Kamozin met the war in parts of the Kyiv Special Military District. On June 23, he made his first combat mission in an I-16 and was wounded in the foot. As part of his unit, he was sent to retrain on the “laggi”, and again his graceful, error-free piloting did not go unnoticed: Kamozin was appointed instructor. He had a chance to return to the front a year later. In his first combat mission as part of the 246th IAP, he won a victory, shooting down an Me-109 in the Tuapse area. During the first month of fighting, he shot down 4 enemy aircraft, among them such a formidable machine as the Do-217, armed with four cannons and six machine guns. Several times he had the opportunity to fly out on combat missions together with Karalash - a famous test pilot in pre-war times, a brave warrior, and a virtuoso fighter during the war. In November 1942, shortly after the death of Karalash, Kamozin managed to shoot down 2 Me-109 and Me-110 in one battle in one battle, after which he was appointed deputy commander in the 296th IAP... In May 1943, when Art. Lieutenant Kamozin was appointed commander of the 66th IAP (329 IAP, 4 VA), he had more than 100 combat missions on the LaGG-3, 17 personal air victories - the second result shown on a vehicle of this type (the first was by A. Kulagin). In the first combat mission in the new regiment on a new Airacobra, Kamozin shoots down the “frame” hanging over the front edge, while his plane was seriously damaged by fierce anti-aircraft artillery fire, and the pilot landed it in neutral, right next to the trenches of his combat security... At the end of 1943, in a heavy battle over Kerch, he destroyed 2 enemy fighters. The second plane was shot down while the car was on fire. At low altitude, Kamozin left the plane, tearing the pilot ring on the parachute, and a few seconds later fell into cold water. He swam out and was picked up by sailors. On January 12, 1944, in two sorties, he managed to destroy 2 Junkers, thereby bringing the number of vehicles he personally shot down to 30.

Kamozin spent a lot of air battles as part of the 101st GIAP paired with ml. Lieutenant V. Maslov (115 combat missions, 5 personally shot down). On January 20, 1945, during a combat mission, due to a broken engine connecting rod, the engine of the Kamozin Airacobra stalled, and the car fell to the ground, capping and falling apart... He found the strength to get out of the wreckage of the cabin, and with signs to forbid his wingman from landing on the uneven ground. , very rough terrain... He was never able to fully recover from the injuries received in this accident. Doctors insisted on amputating his left leg, but inflexibility, courage and willpower allowed Kamozin to avoid this crippling operation. He celebrated Victory Day in the hospital.

During the war he conducted about 200 combat missions, in 70 air battles he personally shot down 35 and 13 enemy aircraft in a group.

After the war, Kamozin was demobilized. Worked in the Civil Air Fleet. Conducted social work. Died in Bryansk on November 24, 1983.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1.5.43; 1.7.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, medals.

Karasev Alexander Nikitovich

Born in Vladikavkaz on August 30, 1916. After a seven-year school and a general education school, he graduated from Nakhichevan, and just before the war, Bataysk military aviation school.

He conducted his first combat missions in June 1941 on the Southern Front, as a pilot of the 282nd IAP. In the fall he was appointed flight commander of the 5th separate air defense squadron, and in July 1942 he took part in the battles in the Stalingrad direction as part of the 6th IAP. On August 6, he won one of his brightest victories, shooting down two Yu-87s in half a minute. In September 1942, Lieutenant Karasev was transferred to the 9th GIAP. In the battles near Stalingrad, he carried out 120 combat missions, and in 35 air battles he personally shot down 6 enemy aircraft. On December 17, while in the cover group, he took on eight Me-109s and, skillfully using the height and sun, shot down 2 of them.

With special inspiration, Karasev fought air battles during the liberation of Rostov: after all, his only Nadya remained in the city occupied by the Germans. When Rostov was liberated and the regiment flew to the airfield. M.V. Frunze, the pilot received permission from the commander, a well-worn regimental "emka" and rushed through the still smoking streets after his beloved... Like in a fairy tale, he found her, thin, but happy, and, like in a fairy tale, the first wedding was celebrated in the regiment, breathed on people in spring and peace.

On May 10, 1943, L. Shestakov signed his nomination for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union: “... Karasev showed himself to be a fearless and strong-willed pilot, who knows his aircraft and weapons very well... has 301 combat missions to his credit, conducted 70 air battles in which he shot down 23 enemy aircraft, 14 of them personally.”

When the regiment received the Airacobra, Karasev was already a recognized ace, having won 30 victories. In the battles for the liberation of Donbass, he continued his winning record, shooting down Xe-111, Yu-87 and Me-109. On February 1, 1944, he was appointed assistant regiment commander for the VSS, and on February 25 he was awarded the rank of major.

...On April 7, in a battle near Dzhankoy with five Me-109s, Karasev’s plane caught fire, the pilot tried to take the car behind the front line, but lost consciousness from the burns. The Cobra fell to the ground, and miraculously the ace who remained alive was captured. By that time, Guard Major A. Karasev had conducted more than 380 combat missions, in 112 air battles he personally shot down 30 enemy aircraft and destroyed 11 in the group.

Despite his injuries, he escaped several times; once, already in 1945, as part of a group of four people, he made his way from German territory to the east for several days, but was captured and returned to the camp. It was liberated by Soviet soldiers on May 8, 1945.

After the war he continued to serve in the Air Force. Flew on new generation fighters. During the conflict in Korea he commanded a regiment, then was appointed deputy division commander. Alexander Nikitovich was the most productive of the Soviet veterans, Heroes of the Soviet Union, who fought in Korea. He has 7 personal victories won on the MiG-15 bis - B-29, F-86, 4 F-84. F-81. He graduated from the Higher Academic Courses, and in September 1959 - from the Military Academy of the General Staff. On February 18, 1958, he was awarded the rank of major general of aviation. For more than 10 years he was the chief of staff of the Chernigov Military Aviation School. Lived in Chernigov. Died March 14, 1991

Heroes of the Soviet Union (24.8.43). Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, Red Star, medals.

Karpov Alexander Terentievich

The military activity of most of the heroes of this book, or, as they more often called it, “combat work,” sometimes went beyond the limits of human capabilities, moving into that special area of psychophysical activity of the individual, which, in a broad sense, met the criteria of high art. Mastering the art of a fighter pilot meant cultivating in oneself a special intuition that allowed one to pass unscathed between dozens of deadly routes, avoid many deadly gaps, be in the right place at the right time and instantly hit the enemy. Combat work was not only dangerous, but required extreme exertion of intellectual and physical strength, and in moral terms, the predominance of the consciousness of the need to complete the task not only over desire, but sometimes over opportunity. The fate of A. Karpov, the most effective pilot of the country's air defense forces, the only one among them twice Hero, is a vivid example of service to duty.

He was born near Kaluga, in the village of Felenevo, on October 14, 1917. He graduated from the 8th grade, the FZU school, and worked in the tool shop of the Kaluga Machine-Building Plant. During my school years I was involved in the club of the House-Museum named after. K. Tsiolkovsky, later his dream came true, and he was accepted into the Kaluga Aero Club, and in 1939, reserve pilot A. Karpov was enrolled in the Kachin Military Aviation School. In 1940, ml. Lieutenant Karpov was sent to serve in one of the aviation units stationed in Ukraine. His flying style attracted the attention of the command, and among several pilots he was sent to master the first fighter of a new generation - the Yak-1.

, Ukrainian SSR

Battles/wars Border battles in Moldova, Tiraspol-Melitopol defensive operation (1941), Donbass-Rostov strategic defensive operation, Rostov offensive operation (1941), defensive battles on the Don (1942), Battle of Stalingrad (1 942), Rostov offensive operation (1943), Miusskaya , Donbass and Melitopol offensive operations; Korean War

Alexander Nikitovich Karasev- Soviet military leader, fighter pilot, participant and veteran of the Great Patriotic War (senior lieutenant at the beginning of the war, by the end of his combat participation in the war - major and assistant commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment). Later - commander of the 523rd Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 303rd Fighter Aviation Division of the 54th Air Army, a significant participant in the Korean War in 1951-1952; from October 1952 - commander of the 303rd Fighter Aviation Division. In 1959-1968 - military teacher, chief and deputy. head of several military aviation schools for pilots.

Biography

Born on August 30, 1916 in the city of Vladikavkaz, Terek region, now the capital of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania, in the family of a mason. Russian . He graduated from 7 classes and a federal school with the profession of “metal turner”; he worked as a turner at a garment factory named after S. M. Kirov. He lived on Trubetskoy Street, building 5, which today is a cultural heritage site of the Russian Federation. In the Red Army since December 1937. He was called up for military service and served as a mechanic in the Air Force of the North Caucasus Military District. In April 1940 he was sent to study. In December 1940 he graduated from the Nakhichevan Military Aviation School, and in 1941 from the Bataysk Military Aviation School of Pilots. Member of the CPSU(b)/CPSU since 1943.

On May 10, 1943, the flight commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, 8th Air Army, Southern Front), Guard Senior Lieutenant Karasev A.N. was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. “During the hostilities with the German invaders,” stated regiment commander L.L. Shestakov, “Karasev showed himself to be a fearless and strong-willed fighter pilot who knew his aircraft and weapons very well... He has 301 combat missions to his name, conducted 70 air battles in which he shot down 23 enemy aircraft, 14 of them personally.”

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 24, 1943, Guard Senior Lieutenant Alexander Nikitovich Karasev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 1138).

On November 5, 1943, Karasev was awarded the next military rank of captain, and on February 25, 1944, he became a major.

On April 7, 1944, Major A. N. Karasev did not return from a combat mission... He had to engage in battle with five Messerschmitts. Skillfully maneuvering, he destroyed one plane and knocked out another. But he himself was shot down. Engulfed in flames, his plane crashed on enemy-occupied territory in Crimea...

By this time, A. N. Karasev had more than 380 combat missions and 112 air battles, in which he shot down 23 enemy aircraft personally and 9 in a group. Participant in defensive battles in Moldova and the Tiraspol-Melitopol defensive operation in the summer of 1941, Donbass and Rostov defensive operations in 1941, 1941, in defensive battles on the Don in the summer of 1942, in the Battle of Stalingrad, Rostov offensive operation in winter 1943, in Miusskaya, Donbassskaya , Melitopol offensive operations.

The brave pilot remained alive. In an unconscious state, he was captured. He was kept in a Sevastopol prison, then went through a number of concentration camps. He ran several times, but to no avail. On May 8, 1945, the Mauthausen camp, in which A.N. Karasev was located, was liberated by Soviet troops. The pilot learned that his 6th Guards Air Division was located nearby, in Czechoslovakia. He wrote a letter there. Soon a Po-2 plane flew to the camp to pick him up and transferred him to the division.

He was undergoing a special inspection at the officer filtration camp at the 12th reserve rifle brigade of the South Ural Military District. In November 1945, the review was completed, all awards were returned to him, and he remained in the Air Force. In January 1946, he returned to his native 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (part of the 1st Air Army of the Belarusian Military District). Since June 1946, he was a pilot-inspector for piloting techniques of the 303rd Fighter Aviation Division in the Belarusian Military District, which in June 1950 was transferred in full force to the Primorsky Military District and transferred to the 54th Air Army. In January 1951, he was appointed commander of the 523rd Fighter Wing in this division. Mastered jet fighters.

In March 1951, the regiment was transferred to northern China, and a government mission began. Since June 1951 - participant in the Korean War of 1950-1953. In this war, he again proved himself not only to be a personally brave air fighter (he was the first to open his regiment’s combat account in an air battle on June 18, 1951), but also to be a skilled and competent commander. There, during the war in October 1951, he was appointed deputy commander of the 303rd Fighter Aviation Division and then almost did not participate in combat missions, remaining in Korea until February 1952. Colonel A.N. Karasev became the most productive of the Soviet veterans, Heroes of the Soviet Union, who fought in Korea. He made 112 combat missions on the MiG-15bis, and personally destroyed 7 aircraft (1 bomber and 6 US fighters) in air battles. He was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union twice, but in Moscow the award was replaced by the Order of Lenin.

Upon returning to the USSR, in October 1952 he was appointed commander of the 303rd Fighter Aviation Division. Since December 1957, he has been studying; he graduated from the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff in September 1958, and in September 1959 he graduated from the main course of the Military Academy of the General Staff.

Since September 1959 - head of the Voroshilovgrad Military Aviation School of Pilots. After its closure in December 1960, he was transferred as chief of staff - deputy head of the Chernigov military aviation school for pilots. Since August 1968, Aviation Major General A. N. Karasev has been in reserve.

Knight of the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree (03/11/1985);

Knight of the Order of the Red Star (12/30/1956);

medal "For Military Merit" (06/24/1948);

other medals.

Memory

In Chernigov, on the house where the Hero lived, a memorial plaque was installed.

Born on August 30, 1916 in the city of Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, in a working-class family. He graduated from 7 classes of junior high school and a secondary school, worked as a turner at a garment factory named after S. M. Kirov. Since 1937 in the Red Army. He graduated from the Nakhichevan Military Aviation Pilot School in 1940 and Bataysk in 1941.

Since July 1941, Sergeant A.N. Karasev has been in the active army. Before August, he fought as part of the 282nd IAP, flying I-16; to November 1941 - in the 5th Air Defense Division, flew I-16; until April 1942 - in the 248th IAP, where he flew I-16 and Yak-1; to July 1942 - in the 164th IAP, flew LaGG-3; to September 1942 - in the 6th IAP of the Southwestern Front; Until April 1944 he fought in the 9th Guards IAP, flew the Yak-1 and P-39 Airacobra.

By May 1943, the flight commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, 8th Air Army, Southern Front) of the Guard, Senior Lieutenant A. N. Karasev, made 301 combat missions, conducted 70 air battles, shot down 14 aircraft individually and 9 in a group.

After the war he continued to serve in the Air Force. Participant in the Korean War 1950 - 1953. Personally shot down 7 enemy aircraft. In 1959 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. Since 1968, General - Aviation Major A. N. Karasev has been in reserve. Lived in the city of Chernigov. Died March 14, 1991.

Awarded the orders: Lenin (three times), Red Banner (four times), Patriotic War 1st Class, Red Star; medals.

* * *

In the laconic language of a military report, the commander of the 9th Guards Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Morozov, reported that Guard Senior Lieutenant Alexander Nikitovich Karasev had been participating in the Patriotic War since June 22, 1941. During the fighting with the Nazi invaders, he showed himself to be a fearless and strong-willed fighter pilot who combined courage with excellent knowledge of the flight tactical data of his aircraft and its weapons...

It was fearlessness, will and excellent knowledge of the flight tactical data of the aircraft that were the qualities that invariably brought Karasev victory even in cases where the enemy was much superior in numbers.

Sergeant Karasev conducted his first combat missions in June 1941 on the Southern Front, as a pilot of the 282nd Fighter Aviation Regiment. In the fall, he was appointed flight commander of the 5th separate air defense squadron, and in July 1942 he took part in the battles in the Stalingrad direction as part of the 6th Fighter Aviation Regiment.

On August 6, 1942, he won one of his brightest victories, shooting down 2 Me-109 fighters in half a minute. In September 1942, Lieutenant Karasev was transferred to the renowned 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. In the battles near Stalingrad, he carried out 120 combat missions, and in 35 air battles he personally shot down 6 enemy aircraft.

On December 17, 1942, Karasev flew out to intercept 12 enemy bombers heading towards our advancing ground forces under the cover of 8 fighters. Five fighters were supposed to attack 20 enemy aircraft. Karasev and his wingman, being in the covering group of fighters, entered into battle with the Me-109 group to enable their comrades to attack the bombers. Entering into battle with 8 enemy fighters, Karasev understood that the battle would be difficult, but there was no time to think. “Height, height...” - that’s what the pilot thought about first of all. And he succeeded. He gained the required height and unexpectedly attacked the Messers from the direction of the sun. One of them was cut into the ground with a burning torch, he pinned the rest in battle.

Each attack of Karasev was distinguished by high literacy. He always adhered to the principle that an attack should be built with the expectation not only of defeating the enemy, but also of taking an advantageous starting position after the attack. In other words, you need to use speed and maneuver carefully.

The fight continued. Meanwhile, the rest of our fighters attacked the bombers. Immediately 2 cars with a bomb load crashed to the ground. Enemy fighters, seeing the threatening position of their bombers, rushed to their aid. But it was not there. Karasev at maximum speed overtook the lead vehicle and rushed towards the enemy.

The planes were rapidly approaching - one with red stars on the wings, the other with a black swastika. Karasev lied his entire will into his fist. And he stood it without flinching. The German, trying to avoid a collision, raised the nose of his plane. For an instant, Alexander saw the unprotected belly of the enemy vehicle and fired a machine-gun burst at it. "Messer" fell down.

The Nazis, having lost 2 Messerschmitts and 3 Junkers in this battle, dropped a bomb load on their own troops and hastily retreated to the west. The Soviet pilots returned to their airfield without losses.

For this battle, Karasev was awarded the second Order of the Red Banner.

In another battle, this was in January 1943, Karasev and his wingman covered our ground troops in the Politotdelsk area. The keen eye of the pilot noticed the approach of 8 enemy bombers, accompanied by 6 Me-109s. Being above the enemy bombers, Karasev with a sharp dive attacked the lead Junkers and pierced it with a well-aimed machine-gun burst. The enemy vulture fell like a stone.

Having upset the ranks of the bombers, the Soviet pilots entered into battle with the fighters, preventing either the bombers or the enemy fighters from completing their missions.

With special inspiration, Karasev fought air battles during the liberation of Rostov: after all, his only Nadya remained in the city occupied by the Germans. When Rostov was liberated and the regiment flew to the airfield named after M.V. Frunze, the pilot received permission from the commander, a well-worn regimental "Emka" and rushed through the still smoking streets after his beloved... Like in a fairy tale, he found her, thin but happy, and brought to the regiment, giving him a job as a military technician in the BAO.

One of the fiercest air battles, which took place on the approaches to the railway station and the city of Bataysk on March 22, 1943, remained in Karasev’s memory for a long time.

Intelligence reported that a large group of enemy aircraft was approaching Bataysk. Karasev, who had just returned from another patrol, again took to the air and with his unit rushed to intercept the enemy.

Peering into the distance, Karasev noticed rapidly increasing points on the horizon. The experienced pilot immediately established that the enemy had 20 bombers and 6 fighters. There is no time to think - you need to make a decision quickly. - We go into the clouds and attack the bombers first with the whole force. Stick with me! - the pilots heard the voice of their commander.

The even formation of Soviet fighters went into the clouds. When the enemy bombers approached Bataysk at a distance of 1 - 1.5 km, they unexpectedly came under a rapid attack. Karasev fired a machine-gun burst at the leading Junkers from a short distance. The enemy plane exploded with its bombs. It was not from the fragments of enemy bombs, or maybe from the machine-gun fire of our other fighters, but almost simultaneously with the enemy bomber exploding in the air, 2 more enemy vehicles started smoking and went like stones to the ground. An unexpected and daring attack on the enemy, an unusual explosion of a bomb carrier in the air, the loss of 2 other bombers - all this stunned the enemy so much that he, randomly dropping his bomb load and losing all control, began to hastily leave.

By the time the enemy fighters realized it, it was already too late. Their bombers were never able to reach Bataysk. And the fascist fighters, hoping for their numerical superiority, decided to give battle to our planes. Karasev managed to hit another car in this battle. His comrades shot down 2 Me-109s.

The heaviest battle was fought on March 25, 1943 by six “Yakovs” of the 9th GvIAP under the command of Amet Khan-Sultan with a group of more than 100 enemy bombers under the cover of 18 Me-109 fighters. In this battle, our pilots shot down 7 aircraft. The turning point came when Nikolai Korovkin destroyed the leading enemy fighter with a ramming attack. Both cars fell to pieces. Korovkin managed to get out of the wreckage and open his parachute, but another Messer reached him with a fiery path...

Alexander Karasev did not have time to cover his friend, but avenged his death - he set fire to the enemy plane with a short burst. Then, in a rage, he rushed at the other, but he himself fell under the oncoming traffic, which knocked the canopy off the cabin. His face was injured by shrapnel. Blood poured into his eyes, but Alexander continued to attack and shot down another plane. In the same battle, Amet Khan’s wingman, Ivan Borisov, was also shot down, but managed to escape by parachute.

Having recovered from the wound received in this battle, Alexander Karasev soon married his beloved and in the regiment, as in a fairy tale, they played the first wedding that breathed spring and peace on people.

Then he took part in the battles on the Kuban and Mius fronts, for Taganrog and Melitopol, the Dnieper bridgehead and Sevastopol. After the Yak, in the summer of 1943, he switched to the Airacobra.

On May 10, 1943, the commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel L.L. Shestakov, signed his nomination for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union:

“...Karasev showed himself to be a fearless and strong-willed pilot, who knows his aircraft and weapons very well... has 301 combat missions to his name, conducted 70 air battles, in which he shot down 23 enemy aircraft, 14 of them personally.

Comrade Karasev, knowing his plane and the enemy’s tactics very well, bears with honor the proud title of Soviet ace of the Southern Front. For his courage, dedication and heroism in the fight against enemy vultures during the defense of Stalingrad and in the winter offensive of the Red Army, for the destruction of 14 enemy aircraft personally and 9 in group battles, he is worthy of the highest government award - the title of Hero of the Soviet Union."

For the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command, courage, bravery and heroism shown in the fight against the Nazi invaders, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 24, 1943, the Guard, senior lieutenant Alexander Nikitovich Karasev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and medal " Golden Star".

Newspapers of the 8th Air Army and the Southern Front widely noted the exploits of the brave pilot. Tactical innovations in air warfare, which were demonstrated by Karasev, were widely promoted in aviation units and formations.

In August 1943, for successful air battles in the Melitopol area, A. N. Karasev was awarded the third Order of the Red Banner.

When the regiment received the Airacobra, Karasev was already a recognized ace, having won more than two dozen aerial victories. In the battles for the liberation of Donbass, he continued his winning record, shooting down 3 more aircraft: He-111, Ju-87 and Me-109.

On February 1, 1944, he was appointed assistant regiment commander for the air rifle service, and on February 25 he was awarded the rank of Major.

How did the further fate of the Hero develop?

Hot June day in the town of Ordzhonikidze. The postman stopped at house number 5 on Trubetskoy Street. A thin man of about 60 years old came out when he knocked.

A letter from Sasha? - the old man was happy.

Unfortunately, no, Nikita Dmitrievich,” the postman answered guiltily, “you have a summons, they are inviting you to the military registration and enlistment office.”

Nikita Dmitrievich, Alexander’s father, did not immediately understand why he was being invited to the military registration and enlistment office. The old man took the piece of paper and, without saying anything at home, hurried to the military registration and enlistment office.

A! Hello, hello, Nikita Dmitrievich, take a seat,” the officer greeted the old man in a friendly, but semi-official manner, pointing to an empty chair.

Karasev sat down, looking expectantly at the military commissar. And he, as if he had now decided to clean up his desk, began straightening pencils, pens, and papers.

“Well, how can I tell him this sad news?” - he thought. The officer knew Karasev's father well, an old bricklayer who had worked continuously at the Kavtsink plant for decades and retired for health reasons.

Nikita Dmitrievich, unfortunately, I can’t do anything to please you. Although there is no particular reason for alarm, your son may be alive, but there is currently no contact with him. Read it here.

And he handed the old man the notice received by the military registration and enlistment office.

The old man took the letter with a trembling hand:

"To the district military commissar of Ordzhonikidze. Assistant commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, Hero of the Soviet Union of the Guard, Major Alexander Nikitovich Karasev, a native of the city of Ordzhonikidze, Trubetskaya, building 5, while at the front, went missing on April 7, 1944 during an air battle in the Crimea ... By order of the Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense dated May 18, A. N. Karasev was excluded from the lists as missing in action... June 14, 1944."

Take heart, Nikita Dmitrievich, maybe Sasha will be found,” the officer reassured the old man.

Nikita Dmitrievich did not listen to him. He did not want to come to terms with the fact that his son, assistant regiment commander, Hero of the Soviet Union, could go missing.

He left the military registration and enlistment office with a heavy heart. I had to go home, but my legs wouldn’t obey me. Sasha was his pride, the hope of the whole family. My father recalled how Sasha studied diligently, how he graduated from the secondary school, and then worked as a turner at a garment factory named after S. M. Kirov. How he loved the sky! He spent all his free time at the Ordzhonikidze flying club. And what warm, good letters he wrote from Bataysk, where he studied at the military aviation school.

Who's left at home now? Who to rely on? The son is Petya..., but he is still studying at a vocational school, he is only 16 years old, and the other is Yura, a student in the 8th grade, he has only turned 14 years old. The children's mother, Evdokia Mikhailovna, barely has time to care for her children and her sick husband, and then such grief falls on her shoulders!

The Karasyovs were very upset by the news about their son, but they waited and hoped that he was alive.

And suddenly... - in May 1945, joy burst into the Karasevs’ house. A letter... And in it: "... I am alive and well, I will tell you the details later. Sasha."

Alive!.. Alive Sasha! Happiness knew no bounds.

What happened?

On Friday, April 7, 1944, troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front advanced far to the west. They fought stubborn battles in the areas of Odessa, Razdelnaya, Tiraspol, and the troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front, in cooperation with the Separate Primorsky Army, the Black Sea Fleet, the Azov Military Flotilla and with the support of the Crimean partisans, began an operation with the goal of the final liberation of Crimea from the Nazi invaders .

German troops resisted fiercely, creating a defense in depth. The actions of enemy ground forces were supported by a powerful aviation group. Our command was able to accurately determine the basing areas of enemy aircraft. One of these areas was the territory near the settlement of Kurman-Kumelchi, in Crimea. Early in the morning, when all the enemy bombers were still at the airfield, Soviet attack aircraft appeared above them. One approach, second, third... The enemy airfield turned into a sea of fire and smoke. The attack aircraft performed excellently, their safety was reliably guarded by our fighters, led by the leader, Guard Major Karasev.

Suddenly a large group of Me-109s appeared on the horizon. An unequal battle ensued.

Don't let the "Messers" get to our "Ilas"! - Karasev ordered.

Time counts in a special way in air combat. Sometimes a second seems like an hour. It is difficult to say how long the air battle lasted. One thing is clear - the attack aircraft completed their task and set off on a reverse course. It seemed that the fighters had also completed their task and could return to their airfield. But the enemy pressed on, imposing new battles. There were losses on both sides.

Karasev was left alone against 5 Messers. He knew that it would be difficult for him to escape from 5 planes, but retreating and avoiding a battle with a numerically superior enemy was not in his character. And he decided to continue the fight. The Soviet ace was superior to the enemy in maneuvers and speed. Quickly taking the desired position for the attack, he quickly attacked the enemy aircraft. One of his attacks ended in success - the enemy plane, engulfed in flames, crashed to the ground. He damaged another vehicle, and the enemy was forced to leave the battlefield.

“I would like to finish off the wounded beast,” thought Karasev, but there was no time for him anymore—the surviving fighters were pressing on. The tension of the air battle reached its limit. Karasev was already stubbornly eager to launch a frontal attack. It was a life-and-death battle. The Nazis felt that in front of them was an experienced fighter who would not let them leave. Diving down - the enemy’s favorite way to get out of battle - turned out to be impossible: the ground was too close; to soar upward means to expose your belly. At some point, Karasev felt fragments of shells from an enemy fighter drumming on his car. The shell pierced the oil tank. Oil splashed onto the glass, onto the legs, and flooded the pilot’s cockpit.

Alexander felt that his fighter would now complete its combat history. “It would be nice to ram at least one more,” he thought. But going to ram one enemy means exposing your tail to others. It is forbidden. And he made the only correct decision in this situation - to leave, and, if possible, bring the plane to his airfield. Karasev began to leave at maximum speed. The fascists, exhausted from the battle, did not pursue him.

There was still a long way to go to the airfield, and the car was clearly losing speed. It turned out that the holes in the "hawk" were too significant and dangerous. The plane left trails of black smoke behind it. The pilot himself felt that his strength was leaving him.

“Sivash is ahead, our front line of defense is behind him, if only we could reach there,” thought Karasev. There are 10, 5, 3 kilometers left. A little more, but... at an altitude of 15 - 20 meters, the plane caught fire and fell to the ground.

There is a complete fog before my eyes... the outline of some figures, an unfamiliar conversation. Where is he? What about him? Where is the plane? Karasev could answer all these questions only a few days later, when his consciousness returned and he was taken from Simferopol to Sevastopol and from there by sea to the Romanian port city of Constanta. From here he was sent to a prisoner of war camp in the city of Krem (Austria), where he remained until the end of the Great Patriotic War, experiencing all the torments of the terrible regime of Hitler's concentration camps.

By that time, Guard Major A. N. Karasev had managed to make about 500 combat sorties, participating in 100 air battles, destroyed 25 aircraft personally and 9 in a group with comrades (according to other sources: he completed 381 combat sorties, conducted 112 air battles, shot down 25 aircraft personally and 11 in a group).

For a long time, his fellow soldiers knew nothing about his fate. Only after the war it became known that Alexander, despite his injuries, tried to escape several times. Once, already in 1945, as part of a group of 4 people, he made his way from German territory to the east for several days, but was captured and returned to the camp. It was liberated by Soviet soldiers on May 8, 1945.

After some time, all the awards were returned to him, and he continued to serve in aviation. Flew on new generation fighters.

In June 1946, Karasev was appointed inspector-pilot for technology and piloting theory of a fighter aviation division, and after 3 years he first became the commander of an aviation fighter regiment, then the division commander. In these positions he carried out important government tasks, for which he was awarded the Orders of Lenin and the Red Banner.

In October 1950, Lieutenant Colonel A.N. Karasev held the position of Senior Inspector of the 303rd IAD.

During the Korean conflict, he commanded the 523rd Fighter Wing (303rd Fighter Division), then was appointed deputy division commander. Alexander Nikitovich became the most productive of the Soviet veterans, Heroes of the Soviet Union, who fought in Korea. Having completed 112 combat missions on the MiG-15bis, he personally destroyed 7 enemy aircraft.

1) On June 18, 1951, in a battle in the Teishu-Hakusen-Kyojo area, he shot down an F-86. However, the Americans do not admit losses on this day.

2) On June 24, 1951, he shot down F-80 No. 49-646 from the 49th BAG (pilot E. Dunning was captured) in a big battle over the railway junction in the Anshu area. The interception took 10 MiG-15s from the 523 IAP under the command of Karasev. A total of 10 victories over the F-80 were claimed without losses. The US recognized only 4.

3,4) On September 19, 1951, 3 F-84Es from the 49th IBAG were counted during the battle in the Anshu area. In total, 7 victories were declared with the loss of 1 MiG-15 of Captain I. I. Tyulyaev (he was shot down by Captain K. Skin from the 9th AE of the 49th IBAG). The United States admitted the loss of 1 F-84E No. 51-528 (the pilot ejected. Whether it is included in the number of victories of A. N. Karasev is difficult to say...

5) On September 26, 1951, F-84E No. 50-1152 from the 154th Air Force of the 136th IBAG was shot down. Pilot Paul Ross ejected and was picked up by US PSS.

6) On October 27, 1951, a victory over a B-29 from the 19th BAG was credited. However, the Americans only admit damage to the car, which was later restored.

7) On January 5, 1952, he shot down F-84E No. 51-674 from the 111th AE of the 136th IBAG. Pilot Ray Greenway died during an emergency landing at his base in Daegu.

In May 1952, A.N. Karasev became commander of the 303rd IAD.

Upon returning to the Soviet Union, he continued to serve in the Air Force. He graduated from the Higher Academic Courses, and in September 1959, from the Military Academy of the General Staff. On February 18, 1958, he was awarded the rank of Major General of Aviation. For more than 10 years he was the chief of staff of the Chernigov Military Aviation School, where he trained personnel for the Air Force of our army.

* * *

List of famous victories of the Guard of Major A. N. Karasev in the Second World War:
(From the book “Victories of Stalin’s Falcons” by M. Yu. Bykov. Publishing house “YAUZA - EKSMO”, 2008.)

№ p/p	Date	Downed aircraft	Air battle location (victory)	Their aircraft
1	07/23/1942	1 Do-215 (in group - 1/7)	Varlamovsky	I-16, Yak-1, LaGG-3, P-39 Airacobra.
2	08/06/1942	1 Me-109	southwest Aksai
3	08/06/1942	1 Me-109	zap. Aksai
4	08/07/1942	1 Me-109 (in pairs - 1/2)	north - east Abganerovo
5	08/13/1942	1 Me-109	south hut. Berezovsky
6	08/20/1942	2 Me-109	Kotluban
7	12/17/1942	1 Me-109	Kapkinsky
8	01/30/1943	1 Ju-88	zap. Bolshaya Talovaya
9	03/22/1943	1 Ju-87	north - app. Azov
10	05/30/1943	1 Me-109	Stepanovka
11	06/29/1943	1 Ju-88	Yasinovsky
12	07/16/1943	1 Me-109	zap. Kuibyshevo
13	07/17/1943	1 Ju-88	district Kuibyshevo
14	07/19/1943	1 Me-109	Amvrosievka
15	02.10.1943	1 Me-109	zap. Voroshilovka
16	10/05/1943	1 Me-109	southwest Big Tokmak
17	01.11.1943	1 Ju-87	north - app. Armyansk
18	November 29, 1943	1 Not-111	zap. Dneprovka
19	November 30, 1943	1 Not-111	Bolshaya Belozerka
20	02/25/1944	1 Me-109	zap. Kherson
Total aircraft shot down - 25 + 9 [19 + 2]; combat sorties - about 500; air battles - 100.

TO

Kalugin Fedor Zakharovich

Born on February 15, 1920 in the village of Znamenskoye, Oryol province. Graduated from Tula secondary school. In 1939, he received a referral and was accepted into the Kachin Military Aviation School, which he graduated from in 1940. From the beginning of the war at the front. Fighting on the I-16, he conducted 105 combat missions, 27 attack aircraft, and shot down 1 enemy aircraft personally and 2 in a group. From July 1942 he fought in the ranks of the 8th IAP (later 42 GIAP), armed with Yak-1 aircraft. On August 20 and 23, 1943, in the Mozdok area, he shot down two FV-189 artillery spotters that were especially annoying to the infantry. In the last battle, Kalugin's plane was shot down, and he was forced to land at the location of enemy troops. Kalugin burned his fighter, managed to escape persecution and returned to his unit 4 days later. In battles on the North Caucasus Front, the pilot won 9 personal and 1 group victory and was awarded the Hero Star.

Subsequently, the navigator of the 42nd GIAP (216th GIAP, then 9th GIAD, then 229th GIAP, 4th VA), Captain Kalugin, fought in the Crimea, Belarus, and Poland. Conducted about 350 combat missions on I-16, Yak-1, Yak-9, personally shot down 21 and 6 enemy aircraft in the group.

After graduating from the Air Force in 1950, he continued to serve in the Air Force. He was demobilized with the rank of colonel in 1962. He lived in the town of Zhukovsky near Moscow and worked at a research institute as an engineer. After Kalugin's death on May 8, 1976, the street where he lived was named after him.

Hero of the Soviet Union (2.9.43). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st class, Order of the Red Star, and medals.

Kamenshchikov Vladimir Grigorievich

A most valiant pilot, he already won 8 official victories in the first two weeks. At the end of the summer of 1942, when the flames of the Battle of Stalingrad flared up, Captain Kamenshchikov had 20 personal and 17 group victories. No other Soviet pilot had such an official account at that time. Unfortunately, his last award sheet is dated the end of August 1942, and we have practically no information about the last months of his life and combat work, although one of the documents notes that he “shot down 16 enemy aircraft at Stalingrad.” In this case, the count of his personal and group victories increases to 48, but the evidence provided cannot be considered official.

V. Kamenshchikov was born on March 18, 1915 in Tsaritsyn, where a quarter of a century later he, along with hundreds of other fighters, was destined to gain great military glory... After graduating from 7 classes and the FZU school at the Volga Shipyard, he worked as a turner in a locomotive repair depot. Already in his youth, Vladimir’s penchant for leadership, characteristic of most high-class fighter pilots, and a creative interest in technology clearly manifested itself... In 1932, he entered the military construction technical school, and in 1935, after being drafted into the ranks of the Red Army Army, seeks to be sent to the Stalingrad Military Pilot School, which he graduates with “excellent” marks in 1937.

He won his first victory on the first day of the war, shooting down an Me-109 near Bialystok. True, his I-16 was set on fire in this battle, and Lieutenant Kamenshchikov “jumped out by parachute at an altitude of 200 m and returned to his unit,” and 4 days later he entered the battle again... On July 7 he again wins, on the 10th - shoots down an Me-109, and on the 12th - a Yu-88...

Together with his fellow soldier S. Ridny, V. Kamenshchikov was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union already in the first days of the war, just like Ridny, he won 8 victories by mid-July 1941: 4 personal and 4 group. One of his characteristics says: “... in battle he did not feel tired, sometimes making up to ten combat sorties a day, when he was reminded of rest, he was offended.”

Later, Captain Kamenshchikov took part in the defense of Moscow, from mid-October 1941 he took his Tomahawk, a foreign-made fighter, to meet the enemy, and was the first to receive the 126th IAP during the war. Since August 1942, he has been fighting in the Stalingrad direction on the Yak-1 as part of the 788th IAP, where he was appointed deputy regiment commander. In the first month of fighting for his hometown, Kamenshchikov personally shot down 2 heavy bombers - Yu-88 and Xe-111, and chalked up 3 more Me-109s to group victories. By that time, he had flown 256 combat missions, shot down 20 enemy aircraft personally and 17 in a group. In battles he was seriously wounded twice. Since February 1943, Major Kamenshchikov commanded the 38th GIAP (previously 629 IAP), which was part of the Stalingrad air defense system. Killed while performing a combat mission on May 22, 1943.

Hero of the Soviet Union (9.8.41). Awarded the Order of Lenin and the Red Banner.

Kamozin Pavel Mikhailovich

The front-line fate of this pilot was bright and unique, like the fate of any great warrior. In its “twist”, the intrigue of his military life sometimes resembles the plot of an exciting adventure film. In the winter of 1944, during a combat mission to the area of the village with the romantic name Seven Wells, he noticed a transport plane surrounded by six Messerschmitts. Disguising himself in the rays of the sun, Kamozin gained altitude and, ordering his wingman (Sergeant Major Vladykin) to open fire, accelerated the fighter to maximum speed. Having approached the target, he hit the Junkers with a long burst, after which, speeding up the engines, he and Vladykin went to his territory... A few days later it turned out that there was a group of high-ranking German officers on board the plane shot down by Kamozin. In addition, it became known that Goering, generous with populist assurances, promised to destroy the culprit of their death and even gave a personal order to a certain “Count” (nicknames were widespread among German pilots). However, Kamozin turned out to be too tough for the German, who himself became a victim of the tactical cunning and skill of the Soviet ace... In his military life, Kamozin fought more than 100 air battles, won victories over Heinkels and Dorniers, Ramas and Laptezhniki, “ Messers" and "Focks". He had the opportunity to effectively save a comrade by knocking out an enemy aircraft from under the tail of his plane, to burn himself, to land a downed fighter on the front line, to splash down with a parachute in winter, to land on a runway damaged by shells, and simply to fall along with the aircraft after an engine failure...

Kamozin was born on July 16, 1917 in the city of Bezhitsa, which today is part of Bryansk. After graduating from 6 classes, he entered the FZU, and in 1934, while working as a mechanic at the Krasny Profintern plant, he achieved admission to the flying club. As one of the most gifted students, he was left at the flying club as an instructor pilot. In 1938 he graduated from the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation School.

During the war he conducted about 200 combat missions, in 70 air battles he personally shot down 35 and 13 enemy aircraft in a group.

After the war, Kamozin was demobilized. Worked in the Civil Air Fleet. Conducted social work. Died in Bryansk on November 24, 1983.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1.5.43; 1.7.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, medals.

Karasev Alexander Nikitovich

Born in Vladikavkaz on August 30, 1916. After a seven-year school and a general education school, he graduated from Nakhichevan, and just before the war, Bataysk military aviation school.

Heroes of the Soviet Union (24.8.43). Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, Red Star, medals.

Karpov Alexander Terentievich

Karpov carried out his first combat missions near Moscow at the end of July 1941, paired with his senior comrade Art. Lieutenant I. Belyaev. In September, the regiment where Karpov fought was transferred to Leningrad. From relegation to relegation, the teamwork and skill of the Belyaev-Karpov pair grew stronger and stronger. A pronounced leader, Karpov, having already become a Hero, often flew out as Belyaev’s wingman. Rather, it was not a pair in its usual sense of “sword and shield,” but a more highly organized military unit, where the attacker was instantly determined from the point of view of combat expediency. The integrity of this couple was so organic that these pilots, having won more than 50 victories in the air, suffered defeat together - in the fall of 1942 and in July 1943, when Irinei Belyaev died. “The death of Irenaeus,” recalled A. Karpov, “pierced my heart with such pain that for the first seconds after what happened I did not see anything around me and was almost knocked down. I woke up only when I heard bullets pounding on my plane, and the familiar silhouette of a Messer flashed nearby. At that moment such rage boiled within me that, without looking around properly, I rushed after the passing plane. And only after some time I noticed that I was left alone against three fascists who decided to deal with me. What happened next is difficult to tell. It was some kind of hurricane battle. In this battle, I shot down two fascist vultures and among them the one from whose fire Irenaeus died. Left alone with the third fascist plane, I suddenly discovered that all my ammunition had been used up and decided to ram it. Taking advantage of the mistake the German pilot made when bringing the plane out of a dive, he reached maximum speed and went into the Messer’s tail... Well, I think, now I’ll get you and chop you in the tail with a propeller. I was just thinking when suddenly my plane was thrown up sharply, then fell on its side, and it began to fall randomly. I barely realized that the tail of the fighter had been knocked off by an anti-aircraft shell... As a result of incredible efforts, although very close to the ground, I still managed to get out of the cockpit and land safely with the help of a parachute. Fortunately, it was our own territory again..."

The loss of I. Belyaev made Karpov even more selfless and persistent in the air: at the end of July 1943, in five combat sorties in a row, he shot down 7 enemy aircraft.

People remembered him as an exceptionally modest and silent person who did not tolerate falsehood and showmanship. This characteristic has become a common place in this book, but these traits are inherent in most heroes in general, which was noted by Plutarch.

On June 30, 1944, the plane shot down by Karpov was decided to be considered the thousandth German plane shot down in the Leningrad sky on a Yak. General designer A. Yakovlev sent warm congratulations to Karpov.

In the summer of 1944, the 27th GIAP, where Captain Karpov served in the guard throughout the war, received Spitfires of the LF1X type. This machine turned out to be unlucky for the pilot. On October 20, 1944, while trying to reach a German reconnaissance officer walking at high altitude, Guard Major twice Hero of the Soviet Union A. Karpov lost consciousness due to a failure of the oxygen system, his Spitfire fell to the ground, and the pilot died.

During the war, he conducted 519 combat missions, in 130 air battles he shot down 30 enemy aircraft personally and 7 in a group. More than half of the aircraft he shot down were twin-engine bombers Xe-111, Yu-88 and Do-215, which is generally typical for air defense pilots.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (28.9.43; 22.8.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and medals.

Kirilyuk Viktor Vasilievich

At 22 years old, V. Kirilyuk became the youngest among the fighter aces who scored more than 30 official victories in the air.

In January 1943, he ended up in the 116th IAP, where such strong air fighters as Sultan-Galiyev fought (about 300 sorties, at least 12 personally shot down aircraft), A. Volodin, I. Novikov... Later N. Krasnov took him into his separate squadron of “hunters”, and from the end of 1944, after the disbandment of the squadron, having gathered the best pilots of the 295th IAD, he fought in G. Onufrienko’s regiment. As part of this regiment, he went through the crucible of air battles near Budapest, shot down 7 enemy aircraft in the skies of the Hungarian capital...

With a characteristic, uneven, as if nervous, flying style, Kirilyuk was an exceptionally sophisticated air fighter - cunning and assertive. His extraordinary flying abilities were not revealed immediately, but were noticed already in the first flights. When the talent was enriched with experience, the pilot was entrusted with especially dangerous and responsible missions, be it reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines, covering his troops when the enemy was outnumbered many times, or escorting a transport aircraft with a headquarters representative. It is repeatedly noted in the award lists that sergeant, lieutenant, senior officer. Lieutenant Kirilyuk has excellent command of the low-level flight technique and uses this technique in battles, during attack and reconnaissance missions. Controlling a machine in low-level flight, sometimes performed at an altitude of several meters, at a speed of more than 180 meters per second, strictly speaking, is beyond the capabilities of a person and can be designated by words that do not explain anything and differ only in emotional connotation: “art”, “inspiration” , "miracle"…

Kirilyuk conducted his first combat missions on LaGG-3 as an 18-year-old youth in January 1943. He fought in the North Caucasus, over the Dnieper, and liberated Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Austria.

The indomitability of his character is evidenced by the fighting on August 11, 1943, when over the Seversky Donets six La-5s, led by Kerim (as Kirilyuk’s fellow soldiers were called), attacked a large group of enemy bombers, mixed up enemy formations and shot down several vehicles. His plane received heavy damage in this battle - the depth control and aileron were broken. Having emerged from the battle and landing at his airfield, fortunately it was nearby, he instantly took off in a combat-ready vehicle and, returning, shot down another Yu-87, which completely demoralized the enemy.

Three times in air battles, Kirilyuk won double victories and once - triple. He spent his last combat missions over Vienna.

He was born on April 2, 1923 in the village of Bolshoye Gurovo, Perm province. As a child, he moved to Talitsa, where he graduated from high school and the flying club. In 1942, he underwent accelerated training at the Bataysk Military Aviation Pilot School.

The pilot finished the war. lieutenant, deputy commander of the 31st IAP, having conducted 620 combat missions, of which 600 on La-5, in 130 air battles, having won 32 personal and 9 group victories. Among those personally shot down: Yu-88, Do-217, Yu-52, 5 Yu-87, 18 Me-109, 5 FV-190, Khsh-126.

After the war he served in the Air Force. Flew on jet cars. He graduated from the Lipetsk officer courses in 1949. In 1958, the 35-year-old aviation lieutenant colonel, a renowned ace, was transferred to the reserve. He lived and worked in the Ural city of Talitsa, where he spent his childhood.

Hero of the Soviet Union (23.2.45). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 5 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 1st class, Order of the Red Star, medals.

Kiriya Shalva Nesterovich

Born on January 10, 1912 in the village of Tsaishi, in Georgia, he graduated from 6 classes, worked in his native village. He served as a Red Army soldier, then was accepted into the Orenburg Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which he graduated in 1935.

He was sent to bomber aviation, flew on TB-3, on SB. As part of the 427th BAP, on July 22, 1941, he carried out his first combat mission on the Western Front on the SB. As a crew commander, he flew several dozen combat missions on a bomber. On August 28, his SB was shot down by Messers, the crew managed to escape... In February 1942, he retrained as a fighter in a reserve air regiment near Saratov. He returned to combat work in May 1943, after completing advanced training courses for officers. He fought in the regiments of the 294th nad, was a commander, and later - a navigator of the 150th giap on the Voronezh, Steppe, and 2nd Ukrainian fronts. Liberated Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Austria.

Kiriya won his first victory in early June 1943, shooting down a Yu-88 with an attack from below. On July 7, during the Battle of Kursk, near Korochka, he fought a battle that brought him fame as an extraordinary air fighter. During this battle, Captain Kiriya's plane was cut off from its group by six Me-109s. Having lulled the vigilance of his pursuers, he shot down the leader from a distance of 50-100 meters, carefully approaching his car, but at the exit from the attack his fighter was also set on fire. Without losing his composure and again taking advantage of the Germans’ arrogance, he hit another Me-109 that had slipped past at point-blank range from 20 meters. Overcoming the pain from the wound and burns, the third enemy fighter attacked and shot it down with a long burst. Due to the sudden evolution of the vehicle during an air battle, the flame on it went out, and the brave pilot made an emergency landing with the landing gear retracted on his territory.

By June 1944, when the regiment commander A. Yakimenko signed his nomination for the title of Hero, Major Kiriya's guard had 189 combat missions, of which 95 were attack missions, 57 air battles, 22 enemy aircraft shot down personally, and 1 in Group. In battles he was wounded twice.

He won his last victory on May 7, 1945 near Vienna, shooting down a giant four-engine Condor after persistent attempts to land...

In total, during the war he conducted 250 combat missions on the Yak-1, Yak-7B, Yak-9T and Yak-3. He personally shot down 30 (FV-200, 7 Yu-87, Khsh-129, 10 Me-109, 11 FV-190) aircraft and destroyed 1 (FV-189) in a group.

After the war he continued to serve in the Air Force. Commanded a regiment and division. He retired in 1961 with the rank of major general. Lived and worked in the city of Zugdidi, later in Sochi. Wrote the book “The Sky Belongs to the Stars” (Tbilisi, 1981).

Hero of the Soviet Union (10.26.44). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 5 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, 3 Orders of the Red Star, medals.

Kitaev Nikolay Trofimovich

One of the best air fighters of the Soviet Air Force. By the end of 1943, he had conducted 320 sorties and 100 air battles, and had 27 personal and 8 group victories to his name.

Kitaev performed his first combat missions in the Great Patriotic War on the I-16 in December 1941 as part of the 131st IAP (40 GIAP). Later, the regiment was re-equipped with the LaGG-3, and in 1943 with the La-5. The pilot fought from Moscow to the western border of the country. He fought in the North Caucasus, fought in the Kursk direction, liberated Ukraine. In 1943, his combat missions were especially effective; he won victories in every second battle, and among the vehicles he shot down, more than half were bombers. Thus, from May to November 1943, Guard Captain Kitayev conducted 48 air combat missions in 118 combat missions, personally shot down 17 (5 Xe-111, Yu-88, 4 Yu-87, 4 Me-109, 3 FV-190) and there are 3 aircraft in the group (2 Xe-111 and Yu-87). During the defensive battle on the Kursk Bulge alone, he shot down 5 enemy aircraft. In 1944, Guard Major Kitaev was appointed commander of the 40th GIAP.

His combat path was tragically interrupted in one of the July sorties. Together with Guard Major A. Shvarev, he flew out to reconnaissance of enemy troops in the Ternopil area. On the way back, not far from the front line, they made an assault approach to the enemy column. At the same time, Kitaev’s plane was hit by a stray shell, he landed it without releasing the landing gear, but during landing he lost consciousness and was captured. In captivity, he did not lose his presence of mind, endured all his hardships with honor, and in 1945 he was released by Soviet soldiers.

Kitaev was born on November 22, 1917 in the village of Pichuga, Saratov province. He graduated from 7th grade, the FZU school and the flying club in Stalingrad. In 1938, Jr. Lieutenant Kitaev was graduated from the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation School. He served in the Air Force units of the Western Special Military District. He carried out several dozen attack missions during the Soviet-Finnish war.

During the Great Patriotic War he conducted about 400 combat missions. In 120 air battles he personally shot down 34 enemy aircraft and 8 in the group. In 1946, Lieutenant Colonel Kitayev was demobilized. Lived and worked in the village of Belynychi, Mogilev region.

Hero of the Soviet Union (1.5.43). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, medals.

Klimov Vasily Vladimirovich

On May 7, 1943, during the fighting in the Kuban near the Kievskaya station, attacking a large group of Yu-87s with 4 Yak-1s, covered by eight Me-109s, Klimov shot down 5 German bombers, conducting one of the most effective air battles in history. It is surprising that he won this magnificent victory already in his 13th combat mission. During the battle, his car was also hit, and he shot down the last “laptezhnik” with a burst from an already burning plane, being seriously wounded.

Klimov was born in the village of Aleksandrovka, Tambov province on May 9, 1917. In Moscow he graduated from 7 classes, and in Leningrad he graduated from the FZU school. He worked as a molder in a foundry and studied at an aviation technical school. Before being drafted into the army, I managed to complete 2 courses. In 1939, Jr. Lieutenant Klimov was graduated from the Chkalov Military Aviation School.

...After returning from the hospital to his regiment, he was appointed squadron commander, and later navigator of the 15th IAP. Since April 1943, Klimov went with the regiment throughout its entire combat path. Fought on the North Caucasus, Southern, 4th Ukrainian, 3rd and 1st Belorussian fronts. Based on the results of combat work, the 15th IAP became one of the most effective fighter regiments of the Soviet Air Force, with 580 enemy aircraft shot down in air battles.

By March 1945, when regiment commander Isakov signed a nomination for the title of Hero, Major Klimov, he had carried out 263 combat missions, 65 air battles, 37 attack missions, 68 escorts, 8 reconnaissance missions, 19 “hunts.” In battles, he personally shot down 22 enemy aircraft: 3 Xe-111, 2 Khsh-129, 9 Yu-87, 5 Me-109, 3 FV-190. In group battles, he shot down Yu-52 and Yu-87, destroyed 6 locomotives, 18 wagons, 12 trucks in assault operations, and burned 2 enemy aircraft at airfields.

Immediately after the war, the pilot was demobilized. He graduated from the party school and worked in the Orenburg regional party committee. In 1950, he was again drafted into the Soviet Army, where he served until the next reduction in aviation and flight personnel in 1958. He lived and worked in Orenburg. Died April 18, 1979

Hero of the Soviet Union (15.5.46). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, Order of the Red Star, medals.

Klubov Alexander Fedorovich

He combined in his character traits that seemed irreconcilable - exceptional balance and prudence with courage and risk-taking. “A. Klubov especially stood out for his courage and skill. Calm and a little phlegmatic in ordinary earthly life, in the air he was transformed, becoming a daring, decisive and proactive fighter. “I didn’t wait for the clubs, but looked for the enemy,” his friend, teacher and commander A. Pokryshkin wrote about him.

He began fighting in August 1942 as part of the 84th regiment in the North Caucasus. Here Klubov performed 240 combat missions, 150 attack aircraft, and shot down 4 enemy aircraft using the I-153. On November 2, 1942, his Chaika was shot down in an air battle near Mozdok and caught fire. Trying to save the car until the last moment, the pilot fought the flames, got burned himself, but in the end was forced to jump out with a parachute.

...At the end of May 1943, 15 pilots of the regiment, among them A. Klubov, were transferred to the 16th GIAP. Those assigned to the first squadron underwent thorough training under the leadership of Pokryshkin, who closely monitored their training flights and was the first of the new arrivals to take Klubov into battle. He immediately established himself as a fearless and at the same time creatively thinking air fighter. Soon, when Pokryshkin became deputy regiment commander, Lieutenant Klubov was appointed deputy commander.

On August 15, 1943, Klubov exceptionally accurately organized the battle of his six with two “frames” covered by four pairs of Me-109s. “Karpov! You are on the right,” he commanded his wingman. And in a swift attack, both German reconnaissance aircraft were shot down in the blink of an eye... In the battles for Melitopol, he shot down several enemy aircraft and was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

An athletically built, “combat-living” pilot, he was able to endure very high overloads. Klubov more than once landed a fighter deformed in air combat: with fuselage corrugations, distortions in the stabilizer and fin. These “non-combat” damage surprised not only his mechanic G. Shevchuk, but also the seasoned aces of the 16th Guards...

November 1, 1943 in the battles over Perekop st. Lieutenant Klubov shot down two Laptezhniki and a twin-engine multi-gun Henschel...

In the spring of 1944, he was appointed commander three and during the Iasi-Kishinev operation that soon began, he shot down 9 enemy aircraft in his Airacobra with tail number 45.

One day, during sad post-flight gatherings, Klubov’s comrades learned that their brilliant commander, taciturn and reserved, knew by heart dozens of Pushkin and Yesenin’s poems, remembered the lines of Tyutchev and Blok...

On November 1, 1944, after performing a training flight from the Polish Stahle airfield on a La-7 fighter, which was supposed to re-equip the division, Klubov’s plane crashed and the pilot died. His comrades remembered for the rest of their lives how, at the end of the run, the car suddenly turned slightly and was lifted onto its nose, how for a few moments it froze vertically, how, trembling, it slowly fell on its “back”...

A. Klubov was born on January 18, 1918 in the village of Yarunovo, Vologda province. I lost my father early and worked as a laborer. In 1934 he came to Leningrad and entered the training department of the Bolshevik plant. In 1937 he was admitted to the flying club, and in 1939 to the Chuguev Military Pilot School.

From August 1942 he fought on the Southern, North Caucasian, 1st, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian fronts. Assistant commander of the 16th GIAP (9 GIAP, 6 GIAC, 2 VA) Guard Captain Klubov conducted 457 combat missions, in 95 air battles he shot down 31 enemy aircraft personally and 19 in a group.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (13.4.44; 27.6.45, posthumously). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class.

Koblov Sergey Konstantinovich

Born in the village of Kobi in Georgia on November 22, 1915. He graduated from 7 classes and the Bataysk military aviation school. After being drafted into the Red Army in 1941, he was sent to a course for flight commanders, after which he served in the 160th brigade.

Koblov won his first victory in the fall of 1941, in one of the first combat missions, forcing the German reconnaissance Yu-88 to land at the location of our troops. Since 1942, he fought as part of the 182nd IAP, which was part of the country's 105th Air Defense. In the fight against groups of German bombers, he repeatedly, despite strong barrage fire and attacks by enemy fighters, attacked the group leaders and, as a rule, destroyed them... In one of the award documents he is given the following description: “S. K. Koblov has excellent training, high skill as a pilot, has excellent command of aviation technology, flies in any conditions, with limited visibility, reaches enemy aircraft at any altitude, and carries out combat missions personally under the most difficult conditions.”

Captain Koblov fought his best battle on May 11, 1943, when, repelling a raid on the Valuiki railway junction, he shot down a Yu-88 and 2 FV-190s, and in total the four he led shot down 7 German aircraft. He carried out most of his combat missions in Yaks and shot down 22 enemy aircraft during the war. Among those shot down, more than half were twin-engine heavy bombers: Do-215, Do-217, Xe-111, Yu-88.

After the war, Lieutenant Colonel Koblov commanded an aviation regiment. Killed while flying a new jet fighter on June 17, 1954.

Hero of the Soviet Union (14.2.43). Awarded the Order of Lenin, the Red Banner, and medals.

Kovalev Konstantin Fedotovich

Born on May 20, 1913 in the village of Mingrelskaya, Kuban region. Soon after graduating from the construction school in Novorossiysk, he was drafted into the Red Army and in 1937 graduated from the Stalingrad Military Aviation School of Pilots. He worked as an instructor pilot at a flying club. Since January 1942, having graduated from the Naval Air Force Command Improvement Course in Mozdok, K. Kovalev fought as a flight commander in the 13th IAP (later 14 GIAP, 9 GIAD, Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force). He took part in the battle of Leningrad, in the liberation of the Baltic states, and in the battles for East Prussia. Conducted more than 400 combat missions on the Yak-1, Yak-7 and Yak-9, personally shot down 20 and 14 enemy aircraft in a group. He was demobilized with the rank of captain in 1946. He lived in Krasnodar. Hero of the Soviet Union (22.1.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, and medals.

Kovachevich Arkady Fedorovich

Komesk, deputy commander, then commander of the 9th, “Shestakovsky” regiment of aces, he was one of those who, not only by personal participation in battles, but also organizationally, together with Shestakov, Rykachev and Morozov, ensured the effective combat work of the regiment, won its military glory.

He joined the regiment at the end of 1942, already a well-known pilot who had proven himself in battles near Moscow, having won 9 personal and 6 group victories... He received his baptism of fire as part of the 27th IAP, which was part of the Moscow Military District Air Force, where he was immediately sent after graduating from flight school. Lieutenant Kovachevich won his first victory in the skies of Rzhev on October 12, 1941, accelerating his MiG-3 in a dive and shooting down an Me-109 with a long burst. By the end of the autumn of 1941, he had 4 personal and 3 group victories, Kovachevich was appointed commander. In March 1942, in conditions of trench warfare, when the enemy persistently tried to reconnoiter the positions of Soviet troops from the air, he just as persistently patrolled in holding areas, making several sorties a day. Twice he managed to intercept and shoot down a long-range reconnaissance aircraft Yu-88. In the summer, the 27th IAP was withdrawn from the Moscow air defense system and sent to front-line aviation, where, as part of the Bryansk and then Voronezh fronts, its pilots took part in battles on the distant approaches to Stalingrad. Here, in heavy battles, Kovacevich won his next victories, especially significant in the conditions of the enemy’s buildup of forces: on August 23 he shot down a Xe-111, on September 3 - a Yu-88, on September 9 - again a Xe-111 and 12 - a “frame”, recorded as victory in the group. At the end of November, by the decision of the commander of the 8th VA, its best air fighters, and among them Kovachevich, were assembled as part of the 9th GIAP, which operated as part of the forces of the Stalingrad Front. Kovachevich was appointed commander and soon confirmed his reputation as a great pilot already on the Yak-1, shooting down an Me-109 (December 14), and 4 days later destroying a Do-217 over Stalingrad - a universal twin-engine vehicle used both as a bomber and as a reconnaissance aircraft, and as a fighter, equipped with thermal imaging and radar stations. In January 1943, while blocking the encircled army of Paulus, he shot down 2 Yu-52 transports.

On May 1, 1943, for 356 sorties, 58 air battles, 13 personally and 6 in a group of downed enemy aircraft of the Art. Guard. Lieutenant Kovacevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In the summer and autumn he took part in the battles on the Molochnaya River, in the liberation of Donbass, and fought in Zaporozhye and near Melitopol. His “blue” squadron (based on the color of the aircraft hoods) becomes one of the strongest in the Air Force - Lavrinenkov, Golovachev, Tvelenev... And the commander himself tirelessly replenishes his personal account. In August, after being re-equipped with Cobras, he assessed the power of the overseas fighter's weapons, shooting down an Me-109 and a Yu-87 in one flight. And a few days later, in a long, exhausting duel at an altitude of more than 8,000 meters, he “got” the Xe-111.

On October 2, 1943, over Melitopol, Kovachevich came under a typical attack from an ace “hunter”: his plane was shot down by an attack from above, almost from a vertical dive. The pilot escaped with a parachute and 2 days later took the combat vehicle into the air again. The second and last time he was forced to leave the plane was in the air. The first time this happened in the fall of 1941, when his MiG-3 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

During the battles for Crimea, Kovachevich was appointed assistant regiment commander for the Air Force, and later deputy commander of the 9th GIAP. On July 18, after the death of regiment commander A. Morozov, he became acting regiment commander. However, in October, Marshal A. Novikov appointed V. Lavrinenkov as regiment commander, and Guard Captain A. Kovachevich was asked to “go to study at the academy.”

He was born on May 3, 1919 in the village of Novomirgorod, Elizavetgrad district, Kherson province. He graduated from the 3rd year of the Kirovograd College of Agricultural Mechanization, the flying club, and in 1938 - the Odessa Military Aviation School.

During the Second World War, Kovachevich made 520 combat missions, of which 130 were reconnaissance missions, 60 were attack missions, in 150 air battles he personally shot down 26 and 6 enemy aircraft in a group. Among the enemy vehicles he personally shot down were several Xe-111, Yu-88 and Yu-87, 2 Yu-52, one Do-217, FV-189 and Me-110, 12 Me-109 and FV-190. More than half of the planes he shot down were two- and three-engine aircraft: the skills he acquired in air defense in destroying bombers had an effect.

Looking back at his military career, Kovachevich wrote: “It was a great honor for me to fight in the wonderful combat team of the 9th Guards. And now, many years after those terrible events, the thought that I was involved in the great affairs of this regiment fills me with pride.”

After graduating in 1948 with a gold medal from the command faculty of the Military Academy, he served as a regiment commander. He flew jet aircraft, his last flight was on a MiG-17 in 1957. In 1954, Colonel Kovacevich graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. Since 1967, he served as head of the department, and later as first deputy VVA. Lieutenant General of the Reserve Aviation A. Kovachevich lives in the town of Monino near Moscow.

Hero of the Soviet Union (1.5.43). Awarded the Order of Lenin, the October Revolution, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, 2 Orders of the Red Star, the Order “For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces” 3rd class, medals.

Kozhevnikov Anatoly Leonidovich

Born on March 12, 1917 in the village of Bazaikha near Krasnoyarsk (now within the city). Graduated from 7 classes, Krasnoyarsk Agricultural Technical School and Aero Club. After graduating from the Bataysk Military Aviation School in 1940, he served there as an instructor pilot.

Kozhevnikov spent his first combat missions on an I-16 as part of a group sent by the flight school to the front in July 1941. When the group was defeated in battle, he returned to school. On the way, in Makhachkala, together with ml. Lieutenant M. Sokolov detained two spies, one of whom introduced himself as a military pilot. It must be said that Kozhevnikov was “lucky” with spies. He caught them twice: the second time - a German spy-saboteur who got a job as a technician in the regiment. Twice, due to the machinations of the “fifth column,” he almost lost his life—flying skill and providence saved him.

... Kozhevnikov returned to the front again in July 1942 as part of the 438th IAP (212 GIAP), having retrained on the Hurricane in three days. In combat work in the Stalingrad direction, he conducted 60 attack missions. He scored his first victory on September 13, 1942, shooting down an Me-109. He was shot down himself and landed his Hurricane with tail number 13 in the steppe. During one of the reconnaissance missions near Stalingrad, together with his wingman N. Kuzmin, he managed not only to discover a railway line operated by the Germans, but also to overturn a train with tanks moving along it... Circumstances seemed to test Kozhevnikov’s fate: one day a German 88-mm shell in the air it pierced the engine hood of his Hurricane and fit into the cylinder chamber...

On his 158th combat mission, he shot down a Makki-200, and on his last mission on a Hurricane, he won his fourth victory, destroying a Yu-88. He returns from this flight without a canopy, but with 162 holes in the car.

At the beginning of 1943, the regiment was sent for rearmament, and in May Kozhevnikov returned to combat work near Kursk on a Yak-1 aircraft with the inscription “Tambov collective farmer” on the left side. Lieutenant Kozhevnikov is appointed commander. On May 8, right above the airfield in front of the entire regiment, taking German punctuality into account, he shot down a reconnaissance aircraft, a Yu-88, in a long half-hour battle. The crew, as he expected, was captured. On July 4, he shot down 2 Yu-88s and, returning from a mission at low level, was hit by a burst from his own machine gunner. On July 5, he destroyed an Me-109, and on the next flight, a Xe-111.

The next day, having single-handedly entered into battle with a group of Me-109s, Kozhevnikov shot down one plane, but he himself was shot down and, having landed the fighter, in a pistol duel he killed a German pilot who had landed with a parachute before him. A day later, the ace was again in battle, again he shot down the Me-109 and Xe-111, again his plane was shot down, and he himself was wounded in the leg, and again he landed the car “on its belly.”

At the end of the summer of 1943, the regiment was re-equipped with Airacobras. On the very first combat mission in the new machine, Art. Lieutenant Kozhevnikov shot down 2 Xe-111s, and in the evening another one. He fought on the Dnieper, in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation, near Iasi, on the Sandomierz bridgehead. He won his last victories in the skies of Germany, shooting down the FV-190 and Me-109 on April 18.

During the war, deputy The commander of the 212th GIAP (22 GIAD, 2 VA) Guard, Major Kozhevnikov, in 211 sorties, conducted 62 air battles and personally shot down 25 enemy aircraft.

After the war, he served in the Air Force and mastered many types of jet and supersonic vehicles. In 1950 he graduated from the Military Military Academy, and in 1958 from the Military Academy of the General Staff. Lieutenant General of Aviation retired in 1988. Lived in Moscow. He wrote the books “Notes of a Fighter” (M., 1961), “Squadrons Go to the West” (Rostov-on-Don, 1966), “Courage Starts” (Krasnoyarsk, 1980).

Hero of the Soviet Union (27.6.45). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 5 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, 3 Orders of the Red Star, medals, foreign orders.

Kozhedub Ivan Nikitovich

The fifth child in a poor peasant family, a native of the impoverished village of Obrazheevka, Sumy district, Ivan Kozhedub became the most successful Soviet fighter pilot, following Pokryshkin, together with Zhukov, he was awarded the country's highest award - the winner in the greatest of wars.

Vanya was the youngest in the family, an unexpected “last child”, born after a great famine. The official date of his birth, June 8, 1920, is inaccurate, de facto - July 6, 1922. Two years were very necessary to enter the technical school.

His father was an extraordinary man. Torn between factory earnings and peasant labor, he found the strength to read books and even write poetry. A religious man with a subtle and demanding mind, he was a strict and persistent teacher: having diversified his son’s duties around the house, he taught him to be hardworking, persevering, and diligent. One day, the father, despite his mother’s protests, began sending 5-year-old Ivan to guard the garden at night. Later, the son asked why this was: thieves were rare then, and even such a watchman, if something happened, would be of little use. “I got you accustomed to trials,” was the father’s answer.

By the age of six, Vanya learned to read and write from his sister’s book, and soon went to school.

After finishing the seven-year school, he was admitted to the workers' department of the Shostka Chemical-Technological College, and in 1938, fate brought him to the flying club. The elegant uniform of the accounts played an important role in this decision.

Here, in April 1939, Kozhedub made his first flight, experiencing his first flight sensations. The beauties of his native land, revealed from a height of one and a half kilometers, made a strong impression on the inquisitive young man.

Ivan Kozhedub was admitted to the Chuguev Military Aviation School of Pilots at the beginning of 1940, where he successively underwent training on the UT-2, UTI-4 and I-16. In the fall of the same year, having completed 2 clean flights on the I-16, he, to his deep disappointment, was left at the school as an instructor.

He flies a lot, experiments, hones his aerobatic skills. “If it were possible, it seems I wouldn’t get out of the plane. The piloting technique itself, polishing the figures gave me incomparable joy,” recalled Ivan Nikitovich.

At the beginning of the war, Sergeant Kozhedub (ironically, in the “golden edition” of 1941, the pilots were certified as sergeants) was even more persistently engaged in “fighter” self-education: he studied issues of tactics, took notes on descriptions of air battles, and drew their diagrams. Days, including weekends, are planned minute by minute, everything is subordinated to one goal - to become a worthy air fighter. In the late autumn of 1942, after numerous requests and reports, senior sergeant Kozhedub, along with other instructors and graduates of the school, was sent to Moscow to a gathering point for flight technical personnel, from where he ended up in the 240th IAP.

In August 1942, the 240th IAP was among the first to be armed with the latest La-5 fighters at that time. However, the retraining was carried out hastily, in 15 days; during the operation of the vehicles, design and manufacturing defects were revealed, and, having suffered heavy losses in the Stalingrad direction, after 10 days the regiment was withdrawn from the front. Apart from the regiment commander, Major I. Soldatenko, only a few pilots remained in the regiment.

The following training and retraining were carried out thoroughly: at the end of December 1942, after an intense month-long theoretical training with daily lessons, the pilots began flying the new machines.

On one of the training flights, when immediately after takeoff the thrust dropped sharply due to an engine failure, Kozhedub decisively turned the plane around and glided to the edge of the airfield. Having been hit hard during landing, he was out of action for several days and by the time he was sent to the front he had barely flown 10 hours in the new machine. This incident was only the beginning of a long streak of failures that haunted the pilot upon entering the military path.

When new aircraft are distributed, Kozhedub gets a heavy five-tank aircraft with tail number 75. On his first combat mission to cover an airfield, he came under attack from enemy fighters while trying to attack a group of bombers, and then fell into the fire zone of his own anti-aircraft artillery. His plane received heavy damage from a Me-109 cannon fire and from two anti-aircraft shells. Kozhedub miraculously survived: the armored back protected him from a high-explosive projectile from an aircraft cannon, but in the belt, a high-explosive projectile, as a rule, alternated with an armor-piercing one...

After repairs, his plane could only be called a combat vehicle conditionally. Kozhedub rarely flies on combat missions and on “leftovers,” that is, on free planes, of which there were fewer pilots. One day he was almost taken away from the regiment to the warning post. Only the intercession of Soldatenko, who either saw a future great fighter in the silent loser, or took pity on him, saved Ivan from retraining.

...Only during the 40th combat mission on the Kursk Bulge, having already become a “father” - a deputy commander, paired with his constant wingman V. Mukhin, Kozhedub shot down his first German - a “laptezhnik”. Despite the tasks of covering ground troops and escorting them, which were unloved by fighters, Kozhedub, while carrying them out, won 4 official victories.

Demanding and demanding of himself, frantic and tireless in battle, Kozhedub was an ideal air fighter, proactive and efficient, daring and calculating, brave and skillful, a knight without fear or reproach. “Precise maneuver, stunning swiftness of attack and strike from an extremely short distance,” - this is how Kozhedub defined the basis of air combat. He was born for combat, lived for combat, thirsted for it. Here is a characteristic episode noted by his fellow soldier, another great ace K. Evstigneev: “Once Ivan Kozhedub returned from a mission, heated by battle, excited and, perhaps, therefore unusually talkative:

Those bastards give! None other than the “wolves” from the Udet squadron. But we gave them a hard time - be healthy! - Pointing towards the command post, he hopefully asked the squadron adjutant: - How is it there? Is there anything else in sight?"

Kozhedub’s attitude towards the machine acquired the features of religion, a form of it that is called animatism. “The motor runs smoothly. The plane obeys my every move. I’m not alone - my fighting friend is with me” - these lines contain the attitude of the ace to the plane. This is not poetic exaggeration, not a metaphor. When approaching the car before departure, he always found a few kind words for it; during the flight he spoke as if he were a comrade doing an important part of the work. After all, besides flying, it is difficult to find a profession where a person’s fate would be more dependent on the behavior of a machine.

During the war, he changed 6 bench planes, and not a single plane let him down. And he did not lose a single car, although it happened to burn, cause holes, and land on airfields dotted with craters.

Of his cars, two are the most famous. One - La-5FN, built with the money of the collective farmer-beekeeper V. Konev, with bright, white inscriptions with a red border on both sides (and the pilots especially did not like flashy signs), had an amazing front-line fate. On this plane, Kozhedub fought in May - June 1944, shooting down 7 planes. After his transfer in September to the 176th GIAP, P. Bryzgalov made several combat sorties on this machine, and then K. Evstigneev, who destroyed 6 more aircraft on it.

The second is La-7, tail number 27, today it can be seen at the Air Force Museum and Exhibition (Monino). Ivan Nikitovich flew this fighter in the “Marshal’s” GIAP, ended the war with it, and shot down 17 enemy aircraft with it.

On February 19, 1945, over the Oder, together with Dmitry Titarenko (about 300 sorties, 15 personal victories), he met the Me-262. Converting the altitude reserve into speed, Kozhedub “crept up” on the interceptor from behind - from below, and when he, after Titarenko’s turn, entered a turn, he shot it down. This was one of the first air victories over a jet aircraft in world aviation.

In April 1945, Kozhedub drove off a couple of German fighters from an American B-17 with a barrage and immediately noticed a group of approaching aircraft with unfamiliar silhouettes. The leader of the group opened fire on him from a very long distance. With a flip over the wing, Kozhedub quickly attacked the winger. It began to smoke heavily and descended towards our troops. Having performed a combat turn in a half-loop from an inverted position, the Soviet ace fired at the leader - he exploded in the air. Of course, he had already examined the white stars on the fuselages and wings and returned to his room with anxiety: the meeting with the allies promised trouble.

Fortunately, one of the downed pilots managed to escape. To the question “Who hit you?” he replied: “Focke-Wulf” with a red nose.”

The regiment commander P. Chupikov gave Kozhedub the films where victories over the Mustangs were recorded.

Take them for yourself, Ivan... don’t show them to anyone.

This battle was one of the first air battles with the Americans, a harbinger of the great air war in Korea, a long confrontation between the two superpowers.

In total, during the war, Ivan Nikitovich conducted 330 combat missions, 120 air battles, and personally shot down 62 enemy aircraft.

After the Guard War, Major Kozhedub continued to serve in the 176th GIAP. At the end of 1945, on the Monino train, he met a tenth-grader Veronica, who soon became his wife, a faithful and patient companion throughout his life, his main “adjutant and assistant.”

In 1949, Ivan Nikitovich graduated from the VVA, received an appointment to the post of division commander near Baku, but V. Stalin left him near Moscow, in Kubinka, as deputy and then commander of the 326th IAD. Among the first, the division was armed with the MiG-15 and at the end of 1950 it was sent to the Far East.

From March 1951 to February 1952, in the skies of Korea, Kozhedub’s division scored 215 victories, shot down 12 “superfortresses”, losing 52 aircraft and 10 pilots. This was one of the brightest pages in the combat use of jet aircraft in the history of the Soviet Air Force.

Kozhedub was strictly forbidden to personally participate in hostilities, and he only made training flights. Danger lay in wait for the pilot not only in the sky: in the winter of 1951, he was almost poisoned by a cook: the war was fought using different methods. During his business trip, Colonel Kozhedub not only exercised operational leadership of the division, but also took an active part in the organization, training and re-equipment of the PRC Air Force.

In 1952, the 326th IAD was transferred to the air defense system and transferred to Kaluga. Ivan Nikitovich enthusiastically took up the new peaceful task of organizing the division’s personnel. In a short period of time, 150 houses for housing were received and installed, an airfield and a military camp were equipped and expanded. The life of the commander himself, who became a major general in the summer of 1953, remained unsettled. His family, with a young son and daughter, huddled either in a temporary shelter at the airfield, or together with a dozen other families in a “caravanserai” - an old dacha.

A year later he was sent to study at the General Staff Academy. I took part of the course as an external student, as due to work reasons I was delayed in starting classes.

After graduating from the academy, Kozhedub was appointed First Deputy Head of the Combat Training Directorate of the country's Air Force, from May 1958 to 1964. he was First Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Leningrad and then Moscow military districts.

Until 1970, Ivan Nikitovich regularly flew fighter planes and mastered dozens of types of airplanes and helicopters. He made his last flights on a MiG-23. He left his flying job on his own and immediately.

The units that Kozhedub led always had a low accident rate, and he himself, as a pilot, had no accidents, although “emergency situations,” of course, did happen. So, in 1966, during a low-altitude flight, his MiG-21 collided with a flock of rooks; one of the birds hit the air intake and damaged the engine. It took all his flying skill to land the car.

From the post of commander of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District, he returned to the post of First Deputy Head of the Air Force Combat Training Directorate, from where he was transferred almost 20 years ago.

An impeccable air fighter, pilot and commander, an officer selflessly devoted to his work, Kozhedub did not have “noble” qualities, did not know how and did not consider it necessary to flatter, intrigue, cherish the necessary connections, notice funny and sometimes malicious jealousy of his fame.

In 1978, he was transferred to the group of inspectors general of the USSR Ministry of Defense. In 1985 he was awarded the rank of air marshal.

All this time, Kozhedub meekly carried out enormous public work. A deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, chairman or president of dozens of different societies, committees and federations, he was simple and honest with both the first person of the state and the provincial truth-seeker. And how much effort it took hundreds of meetings and trips, thousands of speeches, interviews, autographs... Author of the books: “Serving the Motherland” (M.; Leningrad, 1949), “Victory Holiday” (M., 1963), “Loyalty to the Fatherland” (M. ., 1969).

In the last years of his life, Ivan Nikitovich was seriously ill: the stress of the war years and difficult service in the peacetime took their toll. He died at his dacha of a heart attack on August 8, 1991, two weeks before the collapse of the great state, of which he himself was a part of the glory.

Three times Hero of the Soviet Union (4.2.44; 19.8.44; 18.8.45). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 7 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, 2 Orders of the Red Star, Order “For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces” 3rd class, medals, 6 foreign orders, foreign medals .

Kozachenko Petr Konstantinovich

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he was one of the most experienced Soviet aces who received a baptism of fire in China, fully armed with combat experience, he fought on the Soviet-Finnish front. After graduating from the Odessa Military Aviation School of Pilots, Kozachenko almost continuously participated in combat operations: from July 1937 to May 1938 in the Chinese province of Wuhan, then from December 1939 to March 1940 in the Soviet-Finnish conflict. 11 personal victories in China, according to available data, are the absolute result shown by Soviet volunteer pilots and, in general, pilots who fought on the side of China during the anti-Japanese war of 1937-1945. 4 victories won in battles with the Finns, although not a record, are one of the best results achieved in that “not famous” war.

He won his first victory on the fronts of the Patriotic War on the Chaika on July 15, 1941, shooting down an Me-109. A navigator and then commander of the 249th IAP (163 GIAP), major, and later lieutenant colonel, Kozachenko conducted 227 combat sorties during the war, shooting down at least 12 enemy aircraft personally and 2 in a group. He fought several battles that were exceptional in their intensity and triumph. At the end of 1942 he managed to destroy 2 Yu-52 and Me-109 during the flight. In one of the battles in 1942, he was seriously wounded in the stomach and arm, but landed the fighter at his airfield. In March 1943, with an unexpected attack from the clouds, quite in the spirit of the German “hunters,” he shot down an FV-190 piloted by Hans Birenbrock, who by that time had chalked up 117 victories.

...On March 18, 1945, in an air battle over Danzig, his La-5 was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire. The flames could not be put down by sliding; they engulfed the vehicle more and more, and the Hero of the Soviet Union, commander of the 163rd GIAP Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Kozachenko, directed it towards an enemy artillery battery.

He was born on June 14, 1914 in the village of Iskorost, Volyn province. Graduated from 7 classes, 3 courses of evening workers' faculty. He worked as a machinist. On August 12, 1934 he was drafted into the Red Army and sent to flight school.

He met the war as a commander, then was a navigator and regiment commander. He fought on the I-16, I-153, Yak-1, LaGG-3 and La-5. Among the vehicles he personally shot down were Yu-88, He-111, Me-110, FV-189 and FV-190. In total, on his military path he won no less than 27 personal and 2 group victories.

Hero of the Soviet Union (1.5.43). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, medals.

Koldunov Alexander Ivanovich

A peasant son from the Smolensk village of Moshchinovo, he was born to become a marshal, all his life he believed in his destiny - both in the cockpit of a fighter that carried him between hundreds of deadly routes, and on the slippery career ladder, meeting not only the support and understanding of his comrades, but also the jealous envy of people whose only gift is the lust for power. Nature generously endowed him with the abilities of both a pilot who has an excellent feel for the machine, and an air fighter who intuitively assesses the space and time of an air battle, changing them at will, and a tactician - the organizer of victorious battles near Iasi and Budapest, and a strategist - the Commander-in-Chief of Air Defense and Deputy Minister of Defense THE USSR.

Koldunov was rushing into the sky, into the elements of air combat. After graduating from high school and the Reutov Aero Club, he stubbornly strived to enter a military flight school. The main obstacle was age, but the persistent guy wrote a letter to the People's Commissar of Defense K. Voroshilov. With a positive response from the latter, he was accepted into the glorious Kacha... He always flew cleanly and passionately. This was noticed both at school and in the 3rd reserve aviation brigade in Saratov, where ml. Lieutenant Koldunov was sent as an instructor. Decisive in his actions, he once put his soldier’s belongings into a skinny duffel bag and settled into a transport plane flying to the front. The fame of a great aerobatic pilot flew ahead of him, and the command of the 866th IAP, at whose airfield the Li-2 landed, did not oppose the “unregulated” replenishment.

Koldunov won his first victory on his third combat mission, on July 21, 1943, when he shot down a Yu-87 over the Seversky Donets. The victory cost sixteen holes in his Yak. A few days later, his plane was shot down on takeoff by a pair of “hunters” that “fell” from the clouds, and he himself was wounded. In this “emergency” situation, the 19-year-old pilot did not lose his head: turning off the engine, he planned and carefully landed the fighter near the airfield. After 2 days, he left the hospital and again took his repaired “yak” into the sky.

A man of unconditional courage and self-control, Alexander had an analytical mind, which allowed him to collect his own and others’ experience bit by bit, improve and diversify his air combat techniques, and develop intuition. The mastery of air combat probably lies in intuitively combining daring and precise calculation, courage and technical skill. After all, fate often destroys seemingly unshakable patterns, seeking will and courage.

...Already in the fall of 1943, having shot down 3 enemy Xe-111 and 2 Me-109 aircraft in one of the battles, the pilot brought the number of his personal victories to 10, was appointed commander, and became a recognized ace in the regiment and division. By coincidence, the 866th IAP fought exceptionally hard with the arrival of A. Koldunov. During the second half of 1943, near Belgorod and Izyum, over the Dnieper and in the Nikopol operation, the regiment's pilots shot down 171 enemy aircraft in air battles, losing 6 flight personnel in battles and accidents.

Koldunov’s military talent was revealed especially clearly in the battles of 1944. Reports of his victories superficially resemble episodes of heroic novels or Hollywood thrillers, when the hero, who knows no defeat, confidently goes from victory to victory. Although in this case the eventual texture has a solid historical basis: officially Koldunov destroyed almost fifty enemy aircraft without losing a single one of his vehicles... Here is the “hunter”, who carelessly “fell out” on his “yak” and was shot down in a rollover right above the command post, and a pair of Me-109s that blocked the airfield and missed the return of the owner, and dozens of other “Schmitts”, “Junkers” and “Focks” shot down by him in Zaporozhye and near Odessa, over the Dniester and Danube, in the skies of Bulgaria and Hungary... In the spring of 1944 Art. Lieutenant Koldunov was assigned to lead the four covering group of Li-2 transport aircraft delivering cargo behind enemy lines. Above the front line, the transport workers were attacked by two eight “stukas”, who either overlooked the fighters or decided to take a risk. The careless attack cost the Germans five vehicles, two of which (the first from above in the forehead, the second from below from behind) were shot down by Koldunov from a sharp combat turn.

...When, after the May holidays, a representative of the Resistance, the former French Minister of Aviation Pierre Cot, a very distrustful man, arrived at the 288th Air Force and asked to show how young people fly, Divisional Commander B. Smirnov chose Koldunov

“A tall, thin pilot in a soldier’s overcoat appeared before the guest,” recalled Smirnov. “At that time we did not have enough flight uniforms, and Koldunov, frankly speaking, did not look good. The sleeves of the overcoat were almost to the elbows, tarpaulin boots with short tops... Koldunov took off. A few minutes later he appeared above the command post. At an altitude of twenty meters, at high speed, he turned the plane “on its back,” flew over the entire airfield upside down, and then, at the minimum permissible altitude, performed a dynamic cascade of aerobatics. The former minister was delighted: “What a soldier!” What a pilot!”

At the end of the summer of 1944, Alexander Ivanovich was given a personalized Yak-3 with the inscription: “From the collective farmer G. A. Bogachenko.” He fought with this car until his last day; later it was transferred to the Romanian government, at his request, and was located in the Bucharest Pioneer House.

On November 7, the Allies decided to make a “gift” and a group of 50-60 “lighting” aircraft near the Yugoslav fool Nis attacked the column of the 37th Army on the march. The Soviet troops suffered losses in manpower and equipment, General G. Kotov was killed... Koldunov's eight were forced to engage in battle with the Americans, especially since some of their planes tried to block the airfield and shot down two taking off "yaks". In the very first attack, Soviet pilots shot down 3 light planes, and Koldunov, having passed through a web of tracks, approached the Allied leader several meters. Either he finally saw the red stars, or he was impressed by the Yak’s cannon fire, flashing right above the cockpit, or he understood the simple gesture with which the Soviet pilot greeted him, but the attack was stopped. Later, the American side apologized for the incident and expressed condolences for about the dead. Of course, no one was recorded as being shot down, but his fellow soldiers saw that one of them, who was especially carried away by shooting the column at low level, was shot down by Koldunov.

On December 8, Captain Koldunov “got” a German intelligence officer in the area of the Danube crossings. The enemy, recorded as Yu-88, used the entire range of defensive means: barrage fire from riflemen and aerial grenades, camouflage in the clouds and a smoke screen, sharp dive and flight at extremely low altitude.

In the winter of 1944-1945. Koldunov continued his list of victories in battles over Hungary, shooting down 15 enemy aircraft in three months.

In February 1945, he headed the “air clearing group”, which included captains Shishov and Sidorenko, Surnev and Guryev, lieutenant Shamonov, from 1944. Koldunov’s permanent wingman (made about 300 combat missions, personally shot down 9 and 4 enemy aircraft in the group). The Magnificent Six shot down 32 enemy aircraft and had no losses.

The Soviet ace won his last victories west of Vienna, shooting down two “long-nosed Fokkers” - Ta-152.

A. Koldunov was born on September 20, 1923 in the village of Moshchinovo, Smolensk region. He graduated from 10 classes and the flying club, in 1943 - the Kachin Military Aviation School.

Since June 1943 - at the front. The commander of the 3rd squadron of the 866th IAP (288 IAP, 17 VA), Major Koldunov, conducted 412 combat missions on the Yak-1, Yak-9, Yak-3, in 96 air battles he personally shot down 46 and 1 enemy aircraft in the group. He was the most successful pilot who fought on Yaks.

In 1952 he graduated from the VVA. He commanded an air regiment and a division. Since 1960, after graduating from the Military Academy of the General Staff, he served as deputy and later as commander of the Air Force of the Baku Military District. Lieutenant General Koldunov flew until 1965. The last type of aircraft he mastered was the MiG-21. At the end of the 60s. Koldunov served in the Far East, and since 1970 he commanded the Air Force of the Moscow Military District. In 1975, Colonel General Koldunov was appointed first deputy, and in 1978 - Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces, Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR. In 1984, he was awarded the rank of Air Chief Marshal. In 1987, after the notorious thrill-seeker Rust landed on Vasilievsky Spusk, he was removed from his post. In recent years he was seriously ill and died on June 7, 1992.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (2.8.44; 23.2.48). Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin, 6 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 1st class, Order of the Red Star, “For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces” 3rd class, medals, foreign orders.

Kolyadin Viktor Ivanovich

Born on June 2, 1922 in the village of Golubovka (now the city of Kirovsk) in the Yekaterinoslav province. He graduated from 8 classes, the Kadiev Aero Club, and in 1941, the Voroshilovgrad Military Aviation School.

His first combat mission Art. Sergeant Kolyadin completed it in March 1942 on a Su-2. As part of the 597th Light Bomber Regiment, he made 350 combat missions on Su-2 and U-2. In 1943 he achieved a transfer to fighter aviation. He fought as part of the North-Western, 1st Baltic, 3rd Belorussian fronts... In one of the battles over Riga, his “yak” was captured “in pincers” by six German fighters who tried to land him at their airfield. Over the runway, Kolyadin suddenly released the flaps and landing gear, the speed dropped, the pursuers overtook, and, turning the car over, with a long burst he shot down one of the pursuing planes and damaged another...

By the end of the war, the commander of the 68th GIAP (5 GIAD, 3 VA) Guard Art. Lieutenant Kolyadin completed 685 combat missions and personally shot down 21 enemy aircraft.

After the war he continued to serve in the Air Force. Mastered many types of combat vehicles. In 1961 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. In 1966, Kolyadin was among the first pilots awarded the honorary title “Honored Military Pilot of the USSR.” He was demobilized in 1973 with the rank of major general. Lives and works in Sevastopol.

Hero of the Soviet Union (29.6.45). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 6 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 1st class, Order of the Red Star, medals.

Komelkov Mikhail Sergeevich

Born on April 12, 1922 in the village of Kedrovo, Tver province. In 1937, he and his family moved to Leningrad, where he graduated from the 1st year of the mechanical engineering college and flying club. He was sent to the Chuguev Military Pilot School, which he graduated from in 1940.

From the first days of the war at the front. In October 1941 he was wounded, after recovery he was sent to serve in the West, where he trained 171 pilots. In February 1943, he was sent to the front with the 298th IAP (104 GIAP), armed with Airacobras. As part of the 219th Bad, and later the 9th Hyad, the regiment went through the entire Battle of Kuban (from March 17 to August 20). On April 16, Lieutenant Komelkov shot down 3 German fighters in three missions, and in total in the battles for Kuban he shot down 15 enemy aircraft. Komesk, and at the end of the war deputy. The commander of the 104th Krakow IAP Guard, Captain Komelkov, made 321 combat missions, in 75 air battles he personally shot down 32 and 7 enemy aircraft in a group.

In 1956 he graduated from the VVA. He served in flying positions in the Air Force until retiring in 1961 with the rank of colonel. He took part in the training of astronauts. Lives and works in St. Petersburg.

Hero of the Soviet Union (27.6.45). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 1st class, Order of the Red Star, medals.

Kondrashev Alexander Petrovich

Born on December 25, 1921 in the village of Andreevskoye, Moscow province. He graduated from 7 classes, the FZU school, the Podolsk flying club, and in 1942 - the Kachin military aviation school.

Kondrashev won his first victory near Velikiye Luki in December 1942. As part of the 875th IAP (66 GIAP) fought on the North-Western, Bryansk, 1st and 2nd Baltic, 1st and 3rd Belorussian fronts. He shot down his last Focke-Wulf in April 1945 over Berlin. The commander of the 66th GIAP (4 GIAP, 3 VA) Guard, Major Kondrashev, made about 300 sorties on the Yak-1, Yak-9 and Yak-3, in 70 air battles he personally shot down 20 and 3 enemy aircraft in a group.

He was discharged from the Air Force with a suspension from flying duty in 1960 with the rank of colonel. Lived in Podolsk. He worked as an operator at the Podolsk Chemical and Metallurgical Plant. Died December 20, 1982

Hero of the Soviet Union (1.7.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 2nd class, 2 Orders of the Red Star, medals.

Konstantinov Anatoly Ustinovich

Born on June 12, 1923 in Moscow. Graduated from 9th grade and the flying club. With conscription into the Red Army, he was sent to the Tbilisi Military Aviation School, which he graduated from in 1941.

Konstantinov began fighting at Stalingrad in August 1942 on the Yak-1. In the first, most dangerous battles, he felt the invaluable care and support of experienced air fighters, future Heroes of the Soviet Union P. Dzyuba and I. Leonov... He had the opportunity to make several combat missions on the Yak-7B before the 85th GIAP in the summer of 1944 ( 6 Hyads, 5 VA), where he served in the Guard Art. Lieutenant Konstantinov, was re-equipped with the Yak-3. One of the best pilots of the regiment and division, he surprised even seasoned aces with impeccable precision in controlling the aircraft... When in Romania Anatoly performed a demonstration flight in front of King Mihai, the admiring monarch, who had a pilot’s diploma, was so imbued with the inspiring ease of the aerial evolutions he saw that he himself tried to take off on the Yak-3.

By the end of the war, the commander of the 85th GIAP Guard, Captain Konstantinov, made 327 combat missions, conducted 107 air battles, and personally shot down 23 enemy aircraft. Among the aircraft he shot down were one Xe-111, Yu-88 and FV-189, the rest were Yu-87, Me-109 and FV-190. In battles he was shot down three times and wounded. He landed the damaged vehicle at the location of his troops.

After the war, he served in the Far East for almost 20 years. He flew until 1962 on various types of combat vehicles - MiG-15 and MiG-19, Yak-25 and Yak-28... At the personal request of Marshal Malinovsky, he was admitted to the Military Academy of the General Staff, which he graduated from in 1964. In 1970-1980 . commanded the troops of Baku, and in 1980-1987. - Moscow Air Defense District. Air Marshal since 1985

Hero of the Soviet Union (15.5.46). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 1st class, Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class, 2 Orders of the Red Star, Order “For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces” 3rd class, medals.

Korolev Vitaly Ivanovich

Born on May 5, 1916 in the village of Bogolyubovo, Akmola region. He graduated from 8 classes and 2 years of the mining technical school in Kopeisk, and in 1939 - the Stalingrad military aviation school.

Flight commander V. Korolev won his first victory on June 26, 1941, shooting down a Yu-88 in his I-16. He fought on the Southern, Southwestern, Western, Bryansk, 1st Baltic, 3rd Belorussian, 1st Ukrainian fronts. The pilot spent several effective battles at the end of spring, shooting down 4 enemy aircraft in the skies of Germany. He destroyed two of them on February 10, 1945, attacking a large group of Focke-Wulfs in pairs and scattering them.

In total, in 455 combat sorties on I-16, Yak-1, Yak-7B and La-5, the deputy commander of the 482nd IAP (322nd IAP, 2nd VA), Major V. Korolev, conducted 77 air battles, personally shot down 21 (Yu -88, 2 Yu-87, 6 Me-109, 11 FV-190, PZL-24) and in the group there are 10 enemy aircraft. Through his assault actions, Korolev destroyed 4 aircraft, 18 vehicles, 23 carts, and more than one and a half hundred German soldiers and officers.

In 1948 he graduated from the Lipetsk officer courses. Flew on jet cars. In 1957 he was demobilized with the rank of colonel. Died November 4, 1957

Hero of the Soviet Union (27.6.45). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of the Red Star, and medals.

Kostylev Georgy Dmitrievich

The legendary Baltic ace, who did not know defeat in the most difficult days of the war, Kostylev won more than 50 personal and group victories, recording many of his personal victories as group victories “for the sake of his followers”... In February 1943, in besieged Leningrad, he, like a celebrity, was visited to a lady who “knew how to live” and treated her guests to exquisite dishes and vintage wines on precious dishes. The son of the siege woman, Kostylev, who knew the value of the siege ordeals not in words, in a noble rage destroyed this “nest of a feast during the plague ...”: he broke the dishes in front of him, the glass of the sideboard bubbling with crystal and knocked over the major of the quartermaster service, who was trying to cover the crystal with his chest. Neither the glory of the best pilot of the Baltic Fleet nor the Heroic title saved Kostylev: noble impulses always aroused the hatred of officials. Within a few days, he was stripped of his officer rank and awards and, with the rank of a Red Army soldier, was sent to a penal battalion on the Oranienbaum bridgehead - to the places where he spent his childhood... The penal officers saved the pilot. In April, he again took his fighter to meet the enemy and in the very first battle on the 21st over the Bay of Koporye he shot down a Finnish Fiat, pressing the second one to the water, ordered his wingman to attack him - the latter’s turn was also accurate...

Georgy Kostylev was born on April 20, 1914 in the city of Oranienbaum, St. Petersburg province. He graduated from 9 classes, the Osoaviakhim school, and in 1934 - the Central Flight School in Tushino. On August 18, 1939, he was awarded an honorary certificate “For excellent piloting technique and acrobatic flying skill.” A born pilot, he had his own surprisingly graceful and free flying style. Contemporaries recalled that special joyful feeling that awoke in them when observing Kostylev’s flights. In his performance, aerobatics became an art... During the war, Kostylev several times conducted demonstration “battles” over the ships of the Baltic Fleet; aesthetically, they were comparable to Lemeshev’s singing and Gilels’ playing.

Kostylev is one of the few fighter pilots who did not graduate from the Military Aviation School. After being drafted into the Navy in 1939, he served in fighter aviation units and participated in the Soviet-Finnish War, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Already in the second half of July 1941, working from the airfield in Klopitsy near Leningrad, he scored 7 victories on the I-16. He shot down his first Me-110 aircraft on July 15, and on the 22nd he destroyed 2 Yu-88 and Me-110 in air battles. At the end of August, two squadron commanders of the 5th IAP (later the 3rd GIAP) of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force, G. Kostylev, using the newly received “lagge”, shoot down an Me-109... On September 16, paired with I. Kaberov, having shot down a “laptezhnik”, they scatter a large group of Yu-87s continuously attacking the cruiser Marat. On February 5, 1942, Kostylev was shot down for the first and last time, wounded in the arm, and landed with a parachute. In April 1942, for 233 combat missions, 59 air battles, 9 personally and 34 in a group of enemy aircraft shot down, he was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. From May to October, he fought on a Hurricane, the left side of which he ordered to be decorated with a large inscription “For Rus'!” On November 7, again on LaGG-3, Kostylev shot down 2 Junkers in one battle. Before the ill-fated February evening of 1943, Kostylev made dozens of combat missions on LaGG-3, Hurricane, MiG-3, Yak-1. In the fall of 1942 he was appointed commander. After the penal battalion, the pilot was accepted into the 4th GIAP of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force, where he personally shot down 9 enemy aircraft with a La-5, 3 of them FV-190. A favorite of the flight and technical personnel, who enjoyed unquestioned authority in the units where he served, Kostylev was not in honor among the division commanders; after October 1942 he was not awarded a single order. In mid-1942, responding to the unfair reproach of one Leningrad journalist that he had many more group victories than personal ones, he passionately declared that from now on he would supplant group victories with personal victories and would not increase his total score until he equalized it with the number personally shot down. At the end of October 1943, shortly after his restoration to the officer rank and the return of all awards, Kostylev was recalled from the 4th GIAP by the commander of naval aviation and appointed to the post of Chief Inspector of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force for fighter aircraft. Arriving later to inspect regiments, he flew on combat missions, won victories, but never took official confirmation and, accordingly, did not write down those shot down to his own account, giving them to those with whom he flew into battle.

During the Great Patriotic War, Kostylev conducted about 400 combat missions, 89 air battles, personally shot down at least 20 and 34 enemy aircraft in a group. Until 1953 he served in the Navy. Died on November 30, 1960. According to his will, Georgy Dmitrievich Kostylev was buried in the memorial cemetery of the defenders of the Oranienbaum bridgehead in Lomonosov, where as a boy he ran for mushrooms, and during the war with a rifle in his hands he stood to the death.

Heroes of the Soviet Union (10/23/42). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, and medals.

Kochetov Alexander Vasilievich

Born on March 8, 1919 in the village of Alatyr, Kazan province. The eldest son in a large family, from childhood Kochetov learned the hardships of peasant labor, which he managed to combine with studying at school, and later at the flying club. With his conscription into the Red Army, he was sent to the Engels Military Aviation School, which he graduated from in 1940.

...By coincidence, the day the war began and the first battle coincided with another important event in his life - the birth of his daughter. Kochetov shot down the first plane, the Xe-111, on August 13, 1941, in front of the retreating Soviet troops: having killed the gunner, he came right behind the bomber and opened fire from an angle of 0/4... 2 days later, using the same method, he destroyed another similar aircraft . At the end of 1941 and in the first half of 1942, he served in the Moscow air defense, then fought at Stalingrad, where he shot down 7 enemy aircraft. In one of the September 1942 messages from the Sovinformburo it was said: “Second Lieutenant Kochetov shot down a Yu-87 and a Me-109 in one day...”. Later he fought in the skies of Kuban, and from October 1943 he fought on “yaks” in the Crimea, where only during the assault on Sapun Mountain he shot down 2 enemy planes. At the end of 1944, the successful pilot was given a personalized Yak-9 with the inscription on board: “From the collective farmer A. G. Gayazov.” Captain Kochetov, commander of the 43rd IAP (278 IAP, 8 VA), won his last victory in the skies over Konigsberg.

He conducted more than 450 combat missions, 120 air battles, personally shot down 34 and 8 enemy aircraft in a group.

In 1947, Major Kochetov was demobilized. A few years later he was again mobilized and enlisted in the Internal Troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. Resigned in 1960. In 1961 he graduated from the Chuvash Pedagogical Institute. Lives and works in Cheboksary.

Hero of the Soviet Union (13.4.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, 3 Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st class, and medals.

Kravtsov Ivan Savelievich

The most successful among naval pilots, Kravtsov, was born on February 19, 1914 in the village of Novgorodka, Elizavetgrad district, Kherson province. He graduated from 7th grade and worked in Krivoy Rog. After being drafted into the Navy, he was sent to the Yeisk Military Medical Academy named after Stalin, successfully graduated in 1939 and remained at the school as an instructor pilot.

In November 1941, Ivan Savelyevich was sent to the front. As part of the 5th IAP (3rd GIAP) of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force, he went through the entire war. In 1941-1942. conducted about 200 combat missions on the I-16, LaGG-3, Hurricane and Yak-1. He fought near Leningrad, in the Baltic states and East Prussia. From July 1943 to January 1944, Kravtsov studied at the Advanced Courses for Navy Commanders. Soon after returning to the regiment, he was appointed commander of the 2nd squadron of the 3rd GIAP, where he replaced Hero of the Soviet Union I. Tsapov.

One of his award sheets in 1944 said: “In the air battles he demonstrated, he demonstrated the highest skill in piloting techniques and aerial shooting. Flying the La-5, he fully exploits its tactical properties, and repeatedly in air battles with a numerically superior enemy, Kravtsov proved in front of the entire flight crew that the La-5 is superior to German aircraft. Always looking for the enemy and... forcing him to fight.”

Guard Captain Kravtsov conducted 375 sorties to escort and cover bases, ships and aircraft of the Baltic Fleet, in 100 air battles he personally shot down 29 and 4 enemy aircraft in a group.

In 1950, Major Kravtsov was demobilized. Lived and worked in the city of Gelendzhik, Krasnodar Territory.

Hero of the Soviet Union (22.7.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Nakhimov 1st class, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 1st class, medals.

Krasavin Konstantin Alekseevich

Born on May 20, 1917 in the village of Tsaritsyno-Dachnoe, now within the boundaries of Moscow. Graduated from 9 classes, FZU plant named after. Voitovich, in 1940 - Stalingrad VAU.

From the beginning of the war, Krasavin fought on the Western Front. From April 1942, he fought as part of the 150th GIAP, where he rose from an ordinary pilot to deputy regiment commander. He took part in the battles near Moscow, in battles with German pilots who were trying to unblock the Demyansk “sack”, in the liberation of Orel, Bryansk, Minsk, Vilnius. He spent his last combat missions in the skies of Germany.

“With his bold and daring actions, he captivates his followers to successfully complete tasks. It hits the enemy from short distances and only with aimed fire. Courage, surprise and audacity are Comrade Krasavin’s style of combat work,” wrote the commander of the 150th Guards A. Yakimenko in the award list.

...On April 25, 1942, during the bombing of the airfield, Krasavin took off alone, went to the side at low level, then gained altitude, speed and, from the direction of the sun, attacked and shot down the leading enemy bomber, the Yu-88, which fell in the area of the airfield. The pilot was forced to fight with covering fighters. Krasavin’s plane received about a hundred holes, but the ace managed to break away from the enemy and land the downed fighter... On July 23, 1943, in the Oryol direction, at the head of four La-5s, he attacked a large group of Xe-111s, which were under the cover of several FV-190s. In this battle, Guard Art. Lieutenant Krasavin managed to shoot down an enemy bomber and fighter.

Deputy commander of the 150th GIAP, inspector-pilot for piloting technique and flight theory, Major Krasavin, conducted 378 combat missions in I-15, LaGG-3, Yak-1, La-5, Yak-3, 106 air battles, personally shot down 21 (2 Xe-111, 2 Yu-88, 7 Me-109, 10 FV-190) and in the group 4 enemy aircraft.

He was discharged from the Air Force in 1955 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Lives and works in Kalinin (now Tver).

Hero of the Soviet Union (15.5.46). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st class, and medals.

Krasnov Nikolay Fedorovich

The name of this brilliant ace, one of the best air fighters of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War, is not known as widely as he deserves. Invincible in aerial combat, he froze to death in a fighter jet that had landed on a deserted airfield. Twice Hero Skomorokhov, who considered himself indebted to Krasnov, wrote about him: “... He stays in the air easily, at ease, sees absolutely everything, his maneuver is economical, prudent, his fire is short and accurate. The handwriting of a real ace. Later we will be convinced that he does not conduct an air battle, but, as it were, creates it. He lived only in heaven... On earth he was also not known for his verbosity. He was strict and infinitely honest.”

Krasnov was born on December 9, 1914 in primordially Russian places, in the village of Knyazhichi, which is on the right “high” bank of the Klyazma, very close to the ancient district town of Gorokhovets, on the border of the Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod provinces. The seventh child in a boilermaker's family, he learned poverty and hunger early on. Naturally strong and courageous, left to his own devices, Nikolai was the leader of the same semi-homeless ragamuffins. The revolution gave people like him faith in the future, in themselves, and inspired them with the enormity of their tasks. He graduates from school and at the age of 15 becomes the executive secretary of the district physical education council: his extraordinary sports talent took its toll. He swam well and played football, twirled the sun on the crossbar, and in 1928 he participated in the First All-Union Spartakiad. However, it is probably not an exaggeration to say that most boys of that time were attracted to aviation. A flying car, as if it had flown in from a fairy tale, became a reality: more and more often it could be seen in the sky above our native places, and sometimes even touched with our hands.

In 1930, Krasnov was drafted into the Red Army and in December accepted into the 2nd Tambov Military Pilot School, from which he graduated in 1934. When his service expired, he was demobilized and joined the Civil Air Fleet, where he worked as a pilot for almost 4 years.

The position of an air cab driver could not satisfy Krasnov’s active and creative nature. In 1938, he was hired as a factory test pilot.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he was again drafted into the army and sent to the 402nd IAP, formed on the initiative of P. Stefanovsky on the basis of the Air Force Research Institute and the People's Commissariat of the Aviation Industry exclusively from test pilots. This regiment will be the most effective in the country, it will destroy 810 enemy aircraft in battles, and 5 of them will be shot down by Krasnov.

He won his first victory in the first battle on July 28, destroying a Me-109 on a MiG-3 in the Staraya Russa area. After 3 days over Novgorod he shoots down a Yu-88. Already in the first battles, his characteristic style is developed: he quickly approaches the enemy aircraft to a minimum distance, not provided for by any instructions, and from a distance of 20-30 meters, usually from behind and below, opens fire. On October 6, 1941, the pilot received 5 wounds in an air battle, 2 of them serious, and was out of action for 5 months. By that time, he had 5 downed enemy aircraft, for which Krasnov received his first Order of the Red Banner. After the hospital, he fought on the Bryansk and Southwestern fronts, took part in the battles of Stalingrad and in the Caucasus, and fought on the Kursk Bulge. His military talent was revealed with particular force in the battles in the south of Ukraine. “In the battles for the liberation of Zaporozhye from October 10 to October 14, 1943, Major Krasnov showed exceptionally high combat results, shooting down 7 enemy aircraft in seven combat sorties: 6 Me-109 and FV-189,” wrote Krasnov in his nomination for the title of Hero Soviet Union commander of the 116th IAP, Lieutenant Colonel Shatilin. In total, near Zaporozhye he shot down 11 enemy vehicles, by mid-November 1943 he brought his personal score to 31 and was second only to Pokryshkin in terms of effectiveness at that time.

At the very beginning of 1944, a squadron of “hunters” was created from the best pilots of the 295th IAD, which gathered recognized masters of air combat, such as V. Skomorokhov and V. Kirilyuk, I. Novikov and O. Smirnov. Krasnov was appointed Komeskom. Before starting combat work as part of the newly formed squadron, he conducted a series of intense theoretical classes, where he analyzed his own experience, enemy tactics, and examined dozens of air combat techniques. The discoverer of these techniques was the commander himself - a creator and innovator, the creator of air combat. One of these discoveries was a combat turn with an exit in the opposite direction, which opened up great opportunities and was skillfully demonstrated by him in a training air battle together with Skomorokhov.

In March, Krasnov was appointed deputy commander of the 31st IAP, and soon the combined squadron ceased to exist: the regimental commanders complained - their best forces were diverted to the squadron. All this time he was actively participating in air battles: only on February 2, 1944, in 2 combat missions, he managed to shoot down 3 Yu-52...

Nikolai Fedorovich's official affairs were by no means as brilliant as his military ones. An independent and proud man, he could not stand bureaucratic supervision and attempts by superiors to interfere in methods of fighting. He was constantly being pulled around, transferred from unit to unit. At the same time, despite the outstanding results of combat work, for 2 years until his death he remained in almost the same rank and position. In the Iasi-Kishinev operation, and later in battles in the countries of South-Eastern Europe, he brought the number of his personal victories to at least 44 and died on January 29, 1945...

Data on the number of combat sorties he carried out are contradictory; the most reliable data appears to be from Krasnov’s award sheet, signed by his friend and comrade-in-arms, commander of the 31st IAP G. Onufrienko, which states that by February 1944, Major Krasnov “made 324 combat sorties, of which 102 are for escort, 108 are for troop covering, 78 are for reconnaissance, and 36 are for attack.” He flew 130 combat missions on the MiG-3, 19 on the LaGG-3, the rest on the La-5, conducted more than 100 air battles, where he shot down a Xe-111, 4 Yu-88, 3 Yu-52, 3 FV-189 , 2 Me-110, 4 Yu-87, 26 Me-109, FV-190.

Hero of the Soviet Union (4.2.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, 2 Orders of the Patriotic War 1st class, medals.

Kryukov Pavel Pavlovich

The elder of the Soviet aces was born on December 15, 1906 in the village of Birevo, Klin district, Moscow province. After graduating from school, he worked as a carpenter and studied at the Artem Workers' Faculty.

He made his first flight in 1931 on the R-1, a licensed machine built according to the drawings of the English Dee Haviland-9. In the mid-30s. Kryukov served in the 51st Fighter Squadron in Transbaikalia. In 1938, he fought on the Khalkhin Gol River on the I-15 bis and shot down 3 Japanese planes. In the last battle he was shot down, received severe burns, and landed by parachute. Awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

A self-taught pilot who formally graduated from the Engels Military Aviation School only in 1943, he was one of those few noble and strong people in the regiment who contributed to the flowering of Pokryshkin’s mighty talent. Strict and demanding of people, Pokryshkin had an extremely high regard for Kryukov: “All the pilots of the regiment respected him for his calm character and prudence... He served as an example in battles with the Nazis... A real commander, a front-line soldier who knew how to draw the right conclusions...”

Kryukov performed his first combat mission in the Patriotic War on June 22, 1941 on a MiG-3 for long-range reconnaissance on the territory of Romania. There was barely enough fuel to pull it across the border on the way back... In the fall of 1941, Captain Kryukov was appointed commander of the training squadron of the 55th IAP (16 GIAP), Pokryshkin became his deputy. There they “taught young people what the experience of combat had shown,” despite the jealous instructions of the headquarters, to the detriment of their careers... During the fighting on the Southern Front, Kryukov was appointed commander of the 2nd squadron.

In the fall of 1942, before the 16th GIAP was sent for retraining, only 2 squadrons of 8 Yak-1s each remained - Kryukov and Pokryshkin.

After re-equipping with the Airacobra, the regiment's navigator Kryukov competently and effectively conducted battles in the Kuban. In one of the April sorties over Krymskaya, he shot down 3 Me-109s. General Vershinin witnessed this battle and awarded Kryukov the Order of the Red Banner. In total, Kryukov conducted more than 50 combat missions in Kuban, where he personally shot down 6 and 1 enemy aircraft in the group.

Then there were battles on the Miusfront, in Moldova, in Poland. Together with V. Bobrov, Kryukov carried out his most successful combat mission, where he managed to shoot down 3 Xe-111s at once. He ended the war as deputy division commander.

In more than 600 combat missions, he personally shot down 19 and 1 enemy aircraft in the group. In 1951, Colonel Kryukov graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. He was demobilized in 1956 with the rank of major general. Lived and worked in Moscow. Died November 11, 1974

Hero of the Soviet Union (24.5.43). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Suvorov 2nd and 3rd class, Kutuzov 2nd class, Red Star, medals.

Kuznetsov Mikhail Vasilievich

Born in the village of Agarino, not far from Serpukhov near Moscow, on November 7, 1913. From 1921 he lived in Moscow, after graduating from the 2nd level of school he worked at a factory. In 1933, due to party mobilization, he was sent to the school of naval pilots (Yeiskoye VMAU). Since 1934 he served in fighter aviation units.

Captain M. Kuznetsov, commander, carried out his first combat missions near Leningrad in July 1941 on a MiG-3. Soon he won his first victory here, shooting down the leading Me-109 group. Destroying the leaders of groups of enemy aircraft became his creed. Relying on his high skill and tactical literacy, the air fighter Kuznetsov sought first of all to decapitate the enemy’s battle formations... In 1942, he was appointed commander of the 814th IAP, which fought on Yaks, and led the regiment through the crucible of battles in Ukraine, where he personally shot down 12 enemy aircraft. Under his command on August 24, 1943. the regiment was awarded the rank of guards and became the 106th GIAP. In September 1943, after the liberation of Donbass, Major M. Kuznetsov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for 17 downed guard aircraft. He made his last combat missions over Berlin. Was awarded a second Gold Star. Guard Colonel M. Kuznetsov conducted 72 air battles in 375 combat missions, personally destroyed 22 enemy aircraft and 6 in a group.

After the war, he continued to serve in the Air Force, flying jet and supersonic aircraft. In 1951 he graduated from the VVA. He was demobilized in 1974 with the rank of major general. Lives in the city of Berdyansk.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (8.9.43, 27.6.45). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky 2nd class, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, Red Banner of Labor, 2 Orders of the Red Star, medals.

Kuznetsov Nikolay Fedorovich

The fate of this combat pilot personifies the continuity of generations in Soviet aviation. Having begun his service as a cadet at the Leningrad School of Aviation Technicians in 1935, he went through 3 wars, commanded large air formations, and from 1963 to 1972. headed the Cosmonaut Training Center.

As a technician of the 68th IAP, he took part in the Soviet-Finnish War, after which he was sent to the Kachin Military Aviation Pilot School.

Lieutenant of the 191st IAP N. Kuznetsov won his first victory in July 1941 in the Leningrad sky, in the Petrokrepost area, when a salvo of eReSs, fired in unison by his I-16 flight, destroyed 2 Me-110s... After retraining on the Hurricane Kuznetsov fought on the Kalinin Front as part of the 191st IAP. Soon, having rearmed again, now with the Kittyhawk, he was transferred to the 436th IAP (67 GIAP), where he fought until the end of the war. Once, near Staraya Russa, a pilot was attacked by a group of Me-109s, wounded in the chest - an enemy shell exploded on his medals - and, losing consciousness, Kuznetsov landed the car on a snowy swamp... After the hospital and being awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for 17 personal and 12 group victories, he already fought in the Airacobra on the Kursk Bulge. Soon, Guard Major Kuznetsov was appointed assistant commander of the 67th GIAP for air rifle service, participated in the liberation of Belarus and Poland, and carried out his last combat missions over Berlin. Since October 1944, the regiment where Kuznetsov served fought on the Kingcobra. In 252 combat missions flown during the Great Patriotic War, he conducted more than 150 air battles, personally shot down 25 and “paired with wingmen 12 enemy aircraft.” On August 17, 1945, the commander of the 6th Air Force I. Dzusov, the commander of the 16th VA S. Rudenko and Marshal G. Zhukov signed Kuznetsov’s proposal for the second Golden Star... But then it did not pass.

In 1949, Nikolai Fedorovich graduated from the VVA. From the beginning of 1952, Colonel Kuznetsov commanded the 16th IAP, which fought in North Korea. In battles, the regiment shot down 26 enemy aircraft, losing 4 pilots. He himself flew 27 combat missions in Korea on the MiG-15. Later he commanded a division, graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1956, and in October 1963 became head of the Cosmonaut Training Center. With his active participation, dozens of the most important manned space missions were carried out. He has the academic title of Doctor of Military Sciences, and the honorary title of Honored Military Pilot of the USSR. He retired with the rank of major general in 1978. Lives in the Moscow region. Author of the books “The Front Above the Ground” (M., 1970), “Years of Testing” (L., 1987).

Hero of the Soviet Union (1.5.43). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, 3 Orders of the Red Star, medals.

Kuzmin Georgy Pavlovich

A man of extraordinary courage, will and fortitude, he was an unyielding and virtuoso air fighter and a real person.

His military exploits were worthy of the highest award at least three times. On June 27, 1941, in the seventh combat sortie to the Vitebsk area, from a short distance, from below - from behind, Kuzmin shot down an enemy bomber, and when the ammunition was completely expended, he rammed the second German plane with a blow to the tail. He landed his damaged Chaika at the airfield. This was one of the first completely successful rams, when it was possible not only to shoot down an enemy plane, but also to save his plane... On November 19, 1941, having shot down 2 enemy planes in a heavy air battle, the pilot was wounded in the legs and landed his downed fighter in a forest clearing He crawled for a long time until local residents picked him up. After lying down for several days, Kuzmin decided to make his way to his own people and, overcoming the pain in unhealed wounds, reached the front line, where he was detained by German military guards and thrown into a prisoner of war camp. However, a few days later, choosing the moment, he killed the sentry and disappeared, soon contacted the partisans, participated in battles with them and managed to reach his own. On the same day, Kuzmin was hospitalized, doctors found the condition of his legs extremely serious and decided to amputate... Three months later, the pilot, who had lost both feet, returned to fighter aviation. One can only guess how much effort it cost him. Unfortunately, his Polevoy was not nearby... In March 1942, he returned to combat work as a commander of the 239th IAP. Soon the regiment was deployed to the Stalingrad direction. Here Captain Kuzmin conducted several exceptionally spectacular and effective battles, shooting down 2 Junkers on September 22 and October 2, and in mid-October, taking off during an attack on the airfield and escaping the enemy routes in a coup, he, speeding up the engine, gaining altitude, attacked the leader German couple. Kuzmin encountered a worthy opponent, and in a difficult “grandmaster” battle, he momentarily managed to catch the enemy plane in the sighting reticle and shoot it down with a short burst... On November 19, on the personal instructions of the commander of the 8th VA, General Khryukin, in conditions of limited visibility, the pilot conducted an important reconnaissance in the Kotelnikov area, where he managed to discover the location of the concentration of enemy troops... At the end of 1942, he was appointed assistant commander for the VSS of the famous “Shestakovsky” 9th GIAP. Having mastered the Yak-1 in a few days, Kuzmin on January 22, 1943 won his next two victories while patrolling in the Rostov-on-Don area. Soon he was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By that time, he had 270 combat missions, including 15 attack and 70 reconnaissance missions, 90 air battles, 15 personal and 6 group victories. In May, he brought the number of personally shot down aircraft to 20, becoming the first among the regiment's aces. Kuzmin’s comrade-in-arms, the brilliant ace Evgeny Dranishchev, wrote in a front-line newspaper: “It’s a pity that I’m not a writer, otherwise I would have written a book about him.”

G.P. Kuzmin was born on April 21, 1913 in the Sayan village of Nagornoye, near Krasnoyarsk. He graduated from 7 classes, and in 1932 - the Volsk Military School of Aviation Technicians. Participated in the battles on the Khalkhin Gol River. He achieved assignment to a flight school and in 1940 received the rank of pilot at the Kachin Military Aviation School.

Participated in battles on the Western, Stalingrad and Southern fronts. He carried out more than 280 sorties and 92 air battles, where he shot down 22 enemy aircraft personally (according to other documents 21) and 7 in a group. Guard Major Kuzmin died on August 18, 1943 during his second combat mission in an Airacobra. He jumped out of the wrecked car and opened his parachute, but the silk of the canopy caught fire... His student and friend E. Dranishchev outlived his idol by 3 days.

Hero of the Soviet Union (28.4.43). Awarded the Order of Lenin and the Red Banner.

Kulagin Andrey Mikhailovich

Born on September 4, 1921 in the village of Staroye Zakruzhye, Mogilev province. Graduated from 7th grade. Working at an auto repair plant named after. S. Kirov in Mogilev, studied at the flying club. In 1942 he graduated from the Armavir Military Aviation School.

In battles since July 1942, Kulagin won his first victory in the Armavir region, where, having met a group of Me-110 fighter-bombers, he shot down one of them with fire from the cannon of his Yak-1, after which he carried out an attack on enemy troops. In February 1943, the regiment was re-equipped with LaGG-3. At the end of March, during an attack, flight commander Kulagin decisively counterattacked four Me-109s and in a short battle shot down the leader... In January 1944, in battles in the Kerch region, he personally shot down 2 Yu-87 and Xe-111... By February 1944 ., when the deputy Commander of the 249th IAP (163 GIAP) Art. Lieutenant Kulagin was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, he completed 320 combat missions, of which: 16 were attack missions, 71 were escort missions, 121 were reconnaissance missions, 23 were interception missions, 7 combat missions were at night. In battles, he personally shot down 22 aircraft (3 Xe-111, Me-110, Yu-52, 5 Yu-87, 12 Me-109), in a pair - 1 - Xe-111 and in a group 3 enemy aircraft (2 Yu-87 and Me-109). Kulagin won a record number of victories in the “lagge” - 26. The pilot ended the war in Germany, as part of the 2nd Belorussian Front as a commander and guard captain. By this time, Kulagin had conducted 146 air battles and personally had 32 aircraft shot down, and 7 group victories. From the end of 1944, he fought in the La-5.

After the war he served in the Air Force. Graduated from the Higher Officer Flight Tactical Courses, in 1954 - VVA. Flew MiG-15, MiG-17. In 1955, Colonel A. Kulagin was demobilized. Since 1959 he worked as an instructor for the Factory District Committee of the Communist Party of Minsk, since 1961 as an instructor, and later as head. sector of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus. Lived in Minsk. Died August 9, 1980

Hero of the Soviet Union (1.7.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, Order of the Patriotic War 1st class, Red Star, medals.

Kumanichkin Alexander Sergeevich

Born on August 26, 1920 in the village of Balanda, now the city of Kalininsk, Saratov region. In 1930 he moved to Moscow with his family. Graduated from 7th grade, FZU school, flying club. In 1938 he was sent to the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation School, from which he graduated a year later. The young pilot’s exceptional coordination, courage and endurance were noticed, and he was retained at the school as an instructor pilot.

In July 1942, he managed to be sent to the front. As part of the 40th IAP (41 GIAP) he fought in the North Caucasus, on the Kursk Bulge, and carried out more than 50 combat missions in the Battle of the Dnieper. In the fall of 1943, in the Piryatin area, Kumanichkin’s four, having dispersed the covering fighters, shot down 9 Yu-87(!). Front commander N. Vatutin, who saw this battle, awarded the fearless pilot the Order of the Red Banner... A man of reckless courage, inexhaustible optimism and humor, Kumanichkin remained a leader, the soul of the team in any circumstances: both in combat work and in non-flying everyday life. In 1944, the commander of the 41st GIAP Guard, Captain Kumanichkin, was transferred to the so-called “Marshal” 19th IAP (176th GIAP) of separate subordination. Here his wingman was S. Kramarenko (14 personal and 12 group victories), who later distinguished himself in Korea, together with whom he shot down 6 enemy aircraft. Kumanichkin repeatedly entered into battle together with Kozhedub... On February 12, 1945, Kumanichkin and Kozhedub as part of six fought with nine FV-190s, six of which were shot down in a short battle. Kumanichkin shot down one of the Fokkers in a frontal attack, despite the German fighter's more than twofold superiority in the mass of a second salvo. Observers were delighted with the beauty and dynamism of the battle. General Berzarin sent a telegram to the regiment: “In terms of skill, beauty, cohesion, this battle is a triumph of our aviation. I am amazed by the skill and courage of the pilots.”

By the end of the war, Major Kumanichkin made more than 300 combat missions, in 70 air battles he personally shot down 31 and 1 enemy aircraft.

In 1947, he graduated from the Higher Officer Flight and Tactical Courses. In 1951-1952 as a deputy commander and later a division commander, he participated in combat operations in Korea. He took personal part in air battles and shot down 6 American aircraft. In 1954 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. He flew combat vehicles until 1961. He retired to the reserve with the rank of major general of aviation. Lived and worked in Voronezh. Died October 24, 1983

Hero of the Soviet Union (13.4.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 6 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of the Red Star, and medals.

Kustov Igor Efremovich

Born on June 7, 1921 in the city of Kuvshinovo, Tver province. He graduated from 9 classes and the flying club in Bryansk, in 1941 - the Chuguev Military Aviation School. Wherever Igor Kustov studied, he only got “excellent” grades. A tall, thin, pale young man, due to his brilliant success in flying, was retained as an instructor at the flight school, although at one time they did not want to accept him precisely because of his height and thinness. In addition to natural talent, diligence and discipline, Igor’s most important quality was perseverance. In December 1941, he managed to be sent to the front.

His first combat mission Art. Sergeant Kustov committed on January 17, 1942, and less than two months later the 20-year-old pilot was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By that time, in 71 combat missions on the I-16, he personally shot down 5 Yu-88, Yu-52 and Khsh-126, and destroyed another 12 aircraft in the group. In battles he was wounded twice, the second time seriously. Returning from the hospital, on August 18, 1942, as part of the six, he selflessly fought a battle, shot down a Xe-111, despite being seriously wounded, did not leave the battle... Kustov fought exceptionally hard over the Dnieper, where he destroyed 6 enemy aircraft on the Yak-7B. 2 of them - FV-190 and FV-189 in one flight on November 6, 1943. Deputy. Commander of the 728th IAP Art. Lieutenant Kustov died in a plane crash on December 24 (according to other sources, 22) 1943. He had about 200 combat missions, 20 personal and 12 group victories.

Part

By this time, A. N. Karasev had more than 380 combat missions and 112 air battles, in which he shot down 23 enemy aircraft personally and 9 in a group. Participant in defensive battles in Moldova and the Tiraspol-Melitopol defensive operation in the summer of 1941, Donbass and Rostov defensive operations in 1941, 1941, in defensive battles on the Don in the summer of 1942, in the Battle of Stalingrad, Rostov offensive operation in the winter of 1943, in Mius, Donbass , Melitopol offensive operations.

Upon returning to the USSR, in October 1952 he was appointed commander of the 303rd Fighter Aviation Division. Since December 1957, he studied; he graduated from the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff in September 1958, and in September 1959 he graduated from the basic course of the Military Academy of the General Staff.

Since September 1959 - head of the Voroshilovgrad Military Aviation School of Pilots. After its closure in December 1960, he was transferred as chief of staff - deputy head of the Chernigov Military Aviation School of Pilots. Since August 1968, Aviation Major General A. N. Karasev has been in reserve.

Excerpt characterizing Karasev, Alexander Nikitovich

– What about John? I read somewhere that the Cathars supposedly “believed” in John? And even his manuscripts were kept as a shrine... Is any of this true?
- Only that they really deeply revered John, despite the fact that they had never met him. – North smiled. – Well, one more thing is that, after the death of Radomir and Magdalena, the Cathars actually had the real “Revelations” of Christ and the diaries of John, which the Roman Church tried to find and destroy at all costs. The Pope's servants tried their best to find out where the damned Cathars hid their most dangerous treasure?! For if all this had appeared openly, the history of the Catholic Church would have suffered a complete defeat. But, no matter how hard the church bloodhounds tried, luck never smiled on them... Nothing was found except a few manuscripts of eyewitnesses.
That is why the only way for the church to somehow save its reputation in the case of the Cathars was only to distort their faith and teaching so much that no one in the world could distinguish truth from lies... As they easily did with the lives of Radomir and Magdalena.
The church also claimed that the Cathars worshiped John even more than Jesus Radomir himself. Only by John they meant “their” John, with his false Christian gospels and the same false manuscripts... The Cathars indeed revered the real John, but he, as you know, had nothing in common with the church John-“ baptist."
– You know, North, I have the impression that the church distorted and destroyed ENTIRE world history. Why was this necessary?
– In order not to allow a person to think, Isidora. To make obedient and insignificant slaves out of people, who were “forgiven” or punished by the “holiest” at their discretion. For if a person knew the truth about his past, he would be a PROUD person for himself and his Ancestors and would never put on a slave collar. Without the TRUTH, from being free and strong, people became “slaves of God”, and no longer tried to remember who they really were. This is the present, Isidora... And, frankly, it does not leave too bright hopes for change.
The north was very quiet and sad. Apparently, having observed human weakness and cruelty for so many centuries, and seeing how the strongest perished, his heart was poisoned with bitterness and disbelief in the imminent victory of Knowledge and Light... And I so wanted to shout to him that I still believe that people will wake up soon !.. Despite the anger and pain, despite the betrayal and weakness, I believe that the Earth will finally not be able to withstand what is being done to its children. And he would wake up... But I understood that I would not be able to convince him, since I myself would soon have to die, fighting for this same awakening.
But I didn’t regret... My life was just a grain of sand in an endless sea of suffering. And I just had to fight to the end, no matter how terrible it was. Since even drops of water, constantly falling, are capable of someday breaking through the strongest stone. So is EVIL: if people crushed it even grain by grain, it would someday collapse, even if not during this lifetime. But they would return again to their Earth and see - it was THEY who helped her survive!.. It was THEY who helped her become Light and Faithful. I know that the North would say that man does not yet know how to live for the future... And I know that so far this has been true. But this is precisely what, in my understanding, stopped many from making their own decisions. Because people are too accustomed to thinking and acting “like everyone else,” without standing out or interfering, just to live in peace.
“I’m sorry I put you through so much pain, my friend.” – The voice of the North interrupted my thoughts. “But I think it will help you meet your destiny easier.” Will help you survive...
I didn’t want to think about it... At least a little more!.. After all, I still had plenty of time left for my sad fate. Therefore, in order to change the painful topic, I started asking questions again.
– Tell me, Sever, why did I see the sign of the royal “lily” on Magdalene and Radomir, and on many Magi? Does this mean that they were all Franks? Can you explain it to me?
“Let’s start with the fact that this is a misunderstanding of the sign itself,” Sever answered, smiling. “It was not a lily when it was brought to Frankia Meravingli.”

Trefoil - the battle sign of the Slavic-Aryans

– ?!.
“Didn’t you know that it was they who brought the “Threfoil” sign to Europe at that time?..,” Sever was sincerely surprised.
- No, I've never heard of it. And you surprised me again!
– The three-leaf clover once, a long time ago, was the battle sign of the Slavic-Aryans, Isidora. It was a magical herb that helped wonderfully in battle - it gave warriors incredible strength, it healed wounds and made it easier for those leaving for another life. This wonderful herb grew far in the North, and only magicians and sorcerers could get it. It was always given to warriors who went to defend their homeland. Going into battle, each warrior uttered the usual spell: “For Honor! For Conscience! For Faith! While also making a magical movement, he touched the left and right shoulders with two fingers and the middle of the forehead with the last. This is what the Three Leaf Tree truly meant.
And so the Meravingli brought it with them. Well, and then, after the death of the Meravingley dynasty, the new kings appropriated it, like everything else, declaring it a symbol of the royal house of France. And the ritual of movement (or baptism) was “borrowed” by the same Christian church, adding to it a fourth, lower part... the part of the devil. Unfortunately, history repeats itself, Isidora...
Yes, history really repeated itself... And it made me feel bitter and sad. Was anything real from all that we knew?.. Suddenly I felt as if hundreds of people I didn’t know were looking at me demandingly. I understood - these were those who KNEW... Those who died defending the truth... It was as if they bequeathed to me to convey the TRUTH to those who do not know. But I couldn't. I left... Just as they themselves once left.
Suddenly the door swung open with a noise and a smiling, joyful Anna burst into the room like a hurricane. My heart jumped high and then sank into the abyss... I couldn’t believe that I was seeing my sweet girl!.. And she, as if nothing had happened, smiled widely, as if everything was great with her, and as if she wasn’t hanging over ours. lives are a terrible disaster. - Mommy, honey, I almost found you! Oh, North!.. Have you come to help us?.. Tell me, you will help us, right? – Looking into his eyes, Anna asked confidently.
North just smiled at her tenderly and very sadly...
* * *
Explanation
After a painstaking and thorough thirteen-year (1964-1976) excavation of Montsegur and its environs, the French Group of Archaeological Research of Montsegur and the Environment (GRAME) announced in 1981 its final conclusion: No trace of ruins from the First Montsegur, abandoned by its owners in the 12th century, has been found. . Just as the ruins of the Second Fortress of Montsegur, built by its then owner, Raymond de Pereil, in 1210, have not been found.
(See: Groupe de Recherches Archeologiques de Montsegur et Environs (GRAME), Montsegur: 13 ans de rechreche archeologique, Lavelanet: 1981. pg. 76.: "Il ne reste aucune trace dan les ruines actuelles ni du premier chateau que etait a l" abandon au debut du XII siecle (Montsegur I), ni de celui que construisit Raimon de Pereilles vers 1210 (Montsegur II)...")
According to the testimony given to the Holy Inquisition on March 30, 1244 by the co-owner of Montsegur, arrested by Lord Raymond de Pereil, the fortified castle of Montsegur was “restored” in 1204 at the request of the Perfects - Raymond de Miropois and Raymond Blasco.
(According to a deposition given to the Inquisition on March 30, 1244 by the captured co-seigneur of Montsegur, Raymond de Pereille (b.1190-1244?), the fortress was "restored" in 1204 at the request of Cather perfecti Raymond de Mirepoix and Raymond Blasco.)
However, something still remains to remind us of the tragedy that unfolded on this small piece of mountain soaked through with human blood... Still firmly clinging to the foundation of Montsegur, the foundations of the disappeared village literally “hang” over the cliffs...

Anna looked at Sever enthusiastically, as if he was able to give us salvation... But little by little her gaze began to fade, because from the sad expression of his face she understood: no matter how much he wanted it, for some reason there would be no help.
“You want to help us, don’t you?” Well, tell me, you want to help, Sever?..
Anna took turns peering carefully into our eyes, as if wanting to make sure that we understood her correctly. Her pure and honest soul could not understand that someone could, but did not want to save us from a terrifying death...
“Forgive me, Anna... I can’t help you,” Sever said sadly.
- But why?!! Don’t you regret that we will die?.. Why, North?!..
- Because I DO NOT KNOW how to help you... I don’t know how to destroy Karaffa. I don't have the right "weapons" to get rid of him.
Still not wanting to believe, Anna very persistently continued to ask.
– Who knows how to overcome it? Someone should know this! He's not the strongest! Even grandfather Isten is much stronger than him! After all, really, North?
It was funny to hear how she easily called such a person grandfather... Anna perceived them as her faithful and kind family. A family in which everyone cares about each other... And where another life in it is valuable for everyone. But, unfortunately, they were not exactly such a family... The Magi had a different, separate life. And Anna still didn’t understand this.
“The Master knows this, dear.” Only he can help you.
– But if this is so, then how come he hasn’t helped until now?! Mom was already there, wasn't she? Why didn't he help?
- Forgive me, Anna, I can’t answer you. I don't know...
At this point I couldn’t keep silent any longer!
– But you explained it to me, Sever! What has changed since then?..
- Probably me, my friend. I think it was you who changed something in me. Go to the Lord, Isidora. He is your only hope. Go before it's too late.
I didn’t answer him. And what could I say?.. That I don’t believe in the help of the White Magus? I don’t believe he’ll make an exception for us? But this is exactly what was true! And that’s why I didn’t want to go to bow to him. Perhaps it was selfish to do this, perhaps it was unwise, but I could not help myself. I no longer wanted to ask for help from my father, who had once betrayed his beloved son... I did not understand him, and I completely disagreed with him. After all, he COULD have saved Radomir. But I didn’t want to... I would give a lot in the world for the opportunity to save my sweet, brave girl. But, unfortunately, I did not have such an opportunity... Even if they kept the most precious thing (KNOWLEDGE), the Magi still did not have the right to harden their hearts to such an extent as to forget simple philanthropy! To destroy compassion in yourself. They turned themselves into cold, soulless “librarians” who sacredly guarded their library. Only now the question was, did they remember, having closed themselves in their proud silence, FOR WHOM this library was once intended?.. Did they remember that our Great Ancestors left their KNOWLEDGE so that it would help them someday? grandchildren to save our beautiful Earth?.. Who gave the White Magus the right to unilaterally decide when exactly the hour would come that they would finally open the doors wide? For some reason, it always seemed to me that those whom our ancestors called Gods would not allow their best sons and daughters to die just because the “right” time was not yet on the threshold! For if the blacks slaughter all the enlightened ones, then no one will understand even the best library...

Furaev Alexander Nikitovich WWII pilot. Soviet aces. Essays about Soviet pilots. Krasnov Nikolay Fedorovich

Biography

Memory

Kalugin Fedor Zakharovich

Kamenshchikov Vladimir Grigorievich

Kamozin Pavel Mikhailovich

Karasev Alexander Nikitovich

Karpov Alexander Terentievich

Kirilyuk Viktor Vasilievich

Kiriya Shalva Nesterovich

Kitaev Nikolay Trofimovich

Klimov Vasily Vladimirovich

Klubov Alexander Fedorovich

Kovalev Konstantin Fedotovich

Kovachevich Arkady Fedorovich

Kozhevnikov Anatoly Leonidovich

Kozhedub Ivan Nikitovich

Kozachenko Petr Konstantinovich

Koldunov Alexander Ivanovich

Kolyadin Viktor Ivanovich

Komelkov Mikhail Sergeevich

Kondrashev Alexander Petrovich

Konstantinov Anatoly Ustinovich

Korolev Vitaly Ivanovich

Kostylev Georgy Dmitrievich

Kochetov Alexander Vasilievich

Kravtsov Ivan Savelievich

Krasavin Konstantin Alekseevich

Krasnov Nikolay Fedorovich

Kryukov Pavel Pavlovich

Kuznetsov Mikhail Vasilievich

Kuznetsov Nikolay Fedorovich

Kuzmin Georgy Pavlovich

Kulagin Andrey Mikhailovich

Kumanichkin Alexander Sergeevich

Kustov Igor Efremovich

Excerpt characterizing Karasev, Alexander Nikitovich

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