Feat pilot (3 photos) Bashny.Net

During the Great Patriotic War, hundreds of our brave pilots, like Nikolai Gastello, made fiery rams. They directed their burning cars on the concentration of enemy troops and equipment to the Nazi transports, bridges, ships, railway station ... We can only guess how burning the living flesh responded to the decision of the brain - go to ram! After all, as it is terrible, desperate act became deliverance from pain and suffering ...

But Alexander Mamkin, carrying in his burning plane children from guerrilla to the mainland, was unable to stop at once their suffering. The flames licked all over his body, but he knew he had to stay until the end, should bring their precious cargo. In the history of the Great Patriotic War, his feat was unprecedented ...



In the night from 10 to 11 April 1944, the pilot Mamkin returning from another relegation to the German rear. The night was clear, moonlit; German fighter noticed creeping to the front line of R-5, tail number 02-03 and fired him. Engine caught fire, the cockpit began to fill the smoke, which was pulled flames. According to the instructions supposed to check the height and jump. Pilot 1st transport and bomber squadrons 105 Guards Aviation Regiment separate GVF (Civil Air Fleet - that is, Aeroflot) Lieutenant Mamkin instructions are not complied with.

... In late 1943, the command of Polotsk-Lepel partisan zone became known that the Germans found the rational use of power is in their Slavic children - though they both belong to the "inferior tribes", their blood is quite suitable for the salvation of the wounded soldiers of the Fuhrer. One source of fresh blood was to be contingent Polotsk orphanage that failed at the time to evacuate. At the time in question, there were children in more than 150, aged from 3 to 14 years.

However, the Belarusian underground group "Fearless" and partisans of Shchors Brigade Chapaev managed to leave the Germans without the children's blood. Guide orphanage convince local occupation authorities that the sick and malnourished children first better fatten on rustic bread. As a result, the children managed to get into partisan forests.

In the spring, using the fact that the nature and climate stalled 1st Baltic Front, the Germans decided to do away with the Belarusian partisans, are a huge force. Front commander Ivan Bagramyan ordered: Force 3rd Air Army guerrillas to help children take. Launched Operation "asterisk", during which it was removed to its more than 200 children, and 314 wounded guerrillas, and the guerrillas themselves got 90 tons of ammunition and Label.



In the night from 10 to 11 April 1944 the pilot flew Mamkin Care for the ninth time. Newsreel (yes, the partisans were sent to a special group of cameramen - to capture what is happening to the history and future generations) Save the screen loading children in his plane. As an airfield used Vechelje lake, but the ice was becoming thinner and had to hurry.

Strange but true: the plane Mamkina managed to squeeze ten children, their governess Valentine patches and two adults wounded guerrillas. Pilot lifted the car and took her to his own. But approaching the front line came under fire of the German "nightlight».

Pilot crossed the front line on the already burning car. Burning engine, flames reached the open cockpit. Burned boots and overalls with parachute straps headset charred in the fire began to melt glass flight points. Burning pilot to find a suitable site and successfully landed the plane. The first of it got older boy Vladimir Shishkov. He ran up the soldiers pulled out of the plane of all passengers; partition separating the cockpit pilot, burnt, and some of them have already smoldering clothes.

Mamkin pilot climbed out of the cab itself, but behind the charred bones legs refused to serve him. Before losing consciousness, he asked a single question: "Children are alive?" The pilots were taken to hospital, but to do nothing was impossible. April 17 Mamkin pilot died.

Fighting friends buried him at the walls of the church in the village Maklok. After the war, his remains were reburied at the memorial cemetery "Lidova Mountain" in Velizh.