Air Aces of World Bashny.Net

February 6 - Day of Remembrance of the famous aviator, Lieutenant General Aviation retired, twice Hero of the Soviet Union Vitaly Popkov, who became the prototype for the hero of the famous film "go to fight some old" - "Maestro" Titarenko, brilliantly played by Leonid Bykov. In his single-engine fighter-La 5FN he made 475 sorties and conducted 113 air battles, including one ram. According to various sources, Popkov had from 40 to 60 wins: he rightly recognized among the aces of World.





Vitaliy Popkov



Hero of the Soviet Union and personally shot down 47 enemy planes and 13 - in the group.
Popkov graduated flight school in the "star" edition: along with future aces - Kozhedub Lavrinenkovym, Borovo, Likholetov. On the front of the young man he was sent in 1942. He was in the 5th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. They say that getting to the airport on the chaise, Popkov could not resist and climbed into an unfamiliar aircraft LaGG-3, where it was discovered hour. The commander of the bright-eyed guy offered to fly him podsmenku.
Popkov won the first victory in June 1942, near the town of Hill - all on the same LaGG-3, he shot down a bomber Do-217. Shortly before that he had violated the discipline of flying, he distinguished himself as a reckless driver, and was appointed perpetual duty in the kitchen. On that day, the airfield had two Do-217, and two were covering their Me-109. Popkov, right in the apron, jumped on a plane and, on first call, shot down one "Dornier". The regimental commander, and only managed to say: "What are you still" Messers "is not picked up? & Quot ;. So young pilot reopened the road to heaven.
Popkov recalled that in August the same year he got one of the most famous Nazi aces. It was at Stalingrad. Hermann Graf, Luftwaffe ace, at that time had 212 victories. He spent several years in Soviet labor camps and returned to Germany, a staunch anti-fascist.





Ivan Kozhedub



Three times Hero of the Soviet Union, has a record of 64 victories. Aircraft Flown La-5, La-5FN, La-7, IL-2, the MiG-3. The first dogfight Kozhedub spent on the La-5 in March 1943. Together with leading, he had to guard the airport, but the take-off, the pilot lost sight of the second plane was damaged by enemy, and then was still under his flak. Kozhedub barely landed the plane, which counted more than 50 holes.
After an unsuccessful bout of pilot wanted translate into terrestrial services. However, he decided to return to the sky flew connected, studied the experience of the famous fighter Pokryshkina, who took over the formula fight, "Height - speed - maneuver - fire." In his first fight Kozhedub lost precious seconds to recognize aircraft attacked him, so he spent a lot of time memorizing aircraft silhouettes.
Appointed deputy squadron commander, Kozhedub took part in air battles of Kursk. In the summer of 1943, he received his first Order of the Red Banner. By February 1944 the number of aircraft downed Kozhedub exceeded thirty. The pilot was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.



It is said that Kozhedub loved their aircraft, considered them "live". And not once during the entire war has not left his car, even burning. In May 1944, he was given a special aircraft La-5 FN. Beekeeper selhozarteli "Bolshevik" Budarinsky district of Stalingrad Vasily V. Konev listed his personal savings to the Defense Fund, and asked them to build aircraft behalf of his deceased nephew - fighter pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Georgi Konev. On one of the sides of the plane wrote: "In the name of Lieutenant Colonel Konev", the second - "From Vasily V. Konev collective farmer." Beekeeper asked to give the aircraft the best pilot. They found Kozhedub.
In February 1945, the German ace shot down a jet fighter Me-262, and the last enemy aircraft attacked in April. In total Kozhedub made 330 sorties and conducted 120 air battles.



Alexander Pokryshkin



Three times Hero of the Soviet Union and personally shot down 59 enemy planes and six aircraft - in the group. Flown MiG-3, Yak-1, P-39, "Cobra».
The genius of flying was a baptism of fire in the early days of the war. Then he was zamkomandira Squadron of the 55th Regiment. There was a misunderstanding: June 22, 1941 Pokryshkin knocked Soviet short-range bomber Su-2. The plane landed in a field on the fuselage, the pilot survived, but died the navigator. Pokryshkin later admitted that he simply did not recognize the plane: "Dry" appeared in military units just before the war.
But the next day the pilot difference: shot down during a reconnaissance mission, fighter Messerschmitt Bf.109. It was the first combat victory Pokryshkina. July 3, he was hit by flak over the Prut. By the time the pilot won no less than five victories.
Being in the hospital, Pokryshkin began to take notes in a notebook, which is titled "The tactics of the fighters in the battle." In it he was described by his science to win. Many combat and reconnaissance flights Pokryshkina unique. In November 1941, he, in conditions of reduced visibility (cloud base dropped to 30 meters), got information about the armored divisions in the region of Rostov. On the eve of 1942 pilot awarded the Order of Lenin. Then he was shot down twice and had 190 sorties.



In the air battle in the Kuban spring of 1943 Pokryshkin first widely applied battle formation "Kuban bookshelf", which later spread to all fighter aviapodrazdeleniya. The pilot had a lot of original tactics, allowing to win the battle. For example, he invented a way out from under enemy attack in a curve downward "barrel", with the loss of speed. The enemy then found himself in the crosshairs.



By the end of the war Pokryshkin was the most famous at the front pilot. Then there was a common phrase: "Achtung! Achtung! Pokryshkin in the air! ". The Germans actually were notified of the pilots flying Russian ace, warning that you need to be careful, to climb, to play it safe. By the end of the war the famous pilot was the only three times Hero of the Soviet Union: the third "Gold Star" he was awarded the August 19, 1944, after 550 sorties and 53 official victories. Georgy Zhukov became a hero three times June 1, and Ivan Kozhedub - August 18, 1945.
By the end of the war Pokryshkin made more than 650 sorties and participated in 156 air battles. According to unofficial data, victories ace was more - up to a hundred.



Nikolai Gulayev



Hero of the Soviet Union. he personally shot down 57 enemy aircraft and four aircraft - in the group. He flew on the Yak-1, IL-2, La-5, La-7, P-39, "Cobra».
At the beginning of the war Gulaeva sent to the air defense of one of the industrial centers located far from the front line. But in March 1942 he, among the top ten pilots were sent to defend the Borisoglebsk. August 3 Gulayev took the first battle: took off without orders, night shot down a German bomber "Heinkel". Command announced a pilot recovery and immediately submitted to the reward.



Hero of the Soviet Union. he personally shot down 57 enemy aircraft and four aircraft - in the group. He flew on the Yak-1, IL-2, La-5, La-7, P-39, "Cobra».
In February 1943 Gulaeva sent to the 27th Fighter Wing, which included a year, he shot down 50 enemy aircraft. He was extremely effective on the day shot down five planes. Among them were twin-engined bombers He-5 111 and 4 Ju-88; spotters FW-189, Ju-87 dive bombers. Other pilots frontline aviation is a record were mostly downed fighter.
In Kursk, near Belogorodov Gulayev particularly distinguished. In his first fight May 14, 1943, pilot single-handedly engaged the three bombers Ju-87, which covers four Me-109. At low altitude Gulayev made a "hill" and knocked the first phase of the master first, and then another bomber. The pilot tried to attack a third plane, but he ran out of ammunition. And then Gulayev decided to go to ram. Left wing Yak-1, in which he was flying, the plane hit the Ju-87. German aircraft collapsed. Yak-1, lost control, went into a tailspin, but he was able to equalize Gulayev and plant. Witnessed the feat were infantrymen of the 52nd Infantry Division, which carried the wounded man, they thought the pilot from the cockpit to the hands. However Gulayev did not get a scratch. In the regiment he had not told - that he did, it became known a few hours later, after reports of Marines. After the pilot complained that he was "bezloshadnikom" he was given a new plane. And later awarded the Order of the Red Banner.



Last sortie Gulayev made with the Polish airfield turbo August 14, 1944. Three days in a row just before he shot down one aircraft. In September ace forcibly sent to study at the Air Force Academy. In aviation, he served until 1979, until he retired.
Total Gulayev made 250 sorties and 49 air battles. Its performance was considered a record.



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Soviet aces accounted for about three per cent of the total number of pilots. They destroyed a third of enemy aircraft. 27 pilots were awarded the title twice and three times Hero of the Soviet Union. During the war, they won 22 to 62 wins and shot down a total of 1,044 aircraft.

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Thrice heroes Ivan Kozhedub Alexander Pokryshkin Marshal Georgy Zhukov.

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Source: www.rg.ru