Dmitry was discharged on the 10 October. He was banned the flights on the fighters, but the bomber Pe-2 is almost a fighter. He was given him a 2-week vacation in view of the road, with a mandatory appearance before the army headquarters in Moscow after the vacations and discharged from the sanatorium.
Of course, Dmitry had already been drawn up an action plan. First, it immediately goes to see his mother in Samarkand, and secondly does offer Raya,
He must find the time to go to Samarkand, and then to Smolensk. It is not known what was a train traffic, if the city was only liberated on September 25 and if Raya had been there? Raya was there October the first and the front was heading to the west. While he rested in the sanatorium, comrades explained him that the state takes under the protection on his wife, in the event of his death, all earned for downed aircraft would go to his wife. That is as much as 10,000 rubles in 1000 for each downed plane (then it was a large sum of money)
After all this, it is necessary to come to Moscow to the headquarters of the Red Army for the designation. Dmitry wanted to Leningrad front. Leningrad was still under siege. And his father was on the Northern Fleet .
No sooner said than done. The traffic trains were not bad, though, machinists could not get home for several months . October 20, in four days, Dmitri was in Samarkand. The city shook him amazing fabulous! It was not hot. It had been still fall! Vegetation was scorched, and Madrasah is simply amazing! All the population was in the national clothes and national skull caps. He met his Mom in the evening near bazaar.
How can be a meeting, almost suddenly, between mother and son, who was on the was on the war, and who had not been seen for almost 3 years by her?
His father was in Murmansk. His submarine was based on the North and stoked fleet of Germany . However, his father did not write about it. Sometimes letters came. He was alive and it was pleased. Sometimes the radio broadcasted that on the bottom went German vessel, and Dmitry thought that maybe that had been the work of paternal submarine.
In the evening, when it was quite dark and cool, Dmitry told his mother about Raya. Mother liked the decision which was taken by the son, and four days later the locomotive was carrying him to Moscow. Dmitry decided that from Moscow to Smolensk will get easier.
The train constantly walking to Moscow, and on November 1 he had been already there and on the 2 in Smolensk.
I will not describe the journey of Dmitry. The most striking impression was a desert that Dmitry had never seen!
Dmitri had 6 more days of vacation. Now he had to find Raya. He found her on the 4 of November. She looked tired, but having seen Dmitri, she immediately changed.
-Will you be my wife?
-Yes, I Do!
They married wedding ceremony house.There were nobody, of course,and they had nowhere to go. The city have not even started to lick their wounds, but the Day of October Revolution was celebrated in the hospital. In the honor of the wedding Raya was given two days off and one day off was a holiday.
Already on the 9th, he appeared at the headquarters of the army. Dmitri showed his documents.
- 10 shot down planes, it's not a boy, but husband! -
the Colonel looked on Dmitry's private affair .
- Here is the result of a medical exams. I can not fly only on the fighters!
- We'll send you on the connected U-2!
-I'm Combat pilot, and you want me to send on the U-2! The pilots are too much, or what are?
Emotional and colorful conversation lasted several minutes. Colonel, was the fighter pilot , even with the Spanish war was far from all the vile intrigues, writing lousy denunciations and have hated clerical rats was forced to surrender the pressure of lieutenant. Senior lieutenant was too far from the intrigues, and his only desire was to beat the enemies on the "serious airplane", preferably near Leningrad. So it seemed a serious airplane bomber, as it was forbidden to fly on the fighters.
Okay, finally said the Colonel go out and wait for .
Dmitry walked out the door.
At this time, the Colonel had already called phone and negotiated.
A few minutes later he had already agreed and invited Dmitry.
-Well. Be ready to go in Kimry. You will study there Pe-2.The Colonel Lisichenko will be commanded there. He is my friend from Spain. Study begins in three days, the next day you can already go. Call me tomorrow. We are sending the truck with the items for ground attack planes. And you will go on that track.
Dmitry saluted and left the room.
On November 11 was drizzling rain, and it was dank, but happily, because he went to fly. He went to Borky (Kimry). in Kalinin (Tver) Region. It is about 100 kilometers on the north of Moscow. While he was driving almost 6 hours on broken-down by the war and november- wet weather road, the author will tell you something about the bombing, but do not worry, not this six hours.
Even before the war, in the 20s the Italian theorist Giulio Douhet said that the aircraft is capable of using the bombing to turn the war. Bombing can never achieve the accuracy of artillery fire. But the accuracy was not necessary. However, the bombing is too expensive and bomb on the areas financially unprofitable. Initially the bomb is coming off of an airplane flying in a parabola and before it starts to fall almost vertically, it will fly next to the airplane, gradually slowing down, and when it will fall almost vertically, it will depend of the wind. In general, the drop of bombs will be depend on speed, altitude and wind. The accuracy of the bombing, can be increased if the bomb throwing from the low altitude. In this case, the conclusion of the aircraft from the dive is not required strength and strong nerves. Later, on dive bombers began to install automatic output that outputs the plane out of a dive with an overload to 5. Even when overloaded is 4, the trained person loses sight. The first attempt to make dive bomber plane belong US firm Curtiss. The ace of the First World War Ernst Udet was during one demonstration flight. He would become the father of symbol of World War II of the dive bomber Junkers -87 in 1934. These bombers swooped down and accurately hitting targets, with a nasty howling siren.
In the USSR, the dive bomber was the Pe-2. On this very tipe went to study Dmitry. He did not even think that after the war the Pe-2 will be recognized as the best dive bomber in the world. It is interesting to know that the most qualified pilots was only in Polbin's regiment . He even fought on the Pe-2 against a fighters! (once as a result of air combat group of dive bombers it were shot down 6 Ju-87 aircraft and the plan of Germans of bombing raid was broken!) Twisted aerobatics on this bomber, and only his regiment could bomb with dive until 1944!
The reason was а low level experience of flight crews, and therefore bombed with horizontal flight and at high altitudes. By area. And what can be learned, with 20 hours of flying experience? In general, already 12 November Dmitry began to study the bomber. The first five days was a theory, and then another five to seven days of flights. It was supposed that 15 hours , but the instructors knew it was not enough. But there was no opportunity to fly more. Then the front. And there glean experience, if not shot down.
And if the pilot did not shot down, then the he had a chance to learn.
(we have, for example, retraining lasted nearly 2.5 months, though there was no war, and we drove passengers)
Finally, began retraining.
Dmitry realized that good knowledge is the key to success, so for studies undertaken with enthusiasm.
The theory was given to him easy. Five years in aviation – is not too small.
From the theory he learned that Pe-2 had great speed on takeoff and landing and a horizontal speed lower than last fighters which he flew . One word is the bomber. Pleased presence of the artificial horizon, just showing the position of the aircraft and the presence of radio compass. Radio operator determines the direction on the radio station, and the navigator calculates the course. Theoretical lessons lasted four days, and on the fifth the flights began. But on the fifth day there was no weather Strong winds and rain and snow made it impossible for flights.
The weather did not appear until the next day and just before lunch. During this time, Dmitry managed to make a couple of conveyors. Only 5 takeoffs and 5 landings . It had been just one hour flight.
But the next day the weather was better, a strong wind drove low clouds, the rain stops and the flights were resumed.
In the pilotage zone Dmitry made a mistake. Performing a turn with a roll of 60 degrees, he made a losing speed. The plane started trembling warning about falling into a tailspin, and Dmitry gradually added gas. But on the landing Dmitry again allowed the fall speed and plopped down the bomber and "goats" to half the length of the strip.
In the remaining five days Dmitry flew almost 16 hours, but once he did note the engine overheating, which lasted nearly a minute.
In general, having 18 hours and 16 minutes of flight on the Pe-2 and totally having 211 flight hours on Po-2, I-16, LaGG-3 and La-5 Dmitri was ready to fight with the nazi further.
To Leningrad front were ready for another 10 pilots. Six were on the Pe-2 and four on the IL-2.
Therefore, it was decided that they did not fly from Moscow but right from here.
The plane from Bikovo landed on November 26 at 12. 20 and did not turned off the engines took on the board 10 pilots and flew away to Leningrad. At15 hours the plane without incident landed in Leningrad in the airfield Ozersky. The weather was as usual in Leningrad in November. It was wet and dank. The lower ceiling was at the limit and gusty wind was blowing snow.
Dmitry was assigned to the 13th Army Air Force 276 bomber regiment.
However, the regiment in full had been collected only in the second half of December. At the airfield were only 30, IL-2, 10 Pe-2, one squadron and 12 Li-2. Li-2(Like DC-3 or C-47) were universal. They were used as a night bomber, and as transport!
In less than 10 days at the airport there were only Pe-2, and a couple of Li-2.
Dmitry studied area of flight for two days, although flew to the country's oldest flying club back in the 36th and knew district almost by heart. In Leningrad, he had no one left. The classmates mainly fought. However, he did not miss the opportunity to see his hometown and he had sent a telegram to Raya that he had arrived. The city was gray and not crowded. However, even in this terrible time, on the eve of the October Revolution, near the flying club, where he studied Dmitri, has opened a new cinema "Homeland"
It was more than amazing! Every day in Leningrad dropped to 200 shells and almost every day was bombed, but the new theater had opened!
The city lived. It went to the Philharmonic and theaters and cinemas, produced bullets and ammunition and tanks for the whole country! A local confectionery produced even candy "Bear in the North" at the end of 1943.
On the 29 of November was no flying weather, but on this day, Dmitry met his crew. Now in the crew was the navigator and the radio operator. They met Dmitry joy, and had learning that he had shot down 10 aircraft respected him immediately. Dmitry also rejoiced.The navigator Alexei, almost the same age, he had already 120 combat flights. He began on December 1941 on the SB-2. The gunner-radio-operator Vasily flew only a year, but flunked one Messer. In general, all these emotions. Only up there, you can see with whom you're dealing!
The next day, the weather allow them to fly to Ropsha and bomb the German long-range battery.
Ropsha is close, only 60 kilometers or 10 minutes of flight on the south. Barely crossed the front line, as the air was covered with exploding shells and the smell of burning. Right away on the shores of the Gulf of Finland were examined gray outlines of Peterhof, but there was no time to look. The new flashes of flaks did not give the time to distract. Finally, Ropsha. The guns were not visible, but all the attention on the lider. As he opens the bomb bay, and Dmitry need to open also.
Suddenly, the shooting stopped, and machine-gun fire was heard from behind. Their flight took place next to the base airfield enemy fighters. Messerschmitt immediately took off and attacked . This moment is the most unpleasant. They are already on the combat course and could not turn away and the enemy had a perfect time for the execution of the target flying with the constant speed . Finally, the bomb bays had opened, Alexei aimed, and already the first bombs flew away.
They left by right turn and full throttle . Messerschmitts had to fight with our fighters . The gray mass of Leningrad was visible immediately. Airfield was on the northeast.
That's the first combat mission ended ... The landing was very soft.
The next day they flew to Ropsha again. The formation was three threes. The fighters guarded so that the Germans could not approach closer. This escort had become constant, when in the air was achieved advantage. The superiority will be conquered by a year later. From anti-aircraft gun was one hole, but the task was completed and everybody returned unscathed.
The unit routinely flew bombing that of railway stations to Pushkin, Pavlovsk and Gatchina, then attacked the enemy airfield in Gatchina throughout December.
It bombed the railway station in Tosno.
Basically, it was obstacle for the rail and vehicular transportation enemy. There were bombing strikes on bridges, crossings, access roads and overpasses.
Dmitry with his crew destroyed a bridge even .
Hitler's troops were weakened , they suffered defeat after defeat, but Leningrad was still in the ring, although Blockade was broken last year.
So, in the past 1943 just a month Dmitry performed 20 sorties!
General Headquarters developed operation "January Thunder" for a complete lifting of the blockade.
A lot of time was given to the destruction of railway stations and airfields in Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Gatchina .
The January 14 came. On that day, the weather was bad. The flights were a little. Dmitry and his crew did not fly at all. Only on the 16th the weather improved, and it had allowed nine bombers from horizontal flight to suppress artillery batteries, the case ended neighbors stormtroopers, finishing off completely. Our 42 army quickly took the position left by the Germans and advanced up to 10 kilometers.
On that day Dmitry flew twice on the job.
In a day a clouds base lifted. Dense stratocumulus clouds to 5 scores hung on 300-400 meters and gave opportunity to bomb from dive. It was necessary to bomb Gatchinsky railway junction, to prevent the Nazis to bring up the reserves to counter our advancing troops.
Тhey flew four units. The each bomber had four 250 kg explosive bombs. That was that railway junction ... The anti-aircraft guns had spoken... One of the shells exploded near the opponent's cabin radio operator-gunner. Vasily did not answer.
At an angle of 50 degrees Dmitry entered dive bomber into a diving. The height was about 900 meters. The first two bombs flew to the stretching freight train.
The plane shuddered, and at this very moment the Nazi shell hit the center section between the right engine and the fuselage. This shell has become fatal for navigator- his hot blood spattered glass lantern side and his body hung limply behind the chair. There was an explosion of the center-poured gasoline and burned. At the same time, Dmitry dropped the remaining two bombs. The height was already 100 meters in 2-3 seconds the bomb exploded, turning it into a hellfire the head wagons of the train. The bomber with tail number 2, enveloped in the flames, yet obeyed rudders.
The gloves of Dmitry already burned. The height was about 50 meters and almost on course, a little to the right was anti-aircraft gun. The bomber was in the flames and it was sent by Dmitry on this anti-aircraft gun until the heart beat and hands holding the steering wheel. For a long time Gatchina station was in the flames and smoke.
On the January 27 the Siege of Leningrad finally withdrawn.
Raya gave birth to a son on the July 30, 1944 . The time had come, and he went into the Air Force.
I took from the books
"- The average survivability Soviet pilots during World War II:
fighter pilot - 64 sorties
the pilot of attack aircraft - 11 sorties
bomber pilot - 48 sorties
pilot torpedo(top-mast bombing) - 3.8 sorties
- Accidents in the Air Force of Red Army on the eve of the Second World War was a huge - an average of 2-3 aircraft was broken every day. This situation is largely preserved in the war.
- - "Unaccounted decline" - 5240 Soviet aircraft remaining on the ground after their capture by the Germans in 1941
- - Average monthly loss of Air Force from 1942 to May 1945 was 1,000 aircraft, of which non-combat - more than 50%, and in 1941, casualties were 1,700 aircraft, and general - 3500 per month
- - Non-combat losses of Soviet combat aircraft in World War II amounted to 60,300 aircraft (56.7%)
- - In 1944 the loss of Soviet combat aircraft totaled 24,800 vehicles, of which 9700 - combat losses, and 15100 - non-combat losses.
From 19 to 22 thousand. Soviet fighters were lost in World War II "
Combat losses of Air Force pilots during the war amounted to 27,600 people.
Of these, 11,874 fighters pilots, pilots of stormtroopers were 7837, bombers were 6613, 689 and 587 auxiliary aircraft and reconnaissance.