(2. 9. 1920 - 2. 6. 1982)
Ivan M ihaylichenko Harlampievich Lieutenant Squadron Attack Aviation Regiment. Born September 2, 1920 in the village of Diamond Kadievskogo region Lugansk region. By nationality Ukrainian. After mining school, he worked for two years in an electrical shaft and simultaneously studied at the flying club. Since 1940 the Army. In 1943 he graduated from Voroshilovgrad military pilots flying school and was immediately sent to the front. Was flight commander, deputy commander of the squadron and a squadron commander in a 667 and Wang 141 gv.shap.
During the Great Patriotic War made 179 successful sorties to attack in the bombing of manpower and equipment of the enemy. The 48 air battles personally shot down 4 planes and 8 in the group, 6 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground. He was awarded many orders and medals.
. W tion of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin and medal "Gold Star" Ivan Harlampievichu Mikhailichenko named Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from July 1, 1944 for exemplary performance of combat missions, . courage, . courage and heroism, . displayed in the struggle against the Nazi invaders.,
. In the Torah the Gold Star Medal "awarded June 27, 1945.
. After the war, Ivan Harlampievich Mikhailichenko continued to serve in the Air Force and Air Defense Forces have been flying himself, passed the experience and skills of youth
. Among his pupils was, and Soviet cosmonaut Boris Volynov.
Since 1962, Lieutenant Colonel Mikhailichenko was in stock. Lived in Moscow. He worked at one of the city turner. Died June 2, 1982.
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With amye various combat missions had to do to Ivan Mikhailichenko and frog Alexander Levotskomu: drove the group to attack airfields and military equipment of the enemy cluster, . flew on reconnaissance in the most difficult weather conditions, . "hunting" in the rear of the enemy, . "ironed" cutting edge before the onset of our ground forces ..,
. And always successful and lucky crew of the Young Communist League. It was in those days (six months after arrival at the front) in the combat characteristics of Ivan Mikhailichenko commander wrote:. "A great scout, in the decisive battle for the courage, bravery and heroism. From the battle every time emerges victorious.
Yes, he was not a coward. Is not this flight Eight said to "sweep" when one of the clearings in the dense forest, our pilots found a group of tanks. Whether Hitler warned that if they accidentally raised their guns, but to attack towards the top ten fire-breathing vents in the guns-not every venture.
. -The legs themselves went, performing a maneuver, "recalled Ivan Harlampievich about polete.-head drawn into his shoulders
. I do not remember how pulled the lever jettison the bombs and the side. Wingmen also bombed the target. Several tanks puffed, but our group has suffered a loss: One crew was shot down by a direct hit, and the second brought to the airfield furrow left by the wing tank gun projectile.
Ivan Mikhailichenko loved flying at low altitude. Once he got the job at the head of six-hit the accumulation of cavalry. That's where the handy skill to pilot a menacing attack near the ground. Defeat the enemy have not only hit the exact shells, bombs and bullets, and the roar of engines, the very type of attack aircraft that was flying at low level flight.
. By the time the permit was obtained for the radius in the area Brave, Ivan Mikhailichenko considered one of the most experienced pilots of the regiment
. Wingman he chose Otar Chechelashvili, a young, reliable pilot, who later became a Hero of the Soviet Union. Otar has repeatedly flew Mikhailichenko to "sweep", and they understand each other.
The preparations for departure began with the laying of the route. Previously, ground-attack planes went on the resin through Cherkasy, now leading the line paved the way to the bypass, with half of the route passes over the forest.
. -Here iemetskih no flak, "he said Chechelashvili, and can approach the goal of covertly
. Someone who, as they knew the price, and suddenly come out on purpose, and the lack of flak explosions in the sky. Behind each, dozens of combat sorties.
The load took complete: eight rockets, six hundred pounds of bombs, all the ammunition for the guns and machine guns. Specified and the order of the strike.
-After dumping the bombs, once in the clouds, "concluded Mikhailichenko.
In zleteli around noon. Up front lines were at low level. Clouds prevented to rise above and in the target area. Fortunately, the rain stopped and visibility improved markedly. Km for the three before approaching the station noticed steam engine smoke. For him a volley of rockets and let. Clubs of white steam and snakes of fire, running through the cars, showed a hit.
The aircraft entered the clouds. No anti-aircraft missile did not explode in the sky Smely. The Germans apparently did not think that in this weather station will appear above the ground attack.
But the weather began to improve in the meantime. Mikhailichenko immediately reported it to the airfield. A few minutes later Stormoviks pair after pair were pulled in the direction of the railway, where the blazing fire and exploded ordnance.
After lunch Mihajlichenko Chechelashvili again and headed to the bold. Route decided not to change. I paid dearly for it. Above the edge of the forest from the ground hit "Oerlikon". Leading felt a blow from below, and immediately noticed a drop in pressure of oil in the engine.
-Damaged motor!-Handed he wingman, dropped bombs and walked toward the front line.
Height 150 meters. Around forest. A little engine pulls. When approaching the Dnieper Motor rose. And, of happiness!-Appeared in front of the meadow. But the joy was premature. The pilot took for clearing the old logging, entirely covered by low stumps. However, there was no choice, and Mikhailichenko began leveling previously refusing to tightening belts.
A strong blow shook the ground attack, as soon as he touched the earth. Belts burst, and the pilot hit his head on the dashboard ...
. How lasted oblivion, does not remember when he came to, saw human figures dressed in camouflage overalls, crawling to the aircraft.
. No, not alive damsya, "Mikhailichenko drew his pistol and then I heard someone speaking Russian.
. -His, brothers, my, "shouted one of soldat.-selectable from the cab, and now the Germans hit with mortars.
. At this point, some left the plane hitting the first mine
. Hardly Mikhailichenko and aerial gunner jumped out of the plane, as mines are sent one after another, and the Ilyushin flushed.
. It turned out that Mikhailichenko just landed at our ground forces seized a bridgehead on the right bank of the Dnieper ...
. Autumn and winter passed in a tense battle work
. We flew to "sweep" of exploration, stormed the airfields and enemy tanks. In one of the combat missions was shot down by FW-189.
And it was so. Flew link to attack tanks. Appearing over the target at an altitude of 400 meters, storm troopers formed a circle and one after another attacked the enemy tanks, which were spreading across the meadow between the haystacks. At one of the visits Mikhailichenko observed below a "frame", so during the war, called the German intelligence "Focke-Wulf-189". Hugging the ground, the plane was heading west.
-Do not go, "shouted the pilot, dovorachivaya attack on a new target and opening fire.
The first stage took place on the right, the second-rear "frame", and the third hit in the fuselage. PV-189 broke up in kuski.-There is one more!-Broadcast Mihaylichenko.-Yes!, Other crews confirmed group. The regiment Mikhailichenko believed not only master of the storm strikes, but air ranger. Here is an example. In tandem with Chechelashvili he flew on reconnaissance troop concentrations. After the flight to the front line in one of the woods, which was held on the edge of the railroad, Mikhailichenko saw a barely perceptible puff of smoke.
What could it be? They turned around and with a decrease slipped over woods. It was cleverly disguised armored. No sooner had the Nazi anti-aircraft gunners to deploy its installation, as rockets fired from "silt", ruined the engine, damaged several armored platforms. And in another ten minutes, the pilots detected and accumulation of the enemy.
Left behind sorties over Korsun-Shevchenko boiler, flying a "free hunt" near Kirovograd. Front fiery shaft flowed westward. In the forty-fourth year, Ivan Mikhailichenko four times awarded combat decorations, including the Order of Lenin Medal with Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union. Covered with graying temples, and he still. stay young, hot, fire Komsomol in the chest. Spoiling for a fight, enjoyed each new difficult task.
Autumn, now a squadron commander, Lieutenant Mikhailichenko one of the first in the regiment began to fly combat missions during the night. This immediately required to find new tactics of combat employment of menacing machines. First flew on a five-minute time interval at an altitude of 600-800 meters. However, this order of battle turned out to be vulnerable. Cost searchlight beam to grab attack, and anti-aircraft guns immediately opened fire fairly accurate.
Lieutenant Mikhailichenko proposed to reduce the time interval between aircraft to fly only a couple. In this case, as soon as the plane hit the lead beam of a searchlight, driven immediately to "extinguish". Combat losses have fallen sharply, and the effectiveness of night bombing has increased markedly.
P last one combat sorties Ivan Mikhailichenko made in the skies of Berlin. Perhaps it was the most difficult missions. Had to fly at low altitude, and the smoke of fires rose to 300-400 meters. One April day in the squadron was ordered Mikhailichenko Ivan hit the accumulation of enemy troops, concentrated in the park.
-The object is covered with strongly anti-aircraft artillery, "warned the commander polka.-Be careful. Think about the order of battle.
Mikhailichenko highlighted the ad hoc group of anti-aircraft fire suppression. Then arranged a meeting with the crews of fighter pilots cover. Thought were the order and direction of call in the objective.
At a given time a squadron of attack aircraft up into the air. Here and search area. Technology is not visible. Near the park a few huts, two large barn. Mikhailichenko turned his plane and struck out the guns on one of the barns. And as if he hurt a hornets' nest. Antiaircraft guns hit from all sides of barns crawled tanks and motioned to the Park. However, ground-attack suppressed anti-aircraft artillery and inflicted considerable damage on the enemy tank group. After this departure on the chest squadron commander Ivan Mikhailichenko started the Order of Alexander Nevsky.
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Sources:
1) Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary. V.2. M.: Voeniz.1988.
2) People of the immortal exploits. Moscow submarine v.2 1975
