Kirill Yevstigneyev: Difference between revisions
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|allegiance={{flagicon|Soviet Union}} [[Soviet Union]] |
|allegiance={{flagicon|Soviet Union}} [[Soviet Union]] |
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|branch=[[Image:Red star.svg|20px]] [[Soviet Air Force]] |
|branch=[[Image:Red star.svg|20px]] [[Soviet Air Force]] |
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|serviceyears= |
|serviceyears=1938—1972 |
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|rank= [[Major General]] (1966) |
|rank= [[Major General]] (1966) |
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|commands=178th GuIAP (1945) |
|commands=178th GuIAP (1945) |
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|unit=240th IAP(Fighter Air Regiment), 178th GuIAP (Guard Fighter Air Regiment) |
|unit=240th IAP(Fighter Air Regiment), 178th GuIAP (Guard Fighter Air Regiment) |
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|battles=[[World War II]] |
|battles=[[World War II]] |
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|awards=[[Hero of the Soviet Union]] (2)<br/>[[Order of Lenin]]<br/>[[Order of the Red Banner|Orders of the Red Banner]](4)<br/>[[Order of Suvorov]] 3d class<br/>[[Order of the Patriotic War]] 1st class & 2nd class<br/>[[Order of the Red Star]]<br/> medals<br/>2 foreign Orders |
|awards=[[Hero of the Soviet Union]] (2)<br/>[[Order of Lenin]]<br/>[[Order of the Red Banner|Orders of the Red Banner]](4)<br/>[[Order of Suvorov]] 3d class<br/>[[Order of the Patriotic War]] 1st class & 2nd class<br/>[[Order of the Red Star]]<br/> medals<br/>2 foreign Orders |
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|relations= |
|relations= |
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|laterwork= |
|laterwork= |
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Guards' Captain (later Major-General) '''Kirill Alekseyevich Yevstigneyev''' ({{lang-ru|Кирилл Алексеевич Евстигнеев}}) (17 February |
Guards' Captain (later Major-General) '''Kirill Alekseyevich Yevstigneyev''' ({{lang-ru|Кирилл Алексеевич Евстигнеев}}) ({{OldStyleDate|17 February|1917|4 February }} — 29 August 1996) was a Soviet [[fighter pilot]] and one of the top [[fighter ace|Soviet aces]] of [[Second World War|World War II]]. During his career he claimed 56 aerial victories flying the [[Lavochkin La-5]] and La-7 fighter. |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Yevstigneyev was born into a peasant family on 17 February |
Yevstigneyev was born into a peasant family on ({{OldStyleDate|17 February|1917|4 February }} in the village of Khokhly, in what is now the [[Shumikhinsky District]] of [[Kurgan Oblast]], in [[Russia|Russia's]] trans-Urals. He attended the Shumikhin elementary school, completing seven of the requisite eight years of study before moving on to the Chelyabinsk industrial school. He trained as a fitter-turner and upon graduation moved to work at the [[Chelyabinsk]] Tractor Plant where he joined the local aeroclub and got his first taste of flying. |
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==Early Military Career== |
==Early Military Career== |
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*numerous medals |
*numerous medals |
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*2 foreign Orders. |
*2 foreign Orders. |
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** [[Order of the British Empire]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:1996 deaths]] |
[[Category:1996 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Soviet World War II flying aces]] |
[[Category:Soviet World War II flying aces]] |
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[[Category:Soviet Air Force generals]] |
[[Category:Soviet Air Force generals]] |
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[[Category:People from Kurgan Oblast]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Lenin]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner, four times]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 3rd class]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Red Star]] |
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[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]] |
Revision as of 18:35, 20 November 2013
Kirill A. Yevstigneyev
Soviet Air Force VVS | |
---|---|
Born | Khokhly, Shumikhinsky District, Kurgan Oblast, Russia | February 17, 1917
Died | August 29, 1996 Moscow, Soviet Union | (aged 79)
Allegiance | Soviet Union |
Service/ | Soviet Air Force |
Years of service | 1938—1972 |
Rank | Major General (1966) |
Unit | 240th IAP(Fighter Air Regiment), 178th GuIAP (Guard Fighter Air Regiment) |
Commands | 178th GuIAP (1945) |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union (2) Order of Lenin Orders of the Red Banner(4) Order of Suvorov 3d class Order of the Patriotic War 1st class & 2nd class Order of the Red Star medals 2 foreign Orders |
Guards' Captain (later Major-General) Kirill Alekseyevich Yevstigneyev (Russian: Кирилл Алексеевич Евстигнеев) (17 February [O.S. 4 February ] 1917 — 29 August 1996) was a Soviet fighter pilot and one of the top Soviet aces of World War II. During his career he claimed 56 aerial victories flying the Lavochkin La-5 and La-7 fighter.
Early life
Yevstigneyev was born into a peasant family on (17 February [O.S. 4 February ] 1917 in the village of Khokhly, in what is now the Shumikhinsky District of Kurgan Oblast, in Russia's trans-Urals. He attended the Shumikhin elementary school, completing seven of the requisite eight years of study before moving on to the Chelyabinsk industrial school. He trained as a fitter-turner and upon graduation moved to work at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant where he joined the local aeroclub and got his first taste of flying.
Early Military Career
In September 1938 Yevstigneyev joined the Red Army with the aim of becoming a military aviator. In 1941 he graduated from the Bijsk military pilot academy in the far-eastern Amur region, and was posted as a flying instructor to Serashevo. At the end of 1942 he was reassigned to the Moscow headquarters of the VVS, where he was put to work in management of the procurement of Bell P-39 Airacobras from the United States under the Lend-Lease program. While important - over 4,000 Airacobras were ferry-flown from Alaska to the Soviet Union during the war - this was even further from an active role than Yevstigneev's previous posting as an instructor. While in Moscow Yestigneev came to the attention of I. S. Soldatenko, who arranged for a posting to the front on 17 March 1943.
World War II Combat Service
Yevstigneyev gained his first victories two weeks after his arrival at the front. On 28 March 1943, near the village of Urazovo in the Belgorod province, southwest of Moscow he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109, followed by a Junkers Ju 87 Stuka.
On 12 April, he brought down a Messerschmitt Bf 110, and became an ace three weeks later on the 6 May, when he shot down a Junkers Ju 88 and another Bf 110. In the huge aerial engagements during the Battle of Kursk in July 1943, Yevstigneyev scored six more victories. On 7 July he brought down the leader of a ten-strong bomber formation. The following day he engaged a formation of nine Stukas, and again brought down the leader. The remaining Stukas turned and fled. Yevstigneev pursued and scored another kill when the Stuka he engaged struck the ground. Another sortie the same day saw him claim one more Stuka. On 9 July he scored his second Bf 109 kill, followed by two more on the 13 July and 16 July.
On 5 August, flying a close air-support sortie on the approach to Belgorod, Yestigneyev's eight-aircraft formation engaged opposing German fighters. In the ensuing dog fight Yestigneyev was badly wounded in both feet and had to be sent to a field hospital. There he had to repeatedly dissuade surgeons from amputating at least one of his feet. He ended up escaping after nine days and crossing the 35 km to the nearest airfield - on crutches. He found his way back to his airfield to finish his recovery there. A month after being wounded and still on crutches, he flew his next combat sortie.
Between March and November 1943, Senior Lieutenant Yevstigneyev completed 144 combat sorties, with 23 enemy aircraft shot down, with a share in another 3.
On 2 August 1944 as the squadron commander of 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 with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and medal "Gold star" (№ 2284).
Yevstigneyev continued to serve until October 1944 and completed 83 additional combat missions, claiming 20 aircraft shot down.
On 23 February 1945, as the squadron commander of 178th Guard Fighter Air Regiment (14th Guard Fighter Air Division, 3rd Guard Fighter Air Corps, 5th Air Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front) Guards Captain Kirill A. Yevstigneyev was awarded second Title Hero of the Soviet Union with the medal "Gold star" (№4039).
Kirill A. Yevstigneyev finished World War II as the commander of 178th Guard Fighter Air Regiment.
Evstigneyev's World War II record:
- more than 300 combat missions
- 120 aerial engagements.
- 53 enemy aircraft shot down & 3 shared.
After World War II
In 1949 he finished several Tactical Aviation Courses, and by 1955 served at the Military Aviation Academy. By 1960 he was on the Military Academy General Staff (High Commandґs Academy). He then became Major General of aviation in 1966. from 1972 he served in the reserve.
After retirement he lived in Moscow, where he died on 29 August 1996. He is buried at the Kuntsevskoe cemetery in Moscow. A bronze bust of him stands in Shumikha, Kurgan province, near the village of his birth.
Awards and decorations
Kirill A. Yevstigneyev awards:
- 2 Hero of the Soviet Union (2 August 1944, 23 February 1945)
- Order of Lenin (2 August 1944)
- 4 Order of the Red Banner
- Order of Suvorov 3rd class (2 October 1943)
- Order of the Patriotic War 1st class (11 March 1985)
- Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class (30 April 1943)
- Order of the Red Star
- numerous medals
- 2 foreign Orders.
References
- Biography Retrieved May 8, 2008. Template:Ru icon
- Articles lacking sources from May 2008
- 1917 births
- 1996 deaths
- Soviet World War II flying aces
- Soviet Air Force generals
- People from Kurgan Oblast
- Double Heroes of the Soviet Union
- Recipients of the Order of Lenin
- Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner, four times
- Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 3rd class
- Recipients of the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class
- Recipients of the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class
- Recipients of the Order of the Red Star
- Members of the Order of the British Empire