586. stíhací letecký pluk [1941-1945]

586. Fighter Air Regiment[/Title]



The unit was established together with 587. bomber air regiment and 588. night bomber air regiment October 8, the order of NKO No. 0099 "On the formation of women's air regiments of the Red Army Air Force". The night and fighter regiments were to be located in the town of Engels and bombers in the settlement of Kamenka. The initiator of the creation of women's air regiments was Marina Michajlovna Raskova, holder of the title Hero of the USSR for a long-haul non-stop flight, which held in September 1938 together with V. S. Grizodubovou and P. D. Osipenkova.


Major Rasková became the commander of unit 122, which aimed to prepare, train the women's regiments and further appointed after arrival of the regiment in England for the temporary commander of the regiment Yevgeny Prokhorova.


Regiment training began on December 1, 1941. Fighter Regiment conducted training flights initially on the plane Jakovlev Jak-7, later single-seat fighters Jakovlev Jak-1, which were delivered on January 28, 1942. Women selected at as mechanics, they completed training and practice in the flight test station of plant No. 292.


On February 10, 1942, the regiment had 24 machines in two squadrons. All aircraft were adapted to winter operation, the wheels were replaced by skis. On February 23, 1942, the members of the regiment took the oath and made the first combat takeoff, the aim of which was to protect the bridge over the Volga. Tamara Kazarinova was appointed to the rank of regiment commander.


Training flights continued in March and the regiment was waiting to be included in combat operations. On April 7, 1942 came an order to move the regiment to Moscow. However, the lack of summer equipment, especially wheels, meant that the order was not executed until 16 April. On May 14, 1942, he flew 586. Fighter Air Regiment (hereinafter 586th IAP) to Anisovka Airport and got into the 144th Fighter Air Defense Division (144th IAD-PVO), which provided protection for railway facilities around Saratov.


On June 17, 1942, the regiment suffered its first loss when Jak-1 Olga Studenecka failed control and the machine passed into a dive. The pilot managed to jump out of the plane, but suffered an open fracture of her right leg. Nevertheless, O. I. Studenecká returned to the Air Force (polar to U-2 machines).


On June 25, 1942, the regiment experienced its first combat alert, when about 12 German Heinkel's He 111 bombed the airport and next door standing plant for the production of ball bearings. The next night the raid was repeated. The anti-aircraft defense reported three shot down aircraft.


July 20, 1942 during the accompanying flight Lisunov Li-2 ran out of Budanov and Smirnov fuel and had to make an emergency landing in the field near the city of Serdobsk. Budanova managed to land, but Smirnov's machine crashed. The pilot escaped unharmed, but when she saw the result of the accident, she committed suicide on the spot. Another loss was the death of Olga Kolysheva, who was unable to remove the machine from the dive during the training flight.


On September 9, 1942, the entire first squadron of the regiment under the command of Raisy Bjelyaev was moved under Stalingrad and a new men's squadron was formed in the regiment. .


On September 24, 1942, the six Jak-1 started to meet the German bombers. Squadron number J. J. Prochorovová, V. D.Chomjakovová shot down during this raid Junkers Ju 88. It was not only the first successful shot down of the 586th IAP, but the entire 144th IAD-PVO. V. D. Chomjakovová was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, received a reward of 2,000 rubles and became commander of the 3rd Squadron. On September 29, 1942, she went to Moscow, where she received Order of the Red Banner. On October 6, 1942, however, Chomjakov crashed at a night start. Her death and subsequent investigation resulted in the dismissal of Regiment Commander T. A. Kazarinová, who was blamed for the deaths of two pilots, 5 accidents, as well as the creation of an unhealthy atmosphere and intimidation of staff, which resulted in the suicide of Smirnov.


On October 22, 1942, Major took command of the regiment A. V. Gridnev, who commanded the unit until the end of the war. In the meantime, the first squadron, moved to , experienced Stalingrad finished hell. The command decided immediately after the arrival of the squadron to Stalingrad on its division. Raisy Bjelyaev's swarm was assigned to Major 43 S. Iv Chvostikov at Srednaya Akhtub Airport and Klavdiy Nechaev's swarm to 434th IAP. Major I. I. Kleščeva to the airport at the Soviet Union Stalingradsky.


As early as September 17, 1942, Klavdija Nečajevová perished in a battle with the Messerschmites, while covering the leader - Captain I. Izbinský. The 1st Squadron included two women who probably became the most famous members of the 586th IAP. - J. V. Budanová and L. V. Litvaková. Together they shot down over Stalingrad three and by the summer of 1943 a total of 11 German aircraft. Sergeant Litvakov shot down her first and last German machine - Junkers Ju 88 - September 27, 1942. Ekaterina Budanovova shot down two over Stalingrad Junkers Ju 88 (October 2 and 6, 1942). On December 10, 1942, she managed to shoot down two Bf 110. In mid-January 1942, both pilots passed to the 296th IAP and at the same time both received Order of the Red Flag. They never returned to their regiment.


The second swarm had a different fate. The 434th IAP was withdrawn to the rear and the second swarm of the 1st Squadron was to return to the 586th IAP. Only Oľga Šachovová complied with the order. Lebedeva and Blinova remained at the front when they joined the 653rd IAP. The pilots returned later.


In February 1943, the 586th IAP moved to Pridač Airport at the liberated Voronezh, where members of the regiment played a basic role - patrolling over railway bridges over the Don and Voronezh. In April 1943, the regiment was supplemented by 9 graduates of the Pension Aviation School. The regiment's period at the Pridača airport is one of the regiment's most successful periods. As early as March 19, 1943, the Pamjatny-Surnachevskaya pair fought fiercely with two groups of bombers trying to bomb Kastornaya Station. According to the official records of the regiment, the pilots achieved 4 victories ( Junkers Ju 88), but German sources admit that day in this area the loss of one Messerschmitt Bf 110. Tamara Pamjatnych had to jump out of a badly damaged machine during the pursuit. Both pilots were awarded for the fight Radom červenej zástavy.


On April 29, the commander of the regiment between Voronezh and Gremjačje shot down one Junkers Ju 88 and the other shot down II Olkovová with OI Yakovlev. On May 14, 1943, Pamjatnych and Jakovlevová damaged another Ju 88. However, Jakovlevová suffered an elbow injury and had to go to the hospital.


On June 14, 1943, the most successful fight in the history of the regiment took place. At 9:59, a pair of 586 aircraft took off from Voronezh Airport.IAP to chase an enemy aircraft reported in the area by observation posts. Head Jakovlev Jak-1 pilotoval A. V. Gridnev and started with him at Jakovlev Jak-7 V. M. Lisicinová. In the Terbuny area, the couple discovered a lone Junkers Ju 88. During the fight with him, several Focke-Wulfy Fw 190 joined the fight. Junkers Ju 88[/url] shot down one of them, who attacked Lisicin, hitting the injured /198026] Gridnev. He was almost immediately attacked by two more Focke-Wulfy Fw 190. The colonel used up all ammunition in the maneuver. The situation looked hopeless when one of the enemy machines disengaged from the fight and attacked shortly afterwards. Gridnev tried to escape by candlelight. He also succeeded in this maneuver and, according to his testimony, the German pilots did not manage to react and avoid a collision. Both Gridnev and Lisicnová happily returned to the airport and scored 4 shots. The newspaper Pravda even wrote about the fight on June 27, 1943. German sources admit that day in the area of loss Junkers Ju 88. from the 2nd Squadron (remote) Reconnaissance Group 22, piloted by Lieutenant G. Vais and the loss Focke -Wulf Fw 190 A-5 piloted by Lieutenant A. Marold from the staff swarm JG 51 Mölders. The German fighter tried to fly over its own territory, but the machine unexpectedly exploded in the air. Gridnev mistakenly considered the explosion a collision for his pursuers.


The regiment took part in the battle of Kursk protection of rear objects Stepné frontu. On June 11, 1944, the pair R. V. Bjeljajevová, M. M. Kuznecovová Junkers Ju 88, who probably landed in an emergency, severely damaged the pair. This was the last successful duel of Bjelyaev, who died 8 days later in an accident while returning from a combat flight at Pridača Airport.


In the summer, the regiment was hit by a malaria epidemic, which temporarily prevented the full operational activities of the regiment. However, the regiment continued to operate near Voronezh until September 1944, and in addition to Pridača Airport, it used the bases of Kastornoye, Solicevo, Ščigry and Kursk-východ. Members of the regiment made 934 combat flights, during which three Focke-Wulfy Fw 190 and seven Junkersov Ju 88 at the loss of one fallen and one seriously injured pilot. During this period, the regiment was nominated for the second guard title, but again without success.


In September 1943, the regiment moved to the Kursk air node and continued to defend the rear objects. At that time, members of the 586th IAP learned of the fate of 4 members of the regiment, who remained at the front after the Battle of Stalingrad. All four operated under the 65th Gv.IAP and the 73rd GvIAP. During the summer battles, all four pilots were shot down and three of them died. On July 17, Lieutenant Antonína Lebedevová was killed by a dose from Focke-Wulf in the Znamenskoj-Gnezdilov area. In 1993, he was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation. On August 1, the machine of guard lieutenant Lydia Litvakova was shot down near Marinovka. The pilot probably died because, according to her testimony, her number A. Yevdokimov did not jump out of the burning plane, according to some other testimonies, Litvakova managed to land with the burning plane and fell into German captivity.At that time, she had 5 separate shots on her account. May 5, 1990 was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the USSR. The last of the four Klaudija Blinovová started on August 4, accompanied by three other 65th GvIAP machines as protection of six bombers Petljakov Pe-2. Pri Orši got fighters into a duel with 14 Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Lieutenant Kovencov, the group's commander, was killed in heavy fighting, and Blinova's machine was also shot down. She managed to jump out of the uncontrollable plane and fell into German captivity. However, she managed to escape from the rail transport to the west and reached her own position twenty days after the shooting. She then continued in the 65th Gv.IAP until November 1945.


At that time, the regiment was strengthened by new personnel and new machines - Jakovlev Jak-7 and Jakovlev Jak-9. The unit was expanded by another (male) squadron, whose commander became Captain A.F. Kokovichin.


After the liberation of Kiev in November 1943, the regiment moved to Zhulyany Airport, where he worked in the defense of the Ukrainian capital and transport across the Dnieper.


In February 1944, the 586th IAP took part in the fighting near Korsun-Shevchenko. He attacked mainly ground troops and airports. Already on February 4, a group led by Colonel Gridnev attacked the enemy airport, from which the group has just launched Junkersov Ju 52. Lieutenant Demčenková managed to set fire to one transport aircraft during takeoff, despite enemy fire. Shortly before that, the regiment commander signed a proposal for the decoration of Demchenko Council of the Red Flag for 191 combat sorties and 8 fights (to January 12, 1944).


By the end of March, the regiment had made 279 takeoffs and destroyed 6 enemy aircraft. The most successful duel was made by the pair Gridnev and Burdinovová, when each of them shot down Messerschmitt Bf 109 and destroyed together Junkers Ju 52.


In the spring of 1944, the regiment moved to Zhytomyr-Skomorochi Airport. The task of the unit was to protect the transports passing through Zhytomyr. During April, the 586th IAP shot down two aircraft. Lieutenant Burdinovová, who shot down over the Korosteň station on the night of April 10 Junkers Ju 88, excelled again. Next Junkers Ju 88 shot down on April 21 by Captain Durakov.


On May 11, 1944, the regiment commander Gridnev, together with Surnachevskaya, managed to shoot down an unknown twin-engine machine at an altitude of 9,000 meters above Berdichev, which fell to the ground only after seven attacks. Let it be found on the ground that it was a very well-armed and armored aircraft Heinkel He 177 Greif (from KG 1), which got to the front at the end of winter and early spring 1944.


On June 11, Lieutenant Nikolai Korolev and G. Cokaev shot down one Junkers Ju 88. However, Lieutenant Korolev did not return from the fight. This was the last shot down of the regiment, despite the fact that the pilots of the unit made many more combat flights. By the autumn of 1944, their number had reached 611.


From September 1944 to February 1945, the 586th IAP protected the liberated industrial towns and railway junctions of Kotovsk and Belcy, Obchodnoje, Slobodka, Peteljuchi, Gura-Kamenska, Rybnica and roads used by troops 2. ukrainian front. From February to June 1945, the regiment from the Debrecen and Cinkola airports near Budapest protected the Hungarian railway junctions and the military and industrial facility in Budapest.Due to the low activity of the German Air Force in the last period of the war, the regiment did not record any shootings. Already after the end of the war, however, on July 12, 1945, he recorded his last loss, when Lieutenant Mária Batrakovová died in a tragic accident.


The regiment made a total of 4,419 combat flights, 125 air battles and achieved 38 shots. On July 20, 1945, an order came to demobilize the team and non-commissioned officers. In November 1945, women officers also left the army.


The commander, Lieutenant Colonel Gridnev with most of the men moved to Kiev, where he continued his service under the 39th Gv.IAP. Thus, the history of the 586th Fighter Regiment was over.

GORBAČ V. - CHAZANOV D. - POLUNINOVÁ J .: Women in fighter cabins. In: HPM - History and Plastic Modeling 6/2001. year XI. A monthly magazine for those interested in aviation, ground combat technology and the navy. Prague, pp. 17-21.
GORBAC V. - CHAZANOV D. - POLUNINOVA J .: Women in the cabins of fighters. In: HPM - History and Plastic Modeling 7/2001. year XI. A monthly magazine for those interested in aviation, ground combat technology and the navy. Prague, pp. 24 - 27.