland took first place among the Luftwaffe aces with 56 victories. After his 50th claimed victory, Galland was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. A creative man, he proposed several tactical innovations, which were subsequently adopted by most armies of the world. Thus, he considered the most successful option for escorting bombers, despite the protests of the “bombers,” to be a free “hunt” along their flight route. Another of his innovations was the use of a headquarters air unit, staffed by a commander and the most experienced pilots.
After May 19, 1941, when Hess flew to England, raids on the island practically ceased.
On June 21, 1941, the day before the attack on the Soviet Union, Galland's Messerschmitt, which had been staring at the Spitfire it had shot down, was shot down in a frontal attack from above by another Spitfire. Galland was wounded in the side and arm. With difficulty he managed to open the jammed canopy, unhook the parachute from the antenna post and land relatively safely. It is interesting that on the same day, at about 12.40, Galland’s Me-109 was already shot down by the British, and they crash-landed it “on its belly” in the Calais area.
When Galland was taken to the hospital in the evening of the same day, a telegram arrived from Hitler, saying that Lieutenant Colonel Galland was the first in the Wehrmacht to be awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross, and an order containing a ban on Galland's participation in combat missions. Galland did everything possible and impossible to circumvent this order. On August 7, 1941, Lieutenant Colonel Galland scored his 75th victory. On November 18, he announced his next, already 96th, victory. On November 28, 1941, after the death of Mölders, Goering appointed Galland to the post of inspector of fighter aircraft of the Luftwaffe, and he was awarded the rank of colonel.
On January 28, 1942, Hitler presented Galland with the Diamonds for his Knight's Cross with Swords. He became the second recipient of this highest award in Nazi Germany. On December 19, 1942, he was awarded the rank of major general.
On May 22, 1943, Galland flew the Me-262 for the first time and was amazed by the emerging capabilities of the turbojet. He insisted on the speedy combat use of this aircraft, assuring that one Me-262 squadron was equal in strength to 10 conventional ones.
With the inclusion of US aircraft in the air war and the defeat in the Battle of Kursk, Germany's position became desperate. On June 15, 1943, Galland, despite strong objections, was appointed commander of the fighter aircraft of the Sicily group. They tried to save the situation in Southern Italy with Galland's energy and talent. But on July 16, about a hundred American bombers attacked the Vibo Valentia airfield and destroyed Luftwaffe fighter aircraft. Galland, having surrendered command, returned to Berlin.
The fate of Germany was sealed, and neither the dedication of the best German pilots nor the talent of outstanding designers could save it.
Galland was one of the most talented and sensible generals of the Luftwaffe. He tried not to expose his subordinates to unjustified risks and soberly assessed the developing situation. Thanks to the accumulated experience, Galland managed to avoid major losses in the squadron entrusted to him. An outstanding pilot and commander, Galland had a rare talent for analyzing all the strategic and tactical features of a situation.
Under the command of Galland, the Luftwaffe carried out one of the most brilliant operations to provide air cover for ships, codenamed “Thunderstrike”. The fighter squadron under the direct command of Galland covered from the air the exit from the encirclement of the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, as well as the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. Having successfully carried out the operation, the Luftwaffe and the fleet destroyed 30 British aircraft, losing 7 aircraft. Galland called this operation the "finest hour" of his career.
In the fall of 1943 - spring of 1944, Galland secretly flew more than 10 combat missions on the FV-190 A-6, chalking up two American bombers. On December 1, 1944, Galland was awarded the rank of lieutenant general.
After the failure of Operation Bodenplatte, when about 300 Luftwaffe fighters were lost, at the cost of 144 British and 84 American aircraft, Goering removed Galland from his post as inspector of fighter aircraft on January 12, 1945. This caused the so-called fighter mutiny. As a result, several German aces were demoted, and Galland was placed under house arrest. But soon a bell rang in Galland’s house: Hitler’s adjutant von Belof told him: “The Fuhrer still loves you, General Galland.”
In the conditions of a disintegrating defense, Lieutenant General Galland was instructed to form a new fighter group from the best aces of Germany and fight enemy bombers on the Me-262. The group received the semi-mystical name JV44 (44 as half of the number 88, which designated the number of the group that successfully fought in Spain) and entered combat in early April 1945. As part of JV44, Galland scored 6 victories, was shot down (landed across the runway) and wounded on April 25, 1945.
In total, Lieutenant General Galland flew 425 combat missions and chalked up 104 victories.
On May 1, 1945, Galland and his pilots surrendered to the Americans. In 1946–1947, Galland was recruited by the Americans to work in the historical department of the American Air Force in Europe. Later, in the 60s, Galland gave lectures in the United States on the actions of German aviation. In the spring of 1947, Galland was released from captivity. Galland whiled away this difficult time for many Germans on the estate of his old admirer, the widowed Baroness von Donner. He divided it between household chores, wine, cigars and hunting, which was illegal at that time.
During the Nuremberg trials, when Goering's defenders drew up a lengthy document and, trying to sign it from the leading figures of the Luftwaffe, brought it to Galland, he carefully read the paper and then decisively tore it from top to bottom.
“I personally welcome this trial because this is the only way we can find out who is responsible for all of this,” Galland allegedly said at the time.
In 1948, he met with his old acquaintance - the German aircraft designer Kurt Tank, who created the Focke-Wulf fighters and, perhaps, the best piston fighter in history - the Ta-152. Tank was about to sail to Argentina, where a big contract awaited him, and invited Galland to go with him. He agreed and, having received an invitation from President Juan Peron himself, soon sailed. Argentina, like the United States, emerged from the war incredibly rich. Galland received a three-year contract to reorganize the Argentine Air Force under the direction of Argentine Commander-in-Chief Juan Fabri. The flexible Galland managed to find full contact with the Argentines and gladly passed on knowledge to pilots and their commanders who had no combat experience. In Argentina, Galland flew almost every day on every type of aircraft he saw there, maintaining his flying shape. Soon Baroness von Donner and her children came to Galland. It was in Argentina that Galland began working on a book of memoirs, later called The First and the Last. A few years later, the Baroness left Galland and Argentina when he became involved with Sylvinia von Donhoff. In February 1954, Adolf and Sylvinia got married. For Galland, who was already 42 years old at that time, this was his first marriage. In 1955, Galland left Argentina and competed in aviation competitions in Italy, where he took an honorable second place. In Germany, the Minister of Defense invited Galland to retake the post of inspector - commander of the BundesLuftwaffe fighter aircraft. Galland asked for time to think it over. At this time, there was a change of power in Germany, the pro-American Franz Josef Strauss became Minister of Defense, who appointed General Kummhuber, an old enemy of Galland, to the post of inspector.
Galland moved to Bonn and went into business. He divorced Sylvinia von Donhoff and married his young secretary, Hannelise Ladwein. Soon Galland had children - a son, and three years later a daughter.
All his life, until the age of 75, Galland flew actively. When military aviation was no longer available to him, he found himself in light-engine and sport aviation. As Galland grew older, he devoted more and more time to meetings with his old comrades, with veterans. His authority among German pilots of all times was exceptional: he was an honorary leader of several aviation societies, president of the Association of German Fighter Pilots, and a member of dozens of flying clubs. In 1969, Galland saw and “attacked” the spectacular pilot Heidi Horn, who at the same time was the head of a successful company, and started a “fight” according to all the rules. He soon divorced his wife, and Heidi, unable to withstand the “dizzying attacks of the old ace,” agreed to marry 72-year-old Galland.
Adolf Galland, one of seven German fighter pilots awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, as well as all the lower awards required by statute.
Otto Bruno Kittel - Luftwaffe ace No. 4, 267 victories, Germany.
This outstanding fighter pilot was nothing like, say, the arrogant and glamorous Hans Philipp, that is, he did not at all correspond to the image of an ace pilot created by the German Reich Ministry of Propaganda. A short, quiet and modest man with a slight stutter.
He was born in Kronsdorf (now Korunov in the Czech Republic) in the Sudetenland, then in Austria-Hungary, on February 21, 1917. Note that on February 17, 1917, the outstanding Soviet ace K. A. Evstigneev was born.
In 1939, Kittel was accepted into the Luftwaffe and was soon assigned to the 54th Squadron (JG 54).
Kitel announced his first victories on June 22, 1941, but in comparison with other Luftwaffe experts his start was modest. By the end of 1941, he had chalked up only 17 victories. At first, Kittel showed poor aerial shooting abilities. Then his senior comrades took over his training: Hannes Trauloft, Hans Philipp, Walter Nowotny and other pilots of the Green Heart air group. They didn't give up until their patience was rewarded. By 1943, Kittel had gained an eye and with enviable consistency began to record victories over Soviet aircraft one after another. His 39th victory, won on February 19, 1943, was the 4,000th victory claimed by the pilots of the 54th Squadron during the war.
When, under the crushing blows of the Red Army, German troops began to roll back to the west, German journalists found a source of inspiration in the modest but exceptionally gifted pilot Lieutenant Otto Kittel. Until mid-February 1945, his name did not leave the pages of German periodicals and regularly appears in military chronicles.
On March 15, 1943, after the 47th victory, Kittel was shot down and landed 60 km from the front line. In three days, without food or fire, he covered this distance (crossing Lake Ilmen at night) and returned to his unit. Kittel was awarded the German Cross in gold and the rank of chief sergeant major. On October 6, 1943, Oberfeldwebel Kittel was awarded the Knight's Cross, received officer's buttonholes, shoulder straps and the entire 2nd Squadron of the 54th Fighter Group under his command. He was later promoted to chief lieutenant and awarded the Oak Leaves, and then the Swords for the Knight's Cross, which, as in most other cases, were presented to him by the Fuhrer. From November 1943 to January 1944 he was an instructor at the Luftwaffe flying school in Biarritz, France. In March 1944, he returned to his squadron, to the Russian front. Successes did not go to Kittel’s head: until the end of his life he remained a modest, hardworking and unassuming person.
Since the autumn of 1944, Kittel's squadron fought in the Courland "pocket" in Western Latvia. On February 14, 1945, on his 583rd combat mission, he attacked an Il-2 group, but was shot down, probably from cannons. On that day, victories over the FV-190 were recorded by the pilots who piloted the Il-2 - the deputy squadron commander of the 806th attack air regiment, Lieutenant V. Karaman, and the lieutenant of the 502nd Guards Air Regiment, V. Komendat.
By the time of his death, Otto Kittel had 267 victories (of which 94 were IL-2), and he was fourth on the list of the most successful air aces in Germany and the most successful pilot who fought on the FV-190 fighter.
Captain Kittel was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class, and the German Cross in Gold.
Walter Nowi Novotny - Luftwaffe ace No. 5, 258 victories.
Although Major Walter Nowotny is considered the fifth-highest Luftwaffe ace in kills, he was the most famous ace of World War II during the war. Novotny ranked with Galland, Mölders and Graf in popularity abroad, his name was one of the few that became known behind the front lines during the war and was discussed by the Allied public, just as it was with Boelcke, Udet and Richthofen during the war. during the First World War.
Novotny enjoyed fame and respect among German pilots like no other pilot. For all his courage and obsession in the air, he was a charming and friendly man on the ground.
Walter Nowotny was born in northern Austria in the town of Gmünd on December 7, 1920. His father was a railway worker, his two brothers were Wehrmacht officers. One of them was killed at Stalingrad.
Walter Nowotny grew up exceptionally gifted in sports: he won running, javelin throwing, and sports competitions. He joined the Luftwaffe in 1939 at the age of 18 and attended fighter pilot school in Schwechat near Vienna. Like Otto Kittel, he was assigned to JG54 and flew dozens of combat missions before he managed to overcome the disturbing feverish excitement and acquire the “handwriting of a fighter.”
On July 19, 1941, he scored his first victories in the skies over the island of Ezel in the Gulf of Riga, chalking up three “downed” Soviet I-153 fighters. At the same time, Novotny learned the other side of the coin, when a skillful and determined Russian pilot shot him down and sent him “to drink water.” It was already night when Novotny rowed a rubber raft to the shore.
On August 4, 1942, having re-equipped with the Gustav (Me-109G-2), Novotny immediately chalked up 4 Soviet aircraft and a month later was awarded the Knight's Cross. On October 25, 1942, V. Novotny was appointed commander of the 1st detachment of the 1st group of the 54th fighter squadron. Gradually, the group was re-equipped with relatively new vehicles - FV-190A and A-2. On June 24, 1943, he chalked up the 120th “shot down”, which was the basis for awarding the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross. On September 1, 1943, Novotny immediately chalked up 10 “downed” Soviet aircraft. This is far from the limit for Luftwaffe pilots.
Emil Lang filled out forms for as many as 18 Soviet aircraft shot down in one day (at the end of October 1943 in the Kiev area - a fairly expected response from an irritated German ace to the defeat of the Wehrmacht on the Dnieper, and the Luftwaffe over the Dnieper), and Erich Rüdorfer “shot down”
13 Soviet aircraft on November 13, 1943. Note that for Soviet aces, 4 enemy aircraft shot down in a day was an extremely rare, exceptional victory. This speaks only of one thing - the reliability of victories on one side and the other: the calculated reliability of victories among Soviet pilots is 4-6 times higher than the reliability of the “victories” recorded by the Luftwaffe aces.
In September 1943, with 207 “victories”, Lieutenant V. Novotny became the most successful pilot of the Luftwaffe. On October 10, 1943, he chalked up his 250th “victory.” There was real hysteria in the German press of that time about this. On November 15, 1943, Novotny recorded his last, 255th, victory on the Eastern Front.
He continued his combat work almost a year later, already on the Western Front, on the Me-262 jet. On November 8, 1944, taking off at the head of a trio to intercept American bombers, he shot down a Liberator and a Mustang fighter, which became his last, 257th, victory. Novotny's Me-262 was damaged and, on the approach to its own airfield, was shot down either by a Mustang or by fire from its own anti-aircraft artillery. Major V. Novotny died.
Novi, as his comrades called him, became a Luftwaffe legend during his lifetime. He was the first to record 250 aerial victories.
Novotny became the eighth German officer to receive the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. He was also awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class, the German Cross in gold; Order of the Cross of Liberty (Finland), medals.
Wilhelm "Willi" Batz - sixth Luftwaffe ace, 237 victories.
Butz was born on May 21, 1916 in Bamberg. After recruit training and a meticulous medical examination, on November 1, 1935, he was sent to the Luftwaffe.
After completing his initial fighter pilot training, Butz was transferred as an instructor to the flight school in Bad Eilbing. He was distinguished by his tirelessness and a real passion for flying. In total, during his training and instructor service, he flew 5240 hours!
From the end of 1942 he served in the reserve unit of JG52 2./ErgGr "Ost". From February 1, 1943, he held the position of adjutant in II. /JG52. The first aircraft shot down - LaGG-3 - was recorded to him on March 11, 1943. In May 1943 he was appointed commander of 5./JG52. Butz achieved significant success only during the Battle of Kursk. Until September 9, 1943, he was credited with 20 victories, and until the end of November 1943 - another 50.
Then Butz's career went as well as the career of a famous fighter pilot on the Eastern Front often developed. In March 1944, Butz shot down his 101st plane. At the end of May 1944, during seven combat missions, he shot down as many as 15 aircraft. On March 26, 1944, Butz received the Knight's Cross, and on July 20, 1944, the Oak Leaves to it.
In July 1944, he fought over Romania, where he shot down a B-24 Liberator bomber and two P-51B Mustang fighters. By the end of 1944, Butz already had 224 aerial victories. In 1945 he became commander of II. /JG52. On April 21, 1945 he was awarded.
In total, during the war years, Butz carried out 445 (according to other sources - 451) combat sorties and shot down 237 aircraft: 232 on the Eastern Front and, modestly, 5 on the Western Front, among the latter two four-engine bombers. He flew on Me-109G and Me-109K aircraft. During the battles, Butz was wounded three times and shot down four times.
He died at the Mauschendorf Clinic on September 11, 1988. Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (No. 145, 04/21/1945), German Cross in gold, Iron Cross 1st and 2nd class.
Hermann Graf - 212 officially counted victories, ninth Luftwaffe ace, colonel.
Hermann Graf was born in Engen, near Lake Baden, on October 24, 1912. The son of a simple blacksmith, due to his origin and poor education, he could not make a quick and successful military career. After graduating from college and working for some time in a locksmith's shop, he went into bureaucratic service in a municipal office. In this case, the primary role was played by the fact that Herman was an excellent football player, and the first rays of fame gilded him as a forward of the local football team. Herman began his journey into the sky as a glider pilot in 1932, and in 1935 he was accepted into the Luftwaffe. In 1936 he was accepted into the flight school in Karlsruhe and graduated on September 25, 1936. In May 1938, he improved his qualifications as a pilot and, having avoided being sent for retraining on multi-engine aircraft, with the rank of non-commissioned officer, he insisted on being assigned to the second detachment of JG51, armed with Me-109 E-1 fighters.
From the book Foreign Volunteers in the Wehrmacht. 1941-1945 author Yurado Carlos CaballeroBaltic Volunteers: Luftwaffe In June 1942, a unit known as Naval Air Reconnaissance Squadron Buschmann began recruiting Estonian volunteers into its ranks. The following month it became Naval Aviation Reconnaissance Squadron 15, 127.
author Zefirov Mikhail VadimovichAces of Luftwaffe attack aircraft The replicated sight of the Ju-87 attack aircraft - the famous "Stuka" - diving at its target with a terrible howl - over many years has already become a household name, personifying the offensive power of the Luftwaffe. This is how it was in practice. Effective
From the book by Asa Luftwaffe. Who is who. Endurance, power, attention author Zefirov Mikhail VadimovichAces of the Luftwaffe Bomber Aviation The words “endurance” and “power” in the titles of the two previous chapters can be fully attributed to the actions of the Luftwaffe Bomber Aviation. Although formally it was not strategic, its crews sometimes had to conduct
From the book “Stalin’s Falcons” against the Luftwaffe Aces author Bayevsky Georgy ArturovichThe collapse of the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe The number of combat sorties from the Sprottau airfield was significantly reduced compared to our previous stay in February at this airfield. In April, instead of the Il-2, we are accompanying the new Il-10 attack aircraft with more
author Karashchuk AndreyVolunteers in the Luftwaffe. In the summer of 1941, during the retreat of the Red Army, all the material of the former Estonian Air Force was destroyed or taken to the east. Only four Estonian-made RTO-4 monoplanes remained on the territory of Estonia, which were the property of
From the book Eastern Volunteers in the Wehrmacht, Police and SS author Karashchuk AndreyVolunteers in the Luftwaffe. While in Estonia the air legion had actually existed since 1941, in Latvia the decision to create a similar formation was made only in July 1943, when Lieutenant Colonel of the Latvian Air Force J. Rusels came into contact with representatives
Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe (ObdL), Commander-in-Chief of the German Air Force. This post belonged to Herman
From the book The Greatest Air Aces of the 20th Century author Bodrikhin Nikolay GeorgievichLuftwaffe Aces At the suggestion of some Western authors, carefully accepted by domestic compilers, German aces are considered the most effective fighter pilots of the Second World War, and accordingly, in history, who achieved fabulous results in air battles
From the book The Big Show. World War II through the eyes of a French pilot author Klosterman PierreThe last push of the Luftwaffe on January 1, 1945. On that day, the state of the German armed forces was not entirely clear. When the Rundstedt offensive failed, the Nazis, who had taken a position on the banks of the Rhine and were pretty much crushed by Russian troops in Poland and Czechoslovakia,
From the book “Air Bridges” of the Third Reich author Zablotsky Alexander NikolaevichTHE IRON “AUNT” OF THE LUFTWAFFE AND OTHERS... The main type of aircraft of the German military transport aviation was the bulky and angular, unsightly three-engine Ju-52/3m, better known in the Luftwaffe and the Wehrmacht under the nickname “Auntie Yu”. By the beginning of World War II it seemed
From the book Aviation of the Red Army author Kozyrev Mikhail Egorovich From the book World War II at sea and in the air. Reasons for the defeat of the German naval and air forces author Marshall WilhelmThe Luftwaffe in the War with Russia In the early autumn of 1940, the Luftwaffe began an air war against England. At the same time, preparations for war with Russia began. Even in the days when decisions were made regarding Russia, it became obvious that England’s defense capability was much higher, and
Most of the names from the list of ace pilots of the Great Patriotic War are well known to everyone. However, besides Pokryshkin and Kozhedub, among the Soviet aces, another master of air combat is undeservedly forgotten, whose courage and courage even the most titled and successful pilots can envy.
Better than Kozhedub, better than Hartman...
The names of the Soviet aces of the Great Patriotic War, Ivan Kozhedub and Alexander Pokryshkin, are known to everyone who is at least superficially familiar with Russian history. Kozhedub and Pokryshkin are the most successful Soviet fighter pilots. The first has 64 enemy aircraft shot down personally, the second has 59 personal victories, and he shot down 6 more planes in the group.
The name of the third most successful Soviet pilot is known only to aviation enthusiasts. During the war, Nikolai Gulaev destroyed 57 enemy aircraft personally and 4 in a group.
An interesting detail - Kozhedub needed 330 sorties and 120 air battles to achieve his result, Pokryshkin - 650 sorties and 156 air battles. Gulaev achieved his result by carrying out 290 sorties and conducting 69 air battles.
Moreover, according to award documents, in his first 42 air battles he destroyed 42 enemy aircraft, that is, on average, each battle ended for Gulaev with a destroyed enemy aircraft.
Fans of military statistics have calculated that Nikolai Gulaev’s efficiency coefficient, that is, the ratio of air battles to victories, was 0.82. For comparison, for Ivan Kozhedub it was 0.51, and for Hitler’s ace Erich Hartmann, who officially shot down the most aircraft during World War II, it was 0.4.
At the same time, people who knew Gulaev and fought with him claimed that he generously recorded many of his victories on his wingmen, helping them receive orders and money - Soviet pilots were paid for each enemy aircraft shot down. Some believe that the total number of planes shot down by Gulaev could reach 90, which, however, cannot be confirmed or denied today.
A guy from the Don.
Many books have been written and many films have been made about Alexander Pokryshkin and Ivan Kozhedub, three times Heroes of the Soviet Union, air marshals.
Nikolai Gulaev, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, was close to the third “Golden Star”, but never received it and did not become a marshal, remaining a colonel general. And in general, if in the post-war years Pokryshkin and Kozhedub were always in the public eye, engaged in the patriotic education of youth, then Gulaev, who was practically in no way inferior to his colleagues, remained in the shadows all the time.
Perhaps the fact is that both the war and post-war biography of the Soviet ace was rich in episodes that do not fit well into the image of an ideal hero.
Nikolai Gulaev was born on February 26, 1918 in the village of Aksai, which has now become the city of Aksai in the Rostov region. The Don freemen were in the blood and character of Nicholas from the first days until the end of his life. After graduating from a seven-year school and a vocational school, he worked as a mechanic at one of the Rostov factories.
Like many of the youth of the 1930s, Nikolai became interested in aviation and attended a flying club. This hobby helped in 1938, when Gulaev was drafted into the army. The amateur pilot was sent to the Stalingrad Aviation School, from which he graduated in 1940. Gulaev was assigned to air defense aviation, and in the first months of the war he provided cover for one of the industrial centers in the rear.
Reprimand complete with reward.
Gulaev arrived at the front in August 1942 and immediately demonstrated both the talent of a combat pilot and the wayward character of a native of the Don steppes.
Gulaev did not have permission to fly at night, and when on August 3, 1942, Hitler’s planes appeared in the area of responsibility of the regiment where the young pilot served, experienced pilots took to the skies. But then the mechanic egged Nikolai on:
- What are you waiting for? The plane is ready, fly!
Gulaev, deciding to prove that he was no worse than the “old men,” jumped into the cockpit and took off. And in the very first battle, without experience, without the help of searchlights, he destroyed a German bomber. When Gulaev returned to the airfield, the arriving general said: “For the fact that I flew out without permission, I am reprimanding, and for the fact that I shot down an enemy plane, I am promoting him in rank and presenting him for a reward.”
Nugget.
His star shone especially brightly during the battles on the Kursk Bulge. On May 14, 1943, repelling a raid on the Grushka airfield, he single-handedly entered into battle with three Yu-87 bombers, covered by four Me-109s. Having shot down two Junkers, Gulaev tried to attack the third, but ran out of ammunition. Without hesitating for a second, the pilot went to ram, shooting down another bomber. Gulaev’s uncontrollable “Yak” went into a tailspin. The pilot managed to level the plane and land it at the leading edge, but on his own territory. Having arrived at the regiment, Gulaev again flew on a combat mission on another plane.
At the beginning of July 1943, Gulaev, as part of four Soviet fighters, taking advantage of the surprise factor, attacked a German armada of 100 aircraft. Having disrupted the battle formation, shooting down 4 bombers and 2 fighters, all four returned safely to the airfield. On this day, Gulaev’s unit made several combat sorties and destroyed 16 enemy aircraft.
July 1943 was generally extremely productive for Nikolai Gulaev. This is what is recorded in his flight log: “July 5 - 6 sorties, 4 victories, July 6 - Focke-Wulf 190 shot down, July 7 - three enemy aircraft shot down as part of a group, July 8 - Me-109 shot down , July 12 - two Yu-87s were shot down.”
Hero of the Soviet Union Fedor Arkhipenko, who had the opportunity to command the squadron where Gulaev served, wrote about him: “He was a genius pilot, one of the top ten aces in the country. He never hesitated, quickly assessed the situation, his sudden and effective attack created panic and destroyed the enemy’s battle formation, which disrupted his targeted bombing of our troops. He was very brave and decisive, often came to the rescue, and sometimes one could feel the real passion of a hunter in him.”
Flying Stenka Razin.
On September 28, 1943, the deputy squadron commander of the 27th Fighter Aviation Regiment (205th Fighter Aviation Division, 7th Fighter Aviation Corps, 2nd Air Army, Voronezh Front), Senior Lieutenant Nikolai Dmitrievich Gulaev, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
At the beginning of 1944, Gulaev was appointed squadron commander. His not very rapid career growth is explained by the fact that the ace’s methods of educating his subordinates were not entirely ordinary. Thus, he cured one of the pilots of his squadron, who was afraid of getting close to the Nazis, from fear of the enemy by firing a burst from his on-board weapon next to the wingman’s cabin. The subordinate’s fear disappeared as if by hand...
The same Fyodor Archipenko in his memoirs described another characteristic episode associated with Gulaev: “Approaching the airfield, I immediately saw from the air that the parking lot of Gulaev’s plane was empty... After landing, I was informed that all six of Gulaev were shot down! Nikolai himself landed wounded at the airfield with the attack aircraft, but nothing is known about the rest of the pilots. After some time, they reported from the front line: two jumped out of planes and landed at the location of our troops, the fate of three more is unknown... And today, many years later, I see the main mistake Gulaev made then in the fact that he took with him into combat the departure of three young pilots who had not been shot at at once, who were shot down in their very first battle. True, Gulaev himself won 4 aerial victories that day, shooting down 2 Me-109, Yu-87 and Henschel.”
He was not afraid to risk himself, but he also risked his subordinates with the same ease, which sometimes seemed completely unjustified. The pilot Gulaev did not look like the “aerial Kutuzov”, but rather like the dashing Stenka Razin, who had mastered a combat fighter.
But at the same time he achieved amazing results. In one of the battles over the Prut River, at the head of six P-39 Airacobra fighters, Nikolai Gulaev attacked 27 enemy bombers, accompanied by 8 fighters. In 4 minutes, 11 enemy vehicles were destroyed, 5 of them by Gulaev personally.
In March 1944, the pilot received a short-term leave home. From this trip to the Don he came withdrawn, taciturn, and bitter. He rushed into battle frantically, with some kind of transcendental rage. During the trip home, Nikolai learned that during the occupation his father was executed by the Nazis...
The Soviet ace was almost killed by a pig...
On July 1, 1944, Guard Captain Nikolai Gulaev was awarded the second star of the Hero of the Soviet Union for 125 combat missions, 42 air battles, in which he shot down 42 enemy aircraft personally and 3 in a group.
And then another episode occurs, which Gulaev openly told his friends about after the war, an episode that perfectly shows his violent nature as a native of the Don. The pilot learned that he had become a twice Hero of the Soviet Union after his next flight. Fellow soldiers had already gathered at the airfield and said: the award needed to be “washed,” there was alcohol, but there were problems with snacks.
Gulaev recalled that when returning to the airfield, he saw pigs grazing. With the words “there will be a snack,” the ace boards the plane again and a few minutes later lands it near the barns, to the amazement of the pig owner.
As already mentioned, the pilots were paid for downed planes, so Nikolai had no problems with cash. The owner willingly agreed to sell the boar, who was loaded with difficulty into the combat vehicle. By some miracle, the pilot took off from a very small platform together with the boar, distraught with horror. A combat aircraft is not designed for a well-fed pig to dance inside it. Gulaev had difficulty keeping the plane in the air...
If a catastrophe had happened that day, it would probably have been the most ridiculous case of the death of a twice Hero of the Soviet Union in history. Thank God, Gulaev made it to the airfield, and the regiment cheerfully celebrated the hero’s award.
Another anecdotal incident is related to the appearance of the Soviet ace. Once in battle he managed to shoot down a reconnaissance plane piloted by a Nazi colonel, holder of four Iron Crosses. The German pilot wanted to meet with the one who managed to interrupt his brilliant career. Apparently, the German was expecting to see a stately handsome man, a “Russian bear” who would not be ashamed to lose... But instead, a young, short, plump captain Gulaev came, who, by the way, in the regiment had a not at all heroic nickname “Kolobok”. The German's disappointment knew no bounds...
A fight with political overtones.
In the summer of 1944, the Soviet command decided to recall the best Soviet pilots from the front. The war is coming to a victorious end, and the leadership of the USSR begins to think about the future. Those who distinguished themselves in the Great Patriotic War must graduate from the Air Force Academy in order to then take leadership positions in the Air Force and Air Defense.
Gulaev was also among those summoned to Moscow. He himself was not eager to go to the academy; he asked to remain in the active army, but was refused. On August 12, 1944, Nikolai Gulaev shot down his last Focke-Wulf 190.
And then a story happened, which, most likely, became the main reason why Nikolai Gulaev did not become as famous as Kozhedub and Pokryshkin. There are at least three versions of what happened, which combine two words - “brawler” and “foreigners”. Let's focus on the one that occurs most often.
According to it, Nikolai Gulaev, already a major by that time, was summoned to Moscow not only to study at the academy, but also to receive the third star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. Considering the pilot’s combat achievements, this version does not seem implausible. Gulaev’s company included other honored aces who were awaiting awards.
The day before the ceremony in the Kremlin, Gulaev went to the restaurant of the Moscow Hotel, where his pilot friends were relaxing. However, the restaurant was crowded, and the administrator said: “Comrade, there is no room for you!” It was not worth saying such a thing to Gulaev with his explosive character, but then, unfortunately, he also came across Romanian soldiers, who at that moment were also relaxing in the restaurant. Shortly before this, Romania, which had been an ally of Germany since the beginning of the war, went over to the side of the anti-Hitler coalition.
The angry Gulaev said loudly: “Is it that there is no place for the Hero of the Soviet Union, but there is room for enemies?”
The Romanians heard the pilot’s words, and one of them uttered an insulting phrase in Russian towards Gulaev. A second later, the Soviet ace found himself near the Romanian and hit him in the face.
Not even a minute had passed before a fight broke out in the restaurant between the Romanians and Soviet pilots.
When the fighters were separated, it turned out that the pilots had beaten members of the official Romanian military delegation. The scandal reached Stalin himself, who decided to cancel the awarding of the third Hero star.
If we were talking not about the Romanians, but about the British or Americans, most likely, the matter for Gulaev would have ended quite badly. But the leader of all nations did not ruin the life of his ace because of yesterday’s opponents. Gulaev was simply sent to a unit, away from the front, Romanians and any attention in general. But how true this version is is unknown.
A general who was friends with Vysotsky.
Despite everything, in 1950 Nikolai Gulaev graduated from the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy, and five years later from the General Staff Academy. He commanded the 133rd Aviation Fighter Division, located in Yaroslavl, the 32nd Air Defense Corps in Rzhev, and the 10th Air Defense Army in Arkhangelsk, which covered the northern borders of the Soviet Union.
Nikolai Dmitrievich had a wonderful family, he adored his granddaughter Irochka, was a passionate fisherman, loved to treat guests to personally pickled watermelons...
He also visited pioneer camps, participated in various veterans’ events, but still there was a feeling that instructions were given from above, in modern terms, not to promote his person too much.
Actually, there were reasons for this even at a time when Gulaev was already wearing general’s shoulder straps. For example, he could, with his authority, invite Vladimir Vysotsky to speak at the House of Officers in Arkhangelsk, ignoring the timid protests of the local party leadership. By the way, there is a version that some of Vysotsky’s songs about pilots were born after his meetings with Nikolai Gulaev.
Norwegian complaint.
Colonel General Gulaev retired in 1979. And there is a version that one of the reasons for this was a new conflict with foreigners, but this time not with the Romanians, but with the Norwegians. Allegedly, General Gulaev organized a hunt for polar bears using helicopters near the border with Norway. Norwegian border guards appealed to the Soviet authorities with a complaint about the general's actions. After this, the general was transferred to a staff position away from Norway, and then sent to a well-deserved rest.
It is impossible to say with certainty that this hunt took place, although such a plot fits very well into the vivid biography of Nikolai Gulaev. Be that as it may, the resignation had a bad effect on the health of the old pilot, who could not imagine himself without the service to which his whole life was devoted.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General Nikolai Dmitrievich Gulaev died on September 27, 1985 in Moscow, at the age of 67 years. His final resting place was the Kuntsevo cemetery in the capital.
February 6 is the day of remembrance of the famous pilot, retired aviation lieutenant general, twice hero of the Soviet Union Vitaly Popkov. In his single-engine La-5FN fighter, he flew 475 missions and conducted 113 air combats, including one ramming attack. According to various sources, Popkov had from 40 to 60 victories: he is rightfully among the recognized aces of the Great Patriotic War. By the way, it was he who became the prototype for two heroes of the famous film “Only Old Men Go to Battle” - “Maestro” Titarenko and “Grasshopper” Alexandrov.
We have collected facts about the Soviet aces who shot down the largest number of enemy vehicles.
Vitaly Popkov
Twice hero of the Soviet Union, he personally shot down 47 enemy aircraft and 13 in a group.
Popkov graduated from the flight school in the “star” class: together with the future aces - Kozhedub, Lavrinenkov, Borovykh, Likholetov. The young man was sent to the front in 1942. He ended up in the 5th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. They say that having reached the airfield on the transfer plane, Popkov could not resist and climbed into an unfamiliar LaGG-3 plane, where he was discovered by a sentry. The commander invited the nimble guy to fly as his replacement.
Popkov won his first victory in June 1942, in the vicinity of the city of Kholm - he shot down a Do-217 bomber using the same LaGG-3. Shortly before this, he violated flight discipline, showed himself to be a reckless driver and was appointed permanent kitchen duty officer. That day, two Do-217s and two Me-109s covering them appeared over the airfield. Popkov, right in his apron, jumped into the plane and, on the very first approach, shot down one Dornier. The regiment commander only managed to say: “Why didn’t you grab the Messers too?” So the way to the young pilot was again opened to sky.
Popkov recalled that in August of the same year he shot down one of the most famous fascist aces. It was near Stalingrad. Hermann Graf, the Luftwaffe ace, had 212 victories at that time. He spent several years in Soviet camps and returned to Germany a convinced anti-fascist.
Ivan Kozhedub
Three times hero of the Soviet Union, he has 64 victories on his record. He flew on La-5, La-5FN, La-7, Il-2, MiG-3 aircraft. Kozhedub conducted his first air combat in a La-5 in March 1943. Together with the leader, he was supposed to guard the airfield, but after taking off, the pilot lost sight of the second plane, received damage from the enemy, and then also came under his own anti-aircraft artillery. Kozhedub had difficulty landing the plane, which had more than 50 holes.
After an unsuccessful battle, they wanted to transfer the pilot to ground duty. However, he firmly decided to return to the sky: he flew as a messenger, studied the experience of the famous fighter Pokryshkin, from whom he adopted the battle formula: “Altitude - speed - maneuver - fire.” In his first battle, Kozhedub lost precious seconds recognizing the aircraft that attacked him, so he spent a lot of time memorizing the silhouettes of aircraft.
Having been appointed deputy squadron commander, Kozhedub took part in air battles on the Kursk Bulge. In the summer of 1943, he received his first Order of the Red Banner of Battle. By February 1944, the number of aircraft shot down by Kozhedub exceeded three dozen. The pilot was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
They say that Kozhedub loved his planes very much and considered them “alive.” And not once during the entire war did he leave his car, even when it was on fire. In May 1944, he was given a special La-5 FN aircraft. The beekeeper of the Bolshevik agricultural farm of the Budarinsky district of the Stalingrad region, Vasily Viktorovich Konev, transferred his personal savings to the Defense Fund and asked to build an aircraft with them in the name of his deceased nephew, fighter pilot, hero of the Soviet Union, Georgy Konev. On one of the sides of the plane they wrote: “In the name of Lieutenant Colonel Konev,” on the second - “From the collective farmer Vasily Viktorovich Konev.” The beekeeper asked to transfer the aircraft to the best pilot. It turned out to be Kozhedub.
In February 1945, the ace shot down a German Me-262 jet fighter, and attacked the last enemy aircraft in April. In total, Kozhedub flew 330 combat missions and conducted 120 air battles.
Alexander Pokryshkin
Three times hero of the Soviet Union, who personally shot down 59 enemy aircraft and six aircraft in a group. Flew MiG-3, Yak-1, P-39, Airacobra.
The genius of flying received a baptism of fire in the first days of the war. Then he was the deputy squadron commander of the 55th Air Regiment. There was a misunderstanding: on June 22, 1941, Pokryshkin shot down a Soviet Su-2 short-range bomber. The plane landed on the fuselage in a field, the pilot survived, but the navigator died. Pokryshkin later admitted that he simply did not recognize the plane: “Sukhoi” appeared in military units right before the war.
But the very next day the pilot distinguished himself: during a reconnaissance flight he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf.109 fighter. This was Pokryshkin's first combat victory. And on July 3, he was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery over the Prut. By that time, the pilot had won at least five victories.
While in the hospital, Pokryshkin began making notes in a notebook, which he entitled “Fighter Tactics in Combat.” It was there that his science of winning was described. Many of Pokryshkin’s combat and reconnaissance missions were unique. So, in November 1941, in conditions of limited visibility (the edge of the clouds dropped to 30 meters), he obtained information about tank divisions in the Rostov region. On the eve of the 1942 offensive, the pilot was awarded the Order of Lenin. Then he had already been shot down twice and had 190 combat missions.
In the air battle in Kuban in the spring of 1943, Pokryshkin for the first time widely used the “Kuban Whatnot” combat formation, which was later distributed to all fighter air units. The pilot had many original tactics to win the battle. For example, he came up with a way out of an enemy’s attack on a turn with a downward “barrel”, with a loss of speed. The enemy then found himself in the crosshairs.
By the end of the war, Pokryshkin was the most famous pilot at the fronts. Then the phrase was widespread: “Akhtung! Akhtung! Pokryshkin in the air!” The Germans actually notified pilots about the flights of the Russian ace, warning them to be careful and gain altitude so as not to take risks. Until the end of the war, the famous pilot was the only three-time hero of the Soviet Union: he was awarded the third “Gold Star” on August 19, 1944, after 550 combat missions and 53 official victories. Georgy Zhukov became a hero three times on June 1, and Ivan Kozhedub on August 18, 1945.
By the end of the war, Pokryshkin flew more than 650 combat missions and took part in 156 air battles. According to unofficial data, the ace had more victories - up to a hundred.
Nikolay Gulaev
Twice hero of the Soviet Union. He personally shot down 57 enemy aircraft and four aircraft in a group. He flew on Yak-1, Il-2, La-5, La-7, P-39, and Airacobra aircraft.
At the beginning of the war, Gulaev was sent to the air defense of one of the industrial centers located far from the front line. But in March 1942, he, among the ten best pilots, was sent to the defense of Borisoglebsk. On August 3, Gulaev took part in his first battle: he took off without orders, at night, and shot down a German Heinkel bomber. The command announced a punishment to the pilot and immediately presented him with an award.
In February 1943, Gulaev was sent to the 27th Fighter Aviation Regiment, in which he shot down more than 50 enemy aircraft in a year. He was extremely effective: he shot down up to five planes a day. Among them were twin-engine bombers 5 He-111 and 4 Ju-88; FW-189 spotters, Ju-87 dive bombers. Other front-line aviation pilots had mostly downed fighters on their record.
On the Kursk Bulge, in the Belgorod region, Gulaev especially distinguished himself. In his first battle, on May 14, 1943, the pilot alone entered into battle with three Ju-87 bombers, which were covered by four Me-109s. At low altitude, Gulaev made a “slide” and shot down first the leading bomber, and then another bomber. The pilot tried to attack the third plane, but he ran out of ammunition. And then Gulaev decided to go for the ram. The left wing of the Yak-1, on which he was flying, hit the plane of the Ju-87. The German plane fell apart. The Yak-1, having lost control, went into a tailspin, but Gulaev was able to level it and land it. The feat was witnessed by infantrymen of the 52nd Infantry Division, who carried what they thought was a wounded pilot out of the cockpit in their arms. However, Gulaev did not receive a scratch. He did not say anything to the regiment - what he did became known a few hours later, after the infantrymen reported. After the pilot complained that he remained “horseless,” he was given a new plane. And later they were awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
Gulaev made his last combat flight from the Polish Turbya airfield on August 14, 1944. For three days in a row the day before, he shot down one plane. In September, the ace was forcibly sent to study at the Air Force Academy. He served in aviation until 1979, when he retired.
In total, Gulaev made 250 combat missions and 49 air battles. Its performance was considered record-breaking.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union pilot Nikolai Gulaev. Photo: RIA Novosti www.ria.ru
By the way
Soviet aces made up approximately three percent of the total number of pilots. They destroyed a third of the enemy aircraft. 27 pilots were awarded the title twice and three times Hero of the Soviet Union. During the war they scored between 22 and 62 victories and shot down a total of 1,044 aircraft.
Kozhedub Ivan Nikitich: To the 62 German planes officially shot down by I.N. Kozhedub during the Great Patriotic War, we should add 2 American fighters shot down by him at the very end of the war. In April 1945, Kozhedub drove off a pair of German fighters from an American B-17 with a barrage, but was attacked by covering fighters that opened fire from a long distance. With a flip over the wing, Kozhedub quickly attacked the outer car. It started smoking and descended towards our troops (the pilot of this car soon jumped out with a parachute and landed safely). The second photo is his plane. - La-7 I.N. Kozhedub, 176th GvIAP, spring 1945)
2. Pokryshkin Alexander Ivanovich: On May 24, Pokryshkin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By this time, he had already shot down 25 enemy aircraft. Three months later he was awarded a second Gold Star. While fighting the Luftwaffe in southern Ukraine, Pokryshkin chalked up 18 more Junkers, including two high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. In November 1943, using drop tanks, he hunted for Ju.52s operating on air communications over the Black Sea. Over four flights in changeable sea weather conditions, the Soviet pilot sent five three-engine transport aircraft to the bottom.
In May 1944, Pokryshkin was appointed commander of the 9th Guards Air Division, but despite his high position, he did not stop combat missions, scoring another seven victories by the end of the year. The combat activities of the most famous ace of the USSR ended in Berlin. In total, during the war years, he made 650 sorties, conducted 156 air battles, shot down 59 enemy aircraft personally and 6 in a group. (pictured below is his plane)
3.
Gulaev Nikolai Dmitrievich: In total, during the war, Major Gulaev conducted 240 combat missions, in 69 air battles he personally shot down 57 and 3 enemy aircraft in a group. Its “productivity”, 4 sorties per shot down, became one of the highest in Soviet fighter aviation.
4.
Evstigneev Kirill Alekseevich: In total, during the war years he made about 300 combat missions, conducted over 120 air battles, shot down 52 personally and 3 enemy aircraft as part of a group. “The pilot is a flint,” - this is how Ivan Kozhedub, who served for some time with Evstigneev in the same regiment, spoke of him.
5.
Glinka Dmitry Borisovich: After almost six months of vacation, study and replenishment, the pilots of the 100th GIAP took part in the Iasi operation. In early May, in a battle where 12 Cobras attacked about fifty Yu-87s, Glinka shot down three bombers, and in just a week of fighting here he destroyed 6 enemy aircraft.
While flying on a Li-2, he had an accident: the plane hit the top of a mountain. What saved him and his comrades was that they were located at the rear of the car - they slept on airplane covers. All other passengers and crew were killed. As a result of the accident, he was seriously injured: he was unconscious for several days. He was discharged from the hospital two months later and during the Lvov-Sandomierz operation he managed to destroy 9 German vehicles. In the battles for Berlin, he shot down 3 planes in one day, and won his last victory on April 18, 1945, at point-blank range, from 30 meters, shooting an FV-190.
In total, during the war he conducted about 300 sorties, 100 air battles, and personally shot down 50 enemy aircraft, 9 of them in the Yak-1, the rest in the Airacobra.
Before the attack on the USSR, the air force of Nazi Germany did not consider Soviet pilots as serious opponents. It was generally accepted in the Luftwaffe that only enemy air defense could create trouble for the German aces. However, soon after the aggression, the Nazis had to radically change their attitude towards Soviet pilots. Our aviation provided such a rebuff to the invaders that the Nazis had not encountered anywhere in Europe.
See in the AiF.ru infographics which of the Soviet ace pilots shot down the most German planes.
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Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub
Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub was born in the village of Obrazhievka, Glukhov district, Chernigov province (now Shostkinsky district, Sumy region of Ukraine). Kozhedub’s first meeting with aviation began at the flying club of the chemical-technological technical school in the city of Shostka, where he entered after school. It was there in April 1939 that he made his first flight. The beauty of his native land, revealed from a height of 1500 meters, made a strong impression on the young man and predetermined his entire future life. At the beginning of 1940, Kozhedub was admitted to the Chuguev Military Aviation School. According to the recollections of his classmates, he flew a lot, often experimented, honing his aerobatic skills, and loved the theory of aircraft construction. The skills acquired during his studies were subsequently very useful to Kozhedub: according to his comrades, he knew the combat vehicle better than the back of his hand. During the entire war, the pilot was never shot down; even a heavily damaged fighter, risking his life, he always returned to the airfield. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, Kozhedub continued his studies; in 1949, he graduated with honors from the Red Banner Air Force Academy. The pilot's strong knowledge and extensive experience very soon found their use. In 1951–52 During the Korean War, Kozhedub commanded an entire aviation division; his falcons shot down 258 enemy aircraft in that conflict.
- Soviet aviation suffered the fewest losses in World War II of all the warring powers.- Guns.Ru
Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin
Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin was born in Novonikolaevsk (now Novosibirsk). He became interested in aviation at the age of 12, when he saw airplanes flying in the sky. Subsequently, Pokryshkin entered the 3rd Military School of Aviation Technicians, and at the end of 1934 he became a senior aircraft technician of the 74th Taman Rifle Division.
However, in order to become not an aircraft technician, but a pilot, Pokryshkin had to go through a long and difficult path. To obtain this profession, he persistently studied the history of flight and military history, physics and mathematics, physiology and descriptive geometry for four years. Pokryshkin wrote 39 reports to commanders with a request to let him go to flight school, but each time he was refused. The situation did not suit the young man at all, and in September 1938, during his next vacation, in seventeen days he mastered the two-year program of the Krasnodar flying club and passed the exam as an external student with excellent marks. Finally, in his 40th report, he included a certificate of completion of the flying club and already in November 1938 he became a student at the Kachin Military Aviation School. A year later he graduated with honors, now becoming a pilot.
The educational path completed was worth it: already in 1941, having become known as a virtuoso of flying, Senior Lieutenant Pokryshkin was appointed deputy squadron commander. There is a common legend that, having received information about the approach of this pilot’s fighter, the Germans began to transmit urgent messages to each other: “Akhtung, akhtung! Pokryshkin is in the sky!”
Nikolay Dmitrievich Gulaev
Nikolai Dmitrievich Gulaev was born in the village of Aksai (now the city of Aksai, Rostov region). He graduated from 7 classes of junior high school and a secondary school, and studied at the flying club in the evenings. This hobby helped him in 1938, when Gulaev was drafted into the army. The amateur pilot was sent to the Stalingrad Aviation School, from which he graduated in 1940.
During the war, Gulaev enjoyed a reputation as a daredevil. In August 1942, an incident happened to him that showed both courage and a certain willfulness of his character. The young pilot did not have permission to fly at night, and when on August 3, 1942, Nazi planes appeared in the area of responsibility of the regiment where Gulaev served, experienced pilots took to the skies. Gulaev also flew with them, who decided to prove that he was no worse than the “old men.” As a result, in the very first battle, without experience, without the help of searchlights, a German bomber was destroyed. When Gulaev returned to the airfield, the arriving general said: “For the fact that I flew out without permission, I am reprimanding, and for the fact that I shot down an enemy plane, I am promoting him in rank and presenting him for a reward.”
Grigory Andreevich Rechkalov
Grigory Andreevich Rechkalov was born in the village of Khudyakovo, Irbitsky district, Perm province (now the village of Zaykovo, Irbitsky district, Sverdlovsk region). He became acquainted with aviation while studying in the glider pilots' circle at the factory school of the Verkh-Isetsky plant in Sverdovsk. In 1937, he entered the Perm Military Pilot School and subsequently graduated with success. In 1939, with the rank of sergeant, he was enlisted in the 55th Aviation Fighter Regiment in Kirovograd.
Rechkalov's main trait was persistence. Despite the fact that the medical commission determined that the pilot was color blind, he won the right to continue serving and in 1941 he was sent to the 55th Fighter Regiment. According to his colleagues, Rechkalov had a rather uneven character. Showing an example of discipline in one mission, in the next he could be distracted from the main task and just as decisively begin the pursuit of a random enemy.
Kirill Alekseevich Evstigneev
Kirill Alekseevich Evstigneev was born in the village of Khokhly, Ptichensky volost, Chelyabinsk district, Orenburg province (now the village of Khokhly, Kushmyansky village council, Shumikha district, Kurgan region). According to the recollections of his fellow villagers, he grew up as a strong and very resilient boy.
Evstigneev combined classes at the flying club with work at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant. He later graduated from the Burma Military Flying School. Observing the light and precise cascade of figures he performed in the air, it was difficult to imagine that Evstigneev was suffering from an illness that prohibited him from serving in aviation - a peptic ulcer. However, like another ace pilot Rechkalov, Estigneev showed persistence and ensured that he was kept in service. The pilot's skill was so high that, according to the stories of his colleagues, he could land the fighter on one wheel or on a narrow path cleared of snow between two meter-long ice barriers.
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Heroes of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945):
- Fifty facts: the exploits of Soviet soldiers during the Great Patriotic War- Law and duty
- 5 myths about the beginning of the war from military historian Alexei Isaev- Thomas
- Pobeda or Pobeda: how we fought- Sergey Fedosov
- The Red Army through the eyes of the Wehrmacht: confrontation of spirit- Eurasian Youth Union
- Otto Skorzeny: "Why didn't we take Moscow?"- Oles Buzina
- In the first air battle - don't touch anything. How aircraft gunners were trained and how they fought - Maxim Krupinov
- Saboteurs from a rural school- Vladimir Tikhomirov
- An Ossetian shepherd killed 108 Germans in one battle at the age of 23- Cont
- Mad warrior Jack Churchill- Wikipedia
- The best Soviet ace pilots of the Great Patriotic War- Arguments and Facts
- The feat of the crew of the T-28 tank in Minsk- Dmitry Malko
- Ivan Lysenko's feat: one against 15 tanks- I am Russian
- Three tanks with one shell. Several cases of amazing luck during the Great Patriotic War - Vitaly Karyukov
- How Chapaev beat the Nazis- Warfare
- How pilot Devyatayev’s escape from captivity changed the course of the war- Sergei Tikhonov
- "Comrade Sergeant"(Military memoirs - their author, Hero of the Soviet Union Sergei Stepanovich Matsapura, went through the Great Patriotic War from its first day to the last in the rank of sergeant - Military literature