Soviet aces. Essays on Soviet pilots

Lev Lvovich Shestakov was born on December 28, 1915 in Avdeevka, now a city in the Donetsk region, in a working class family. Russian.

He graduated from 6 classes, factory school (FZU). He worked as a toolmaker in the railway depot of the Avdeevka station. Studied at the Dnepropetrovsk Institute of Railway Engineers road transport. While studying at the institute, he entered the Dnepropetrovsk flying club. Member of the CPSU (b).

IN Soviet army since 1934. He graduated from the military aviation school of pilots in the city of Lugansk, it was the 11th Voroshilovgrad pilot school. From 1935 he served in the second fighter squadron near Kiev.

Participant civil war in Spain 1936-1939. In air battles, he destroyed 8 enemy aircraft personally and more than 30 in a group with comrades, for which he was awarded the Orders of Lenin and the Red Banner. Upon returning to his homeland, he served as a fighter squadron commander in Rostov-on-Don.

On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941. The commander of the 69th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Separate Primorskaya Army), Major Shestakov, showing courage and courage, skillfully led the combat activities of the regiment. During the defense of Odessa, by September 1941, he personally shot down 3 enemy aircraft and 8 aircraft in a group battle. In addition, on retrofitted I-16 fighters, he carried out an attack on enemy troops, dropping aerial bombs on him and firing rockets. On September 21, 1941, during the attack on the enemy airfield, 21 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground. During the defense of Odessa, Shestakov's regiment made 6600 sorties, conducted 575 air battles, 3500 ground attack, destroyed 124 enemy aircraft, not counting the huge damage that he inflicted on the enemy in manpower and equipment on the ground.

In July 1942 he was appointed commander of a special fighter regiment in the Stalingrad direction, designed to gain air superiority (9th GIAP). Pilots who scored at least 5 air victories.

"Special Regiment" under the command of Shestakov shot down about a hundred enemy aircraft and became one of the most productive regiments Battle of Stalingrad. Shestakov himself flew out on combat missions almost daily, increasing his personal score to 11 victories.

January 10, 1943 Shestakov entered the battle with three enemy fighters; he shot down one, but he himself was also shot down, while receiving wounds in the head and under the shoulder blade.

At the end of the summer of 1943, Shestakov was appointed deputy commander of the 6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, but did not serve in this position for a long time, taking command of the 19th Fighter Aviation Regiment - the first aviation unit special purpose, created on the initiative of the commander of the Air Force, Marshal of Aviation Novikov to conduct "free hunting".

The order of the Red Army Air Force indicated that by January 1944, Lev Shestakov had made more than 200 sorties (of which 65 were to attack enemy troops), participated in 82 air battles, shot down 15 aircraft personally and 11 as part of a group, and taking into account the battles in Spain, made about 600 sorties and on his account had 29 personally and 45 in a group with comrades of downed aircraft.

Last Stand

Colonel Shestakov died near the village of Davydkovtsy (Khmelnitsky district, Khmelnitsky region) on March 13, 1944. On this day, he shot down one Ju-87, and then attacked the second. According to the Soviet version, Shestakov shot him at close range, the Junkers exploded and Shestakov's plane was destroyed by an air wave. Shestakov left the plane, but his parachute did not have time to open. Shestakov's body was found only in May, when the snow melted.

An alternative version of the death of Colonel Shestakov is based on memoirs German ace, the pilot of the "Shtuka" Hans-Ulrich Rudel, according to which the battle took place in early summer over the bend of the Dniester between Koshnitsa and Grigoriopol. When pursuing Junkers, Shestakov's plane collapsed from overloads on bends (a dive bomber has a stronger structure than a fighter). Rudel recalls a fight with an experienced Soviet fighter:

Awards

• Hero Title Soviet Union awarded February 10, 1942.
• 2 orders of Lenin.
• 2 orders of the Red Banner.
• Order of the Patriotic War 1st class.

Memory

• Buried in a mass grave at eternal flame in the city of Khmelnitsky.
• Forever enrolled in the lists of the military unit.
• An obelisk was erected at the site of the death of the Hero.
• A collective farm and a school in the village of Davydkovtsy, a street in the city of Avdeevka are named after him.

Born on December 28, 1915 in the village of Avdeevka, now the city of the Yasinovatsky City Council of the Donetsk Region (Ukraine), in the family of a railway worker. Russian. Graduated from 6 classes, FZO school. He worked as a toolmaker in the railway depot of the Avdeevka station. He studied at the Dnepropetrovsk Institute of Road Transport Engineers, but interrupted his studies in order to become a pilot.
He began to serve in the Red Army from August 1934.
Graduated from the 2nd Voroshilovgrad Military Aviation Pilot School.
With the rank of lieutenant, he served as a junior pilot in the 36th Fighter Aviation Brigade of the Kiev Military District.
Participated in the national liberation war in Spain from August 20, 1937 to April 25, 1938, was a pilot and then commander of the I-16 fighter.
In total, he made more than 100 sorties in Spain, participated in 36 air battles, personally shot down 2 fighters (Me-109 and Fiat-32) and paired with another pilot 1 Me-109.
According to other sources, he made 150 sorties, participated in 98 air battles, shot down 39 aircraft (8 personally and 31 in the group), but this is unlikely.
After returning from Spain, he served first as an assistant squadron commander in the Kiev military district, and then as a commander of a separate squadron near Rostov as part of the North Caucasian military district.
In 1941 he was awarded military rank"major".
From 1941 he was deputy commander of the 69th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Odessa Military District.
Participated in the Great Patriotic War from June 22, 1941. In July he was appointed commander of the 69th Fighter Aviation Regiment (in March 1942 he was reorganized into the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment). Defending Odessa, he personally shot down 2 planes and shot down 8 more planes as part of a group.
Participated in the Kharkov operation and the Battle of Stalingrad.

“... Combat characteristics for the commander of the 9th Guards Red Banner Odessa Fighter Regiment of the 268th IAD of the 8th Air Army of the Stalingrad Front, Lieutenant Colonel Shestakov Lev Lvovich.
In office since August 1941.
Appointment order - dated 10.8.1941
On the Stalingrad front - from August 1942.
Has no wounds or contusions.
He was awarded the Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, Hero of the Soviet Union.
He flies on planes: UTI-1, UTI-4, I-16, LaGG-3, Yak-1, Yak-7.
Has 210 sorties, 183 flight hours.
Since the beginning of the war, he personally shot down 15 enemy aircraft. Tov. Shestakov during his stay in the division proved to be a demanding, competent regiment commander. He loves to fly, systematically performs combat missions, as a result of which he gained great authority and love from all personnel. In 1941, the regiment he led heroically defended Odessa, made 6608 sorties, shooting down 94 enemy aircraft.
181 people were awarded in the regiment, twelve Heroes of the Soviet Union were trained.
Shestakov himself in air battles tries to impose his initiative on the enemy, while showing courage and bravery, instilling these qualities in his subordinates by personal example. On the Stalingrad front, he skillfully organizes the combat work of the regiment, which makes it highly effective in the fight against the enemy.
Each air battle comrade. Shestakov subjected to a thorough analysis, thanks to which the pilots are constantly improving their skills. The accumulated combat experience is carefully studied in the regiment, from which tactical conclusions are drawn.
On the Stalingrad front, the regiment shot down 54 aircraft. 738 sorties were made. L. L. Shestakov, having made 31 sorties, destroyed 6 aircraft.
Tov. Shestakov is an excellent, courageous and resolute pilot, a skilled commander, selflessly devoted to his Socialist Motherland.
Commander 268 IAD
Colonel Sidnev.
December 31, 1942…”
(From the combat characteristics of L. L. Shestakov)

In one of the battles on January 10, 1943, in the Kotelnikovo area, he was shot down. Having landed the burning aircraft on the fuselage in the field, he managed to safely get out of it and was not injured.
In 1943 he was awarded the military rank of lieutenant colonel.
In August 1943, he was first appointed deputy commander of the 6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, and then commander of the 19th Fighter Aviation Regiment. Participated in the liberation of Ukraine.
In 1944 he was awarded the military rank of Colonel.
In total, during the Great Patriotic War, he made about 450 sorties, participated in 65 ground attack, conducted about 100 air battles, shot down 19 aircraft (15 personally and 4 as part of a group). According to other sources, he shot down 24 aircraft (16 personally and 8 in the group).
He flew I-16, LaGG-3, Yak-7, La-5 fighters.
Killed March 13, 1944. On that day, he, as part of six fighters, fought an air battle with a group of German Yu-87 dive bombers and Me-109 fighters in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city of Proskurov (now Khmelnitsky). In battle, he shot down the Me-109 of the German ace of the Knight's Cross holder, Chief Sergeant Major Hans Dammers, who had 113 air victories. The German plane exploded, but Shestakov's fighter was damaged by the blast and fell into a ravine near the village of Davydkovtsy, Khmelnitsky district, Khmelnitsky region. The deceased pilot was found only in May, when the snow melted in a deep ravine, and was buried in a mass grave in the city of Khmelnitsky (Ukraine).
April 15, 1966 was enrolled forever in the lists of the military unit.

List of famous air victories of L. L. Shestakov:
08/00/1937 1/2 Me-109 Spain in pairs
12/22/1937 1 Fiat-32 Teruel personally
12/00/1937 1 Me-109 Teruel personally
06/24/1941 1/gr. Yu-88 Spartakovka in the group
08/09/1941 1 PZL-24 Odessa in person
08/14/1941 1 Me-109 Ackerman personally
08/27/1941 1/gr. Me-109 Freudenthal as part of a group
09/02/1941 2/gr. Me-109 Red Settler as part of a group
09/02/1941 1/gr. PZL-24 Red Settler as part of a group
06/22/1942 1 Xe-111 Upper Burluk in person
06/22/1942 1 Me-110 Novo-Nikolaevka in person
07/12/1942 1 Yu-88 Medovaya in person
07/30/1942 1 Me-109 Ostrov in person
08/01/1942 1 Me-109 app. Borislavsky personally
12/12/1942 1 Ju-86 Zetas in person
12/19/1942 1 Yu-52 southwest. Vasilievka in person
12/19/1942 1 Yu-52 Verkhne-Kumsky personally
12/29/1942 1 Yu-52 Basargino personally
05/12/1943 1 Yu-52 north-east. Small Yanislav personally
07/21/1943 1 Xe-111 north-east. Dmitrievka in person
02/11/1944 1 FV-190 Attack in person
03/13/1944 1 Yu-87* north-east. Proskurov personally
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 10, 1942, for courage and courage, Lev Lvovich Shestakov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (“Gold Star” No. 988).
He was awarded the Order of Lenin (11/14/1938), two Orders of the Red Banner (03/2/1938, 11/5/1941), the Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree (01/26/1943), medals "For the Defense of Odessa" (1942) and "For the Defense of Stalingrad" "(1942).

Note:
* It is officially believed that Shestakov shot down a Yu-87 dive bomber. There is also a legend that the pilot of this dive bomber was Colonel Kurt Rener, holder of the Knight's Cross, with whom Shestakov allegedly met personally back in Spain. However, among the aces of the Luftwaffe there was no pilot with that name. And all this is nothing more than a beautiful story invented by the famous Soviet pilot twice Hero of the Soviet Union V. D. Lavrinenko, which he told on the pages of his book about Shestakov "Sokol-1". And according to the results of the latest research, it has been established that in his last battle Shestakov shot down not a Yu-87, but an Me-109 fighter of the German ace Chief Sergeant Major Hans Dammers.

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Shestakov Lev Lvovich- was born on December 28, 1915 in the city of Avdeevka, Donetsk region, in the family of a railway employee. He graduated from the 6th grade of the seven-year school in 1929. To the question of the last school essay "Who to be?" answered:

- "Kind and frank, honest and courageous, steadfast and resolute, like Gavrosh, Pavka Korchagin. And this, apparently, is very difficult." And in order to be like that, you need to know and be able to do a lot, and he strived for this stubbornly and persistently.

In 1930, he entered the FZU school at the Avdeevka railway depot, after which he worked as a mechanic at the locomotive depot at the Yasinovatka station and at the same time studied at the 4th year of the workers' faculty. Persistent and persistent, Lev Shestakov became interested in machines, design and, like many of his peers, aviation. In 1932 he was admitted to the Institute of Railway Engineers in Dnepropetrovsk, but thoughts about aviation did not leave him. In the 2nd year, it became possible to enter the flight school on a Komsomol ticket, and on August 8, 1934, Lev Shestakov was enrolled as a cadet of the 11th military pilot school in the city of Voroshilovgrad.

Having excellently graduated from school and received a pilot diploma on December 15, 1935, foreman Shestakov was assigned to the 2nd Fighter Squadron, based in Kyiv. Shestakov was noted and encouraged for excellent success in mastering flying skills, excellent piloting technique and "enviable", as indicated in the certification, "purposefulness: to learn everything and master everything that concerned combat use and the effective use of the combat capabilities of a fighter aircraft."

July 18, 1936 was noted in the flight biography of L. L. Shestakov as the day of the start of flights on the I-16 fighter. On this serial aircraft designed by N. N. Polikarpov, rightfully considered the best fighter in the world at that time, the talented young pilot Lev Shestakov had a chance to enter the first battles with fascism, which unleashed a war against revolutionary Spain. On this plane, he won there and the first combat victories. On this plane, he prepared himself and his comrades-in-arms for the defense of his Fatherland and especially distinguished himself by commanding the illustrious 69th IAP in the heroic defense of Odessa.

L. L. Shestakov, among other Soviet pilots, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, commanded one of the first in the country, the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment in heavy battles near Kharkov in the winter of 1942, fought for Stalingrad as a regiment commander of Soviet aces, on Don, beyond Rostov and Taganrog. In March 1944 he was appointed commander of the 19th "Marshal" Regiment.

In total, taking into account the fighting in Spain, Guards Colonel L. L. Shestakov made about 400 sorties and on his account he had 23 personally and 44 in a group with comrades of downed enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Order of Lenin and three Orders of the Red Banner.

* * *

The summer of 1937 was in full swing, when a new wave of rallies and protests swept across the country against the rebels in Spain and the German and Italian fascists supporting them. Soviet people admired the courage and steadfastness of the defenders of the Republic and declared their solidarity with its people, who found themselves at the forefront of the international anti-fascist front. Komsomol member Shestakov repeatedly spoke at rallies and meetings of the squadron, and these speeches always ended with an urgent request to send him to fighting Spain. And now he and comrades Gubarev, Buryak, Dobronitsky were already in Moscow, then in Leningrad, from where they were sent as volunteers on the ship Kooperatsia to help the Spanish people.

Here, on the soil of Spain, Lev Shestakov was among the most impatient, the most restless, from whom questions followed one after another: what kind of planes do the rebels have?.. How do they behave in battle?.. What is the best, most accurate way to shoot them down?

He quickly got along with the Spanish workers and technicians and attracted them to the construction of either a basement, or a half-cave room, in which he equipped something like a shooting class, where the silhouettes of fascist aircraft were drawn on the walls with crayons, and lenses obtained from somewhere served as aiming devices. and barrels from old guns.

In the sky over the Pyrenees, for the first time, he saw fascist aircraft: German Heinkels and Messerschmitts, Italian Fiats and Caproni, bringing death to those who stood up for the Republic. The sacred feeling of anger did not leave him. But already in the first battle with the German intelligence officer, Shestakov realized that in order to win, in addition to hatred, you also need skill, composure and a willingness to take risks.

The commander of one of the best regiments in the history of the Soviet Air Force, a man of exceptional energy and bright pedagogical talent, L. Shestakov was an example in the performance of a combat mission, a strict and tireless commander in flight, fire and tactical training, a cheerful and inexhaustible comrade for inventions outside the official situation. “He flies like a god,” his comrades said about him, this definition became the main guarantee of the pilot's authority. His innate flying prowess was seen as early as flight school, later the commanders noted his enviable determination: "to learn everything and master everything that concerned the combat use and effective use of a fighter aircraft." Later, during the Great Patriotic War, from attention high command his grip did not escape: in July 1942, in the Stalingrad direction, his regiment became a special, special subordination fighter regiment of the 8th VA. The regiment was replenished with strong pilots, who had more than five shot down on account, re-equipped with new, officially considered the best, Soviet Yak-1 fighters. Near Stalingrad, fighting on the LaGG-3, and later on the Yak-1, the pilots of the 9th GIAP destroyed about a hundred enemy aircraft in the air. Along with the 32nd GIAP (434th IAP), the regiment became the most productive fighter regiment of the Battle of Stalingrad ... At the end of the summer of 1943, Comrade Shestakov was appointed deputy commander of the 6th GIAP, but, burdened by staff work, he soon accepted the 19th GIAP, reporting directly to Chief Air Marshal A. Novikov. The regiments led by Shestakov were among the best in the Soviet Air Force, their pilots destroyed more than 1,000 enemy aircraft in air battles: the 9th Guards - 558, and the 176th Guards - 445.

A. Shestakov was born on December 28, 1915 in the village of Avdeevka (now the city of Yekaterinoslav province) in the family of a railway employee. In 1930, he entered the FZU school at the Avdeevka railway depot, after which he worked at the Yasinovataya station and was soon admitted to the Dnepropetrovsk Institute of Railway Engineers. However, the young man dreamed of the sky and, having received a Komsomol ticket, on August 8, 1934, Lev Shestakov became a cadet of the Voroshilovgrad (11th) military aviation school.

Having excellently graduated from school in 1935, Sergeant Major Shestakov was assigned to the 2nd Fighter Squadron. In the middle of 1937, Lieutenant Shestakov arrived in Spain, where in six months he completed 150 sorties on the I-16, personally shot down 8 enemy aircraft in 90 air battles. 31 aircraft were shot down by the squadron in which he fought. Along with A. Serov and V. Bobrov, Shestakov was the most productive pilot of the Red Army Air Force who fought in Spain. For the battles near Saragossa on the Teruel front and near Aragon, he was awarded with orders Lenin and the Red Banner.

In September 1939, Captain Shestakov was appointed assistant commander of the newly formed 69th IAP. With the outbreak of war, he became the main organizer of the regiment's combat work, and on July 16 he replaced A. Maryinsky as regiment commander. Already in the first days, having phoned the telephone operator at the Razdelnaya station near Odessa, he asked her to convey everything that she learned about raids on Odessa from this station, thus organizing something like an additional VNOS post. He took an active part in the retrofitting of "donkeys" with beams for rockets. He personally led the attack on enemy positions, including a particularly successful attack on airfields in Baden and Selze on September 22, 1941, when 21 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground ... September 10, 1941 "for heroism and courage", 3 personally shot down and 8 aircraft of the enemy, destroyed in the group under his command, Major Shestakov was introduced to the title of Hero. Already by that time, he had tested several later widely used tactics: vertical combat, and a tiered arrangement of groups of aircraft - whatnot, and attacks from clouds, and turning a fighter into a fighter-bomber. Participating in the defense of Odessa, the pilots of the 69th IAP (later 9 GIAP) shot down 94 aircraft in the air - not a single regiment had such an account at that time. It was at that time that the pilots of the 69th IAP got a new name - "Shestakov".

After re-equipping with LaGG-3, the regiment was sent to the Stalingrad direction. Here Lev Lvovich short time developed recommendations for the combat use of this complex machine, which significantly increased their effectiveness and reduced losses. By personal example, he affirmed faith in the new aircraft, only in July 1942 he shot down 3 Yu-88 and Me-109. In September, the regiment was again withdrawn from the front and re-equipped with the Yak-1. Near Stalingrad, Shestakov participates in battles almost daily, bringing the number of personal victories to 11. On January 10, 1943, having shot down a Me-109, he was shot down, wounded in the head and shoulder blade. Having landed the "yak" in the field, he barely had time to jump out of the cockpit, when his plane was blown to pieces by a cannon burst from the "Messer".

Shestakov was very attentive to methodical work, to comprehend the accumulated combat experience. Repeatedly spoke at front-line meetings and conferences with vivid, memorable reports.

On August 15, 1943, when the pilots of the regiment mastered the Aerocobra, which was new for them, Lev Lvovich, having assembled the regiment, demonstrated the withdrawal of the Cobra from a flat spin that seemed terrible for her. At the end of the summer of 1943, he was appointed deputy commander of the 6th hyades . After some time, he was summoned by the commander of the Air Force, Marshal of Aviation Novikov, and proposed to proceed with the formation of a regiment of "hunters" on the basis of the 19th IAP of a special, separate subordination ...

Again organizational work, again retraining, now on La-7, and on March 4, 1944, the regiment returned to combat work in Western Ukraine in Proskurovo-Chernovitskaya offensive operation. On March 12, near the village of Davidkovtsy, Khmelnitsky region, at the head of six fighters, he attacked a large group of Yu-87 dive bombers, shot down one plane with a masterful attack and, approaching 20-30 meters, opened fire from behind - from below on another. From his hits, an enemy bomber exploded - apparently, bombs detonated, Shestakov's plane was damaged, lost control, the pilot left the car at low altitude and died.

It was a heavy loss for the country; in his person, the Air Force lost a talented commander who promised to become an aviation commander of the highest rank in the future.

Guards Colonel Shestakov in the skies of Spain and over his native land conducted more than 600 sorties, 130 air battles, personally shot down 29 and in a group of 45 enemy aircraft. The son of the illustrious ace, also Lev Lvovich, followed in the footsteps of his father, was a military pilot, flew jet machines.

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Biography

Lev Lvovich Shestakov was born on December 28, 1915 in Avdeevka, now Yasinovatsky City Council, into a working-class family. . Member .

He graduated from 6 classes, factory school (FZU). He worked as a toolmaker in the railway depot of the Avdeevka station.

In July 1942 he was appointed commander of a special fighter regiment for. Pilots who scored at least 5 air victories were sent to the regiment.

Under the command of Shestakov, the 9th Guards Aviation Fighter Regiment shot down about a hundred enemy aircraft and became one of the most productive regiments. Under Shestakov, he flew out on combat missions almost daily, increasing his personal score to 11 victories.

Goda Shestakov entered the battle with three enemy fighters; he shot down one, but he himself was also shot down, while receiving wounds in the head and under the shoulder blade.

At the end of the summer of 1943, Shestakov was appointed deputy commander of the 6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, but did not serve in this position for a long time, taking command of the 19th Fighter Aviation Regiment, the first special-purpose aviation unit created on the initiative of the Air Force Commander to conduct "free hunting."

The order of the Red Army Air Force indicated that by January 1944, Lev Shestakov had made more than 200 sorties (of which 65 were to attack enemy troops), participated in 82 air battles, shot down 15 aircraft personally and 11 as part of a group, and taking into account the battles in , made about 400 sorties and on his account had 23 personally and 44 in a group with comrades of downed aircraft.

Colonel Shestakov died near the village of Davydkovtsy (Khmelnitsky district