Grigoriy Rechkalov
Encyclopedia
Grigoriy Andreevich Rechkalov was a fighter
pilot for the Soviet Union
during World War II
. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on two separate occasions (24 May 1943 and July 1, 1944). He scored 56 confirmed personal victories and 6 additional shared victories in air combat. As such, he is the third highest scoring Soviet pilot in World War II.
He began his career in 1941 in the skies over Moldavia, then a part of USSR. During 609 combat sorties he had engaged the enemy on 122 occasions. After initially flying the I-153 and the MiG-3, Rechkalov gained most of his victories on the P-39 Airacobra which was provided to the Soviets by the USA through Lend Lease.
The majority of his kills were achieved on P 39N-0 number 42-8747 and P 39Q-15 number 44-2547.
Rechkalov served with 16 GIAP from the summer of 1942. Rechkalov was also part of the 216th Air Division, which later became the 9th Guards Air Division (GIAD). By the end of the war the Air Division was credited with 1,147 victories and some 31 Heroes of the Soviet Union had served with the unit.
According to official accounts, Rechkalov was disciplined by his superiors for pursuing the enemy alone rather than offering leadership to his less experienced squadron. In May 1944, upon the recommendation of his commanding officer Aleksandr Ivanovich Pokryshkin
, Rechkalov was replaced by Dmitriy Glinka as squadron commander. Interestingly, Rechkalov had previously been the wingman of Pokryshkin.
Despite this apparent failing as a leader, Rechkalov was awarded his second Hero of the USSR two months after this disciplinary action and went on to become a Major General of Aviation in the Soviet Air Force (VVS) in 1959.
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
pilot for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on two separate occasions (24 May 1943 and July 1, 1944). He scored 56 confirmed personal victories and 6 additional shared victories in air combat. As such, he is the third highest scoring Soviet pilot in World War II.
He began his career in 1941 in the skies over Moldavia, then a part of USSR. During 609 combat sorties he had engaged the enemy on 122 occasions. After initially flying the I-153 and the MiG-3, Rechkalov gained most of his victories on the P-39 Airacobra which was provided to the Soviets by the USA through Lend Lease.
The majority of his kills were achieved on P 39N-0 number 42-8747 and P 39Q-15 number 44-2547.
Rechkalov served with 16 GIAP from the summer of 1942. Rechkalov was also part of the 216th Air Division, which later became the 9th Guards Air Division (GIAD). By the end of the war the Air Division was credited with 1,147 victories and some 31 Heroes of the Soviet Union had served with the unit.
According to official accounts, Rechkalov was disciplined by his superiors for pursuing the enemy alone rather than offering leadership to his less experienced squadron. In May 1944, upon the recommendation of his commanding officer Aleksandr Ivanovich Pokryshkin
Aleksandr Ivanovich Pokryshkin
Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin was a Marshal of the Soviet Air Force. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on three separate occasions ....
, Rechkalov was replaced by Dmitriy Glinka as squadron commander. Interestingly, Rechkalov had previously been the wingman of Pokryshkin.
Despite this apparent failing as a leader, Rechkalov was awarded his second Hero of the USSR two months after this disciplinary action and went on to become a Major General of Aviation in the Soviet Air Force (VVS) in 1959.