Sivkov Gregory Flegontovich

(February 10, 1921 - ...)
Born February 10, 1921 in the village of Martynov Perm region. Father - Flegont Dmitrievich (1886-1968). Mother - Vera Feodorovna (1890-1965). Wife - Ryabova Ekaterina, Hero of the Soviet Union (1921-1974). Wife (by second marriage) - Dobrolenskaya Olga (1956. born.). Daughter: Natasha (1947. born.), teacher, works and lives with his family in Germany, Irina (1952. born.), a geophysicist, working in Moscow.

In December 1939 after aviatehnikuma Gregory took a crash course in the Perm flight school, has released a second lieutenant in October 1940, arrived in Lvov in the 202 th squadron cabinet. In April 1941 the squadron moved to Moldova - a few kilometers from the border with Romania.

In the squadron was not a single combat aircraft. Nearby stood a whole Fighter Division, at the airport parking glittered duralumin Fresh "Yaki". German reconnaissance planes constantly violate the border, open the border areas tested in flight, photographed objects and with impunity, returning to their base. Pilots clenched fists, rushed at the sky ... On airspace violations reported to higher command, but in response received strict instructions: "In the battle not to join, do not respond to provocation!"

June 22 at dawn the captain raised Nikulshin pilots on alert. It was six by-2. It is clear that to calculate these "wings" in the air was not on that. However, the same day, "horseless" pilot (he was seconded to the air unit) on the orders of the duty aerodrome Sivkova sat in was on the runway-16 fighters, flew in the air battle in the area shot down a Nazi bomber airfield Xe-111.

. In July the squadron flew in the training center of the Southern Front, and began to relearn a new technique - bomber SB
. Mastered the new car and then had to relearn, is now on the Su-2. As a result of the reorganization Sivkov was in the Donets Basin in the 210-m near-bomber air regiment.

The New Year December 28, 1941 Gregory Sivkov made its first sortie. And she went to work fighting! The regiment performed on three to four flights a day. They bombed a concentration of enemy equipment at railway stations, artillery positions, columns of tanks on the way to the front lines.
Groups bombers were experienced pilots. The regiment famous for the skill and courage of two captain's - two of Ivan - Tire and Raube. They already had up to 100 sorties on his chest - the Order of the Red Banner. By the spring of 1942 Lieutenant Sivkov already made dozens of sorties. He was introduced to the Order of the Red Banner, but not awarded, said: "We have to wait ..."

In April-May, pilots retrained for a new type of airplane - the IL-2. The situation deteriorated sharply at the front. The Germans launched a major offensive in the Kharkov area, in the air fierce battle. 210 th Attack Aviation Regiment was hit on the ground targets. Since the first flights on the "mud" Sivkov felt a significant advantage over the same plane: the IL-2 was armed with two guns, eight "eresami, two machine guns. In addition, the crew could take 400 kilograms of bombs. This power of fire and break down our fliers on manpower and equipment of the enemy.

Above the Donbas Sivkova first plane shot down. In the air, forgot to close the bronezaslonku in battle an enemy bullet hit the oil pipeline and stopped him. Oil pressure dropped to zero. The pilot saw: the engine is about to refuse. Have lasted up to its territory, has chosen a suitable site and successfully sat. Infantry helped: the master found, eliminated the hole, filled the tank with oil, and Sivkov flew to the airfield. But the engine had been damaged and the air rejected. I had to again go to an emergency, then sat down again successfully on the chassis. And only on the third day Gregory arrived at its airfield.

In the May 1942 battle assault regiment made dozens of sorties. Attack aircraft inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, but they themselves lost a third of the combat. Heroically died excellent pilots Eugene Myl'nikov, Paul Startsev, Igor Socrates, a close friend Sivkova - Ivan Raube. The loss of military friends do not relax the pilots, they fought in the sky with renewed fury - and for himself, and for the dead ...

In summer 1942 the 230 th Air Division moved to assault the North Caucasus. The Germans pulled a big force here, and began an offensive trying to break into the Caucasus - to Baku and Grozny oil. Squadron Sivkova, like all the divisions regiments, struck assault strikes on the front edge and rear of the enemy. Flew nines and whole regiments. Together with the Army pilots division, other air units attack foiled the Nazis in the Ordzhonikidze. The enemy in the Caucasus has failed.

In the fighting in the North Caucasus is not just distinguished by the crew Gregory Sivkova. In autumn 1942, Lieutenant Sivkov received the Order of the Red Banner and became deputy commander of the squadron. Polk, for the exemplary performance of combat tasks awarded the Order of the Red Banner. The commander of the regiment became the Guard Lt. Col. Nicholas Tooth. He fought as a volunteer in China and Spain, participated in the war with Finland in 1939-1940. Had a few orders of the Red Banner, in his account was more than 100 sorties in the Il-2.

Sivkov and other pilots had copied much of his commander. He proposed and implemented in the regiment a new tactic against enemy fighters. When they enter and attack our "oozes" rebuilt the order of battle, stood in a circle so that the "Messerschmitts" could not go to them with the tail (whereas in the "provinces" there was no rear protection - air arrow). Overtaking on a circle covered lead. German fighter planes on the risk of not going and they rolled from the vicious circle of attack aircraft, but they quickly rebuilt into a wedge, and continued on course for a given purpose.

1943 for Gregory Sivkova was in continuous battles. Near Izyum he was hit in the head. In shock, not seeing the devices, the coup came out of the battle, came to near the ground. Sat down, "jumping" through our trenches. The doctors bandaged, told in the regiment, for Sivkov pilot flew his squadron Alexander Gurzhiy.
In the Kuban regiment took part in breaking the German Blue Line. Several times a day in large groups flew to attack under cover of fighter. September 17, 1943 Squadron Commander Sivkov led four aircraft in the direction of the Kerch Strait. At the height passed over the front line, reached the target - the enemy's trains at a railway station. Leading Sivkov went to Target first, emptied the entire stock of bombs - 150 units, the second pass issued by tier eresy ". German anti-aircraft guns all the fire focused on the leading. Caught in the engine, sparks flew in the window of hot water. Sivkov understood: he had left no more than five minutes ... Came out of the battle, but did not go to the east of our own - is still not'll last, but on the north side of the Kuban, where the floodplain, in the high reeds and you can hide from the Germans. For the commander walked two stormtrooper - Nikolai Kalinin and Alexander Markov.

Sivkov sat down on his belly, making a corridor in the reed. Nearby villages Kalinin, and the plane Markov remained in the sky to cover up their air. Markov saw in the direction of the aircraft along the river rushes car with German machine gunners. Gun fire from the pilot compartment of the car. At this time Sivkov moved into the cockpit stormtrooper Kalinina, and they departed, having set fire to abandoned the damaged aircraft. So the pair and left the brave pilots from under the noses of the enemy ...
For heroism and courage of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from February 4, 1944 Gregory Sivkova and Nikolai Kalinin awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. That title was awarded and the regimental commander Nikolai tooth, but now, after heroically died in a ground attack enemy positions.
Increasing number of sorties Sivkova. After the Budapest operation, there were already more than 100, and by the end of the war to 186. Gregory graduated from navigator War regiment in Austria, near Vienna. In August 1945, the Kremlin brave falcon was handed a second Gold Star of Hero.
. 210 th Attack Aviation Regiment was renamed the Red Banner Order of Kutuzov III degree Sebastopol regiment.
. After the war, Gregory Flegontovich graduated from the Air Force Engineering Academy named after Zhukovsky (1952), was a teacher, senior teacher, 13 years headed the Department
. Continues to work at the Academy of Senior Research Fellow. Candidate of Technical Sciences G.F. Sivkov - author of 70 scientific publications, co-published 4 textbooks.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union G.F. Sivkov awarded the Order of Lenin, the October Revolution, three Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, World War I level, Red Star, a number of orders of foreign countries, many medals. At home in the village in the Urals Martynov, installed a bronze bust of him as a hero twice.
Lives in Moscow.