Rechkalov grigory andreevich, twice hero of the soviet union. Soviet aces. Essays on Soviet Pilots Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Rechkalov became famous as

Grigory Rechkalov was born on February 9, 1920 in the village of Khudyakovo, Vladimir region. The boy grew up in an ordinary peasant family. After completing six years of school, he got a job as electricians at the Verkh-Isetsky Metallurgical Plant. At the same time, the young man studied at the local flying club.

He served in the Red Army since January 1938. A year later he graduated from the Perm Military Aviation Pilot School. He served as a junior pilot in the 55th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Air Force of the Odessa Military District.

On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War was from June 1941. He was a flight commander of the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, the 216th Mixed Aviation Division, and the 4th Air Army.

By May 1943, Senior Lieutenant Rechkalov had already flown 194 sorties, in 54 air battles and personally shot down 12 enemy aircraft. During one of the air battles, he was seriously wounded in the head and leg, for a long time was being treated in a hospital.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 24, 1943, for courage and heroism shown in battles, the Guard Senior Lieutenant Grigory Andreevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

After treatment, he returned to service and by June 1944 made 415 sorties, participated in 112 air battles, personally shot down 48 enemy aircraft and 6 as part of a group.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 1, 1944, Captain Rechkalov Grigory Andreevich was awarded the second Gold Star medal for new military exploits of the Guards.

From July 1944 to March 1945 he was the commander of the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. In March 1945 he became a pilot-inspector for piloting techniques of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Division.

Grigory Andreevich fought on the South, North Caucasian, 1st, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian fronts. He took part in defensive battles in the south of Ukraine, the defense of the North Caucasus, the liberation of the Kuban, Donbass, Crimea, Belarus and Poland, in the Berlin operation. During the war, Rechkalov flew over 450 sorties in the I-153 Chaika, I-16, Yak-1 and R-39 Airacobra fighters; participated in 122 air battles, in which he personally shot down 61 enemy aircraft.

After the war, Rechkalov continued to serve in the Air Force. In August 1945, he became an inspector pilot for piloting techniques of the 6th Guards Fighter Aviation Corps. In 1951 he graduated from the Air Force Academy.

From 1951, he was deputy commander, from July 1952, commander of the 10th Guards Fighter Aviation Division. Then he commanded the 146th Fighter Aviation Division of the Sakhalin Air Defense Corps. In 1957, he was appointed Deputy Commander of Fighter Aviation of the Separate Far Eastern Air Defense Army.

Since April 1959, with the rank of "Major General" of Aviation, Grigory Rechkalov was transferred to the reserve. Lived in the cities of Novosibirsk, Moscow. In the last years of his life he was in the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow region.

Military pilot Grigory Rechkalov died on December 20, 1990. Buried in the village of Bobrovsky, Sverdlovsk region.

Grigory Rechkalov's awards

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (05/24/1943, 07/01/1944);
The order of Lenin;
Four Orders of the Red Banner;
Order of Alexander Nevsky (October 2, 1943);
Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree;
Two Orders of the Red Star (October 26, 1955; 1956);
Medal for Military Merit (June 24, 1948);
Medal "For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945";
Jubilee medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945";
Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945";
Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945";

Honorary Citizen of the city of Balti.

Memory of Grigory Rechkalov

In the homeland of the Hero in Zaikovo, a bronze bust was installed and a museum was opened on the street. Kommunisticheskaya, 170. In mid-August 2015, the museum was transformed into a museum-patriotic complex, at the opening of which MiG-31 interceptor fighters made a "flight of memory" in honor of Grigory Rechkalov.

School No. 1 in Zaikovo, where Grigory Rechkalov studied, bears the name of the Hero; a memorial plaque is installed on the school.

The bust of G.A. Rechkalov was installed on Pobedy Boulevard in the city of Irbit, Sverdlovsk Region.

In Yekaterinburg (Sverdlovsk), where Grigory Andreevich studied and worked, a street in the Verkh-Isetsky district was named after him.

In February 2019, a bust of twice Hero of the Soviet Union Grigory Rechkalov was unveiled in the village of Krylovskaya, Krasnodar Territory.

Born on February 9, 1920 in the village of Khudyakova (now part of the village of Zaykovo), Irbit district, in the family of a poor peasant. After completing six classes, he entered the factory school of the Verkh-Isetsky metallurgical plant. He first took to the skies during the period of initial flight training within the walls of the Sverdlovsk Aero Club.
In 1937, on a Komsomol ticket, he was sent to the Perm Military Pilot School and in 1939 with the rank of sergeant he was enrolled in the 55th Aviation Fighter Regiment in Kirovograd.
He participated in the Great Patriotic War from the first to the last day. He rose from an ordinary pilot to the commander of a fighter aviation regiment.
He met the war in Bessarabia, and ended in Berlin. He was seriously wounded. He flew over 450 sorties, participated in 122 air battles, personally shot down 61 enemy aircraft and four in groups.
For courage and courage G.A. Rechkalov was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union - May 24, 1943 and July 1, 1944.
He was awarded the orders of Lenin, the Red Banner (four times), Alexander Nevsky, the 1st degree of the Patriotic War, the Red Star (twice) and nine medals.
After the war G.A. Rechkalov graduated from the Air Force Academy. He completed his military career in 1959 with the rank of Major General of Aviation. The author of the military-patriotic books "Visiting Youth", "The Smoky Sky of War", "In the Skies of Moldova". He died on December 22, 1990. Buried in the village of Bobrovsky, Sverdlovsk region.
At home, G.A. Rechkalov in the village. A memorial complex was created in Zaykovo, including a bust of the Hero, a Cultural Center named after him, steles at the entrances to the village.

G.A. Rechkalov "The first day of the war"
An excerpt from the story

The day before the war, the district military medical commission recognized Grigory Rechkalov as unfit for flight work due to color blindness. It seemed that life was over. On his return from Odessa to the regiment based near the town of Balti, Moldavian SSR, Rechkalov learned that a war had begun with Nazi Germany.
In the published fragment of his memoirs, Grigory Andreevich describes how he spent the first day of the war.

On that first morning of the war, I reached the airfield at eleven o'clock. The faces of my comrades who met on the way to headquarters struck me with an unusual gloom.
Two men were walking towards the command post. In front, in a blue overalls, with a helmet in his belt, Kryukov was dancing, as if dancing. Large drops of sweat streamed down his round, crimson face. Kolya Yakovlev followed him with an open tablet in his hands.
- The devil knows what, they went crazy there, or what? - Pal Palych grumbled angrily.
That was how they warmly called Senior Lieutenant Kryukov into the regiment, and this name surprisingly corresponded to the whole appearance of a plump little man.
- Personal order of the general, Comrade Senior Lieutenant, - Yakovlev remarked with bitter irony in his voice, - nothing can be done.
- Yes, you understand, - Kryukov interrupted him, - I still can't fly this MiG properly, but then go to hell! It's ... - and waving his hand angrily, he trotted on.
- Kolya! I called out to Yakovlev.
- Oh, great! Where? he wondered.
- From Odessa, buddy.
I looked at our Yakovlev and did not recognize him. Nikolai's face, always so carefree, even frivolous, was now unusually serious, somehow internally detached. Unshaven, eyes are swollen. A dirty collar, a torn button on a tunic ...
Nikolai, in turn, looked me over with a tenacious glance and, with the same expression with which he spoke with Kryukov, said:
- From Odessa? So how is it?
- What how? - I asked again, amazed at his appearance. - Where are you going?
- So, from Odessa? - he repeated, thinking about something of his own. - Why are you franking yourself?
“Listen,” I said, “it's not the business of answering a question with a question. Better tell me plainly: what is happening to you?
- With me? Nothing. - He looked at me absently, smiled sourly. - Here, with Pal Palych we are flying for reconnaissance.
Yakovlev tried to put on the same carelessness, but even the cap, tucked up on the back of his head, could not hide his concern and anxiety. Stretching out his hand in parting, Nikolai walked unsteadily after Kryukov, then suddenly turned around and shouted:
- Are you going to fly?
His question stung me painfully. Why did he ask about this? However, while I was walking to the regiment's command post, such questions were already asked to me. I briefly threw to everyone: "Decommissioned." But the answers did not quite suit the questioners; moreover, they even caused irony. The technicians were even suspicious of my words. I could not understand what, in fact, was the matter. Why such distrust? Maybe my appearance that morning was not in harmony with the situation? Only Kharhalup, having learned about my misfortune, friendly pushed me towards the headquarters, reassured:
- Eh, there would be my power ... And you are bolder, bolder! Honestly, the commander will understand everything and allow him to fight.
I looked at Yakovlev. He stood in his favorite position: with his hands at his sides, with his left foot forward and slightly to the side, tapping the toe of his boot on the ground.
Some kind of evil confidence suddenly took possession of me, and in the tone of his question, I suddenly blurted out:
- No, I am not going!..
- Look what! - he whistled slightly. - All clear!
- ... They are going, Kolya, only on the road, and even to marry. And I will fly and fight!
Turning abruptly, I walked to the checkpoint.
“We’ll see if we happen to meet,” was heard after.
Where did I get this confidence?
I knew my position was almost hopeless. The medical commission categorically forbade flying. Who could now take the liberty of overturning this decision?
They say that in order to gain courage and decide on something, you should think less about your situation. I came to the command post. Major Matveyev, after listening to the hasty "Arrived ... Wretched ... Please ...", took the ill-fated medical report and immediately tore it up.
- Do you see the thirteenth "seagull"? - he pointed to the fighter thrown with branches. - Quickly get ready for departure, you will take the package to Balti.
Half an hour later I was sitting in the cockpit, listening to the usual roar of the engine, inhaling the painfully familiar smells of exhaust gases and airfield grasses.
Two MiGs rustled nearby - it was Pal Palych and Yakovlev who went on reconnaissance. Technician Vanya Putkalyuk pulled out the blocks from under the wheels. Satisfied, smiling, he saluted me and extended his hand towards takeoff: "The way is clear!"
I'm in the air! Even if my mission is not a combat one, I am flying, and this is the main thing!
The fighter obediently climbed. Below, under the wing, ripening bread flashed, a thin thread stretched a road, a tiny bridge was guessed through a mirror stream. Light turn to the left. There is an unmown low, two unfinished heaps, and next to them are my fellow travelers. Waving its wings in greeting, the "seagull" sweeps low over their heads. I see how they wave their kerchiefs for a long time in response.
“They probably don't know about anything yet. It's even better. The war is unlikely to come here. "
The muddy Dniester with overgrown banks remained behind. The Bessarabian town of Orhei, immersed in greenery, flashed on a hill; the swampy Reut, a shallow rivulet that served as a reliable reference point to the airfield itself, ran away from it to the northwest.
Fields and fields stretched all around. Golden, bright green, they seemed almost blue, only on the other side of the Dniester they no longer lay in huge squares, but, like a motley patchwork quilt, were cut into small sections by the fringes.
As if there was no war; it blazed at the border, somewhere beyond the blue of the horizon, beyond the blackening forest in the distance, where swift wings carried Kolya Yakovlev and Pal Palych.
Ahead, a kite circled in black shadow. The second was looking for someone in the bread free space. But what is it? Black shadows began to change their outlines, turn into silhouettes of enemy fighters! And here is their victim - a lonely "seagull". Helpless, wounded, she no longer snarls at the fire of her machine guns, but pulls towards the village, weakly dodging the advancing enemy.
One of the German pilots calmly, like a target, aims at his victim. Now I can see him well; my "hawk" is rapidly approaching him.
“There you are, German! - Wide-eyed looking at a live enemy plane. - What a skinny and long! Well, I'll pour it in you now! "
From a low-level flight, the "seagull" soars up towards the fascist. The sight shows silhouettes of chopped off wings, a fragile fuselage, a yellow nose. It's time!
Machine guns rumbled dully; A nimble flock of fireflies broke away from the "seagull" and rushed towards the enemy. The thin-tailed Messerschmitt paused for a moment, as if to think, then vigorously soared up, to the side.
“Aha, not to my liking! - Following the enemy with a glance, I grinned. "But where is the second one?" I quickly glanced to where he was supposed to appear, then back - there was no plane. The first Messerschmitt, meanwhile, tried to get around me from behind. I turned around abruptly and at that moment I found the second at the bottom; ignoring my presence, the fascist impudently attached himself to the exhausted "seagull" - he was going to finish it off. With a half-turn, I directed the nose of the fighter at the insolent man. He is already next to my half-dead ally. I try to scare him away with long bursts. What's happened? Is the enemy not afraid or does he not see my tracks? Another second or two and it will be too late. My plane is already shaking from high speed in a shallow chill, the engine roars at maximum power, the control stick is in a fever. Somewhere to the right, a whitish haze appears in a short line that must be meant for me. “Yeah, yellow-nosed, scare you off? Will not work!"
I press the triggers again, again ... "Messerschmitt" can't stand it, goes up.
With a combat turn I bring my "seagull" out of the dive towards the enemy. Weird! The enemy does not accept attacks, eludes me. Smoke by the motor, the second is pulled up to it.
Where is the familiar "carousel" of combat, which we so diligently and beautifully wrote out in the training zones? Or maybe the Nazis were scared? Not; stretched out in a chain, the Messerschmitts are approaching me. Well, let's take the fight.
The first one just "pecked" from above and immediately escaped from a frontal attack. The second tried to attack from behind, but for some reason did not accept the attack head-on. O! first opened fire! How did he manage to be in my tail?
Now the roles are changing. I no longer shoot, but turn around with a snake, watching, as if they did not pinch my tail. It's like I'm between two bandits trying to stick a knife in my back.
Fire trails are becoming more frequent. We come so close that I can clearly see the tense faces of the enemies. One of them, a puny squishy with a small head barely protruding from the cockpit, aims especially diligently at me.
No fear. Only slightly dizzy. In my soul - anger and excitement.
I had read before that how some pilots describe their first combat "carousel"; I was not a little surprised by one circumstance: the pilots assured that in this battle you couldn't really see anything, you were acting almost blindly. Perhaps they did. It was also my first fight, but here everything turned out to be different. For some reason I perfectly saw both this squishy that "twisted" on me from behind, and that "yellow-nosed" that was smoking on the left.
Did I finally piss him off? The first fascist, without turning, rushed straight at me. I pressed the trigger. What the hell?! A single thread of green fireflies stretched to the fascist! Only later did I realize that the other machine guns were silent. The enemy plane was rapidly approaching me. Her breath caught. Do not collapse! From a small airplane, it has grown to an eerie size. Another moment - and ... I feverishly thrust myself behind the visor, to the instruments. Still not believing that the frontal attack was over, I flew for some time in a tense expectation of a collision, just like that. Then a hand reached out for the reloading mechanism. But then something hit the plane, the controls snatched out of the hands, and the "seagull" spun the "barrel". And on the right, at top speed, a squish flew past, which I managed to forget for a while. The impudent man, he was still waving his hand to me: until the next meeting, they say. Apparently he was running out of fuel. He calmly walked away in front of me after his partner. "You won't leave, you scoundrel!" I quickly turned around - but now all the machine guns were silent. It's a shame! .. With annoyance I watched the slowly melting smoke trail left by the Messerschmitts.

Golden stars of Irbit residents: Collection of essays and memoirs about Irbit residents - Heroes of the Soviet Union.
Compiled by A.S. Eremin, A.V. Kamyanchuk. - Irbit: Publishing House "Printing shaft", 2015. ISBN 978-5-91342-009-1

“Rechkalov won his first victory on June 26, 1941 on the I-153 Chaika biplane, shooting down the Messer who considered him an easy prey with a volley. fought in yaks and aerocobras, received the first Gold Star for an air battle in the Kuban, where in just a month and a half he “flunked” 17 German aircraft, and the second in the summer of 1944, when he brought the score of personal victories to fifty. even among the fearless "Stalinist falcons", Rechkalov never shied away from the fight, and his "Airacobra" stood out with a defiantly bright coloring - a red propeller spinner, victory stars in seven rows on the nose, formidable initials RGA on the tail of the fuselage ... "

Future twice Hero of the Soviet Union, one of the best Soviet aces Grigory Andreevich Rechkalov was born on February 9, 1920 in the village of Khudyakovo, Irbit district, into an ordinary peasant family. At the end of 1937, on a Komsomol ticket, young Rechkalov went to the military pilot school in Perm, which he successfully graduated in 1939. After distribution, Gregory in the rank of junior lieutenant is sent to serve in the 55th Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was presented to the country by many famous pilots.

At the time when Rechkalov got into the 55th IAP, he was equipped with I-153, I-16 and UTI-4 aircraft and was part of the 1st KOVO high-speed bomber brigade. In 1940, the regiment was transferred to the 20th Mixed Aviation Division, which was part of the Air Force of the Odessa Military District. The regiment was located on the outskirts of the small town of Balti, near the border with Romania.

On June 22, 1941, Grigory Rechkalov arrived at the disposal of his regiment from Odessa, where he passed the medical-flight commission, which wrote him off from flight work, the pilot had color blindness, he could hardly distinguish colors. By that time, the first losses had already been noted in the regiment, and combat work was in full swing. Having reported on his arrival at the unit and written off from flights, Rechkalov immediately received his first combat mission - to take documents to the neighboring unit on an I-153 fighter. The chief of staff of the regiment, Major Matveyev, did not even begin to pay attention to the conclusion of the doctors, there was no time for that. So, unexpectedly for the fighter pilot, a very difficult task was solved, which tormented him all the way to the regiment. In his very first combat sortie, Grigory Rechkalov met in battle with the enemy, survived and was able to help out his comrade.

In the future, chance will interfere with the fate of the ace pilot more than once, which will provide him with the opportunity to return to the sky. It is worth mentioning only that after a month of the war, having 3 shot down German planes in his combat account, Rechkalov was seriously wounded in the leg and wounded brought his I-16 to the airfield, from where he was immediately transported to the hospital. In the hospital, he is undergoing a very complex operation on his right leg. This wound put him out of action for almost a year. In April 1942, having escaped from the reserve aviation regiment, where the pilot was retraining on the Yak-1, he returned to his native, now the 16th GvIAP.

From that moment on, a new stage of his flying career began with the callsigns "RGA". Ahead of him awaits retraining on the American fighter P-39 "Airacobra", the formidable sky of the Kuban, the first Golden Star of the Hero, fierce battles in the skies over Iasi, the second Golden Star and at the end of the sky of Berlin. This segment also contained some confrontation with the famous Soviet ace Pokryshkin, which received an unexpected development after the end of the war and about which they previously preferred not to speak out loud.

Grigory Rechkalov went down in history as the most productive ace who won the most victories on the P-39 Airacobra fighter. By the end of the war, his "Cobra" had 56 stars, which symbolized 53 personal and 3 group victories of the pilot. Rechkalov was the second most effective Allied pilot. On his account there were 61 personal victories and 4 group victories.

Among the German aircraft shot down by Grigory Rechkalov were:

30 Me-109 fighters;
5 fighter FW-190
2 Me-110 fighters;
11 Ju-87 bombers
5 bombers Ju-88
3 transport aircraft Ju-52
2 bombers He-111
2 light reconnaissance aircraft Fi-156
1 fighter-spotter Hs-126

By June 1944, the deputy regiment commander Rechkalov flew 415 sorties, participated in 112 air battles and personally shot down 48 enemy aircraft and 6 in the group.

During the war, Rechkalov made 450 sorties and 122 air battles. The data on downed planes varies. According to some sources, 56 aircraft and 6 aircraft in the group were shot down. According to M. Bykov, Rechkalov shot down 61 enemy aircraft.

After the war, Grigory Rechkalov continued to serve in air force, in 1951 he graduated from the Air Force Academy. In 1959 he was transferred to the reserve. He lived in Moscow, since 1980 - in the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow region. He died on December 22, 1990 in Moscow. Buried in the village of Bobrovsky (Sysertsky district of the Sverdlovsk region).

(February 9, 1920 - December 22, 1990) - twice Hero of the Soviet Union, fighter pilot, major general of aviation ...

The future twice Hero of the Soviet Union, one of the best Soviet aces Grigory Andreevich Rechkalov was born on February 9, 1920 in the village of Khudyakovo, Irbitsky district, into an ordinary peasant family. At the end of 1937, on a Komsomol ticket, young Rechkalov went to the military pilot school in Perm, which he successfully graduated in 1939. After distribution, Gregory in the rank of junior lieutenant is sent to serve in the 55th Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was presented to the country by many famous pilots.

At the time when Rechkalov got into the 55th IAP, he was equipped with I-153, I-16 and UTI-4 aircraft and was part of the 1st KOVO high-speed bomber brigade. In 1940, the regiment was transferred to the 20th Mixed Aviation Division, which was part of the Air Force of the Odessa Military District. The regiment was located on the outskirts of the small town of Balti, near the border with Romania.

On June 22, 1941, Grigory Rechkalov arrived at the disposal of his regiment from Odessa, where he passed the medical-flight commission, which wrote him off from flight work, the pilot had color blindness, he could hardly distinguish colors. By that time, the first losses had already been noted in the regiment, and combat work was in full swing. Having reported on his arrival at the unit and written off from flights, Rechkalov immediately received his first combat mission - to take documents to the neighboring unit on an I-153 fighter. The chief of staff of the regiment, Major Matveyev, did not even begin to pay attention to the conclusion of the doctors, there was no time for that. So, unexpectedly for the fighter pilot, a very difficult task was solved, which tormented him all the way to the regiment. In his very first combat sortie, Grigory Rechkalov met in battle with the enemy, survived and was able to help out his comrade.

In the future, chance will interfere with the fate of the ace pilot more than once, which will provide him with the opportunity to return to the sky. It would take too long to tell about them. It is worth mentioning only that after a month of the war, having 3 shot down German planes in his combat account, Rechkalov was seriously wounded in the leg and wounded brought his I-16 to the airfield, from where he was immediately transported to the hospital. In the hospital, he is undergoing a very complex operation on his right leg. This wound put him out of action for almost a year. In April 1942, having escaped from the reserve aviation regiment, where the pilot was retraining on the Yak-1, he returned to his native, now the 16th GvIAP.

From that moment on, a new stage of his flying career began with the callsigns "RGA". Ahead of him awaits retraining on the American fighter P-39 "Airacobra", the formidable sky of the Kuban, the first Golden Star of the Hero, fierce battles in the skies over Iasi, the second Golden Star and at the end of the sky of Berlin. This segment also contained some confrontation with the famous Soviet ace Pokryshkin, which received an unexpected development after the end of the war and about which they previously preferred not to speak out loud.

Grigory Rechkalov entered as the most productive ace, who won the most victories on the P-39 "Airacobra" fighter. By the end of the war, his "Cobra" had 56 stars, which symbolized 53 personal and 3 group victories of the pilot. Rechkalov was the second most effective Allied pilot. On his account there were 61 personal victories and 4 group victories.

Among the German aircraft shot down by Grigory Rechkalov were:

30 Me-109 fighters;
5 fighter FW-190
2 Me-110 fighters;
11 Ju-87 bombers
5 bombers Ju 88
3 transport aircraft Ju 52
2 bombers He-111
2 light reconnaissance aircraft Fi 156
1 spotter fighter Hs 126

Conflict with Pokryshkin

For those who were interested in the history of the 55th IAP, which later turned into the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, and later the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was commanded by Pokryshkin since July 1944, the tense relationship between the divisional commander and one of the best Soviet aces twice Hero of the Soviet Union Grigory Andreevich Rechkalov. At one time, the aviation community even waged serious disputes in the vastness of the worldwide network, trying to understand the nature of the relationship between two famous Soviet aces. Many believed that the reasons lay in their aerial rivalry, while taking into account the most varied aspects of their combat interaction.

Aces pilots of the 9th Guards Aviation Division at the Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter G.A. Rechkalov. From left to right: Alexander Fedorovich Klubov, Grigory Andreyevich Rechkalov, Andrey Ivanovich Trud and the commander of the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment Boris Borisovich Glinka.

Whether it is true or not, over time, it began to seem that the strained relationship between the two pilots, which led to a serious conflict, was associated with their personal accounts of downed aircraft. These assumptions were confirmed by Rechkalov's relatives, in particular, his wife Anfisa and daughter Lyubov spoke about this. According to the daughter of the famous ace, after the end of the Great Patriotic War, Grigory Rechkalov, working with the documents of TsAMO, found 3 of his aircraft shot down in 1941 on the account of Alexander Pokryshkin. Upon learning of this, he most likely called his immediate military commander and expressed everything he thought of him. The reaction of Alexander Pokryshkin was not long in coming, after this conversation they forgot about Rechkalov, and access to the archives of TsAMO was closed for him. Even another Soviet ace Georgy Golubev, who was Pokryshkin's wingman and was friends with Rechkalov during the war, in his book "Paired with the hundredth" writes practically nothing about his friend during the war, building the whole story around Pokryshkin's personality. According to the relatives of Grigory Rechkalov, he adhered to his opinion that the 3 planes he shot down were attributed to Pokryshkin until his death in 1990.

Personal combat account of Rechkalov from 22.06.1941 was opened with the following downed enemy aircraft: on June 26, in the Ungheni region, he shot down a Me-109 fighter, on June 27, an Hs 126 fighter-spotter and on July 11, a Ju 88 bomber. However, a month after the start of the war, Grigory Rechkalov receives a serious wound in the leg. During the combat sortie on 07/26/1941 to escort the seven I-153, which took off for the attack, Rechkalov was part of the I-16 escort fighter unit. In the area of ​​Dubossary, when reaching the target, a group of aircraft falls under intense German anti-aircraft fire. During the shelling, Rechkalov was wounded, hitting the plane was so strong and accurate that the fighter's rudder pedal was broken in half, and the pilot's foot was seriously damaged.

During the absence of the pilot, many documents of the 55th IAP were destroyed during the retreat from Odessa. It is possible that Rechkalovo's score was reset to zero because during his almost one-year absence the regiment was transferred to another unit, while information about the pilot's victories remained in the documents of the 20th mixed air division. The report on the combat work of the new 16th Guards Aviation Regiment was already drawn up in the reserve regiment, so there was nowhere to take data for 1941 in it. This would be a fairly convincing version if it were not for the fact that many pilots of the 55th IAP, even though their staff documents were burned, the downed planes were recorded again and only the "returnee" Grigory Rechkalov had to start his combat path from scratch. One way or another, Rechkalov until the end of his life was convinced that 3 victories of 1941 were withdrawn from his combat account, which, by some coincidence, fell into Pokryshkin's account.

Many years after the end of the war, Grigoriy Rechkalov was asked what he most appreciated in his P-39Q "Airacobra" fighter, in which he won so many victories: the power of a volley, the speed, reliability of the engine, the view from the cockpit? To this question, Rechkalov noted that all of the above, of course, played a role and these advantages are important, but the most important thing in his opinion in the American fighter was ... the radio. According to him, the Cobra had excellent radio communication, rare for those times. Thanks to her, the pilots in the group could communicate with each other, as if by telephone. Whoever saw what in the air - immediately reported, so there were no surprises during combat missions.

It is worth noting that the "Airacobras" have come a long way, constantly modernizing and improving, including taking into account the requirements of the Soviet side. For the assembly and overflights of fighters that were in the USSR, a special group of the Air Force Research Institute was created, which took up a thorough study of the flight characteristics of the "Airacobr", as well as eliminating various identified defects. The first versions of the P-39D were overstated. For example, the speed at the ground was only 493 km / h, and at an altitude of 7000 m - 552 km / h, the maximum speed that the aircraft managed to develop at an altitude of 4200 m was 585 km / h. The higher the plane climbed, the lower its rate of climb became. At an altitude of 5000 meters, it was equal to 9.6 m / s, but at the ground it was already 14.4 m / s. The takeoff and landing characteristics of the fighter turned out to be quite high. The plane's mileage was 350 meters, and the takeoff run was 300 meters.

It is worth noting that American engineers, designers and workers reacted with understanding to the proposals coming from the Soviet Air Force, which related to improving the design of the fighter. When Bell specialists arrived in the USSR, they visited military units, tried to study the circumstances and causes of accidents on the spot. In turn, Soviet engineers and pilots were also sent to the United States, where they assisted Bell in improving the P-39 Airacobra fighter. Was connected to work on the aircraft and the largest center of Soviet aviation science - the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. Zhukovsky known under the abbreviation TsAGI.

In 1942, the most massive and best modification of the P-39Q fighter went into production, Rechkalov flew on the P-39Q-15 fighter. Unlike other models, on the Q fighter, instead of 4 wing-mounted rifle-caliber machine guns, 2 large-caliber 12.7 mm machine guns were installed. Among the fighters of this series were special lightweight models, for example, the P-39Q-10 version was distinguished by the fact that wing machine guns were completely absent on it.

Sources used:
www.airwiki.org/history/aces/ace2ww/pilots/rechkalov.html
www.airwar.ru/history/aces/ace2ww/pilots/rechkalov.html
www.airaces.narod.ru/all1/rechkal1.htm
www.vspomniv.ru/P_39

Rechkalov Grigory Andreevich

This brilliant air fighter was distinguished by a very contradictory and uneven character. Showing an example of courage, determination and discipline in one sortie, in the next he could distract himself from the main task and just as decisively start pursuing an accidental enemy. His combat fate was intertwined with the fate of A. Pokryshkin; he flew with him in a group, replaced him as a squadron commander, then as a regiment commander. Alexander Ivanovich himself considered the best qualities of Rechkalov to be frankness and frankness.

The beginning of the war saved Rechkalov from being written off from flight work: the doctors found him to have a weak degree of color blindness, but the regiment commander ignored their conclusion, which was fatal for the pilot.

Rechkalov made his first sorties to attack enemy troops on an I-153 - a biplane with a blue tail number 13. On it, he won his first victory, shooting down one of the Me-109s that attacked him with a salvo of eRes. Like Pokryshkin, he said that his 13th issue was "unlucky for them." On it, however, he suffered an accident due to engine failure: the connecting rod broke off, and, having scrambled, Rechkalov almost died. After the accident, he began to fly the I-16, and soon shot down the Romanian PZL-24 on it, and then the Ju-88. In one of the sorties, he was wounded in the head and leg, brought the car to his airfield and ended up in the hospital for a week, underwent 3 operations there - the wound in the leg was severe. After a relative recovery, the pilot received a referral to a reserve regiment, but upon learning that the regiment was staffed only with U-2 aircraft, he resolutely turned and drove back to the district air force headquarters. There he achieved a meeting with the commander and managed to demand a direction for retraining in a fighter regiment. Only in the summer of 1942, having mastered the Yak-1 and once again visiting the hospital - it was difficult for the splinter to come out, Rechkalov, by hook or by crook, returned to his regiment - the 55th IAP, which by that time had received the guards name of the 16th Guards. Here, on the Southern Front, he makes about a hundred combat missions, bringing the number of victories to 6 - 4 personal and 2 in a group.

In December 1942, the 16th GIAP was withdrawn from the front, and the personnel of the regiment were sent to the 25th West to retrain the Aircobra.

... Only in the first 2 weeks of the battle in the Kuban "combat work from the Popovicheskaya airfield" the deputy commander of the 1st air squadron of the 16th GIAP Art. Lieutenant Rechkalov personally shot down 8 enemy aircraft in air battles (7 Me-109 and Yu-88) and was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In total, in the Kuban, he won 19 victories, three times destroying 2 aircraft in one battle and once - 3. Usually he flew as the leading pair in Pokryshkin's group.

“There was not a single sortie so that we would not fight. At first, the fascist acted impudently. A group will jump out, collapse, you look, then one, then another of our plane, catching fire, rushes to the ground. But we quickly figured out the tactics of the fascist pilots and began to apply new techniques: to walk in pairs, not in units, it is better to use radio for communication and guidance, to echelon groups of planes with a so-called "whatnot". It was during these days that the "falcon strike" developed by Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin was born in our regiment. " In the Kuban, G. Rechkalov fought in the Airacobrahs P-39D-1, P-39D-2, hull number 40.

Infinitely brave personally, daring, full of contempt for enemies, he fought in a painted "Airacobra", in addition to the standard coloring and elements of quick recognition, which carried stars according to the number of enemies shot down and the formidable letters RGA (pilot's initials) on the tail of the fuselage.

In the summer of 1943, at the head of eight fighters, he on the move at maximum speed, from above - head-on, attacked large group Ju-87 and personally shot down 3 of them. His group then shot down 5 Ju-87 and Me-109.

In the fall of 1943, during the famous "hunt over the sea" discovered by Pokryshkin, Rechkalov managed to shoot down 3 aircraft - 2 Yu-52 - a fuel tanker in one sortie and the flying boat "Savoy".

He flew with pleasure to "hunt", he loved to climb a large, about 6 thousand meters, height and, using his exceptionally sharp eyesight, swiftly attack the chosen victim. The ace flew on assignments with different pilots. Among them were A. Trud, G. Golubev, V. Zherdev.

On July 1, 1944, Guard Captain Rechkalov was awarded the second Gold Star for 415 combat missions, 112 air battles, 48 ​​personal and 6 group victories. He made his last take at Yassy, ​​shooting down 2 Ju-87s in a short and decisive attack.

After Pokryshkin was appointed deputy commander of the regiment, Rechkalov became the commander of the first air squadron, and when Pokryshkin became the commander of the division, he was appointed commander of the 16th GIAP. However, this position was fatally unlucky. After the death of I. Olefirenko, due to the negligence of the mechanic, Rechkalov was removed from the post of regiment commander and B. Glinka was appointed there. However, a few days later he was seriously wounded in an air battle, and Rechkalov again became the acting regiment commander. And again he was replaced in this position by another - I. Babak.

By that time, Rechkalov had been appointed inspector for piloting techniques of the 9th Guards. In this position, Major Rechkalov ended the war.

Grigory Rechkalov was born on February 9, 1920 in the village of Khudyakovo, Irbit district, Perm province. He graduated from the 6th grade and in 1938 was admitted to the Perm Military Aviation School. The same one that his future commander Pokryshkin graduated from 5 years before Rechkalov's arrival there. True, then the school graduated only aircraft technicians. Becoming a military pilot in 1939, Rechkalov served in units of the Red Army Air Force of the Odessa Military District.

He participated in the battles of the Great Patriotic War from the first day. He fought on the South, North Caucasian, 1st, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian fronts. He conducted more than 450 sorties, 122 air battles, in which he shot down 56 enemy aircraft personally and 6 in a group. Probably no other Soviet ace on his personal account has such a variety of types of officially shot down aircraft as Rechkalov. Here are the He-111 and Yu-88 bombers, and the Yu-87 and Khsh-129 assault aircraft, the Khsh-126 and FV-189 reconnaissance aircraft, and the Me-110, Me-109, FV-190 fighters, and the Yu -52, and relatively rare trophies - "Savoy" and PZL-24.

After the war, in 1951, he graduated from the BBA. In 1959, 39-year-old Major General of Aviation Rechkalov was transferred to the reserve. Lived and worked in Moscow. He wrote books: "Visiting Youth" (M., 1968), "Smoky Sky of War" (Sverdlovsk, 1968), "In the Sky of Moldova" (Kishinev, 1979). He died on December 22, 1990.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (24.5.43, 1.7.44). Awarded the Order of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, 2 Orders of the Red Star, medals.