Рыбин, Ю. В. Советские асы на Харрикейнах в годы Второй Мировой Войны / Юрий Рыбин . – [Б. м. ] : Osprey Publishing, 2012. – 97 с. : ил., портр. – Англ. яз.

pilots involved survived and managed to evade capture. The Central Naval Archive report of the raid noted; ‘Following an attack on airfield targets, Snr Lt Kurzenkov was preparing to rejoin his group and return to his airfield. At that moment he noticed a single Me 109 passing in front of him at an altitude of 200-300 m [650-975 ft]. Kurzenkov immediately decided to attack this aircraft. Having increased the speed of his Hurricane, he closed to within 60 m [65 yrd] of the enemy aircraft, taking up an attacking position above and to the rear. From this position, Kurzenkov fired two bursts of machine gun fire at the Me 109. His fire proved to be accurate and the enemy aircraft dived towards the ground. The attack was so unexpected that the enemy did not even attempt to escape. Snr Lt Kurzenkov’s accuracy and decisiveness led to his victory in air combat.’ ---------------------------- R e o r g a n i s a t i o n ------------------------------- At the end of March 1942 all the surviving Hurricanes, together with technical personnel, from 78th IAP were transferred to 2nd GKAP (formerly 72nd SAP, which had been redesignated as a Guards unit in recognition of the success it had achieved during 1941). At the same time new I-16 and Hurricane-equipped squadrons, with their personnel, were transferred into 78th IAP to restore it to full strength. Many of the pilots posted into 2nd GKAP had only recently finished their fighter training, and therefore lacked the experience to justify their presence in a unit awarded the coveted Guards title. In an attempt to correct this ambiguity, 2nd GKAP was, by decree of the Northern Fleet Air Force dated 23 March, to be commanded by Maj Boris Safonov, formerly CO of 78th IAP. All three Hurricane squadrons from the regiment went with him. Maj Ivan Tumanov, who had previously commanded 72nd SAP and, briefly, 2nd GKAP, was appointed CO of 78th IAP. In this way all the experienced fighter pilots were transferred to the newly renamed Guards regiment, leaving 78th IAP with the novice aviators. In other changes one new Hurricane squadron was formed and Snr Lt Sgibnev was appointed to command it. He was just 20 years old. Already a combat veteran, Petr Sgibnev had arrived in the far north in February 1942. From the first days of the war until October 1941 he had fought as a member of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force, completing 186 combat sorties, participating in 14 aerial battles and shooting down four aircraft during this period. On 13 August 1941 he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for his combat success. But Sgibnev was twice wounded, and following hospital treatment he was posted to the polar theatre. In the Northern Fleet Air Force he quickly became familiar with the Hurricane, and on 3 April 1942 he The leading Soviet Hurricane ace w ith 11 victories, Petr Sgibnev was born in 1920 to the family of a clerk living in the Tver region. In 1937 he entered Eysk Naval Aviation School and began his military service with a detached squadron of the Baltic Fleet Air Force in August 1940. During the first months of the war Sgibnev managed to score four aerial victories flying I-153 fighters. In February 1942, after recovering from wounds inflicted in combat, Sgibnev was transferred to 78th IAP of the Northern Fleet Air Force. He scored his first Hurricane kill on 3 April 1942, and tw o months later he was made a squadron commander. In January 1943 he was promoted to CO of the famous 2nd GKAP. Sgibnev was awarded the title of HSU, the Order of the Red Banner three times and the DFC. He was killed in a flying accident on 3 M ay 1943 Five-victory Hurricane ace Vasiliy Shalaev was born in 1917 in the Kalinin region. In 1937 he entered Eysk Naval Aviation School and began his military service in 1940 w ith the Baltic Fleet Air Force. In February 1942 Shalaev was transferred to 78th IAP of the Northern Fleet Air Force, and he scored his first aerial victory while flying a Hurricane on 4 April that same year. Twice awarded the Order of the Red Banner, Shalaev was killed on 17 June 1944 when his Po-2 crashed 43 © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com NORTHERN FLEET ACES