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.

Left The oldest Soviet Hurricane ace, Aleksander Kovalenko was born in 1909 in Kiev, Ukraine. In June 1932 he entered Kacha 1st Military Aviation School, and in December of the following year he began his military service w ith a ground attack squadron, before serving as a flying instructor. In September 1939 Kovalenko participated in the Soviet-Polish campaign, and several months later, during the Soviet- Finnish 'W inter War', he was posted to the Northern Fleet Air Force. By the tim e Germany invaded the USSR in June 1941, he was a deputy squadron commander w ith 72nd SAP, flying I-15bis. On 29 June Kovalenko was wounded by bomb splinters during a Luftwaffe raid on the airfield. He had recovered from his injuries by August, and was subsequently credited w ith shooting down seven enemy aircraft while flying the I-16. His first Hurricane kill was achieved on 24 March 1942, by which point he was serving with 2nd GKAP. Troubled by health issues caused by his shrapnel wound from June 1941, Kovalenko was forced to prematurely end his flying career in early 1943, by which point his score had reached 14 victories. Transferred to the Eysk Naval Aviation School, Kovalenko was awarded the title of HSU, the Order of the Red Banner twice and the RAF's DFC Proudly wearing their decorations, Aleksander Kovalenko and Boris Safonov (the top-scoring aces of the Northern Fleet Air Force on the polar front) pose for the camera in the spring of 1942. Their friendship had began during their tim e as students at Kacha Military Aviation School seven enemy aircraft while flying I-16 fighters over the Murmansk area in the first six months of the war. Kovalenko subsequently became one of the first Northern Fleet Air Force Hurricane pilots to claim five kills, two of these coming on 15 April when he reported shooting down two Ju 87s during a Luftwaffe raid on the port of Murmansk. He was not the only one to distinguish himself that day, as his comrades claimed a combined total of 15 enemy aircraft destroyed. None were confirmed, however. The port of Murmansk was attacked twice on the 15th by Ju 87s of I./StG 5, escorted by Bf 110s of 10.(Z)/JG 5 and Bf 109E/Fs of II./JG 5. The 5712-ton British transport vessel Lancaster Castle was sunk by the Stukas during the attacks, the vessel suffering a direct hit to its engine room. A railway crane, a drydock and a warehouse were also destroyed in the port itself, while the canteen building caught fire and three railway tracks were severed. A 500 kg bomb fell into a bomb shelter, and although it failed to explode, the building collapsed, killing 21 and injuring eight. The first raid came at 1405 hrs, and it met negligible opposition — Luftwaffe fighters brushed aside the handful of I-16s and I-153s without difficulty. The second raid, at 1830 hrs, met stiffer opposition, with ten Hurricanes and three MiG-3s of 2nd GKAP being scrambled to intercept the raiders. Leading the defenders was Guards Capt Kovalenko, whose formation was accompanied by nine 78th IAP Hurricanes led by Snr Lt Sgibnev, as well as by a flight of I-153s from 27th IAP. Six Hurricanes of 122nd IAD’s 769th IAP also joined in. Sixteen Stukas, flying in pairs and with a close escort of Bf 110s, approached the target from a height of 3500 m (11,500 ft). Behind them, spaced at intervals of 500-1000 m (1625-3250 ft) and some 500 m higher, came nine Bf 109s. The dive-bombers wheeled around in a 90-degree turn before diving steeply out of the sun one after another. They were accompanied down to 200 m by their close escort, while the Bf 109s kept their distance. The Guards pilots took off in line astern after receiving word of the approaching German formation, with Capt Kovalenko in front. He was ordered to head to Murmansk at a height of 3500 m (11,375 ft). 45 © Osprey Publishing • www.ospreypublishing.com NORTHERN FLEET ACES