(15. 5. 1908 - 13. 11. 1936)
K app (Constantine) I. Kovtun - a lieutenant, commander of the 109 th istpebitelnoy eskadpili 36 th aviabpigady. Born May 15, 1908 in the village Sharkov-Bakumovka now Paninskogo area Voponezhskoy region., A farmer's family. Graduated from Class 4. Employed, was a member and chairman of the village council. In the Soviet Apmii since 1930. He graduated from military school Voposhilovgpadskuyu pilots in 1933 and commander of the courses in 1934. Member of the national - the Revolutionary War in Spain 1936 - 1939 period. Lieutenant K. I. Kovtun, commanding a detachment of fighters at its Central front, covered Madpid from enemy air attacks. In the fierce fighting shot down five planes. Died Nov. 13, 1936 in repelling an attack on Madrid large group Ju.52, accompanied by fighters.
. W tion of the Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin Karp Ivanovich Kovtun posthumously awarded on Dec. 31, 1936.
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About bstoyatelstva his death tragic, but what happened then, very revealing characterizes the system of totalitarian propaganda.
. November 13, 1936, two fighter-15 - "snub-nosed," so loving call them Spaniards, one of which was piloted by Kostya Kovtun (the name his friends), conducted aerial reconnaissance in the vicinity of Madrid
. Suddenly they attacked a group "Heinkel". Ensued manifestly unequal air battle. In the heat of battle pilot Kovtun did not immediately notice that the left alone, driven left the battlefield, trying to justify the fact that "flew for help."
. Could plywood fighter long withstand a dozen modern cars? The answer is clear - a long time could not ...
. But, nevertheless, riddled with bullets "snub" is recorded in their battle through another - the fifth victory in the war .... The wounded pilot was thrown out of the blazing car, but to control a parachute could not. Strong wind bore him on enemy positions. Land of the Republicans who have seen all the vicissitudes of air combat, tried to recapture the wounded pilot. The attempt does not over ...
On the morning of November 15, at the airport Alcala de Henares was declared alarm. At low altitude slowly flew a bomber with distinctive signs rebels. And in the sky bloomed bright white parachute, which is slowly approaching to land. When Soviet pilots opened the box attached to the sling, we found it cut by pieces of human bodies and blood-stained note "A gift from General Franco."
Pilots identified the remains of. These were their comrades - Lt. Konstantin Kovtun, Vladimir Bocharov (who also was shot down and captured in the same day, November 13). Buried their bones Kovtun, 12 kilometers from Madrid, at the village cemetery. On the stove, wrote his pseudonym "Jan"
And then began the most infamous. When Lieutenant K. Kovtun was posthumously named a Hero of the Soviet Union and was posthumously awarded the Order of Lenin, his wife advised .... silent and not tell where and under what circumstances killed her husband ... it was a time - "negovorlivoe.
For its part, the official historian of the Spanish events slightly rewrite past events. Suddenly, that the "place in the box" claim almost five deaths in Spain Soviet volunteers.
In the end, on a team whose Soviet press stopped at one - Primo Dzhibelli - Spaniard. - There were also witnesses the death of the brave lieutenant, who avidly spoke in newspapers and in books that "the pilot Kovtun not buckled straps and chest strap lock simply fell out of the chute and fell to the pavement of Madrid"
. After one such publication, in the mid 60-ies was conducted unprecedented and scandalous trial in the article "libel", which was found whose body had the same ill-starred in the box
. However, until now dominated the official version of the death of Bones Kovtun ...
Alexander Shtolko - grandson of KI. Kovtun
Additional Links:
. * The official version of the death of a brave pilot site "Red Falcons"
. (* Image of the hero, presented on this site, according to A. Shtolko, is not genuine.)
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. Sources:
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1) Certificate of native.
