Kirill A. Evstigneyev
Encyclopedia
Kirill Alekseyevich Yevstigneyev (17 February 1917 – 29 August 1996), Guard Captain, Russian fighter pilot
in the Second World War. Evstigneyev was one of the top Soviet fighter ace
in World War II.
Tractor Plant and learned to fly with the Aeroclub.
. In 1941 he graduated from The Bijsk military aviation school in Amur
region in Serashevo station, and then served as a flying instructor. At the end of 1942 he was transferred to Moscow to the Main Staff VVS to help introduce operationally the lend-lease US fighter Bell
P-39 Airacobra being received from the USA.
, on 28 March 1943 near Urazovo in the Belgorod
province. On the same day he also shot down a Junkers Ju 87
"Stuka". On 12 April 1943 Evstigneyev brought down a Messerschmitt Bf 110
. Three weeks later Kirill A. Evstigneyev became a Fighter ace
on 6 May 1943, claiming a Junkers Ju 88
and a Messerschmitt Bf 110.
Evstigneyev claimed 6 victories during the Battle of Kursk
. On 7 July 1943 he brought down the leader of a ten-strong bomber formation, while next day he battled against 9 Ju.87 dive-bombers and brought down two dive bombers. Later the same day Kirill brought down another "Stuka". On 9 July Evstigneyev brought down a Bf.109 fighter, and another on both 13 and 16 July.
On 5 August 1943, leading eight fighter aircraft he flew protection sorties over Soviet troops on the approaches to Belgorod. During a dog fight he was wounded in both feet. In medsanbat (field hospital) he managed to persuade doctors not to amputate his foot. Just nine day after his wounding he left hospital on crutches. He made his way to the nearest aerodrome, and was flown back to his Fighter Air Regiment. A month later he resumed operations with his squadron, using crutches to get to and from his aircraft.
By November 1943 Senior Lieutenant Evstigneyev had completed 144 combat missions
, and brought down 23 enemy aircraft, and shared 3.
On 2 August 1944 as squadron commander 240 Fighter Air Regiment (302nd Fighter Air Division, Fighter Air Corps, 5th Air Army
, 2nd Ukrainian Front) Senior Lieutenant Kiril A. Yevstigneyev was awarded the Title Hero of the Soviet Union
and presented with the Order of Lenin
and medal "Gold star" (№ 2284).
By October 1944 Guards Captain Yevstigneyev had completed 83 additional combat missions, claiming another 20 aircraft downed.
On 23 February 1945 as squadron commander 178th Guard Fighter Air Regiment (14th Guard Fighter Air Division, 3rd Guard Fighter Air Corps, 5th Air Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front) Captain Kirill A. Yevstigneyev was awarded a second Hero of the Soviet Union award with the medal "Gold star" (№4039).
Kirill A. Yevstigneyev finished World War II as the commander of the 178th Guards Fighter Air Regiment.
Evstigneyev's World War II record consisted of more than 300 combat missions
taking part in 120 aerial engagements, and claiming 53 enemy aircraft shot down with 3 shared
In the city Shumikha of the Kurgan province was established the bronze bust of Kirill A. Yevstigneev.
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
in the Second World War. Evstigneyev was one of the top Soviet fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
in World War II.
Early life
Kirill Yevstigneyev was born on 17 February 1917, in the village of Khokhly of the now Shumikhin region of the Kurgan province to a peasant family. He finished 7 classes of Shumikhin secondary school and entered the Chelyabinsk industrial school. He worked in the ChelyabinskChelyabinsk
Chelyabinsk is a city and the administrative center of Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, located in the northwestern side of the oblast, south of Yekaterinburg, just to the east of the Ural Mountains, on the Miass River. Population: -History:...
Tractor Plant and learned to fly with the Aeroclub.
Military career
In September 1938 Yevstigneyev joined the Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. In 1941 he graduated from The Bijsk military aviation school in Amur
Amur Oblast
Amur Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , situated about east of Moscow on the banks of the Amur and Zeya Rivers. It shares its border with the Sakha Republic in the north, Khabarovsk Krai and the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in the east, People's Republic of China in the south, and Zabaykalsky...
region in Serashevo station, and then served as a flying instructor. At the end of 1942 he was transferred to Moscow to the Main Staff VVS to help introduce operationally the lend-lease US fighter Bell
Bell Aircraft
The Bell Aircraft Corporation was an aircraft manufacturer of the United States, a builder of several types of fighter aircraft for World War II but most famous for the Bell X-1, the first supersonic aircraft, and for the development and production of many important civilian and military helicopters...
P-39 Airacobra being received from the USA.
World War II
Serving on the Eastern Front from 17 March 1943, Evstigneyev gained his first victory, a Messerschmitt Bf 109Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
, on 28 March 1943 near Urazovo in the Belgorod
Belgorod
-Twin towns/sister cities:Belgorod is twinned with: Wakefield, England, United Kingdom Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia Opole, Poland Vyshhorod, Ukraine Kharkiv, Ukraine-External links:...
province. On the same day he also shot down a Junkers Ju 87
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
"Stuka". On 12 April 1943 Evstigneyev brought down a Messerschmitt Bf 110
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often called Me 110, was a twin-engine heavy fighter in the service of the Luftwaffe during World War II. Hermann Göring was a proponent of the Bf 110, and nicknamed it his Eisenseiten...
. Three weeks later Kirill A. Evstigneyev became a Fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
on 6 May 1943, claiming a Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
and a Messerschmitt Bf 110.
Evstigneyev claimed 6 victories during the Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
. On 7 July 1943 he brought down the leader of a ten-strong bomber formation, while next day he battled against 9 Ju.87 dive-bombers and brought down two dive bombers. Later the same day Kirill brought down another "Stuka". On 9 July Evstigneyev brought down a Bf.109 fighter, and another on both 13 and 16 July.
On 5 August 1943, leading eight fighter aircraft he flew protection sorties over Soviet troops on the approaches to Belgorod. During a dog fight he was wounded in both feet. In medsanbat (field hospital) he managed to persuade doctors not to amputate his foot. Just nine day after his wounding he left hospital on crutches. He made his way to the nearest aerodrome, and was flown back to his Fighter Air Regiment. A month later he resumed operations with his squadron, using crutches to get to and from his aircraft.
By November 1943 Senior Lieutenant Evstigneyev had completed 144 combat missions
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
, and brought down 23 enemy aircraft, and shared 3.
On 2 August 1944 as squadron commander 240 Fighter Air Regiment (302nd Fighter Air Division, Fighter Air Corps, 5th Air Army
5th Air Army
The 5th Air Army was the Russian Air Force's smallest Air Army, with the headquarters located in Yekaterinburg, its zone of responsibility being the Volga-Ural Military District, on the border between Europe and Asia...
, 2nd Ukrainian Front) Senior Lieutenant Kiril A. Yevstigneyev was awarded the Title Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
and presented with the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
and medal "Gold star" (№ 2284).
By October 1944 Guards Captain Yevstigneyev had completed 83 additional combat missions, claiming another 20 aircraft downed.
On 23 February 1945 as squadron commander 178th Guard Fighter Air Regiment (14th Guard Fighter Air Division, 3rd Guard Fighter Air Corps, 5th Air Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front) Captain Kirill A. Yevstigneyev was awarded a second Hero of the Soviet Union award with the medal "Gold star" (№4039).
Kirill A. Yevstigneyev finished World War II as the commander of the 178th Guards Fighter Air Regiment.
Evstigneyev's World War II record consisted of more than 300 combat missions
taking part in 120 aerial engagements, and claiming 53 enemy aircraft shot down with 3 shared
After WWII
In 1949 he attended various Tactical Aviation Courses and in 1955 the Military Aviation Academy. In 1960 he attendedthe Military Academy of General Staff . In 1966 he was promoted to Major General of aviation, passin to the Air reserve in 1972. He lived in Moscow after retirement, where he died on 29 August 1996. He is buried in Moscow in the Kuntsevskoe cemetery.Awards and decorations
Kirill A. Yevstigneyev awards:- 2 Hero of the Soviet UnionHero of the Soviet UnionThe title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
- 2 Order of LeninOrder of LeninThe Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
- 4 Order of the Red BannerOrder of the Red BannerThe Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
- Order of SuvorovOrder of SuvorovThe Order of Suvorov is a Soviet award, named after Aleksandr Suvorov , that was established on July 29, 1942 by a decision of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR. This decoration was created to award senior army personnel for exceptional leadership in combat operations...
3rd class, - Order of the Patriotic WarOrder of the Patriotic WarThe Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisans for heroic deeds during the German-Soviet War, known by the former-Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War.- History :The Order was...
1st and 2nd class - Order of the Red StarOrder of the Red StarEstablished on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
- numerous medals
- 2 foreign Orders.
In the city Shumikha of the Kurgan province was established the bronze bust of Kirill A. Yevstigneev.