Efremov Vasily

(March 1, 1914)
Perfectly executed Basil responsible task to develop the first jet aircraft - the Yak-15 and MiG-9. It was he, among other famous pilots in the world for the first time demonstrated in the air parade in Tushino in 1947 and 1948 by a link in a five-jet aerobatics. Five commanded by General E.YA. Savitsky.
Born March 1, 1914 in Orenburg, in the family of an employee. Father - Efremov, Vasili Fedorovich (1884 - 1932). Mother - Anna Efremova (1884 - 1967). Wife - Ephraim Lyubov P. (1921 - 2000).

To obtain a secondary education - in the 20-ies it was an eight-year, - Vasya Ephraim had to learn in three schools: in the village sorochinskoe, in the city of Samara and Osh. In the last family moved in 1927. After 8 th grade boy in the incomplete 15 years went to work in a system of water management in Central Asia. Position gave him - hydrometer. His duties included the measurement of water levels in rivers in the Pamir, the definition of flow velocity, warning of possible floods, floods. He then traveled all the republics of Central Asia, for months, one lived in the Pamir Mountains. Every had to endure in difficult mountain conditions. It is here that matured young man, gain strength and courage, which come in handy later in life.

In 1932, destiny brought Vasya in Tashkent. Here he attended work on mechanical plant Comintern apprentice turner. For four years, grew to 6-turner of the first discharge, he studied at rabfak.

Among the first he responded to the call to young people in 1936 to go into aviation. Efremov became a student of the Orenburg Aviation Pilot School. With great enthusiasm he studied fighter I-16, mastered the technique of piloting. Autumn of 1938 passed the final exams, became a fighter pilot. He was given the rank of second lieutenant.

So Basil was an aviator, for many decades by linking their fate to the sky. The young commander was sent to aviagarnizon in Krechevitsy that near Novgorod, in a separate squadron captain Tarasova. Immediately appointed commander level.
Autumn of 1939 the squadron moved to Karelia, in the borough Besovets. We flew there - and gasped: naked around the field! Not a single building near. In the morning went to aircraft pilots, and squirrels running around on them. And funny and sad. Gradually, everything was arranged: and an airfield equipped with housing settled.

November 30, 1939 troops of the Leningrad military district were ordered to: discard the Finnish troops from the northern capital.

Two squadron merged into one group under the command of Captain Tkachenko with accommodation at the lake near Petrozavodsk. This place was their airfield. Hence, the fighters began to operate. At the armed squadron had a multi-purpose aircraft I-15. They allow the bombing and ground attack objects to dogfight.

In the first task group led Captain Tkachenko. Before her stood a task - to attack ships in the port of Ulan Ude. Four made the call group, dropped all the bombs, and shot all the ammunition and only then turned back. Enemy anti-aircraft fire were tight, but the group returned without loss.

Grew skill of pilots. Faster all learned the art of battle Vasily Efremov. He successfully served a variety of tasks. Particularly distinguished himself in the exploration. No one mined it better and more of its valuable data about the enemy. It is perfectly oriented to the terrain. Many pilots wandered feared, especially alone, fly on a mission. A Efremov not afraid. During the Soviet-Finnish war, he made 114 sorties, setting a record. None of the Soviet pilots operating there, not even close to that number.

During one of the reconnaissance flights Basil drew attention to a strange object: from different sides of the road leading to it, and then do not continue. Riddle. On his return he reported this to the commander. He ordered a suspicious object flew two links. Fired his cannon and machine guns. The Finns responded with anti-aircraft guns. The third time he led Basil for this purpose a group of medium bombers. After the first dumping bombs on the ground was all about. It has become clear: Efremov discovered an enemy ammunition depot. Our bombers have left him stone unturned
Over brilliantly executed task to destroy the warehouse Basil received his first award - the Medal "For Courage". It is for him and now one of the most expensive.

Once a group of Ephraim leaned Finnish fighter "Gloucester bulldog". A minute later they were joined by two Fokker-D-21 ". Had to do battle. Second Lieutenant Efremov sharply gained height and turned over the "Fokker". At high speed, he went to the tail of one queue and knocked him off his mark. The second deviation from the fight and retreated. Behind him turned back and "Gloucester". So Basil opened the scoring shot down enemy aircraft.

After the first shot down a second and a third ... Results in the Soviet-Finnish war Efremov shot down 7 enemy aircraft.

During the Great Patriotic War, Lieutenant Efremov joined hardened fighter with a solid military experience behind. He was then deputy commander of Squadron 129 th Fighter Regiment. He commanded the regiment, Major Vikhrov past military school at Khalkhin -. In the eyes of young pilots, especially neobstrelyannyh, both of them - and Efremov, and Whirlwind - were aces. And not their fault that the first day of the war the regiment lost almost all of the material. In the early morning of June 22 Nazi planes flew over an airfield near the city defenseless Zabludov and carried rout. In the air were able to rise only major Vikhrov and Lieutenant Efremov. Desperate attacks of the German, they pinned down the vultures and this weakened the blow.

The regiment was in fact unfit for combat. In Orel he joined the personnel, aircraft LaGG-3 and sent under Rzhev, where fierce fighting both on land and in the air. No delay of entry into the battle. The tone in skirmishes with the enemy asked Lieutenant Efremov. He seemed to be constantly in the sky, ready at any moment to fight with the enemy. Basil flew reconnaissance, led the group (from October 1941 he had command of the squadron) to attack enemy airfields, troop concentrations, accompanied bombers on a mission. Very often during these flights had to engage in combat with German fighters.

. At the end of March 1942 the commander of the regiment (in December 1941, the regiment became the 52-th Guards), Major Berkaliev put lieutenant Ephraim task: to cover the operations of ground troops in the area of settlement Selizharovo
. In addition the group includes airmen Ephraim F. Dahov, B. Jurin, AND. Laveykin, P. Peskov. When approaching the front of the Basil suddenly saw them reaching toward a large group of Nazi aircraft: 12 bombers and 18 fighters. It was necessary at all costs to block their path. Make it could only group Ephraim. Basil did not hesitate to come to grips. He divided the group into two parts. Couple Dahov - Jurin rushed to the bombers, and trio led by squadron leader attacked enemy fighters. Its main goal - not to allow "Messer" attack on our couple, fighting with the bombers. The plan succeeded brilliantly. Soviet Falcons downed three enemy fighters, two of them - personally Efremov, and the two bombers. Two burning "Messer" left the battlefield. The Germans, having abandoned their bombs on the heads of his troops, turned back. Incredible victory! Five of the Soviet pilots overcame the thirty German!
A month after the battle, Basil was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
In fierce battles of the regiment suffered losses in men and materiel. Fate kept Ephraim: in 274 sorties, he only once was wounded in the legs. And all during the two wars Vasily made more than 400 combat sorties, destroyed 19 enemy aircraft in person.
In December 1942, Captain Ephraim withdrawn from the front and was appointed Chief Inspector of combat training of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He was appointed to form air regiments for the army. He accomplished the task successfully.
Perfectly executed Basil responsible task to develop the first jet aircraft - the Yak-15 and MiG-9. It was he, among other famous pilots in the world for the first time demonstrated in the air parade in Tushino in 1947 and 1948 by a link in a five-jet aerobatics. Five commanded by General E.YA. Savitsky.
Resign Vasily released in 1971. After 11 years he worked as Deputy Head of the Department of Radio and Television. Since 1982 - retired. But he was not imprisoned himself within four walls, and is active patriotic work with youth.
Hero of the Soviet Union in. V. Efremov was awarded three Orders of Lenin, five Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War I degree, Red Star, nearly 30 medals.
Lives in Moscow.