Barbarossa and the Retreat to Moscow: Recollections of Soviet Fighter Pilots on the Eastern Front

Front Cover
Pen and Sword, 2007 M07 19 - 158 pages
The onset of war in the summer of 1941 was a disaster for the Soviet Air Force. In a few weeks, faced by the onslaught of the Luftwaffe, most of the Soviet frontline aircraft were destroyed, and the casualty rate among the pilots was cripplingly high. Yet the surviving few gained precious battle experience and they formed the core of the fighter force that turned the tables on the Germans and eventually won air superiority over the Eastern Front. Many of these Soviet pilots are still alive today and in this book they vividly recall the air battles of 60 years ago.
 

Contents

Chapter 1 Vitaly I Klimenko
1
Chapter 2 Alexander E Shvarev
22
Chapter 3 Vitaly V Rybalko
50
Chapter 4 Viktor M Sinaisky
59
Chapter 5 Alexander F Khaila
82
Chapter 6 Ivan D Gaidaenko
102
Nikolai G Golodnikov Interviewed by Andrei Sukhrukov
123
Appendix II Observations and Notes on Soviet Fighter Production on the Eve of Barbarossa
140
Appendix III Featured Aircraft Quick Reference Guide
149
Appendix IV Glossary
153
Index
156
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2007)

Artem Drabkin is a former Soviet fighter pilot.

Bibliographic information