Erich Hartmann - the most effective German aircraft. "Pilots-Assa World War II" - Erich Alfred Hartmann (Erich Hartmann)

Hartmann graduated from the flight school in 1941 and in October 1942 received a appointment in the 52nd Fighter Squadron on the Eastern Front. His first commander and mentor became a famous Luftwaffe Walter Krupinsky.

Hartmann hit his first aircraft on November 5, 1942 (IL-2 from the composition of the 7th GSAP), but for the next three months he managed to knock down only one aircraft. Hartmann gradually increased its light skills, making emphasis on the effectiveness of the first attack. Over time, experience has given his fruits: during Kursk battle In July 1943, he shot down 7 aircraft in one day, and by the end of August 1943 he had 50 shot down aircraft on his account.

On August 19, 1943, when attacking the next il, the Hartmanna plane was damaged, the pilot made a forced landing behind the front line and was captured. However, when transported to the headquarters, he managed to escape and, having missed the front line through the front line, return to the part.

By August 24, 1944, Hatmann's personal account reached 300 (only for one day he shot down 11 aircraft). For this achievement, he was awarded diamonds to his Knight's Cross. Only 27 people in the German armed forces had a similar difference. Diamonds according to tradition handed Hitler himself. After a failed coup. On July 20, 1944, Hitler's guard demanded from the military to hand over personal weapons before the audience. The legend says that Hartmann flatly refused to pass the gun and stated that in this case he refuses to receive award. As a result, it was admitted to an audience with a weapon.

After reaching 300, Hartmann's victories became a living legend and the Luftwaffe command decided to remove him from combat departures to avoid damage to propaganda in the event of death. However, putting all its connections into the move, Hartmann has returned to the front and continued to fly.

Until the end of the war, Hartmann made more than 1,400 combat departures, in which he spent 825 air fighting. During the fighting, due to damage and forced landings, he lost 14 aircraft. All damage occurred, mainly from collisions with fragments of aircraft shot down with a maximum-low distance. Twice jumped with parachute. It was never wounded. Among the bounded aircraft: about 200 single-engine fighters of Soviet production, more than 80 fighters of the P-39 of American production, 15 IL-2 attack aircraft, and 10 medium two-dimensional bombers. Hartmann himself often said, for him more expensive than all the victories that he did not lose any slave for him.

Tactics of Boy

Hartman's favorite tactics was a shroud. According to his own opinion, 80% of the pilots hit them at all did not understand what's the matter. Using powerful engine Hartmann attacked his BF-109G vertically from the bottom of the blind zone of the enemy, or on top in a steep peak. His favorite reception was fire with a short distance and a rapid separation from possible persecution. Fire with extremely close distance (less than 50 m), except for the effect of suddenness, allowed to compensate for the ballistic shortcomings of the MK-108 gun and gave the savings of ammunition. The disadvantage of such tactics was the risk of damage to the fragments of a shot enemy.

Hartmann never got involved in the "dog dump", counting the battle of time loss fighters. He himself described his tactics with the following words: "I saw - I decided - attacked - broke out."

After the war

At the end of the war, Hartmann, together with his group, surrendered to American troops, but was transferred to the USSR. In the USSR, Hartmann was convicted on charges of war crimes, as well as damage to the Soviet economy, expressed in the destruction large number Airplanes, and spent 10 years in camps. In 1955, he was released and returned to Germany, where I reunited with my wife. After returning to Germany, he became an officer air force Germany, commanded the airgroup. He was also repeatedly traveled to the United States, where he trained American pilots. In 1970, he resigned. Hartmann died in 1993 at the age of 71.

In 1997, Hartmann was rehabilitated by the Russian justice, since it was found that his conviction was illegal.

Soviet and Russian historians raised many times the question was that the declared number of shot down by Hartman aircraft does not correspond to reality, and in fact it is much less. There is no unity in this matter among historians.

Unusually high successes of Hartman were surprising and at the Luftwaffe command. Therefore, starting from 1944, all messages about his victories were subject to careful check. Often, the Hartman division included a special observer pilot for fixing the battle results.

Heavenly Knight, Lord of the sky, Black Devil. As soon as this blocked young man was called during the war years. Erich Hartmann was called the most talented and successful Luftwaffe pilot. It was believed that his record for the number of air victories could not be overwhelmed by anyone on both line of the front. However, this fact is in doubt. Nevertheless, the USSR military tribunal from respect to the professionalism of the pilot did not claim him a death sentence.

Step into the sky

In his youth, Erich fell in love with the sky. Probably, it passed genetically: his mother Elizabeth adored aircraft, and herself was an instructor of the aircraft, making many flights on glider. She was the first mentor for his son and instilled his love for aviation.

The Erich aircraft management skills got very early and already at the age of 14 received a glorical driving license. In addition, sports cultivated in the family, and training along with Brother Alfred, the boy achieved excellent results. In the Aviakluba, the guy became an undoubted leader, and many peers even tried to imitate him. In the early 1940s, Hartmann decides to devote the lives of military aviation and enters the air force in Germany.

The course of flight training was externally, and at the beginning of next year the messerrschmitts were famous. Here, the young man was lucky again: his mentor was the pilot-champion of the country in the pilot. The coach immediately saw in a good-natured guy of the future ACA and all his invaluable experience and skill handed over Erich. He taught a young pilot to all the wisdom of maneuvering and receptions of piloting fighters.

In the autumn of 1942, Hartmann was sent to a special squadron, where the direct commanders of Erich were real aces and veterans of aviation, whose account was many victories. In addition, they rather loyally treated the younger generation, not allowing the leadership and cruelty in the leadership. But the military discipline in the regiment was ideal, and the cub pilots were guarded by their fathers-commanders. Hartmann fall into another unit, it is not known how his military career would have developed.

From "Buby" to Asa

For his cheerful temper and good attitude towards the surrounding Erich received a nickname "Bubi", which means "kid", but it did not prevent him in battle to be an unsurpassed opponent. He possessed the talent to grab everything on the fly: how to properly perform the evading maneuver, maintaining fire with far distance, the ability to estimate the situation at a distance in seconds. Hartmann did not rush to the enemy the head of his head, and always tried to catch him surprise or choose a vulnerable moment on a steep priese. He just loved his business and never overestimated his abilities. Collectants responded about him with respect, and those who saw Erich in battle said that he had no opponents in the pilot.

The pilot remembered his first fighting departure forever. Then he missed the lead, and the feeling of stupor literally paralyzed Hartmann. The Soviet attack aircraft went to the attack, and Erich, overcoming panic, broke away from the enemy. But at that moment the devices showed that fuel almost at zero. The young pilot managed to plant a plane far from the base airfield. He saved himself and the car, and most importantly, managed to curb the feeling of fear.

Soon, Erich learned a sniper shoot down IL-2 attack aircraft, which could be done only at low altitudes and aiming in oil radiator. The first such experience was almost ended for Hartmann tragically. The squirrels of the plane shot down his plane were covered with him, and he was miracle could land him "on the belly". Time has shown that in such cases it is necessary to immediately leave the battle line. All nuances of military maneuvers, the pilot learned in battles. And, as it turned out, practice was far from theory.

One of the most famous ASs - Hartmann's mentors was the famous Walter Krupinsky, clever, handsome and ladies. But in the sky, he forgot about his earthly preferences, and he was not equal in battle. Walter taught Erich to the subtleties of melee, and it was he who gave his student a nickname of Bubi, which he wore to the end of the war.

Lavra victories and registry

The number of victories of a lucky pilot grew in geometric progression. In July 1943, there were already more than a hundred on its air service list. He began to put legends about him. Some said that on board his car battles, a red heart was depicted, a symbol of love for a girl named Ursula, and it brought luck to the pilot. Others told that Hartmann flew on board, the fuselage of which was decorated with an image of a black tulip. Therefore, during the battles in Ukraine, he was painted by the Black Devil. By July 1944, more than two hundred and fifty Russian aircraft were victims of ACA with the call sign "Karaia - 1".

Soon Erich suffered a wreck over our territory and captured. He managed to run, after which the Führer personally handed Hartmann the Knight's Cross. In total, for his military career, the famous German pilot won 352 air victories.

Fair for the sake of the sake of the registry existed in all the armies of the world. Back in 1939, the largest air battle between the Soviet and Japanese pilots was launched at Chalchin-goal. Then samurai had a lot of our air fleet. At the same time, the command of the Red Army announced the destruction of 588 cars in the air and 58 on Earth. In reality, 88 and 74 were shot down - at the airfields. The Japanese reported on 1162 victories in the air and 98 on Earth. Roll! In fact, our joined only 207 and 42 - the sky losses. Thus, we exaggerated the number of victories 4 times, and the Japanese are 6.

Often, the attributes were made not for evil intent. Try in the fear of fighting to keep track where the enemy car, which you hooked! The Soviet command understood the specifics of the reporting and relatively skeptical about it. Periodically, the Terrible Slot came from above: they say, you guys completely got together - and the numbers in ordinary order decreased.

The Germans and the counting system was confusing. In parallel, points were charged for the victory - one ball was given for the single fighter, four-cutter - four. But they were also adjusted depending on the contribution of each aircraft into the destruction of the enemy. And everyone considered his winner. And let's figure it out!

But we will be objective. Even considering all my swelling, on the account of the best German pilots really more victories. Does this mean that the skill of the most effective fighter pilot is Ivan Kozjadbab (64 victories) 5.5 times lower than that of Hartmann? Nothing like this.

Turn to the facts. During the war, the "Blond Knight Reich" made 1425 combat departures. Whereas Ivan Nikitich - only 330. It comes out, in percentage terms they are about the same - 4 - 5 departures per victory. Kozadub, for example, was very worried that he was not given to participate in the battles on Kursk Dug.. There he would, no doubt, improved its indicator. But Skadjadbab squadron fought on another front, although it was nearby.

Bitterness of defeat

In the spring of 1945, Hartmann as part of his flight group fell into the hands of Americans and was transferred to the hands of Soviet justice. Ten for long years Erich spent in prison in the USSR, and then he was sent to Germany.

He married his beloved Ursule, who returned him again to life. And even returned to the army. But constantly argued with the commanders, the airplanes on the airfield rushed slightly; Tassed the authorities, calling the generals "pompous roosters", although he himself ordered a squeak of the squadron's airplanes with his favorite "black tulips" and arranged a bar based on the squadron. The command did not like it and took the squadron in Erich and sent to the staff work.

Hartmann was very worried first, but then somehow calmed down. Served at the headquarters, he drove a good pension and resigned. And there were extended American journalists. Hartmann gave a few interviews and earned perfectly.

On the family front was also good. Good house, good wife. What else do you need a person to adequately meet old age? And they lived happily ever after...
The pilot-ACC died on September 20, 1993.

But what is the genuine story "of this man. Especially for our readers.

The German pilot-ac is considered the most successful fighter pilot in the entire history of aviation. According to German data, during the Second World War, he hit 352 opponent aircraft (of which 345 Soviet) in 825 air battles.

Fighter pilot

oda (IL-2 from the composition of the 7th GSHAP), but for the next three months he managed to knock down only one aircraft. Hartmann gradually increased its light skills, making emphasis on the effectiveness of the first attack. Over time, experience has given its fruits: during the Kursk battle in July 1943 he shot down 7 plane in one day

tov, and by the end of August 1943 he had already 50 shot down aircraft on his account.

On August 19, 1943, when attacking the next il, the Hartmanna plane was damaged, the pilot made a forced landing behind the front line and was captured. However, when transporting to the headquarters, he managed to run and, having missed the night

yu through the front line, return to the part.

nTUs according to tradition handed Hitler himself. After a failed coup. On July 20, 1944, Hitler's guard demanded from the military to hand over personal weapons before the audience. The legend says that Hartmann flatly refused to pass the gun and stated that in this case he refuses to receive award. As a result, he was before

pushed to an audience with a weapon.

the end of the war Hartmann made more than 1,400 combat departures in which he spent 825 air fighting. During the fighting, due to damage and forced landings, he lost 14 aircraft. All damage occurred, mainly from collisions with fragments of aircraft shot down with a maximum-low distance

Twice jumped with parachute. It was never wounded. Among the bounded aircraft: about 200 single-engine fighters of Soviet production, more than 80 fighters of the P-39 of American production, 15 IL-2 attack aircraft, and 10 medium two-dimensional bombers. Hartmann himself often said, for him Doro

all victories are the fact that he did not lose any lecturer for the whole war.

Tactics of Boy

Hartman's favorite tactics was a shroud. According to his own opinion, 80% of the pilots hit them at all did not understand what's the matter. Using the powerful engine of its BF-109G Hartmann attacked the vertical

slap from the blind zone of the enemy, or on top in a cool peak. His favorite reception was fire with a short distance and a rapid separation from possible persecution. Fire with extremely close distances (less than 50 m), except for the effect of suddenness, allowed to compensate for the ballistic shortcomings of the MK-108 guns and

gave savings of ammunition. The disadvantage of such tactics was the risk of damage to the fragments of a shot enemy.

Hartmann never got involved in the "dog dump", counting the battle of time loss fighters. He himself described his tactics with the following words: "I saw - I decided - attacked - broke out."

By

after war

t in camps. In 1955, he was released and returned to Germany, where he reunited with his wife. After returning to Germany, he became an officer of the FRG Air Force, commanded the airgroup. He was also repeatedly traveled to the United States, where he trained American pilots. In 1970, he resigned. Um

r Hartmann in 1993 at the age of 71.

In 1997, Hartmann was rehabilitated by the Russian justice, since it was found that his conviction was illegal.

Soviet and Russian historians, the question was raised many times that the claimed number of shot down by Hartman aircraft

it does not correspond to reality, and in fact it is much less. There is no unity in this matter among historians.

Unusually high successes of Hartman were surprising and at the Luftwaffe command. Therefore, starting from 1944, all messages about his victories were the most thorough check.

Here is a curious chapter from the book about Erich Hartmanne, in which American authors are trying to give a characteristic by Soviet fighter pilots.

Stalin's falcons

"Find an enemy! Think not about his strength, but only about where it can be found."
The motto of Soviet fighter pilots.

A number of German fighter pilots won on the eastern front 100 and more victories.
Since German confirmation methods of victories were very accurate and reliable, the conclusion is inevitable that Hartmann and other Assa, who achieved major success on the Eastern Front, fought with a weak opponent. This assumption cannot be considered absolutely true. The successes of German Asov in Russia cannot be explained only by the weakness of aircraft and the enemy pilots. At the same time, the facts of indisputable achievements of the Soviet aircraft industry and leading fighters of Russians are overlooked. Antipathy to ideology or political regime It should not serve as the main argument if the study does not provide historical facts showing the power of the Soviet Air Force.
Germans, Americans and British for a long time biased treated about the achievements of Russians. Finally, the Soviet colossus underestimated the Hitler's propaganda, which was undergoing the German population since 1941. Achievements of the Soviet Union in the field of space forced Americans to temper the sense of bias to the whole Russian. The combination of low living standards and high technical achievements in the Soviet Union has repeatedly shot off the West, and this underestimation often led to fatal errors.
If we, noncrolically assessing the results of the air war on the eastern front as a whole and the achievements of Erich Hartmann in particular, believed that the Russian aircraft were also easy to knock like a prank on duck hunt - it would be a mistake. The enemy could hit the restless fire, which, in fact, did, flying at the first-class airplanes, which
often exceeded Me-109. The best allies fighters flew on these machines. Russian pilots had a huge number of shot down aircraft on their own account, many of them were even more than the Americans and the British. To be honest and unbiased to evaluate the air victories of Erich Hartmann, it is necessary first of all to consider the Russian opponent - the technical level of their aircraft fleet and fleet of pilots. Real technical data of Soviet aircraft exclude a version of their "inferiority".
At the beginning of the war, the total number of Soviet Air Force was estimated at about 10,500 aircraft. The Fighter Aviation of the Red Army was primarily equipped with aircraft and-16 ("Rata") and a more advanced model of the fighter and-15 - and-153. "Rata" was a single small monoplane, which was first applied during the civil war in Spain. In 1941, the outdated "Rata" began to be replaced with new Yak-1 fighters, MiG-3 and Lagg-3.
When German aviation entered batches with the Soviet Air Force, re-equipment modern cars It was produced by about one quarter. The greatest Triumph of Luftwaffe came on the first 90 days of the war with the advice, when the Soviet air power was practically reduced to zero.
After the reorganization of 1939, the primary task of Soviet aviation continued to be the support of land forces. As a result, almost every aircraft existing, including fighters, was adapted for bombing. In the first air fights, German fighters accompanying the Luftwaffe bombers, without much effort destroyed the Soviet fighters carrying the bombs flying to the interception.
After that, the command of Soviet aviation issued an order to ban Russian fighters, whose aircraft were loaded by bombs, enter into battle with German escort fighters. From the beginning of the Russian German campaign, the Red Army had at least one type of fighter, superior in some tactical and technical data Me-109. During the war, the Soviet aviation industry not only established the production of new types of fighters, but also far surpassed Germans by the number of aircraft issued.

In the previous book - "German aces-fighters 1939-1945" " - We examined in detail the nature of the air war on the Eastern Front and discussed the differences between the two main theaters of hostilities. In Western countries there is a tendency: to consider Anglo-American air war against Germany the main arena of air fighting in the II World War. In fact, the Soviet Union lost 2 times more, aircraft than the Anglo-American Air Force.
In 1939, the reorganization of Soviet aviation began, it gradually became an independent type of armed forces of the Red Army. But its development was braked not to the end to the end unconditional subordination of aviation by land forces. After the reorganization of the largest independent combat unit of the Air Force, the air traffic accidents became the air traffic. Each division had 6 airlines, in turn, out of 4-5 squadrines. By the time of the attack on Russia in June 1941, according to the estimates of German specialists, the Red Aviation had from 40 to 50 divisions, which constituted 162 regiment together.
Russian pilots often avoided or evaded from airfoughtSince worked mainly to cover the infantry. The Germans were attributed to such behavior in the air in the absence of the Russian offensive spirit. However, the true cause of this, the Germans opened only after interrogations of captive pilots.
The Soviet Union in many respects was better prepared for air war than the United Kingdom in 1939 and America in 1941. Special attention was paid to the creation of a reserve trained pilots. Such measures were accepted and in production, when after the introduction of three eight-hour shifts per day, the number of new aircraft began to increase rapidly. It all gave the results already in 1941, and the Russians were able to quickly recover from the consequences of the "Lightning War" in June-July 1941. Together with a huge number of aircraft manufactured by Russian factories, the Red Army was constantly updated with pilots from military schools.
Despite the fact that the Russians carried heavy losses, their fighter aviation during the war was becoming better and better. And in the fighter aviation of Luftwaffe, on the contrary, the level of training of pilots decreased. The absence of four-dimensional strategic bombers in Germany allowed the Soviet Union without interference to exploit its huge military factories and flight schools that remained beyond the reach of opponent's aviation. Since 1942, a huge flow of personnel and technology, which increased with each subsequent month, was hung at the front.

In the middle of 1944, the Russians dominated almost all the airspace of the Eastern Front, much improving their level in a tactically, compared with 1941. Despite the obvious, the legend that the war in the air on the Eastern Front was an easy business for the Germans, was supported so long and stubbornly that it had almost turned into a historical doctrine. Facts exclude hasty conclusions that it was easy to fight against red aviation.
Erich Hartmann compares air battles on the eastern front with such fighter fights in the west against Armad of allied bombers. "Hilder of lead and steel, filling air, created a very greater chance that the fighter pilot, who was constantly in battle, should ever fasten the crazy bullet. Often, we fighter fought against three hundred Russians. This is a very unfavorable ratio. In such collisions In the air, the probability of being shot down increased many times. We had to plan attacks against such Hordes with great care. Otherwise we would never have survived. "
In assessing the fighting qualities of Russian pilots, the opinion of the German Aces of the Eastern Front dispelled. In the daily long battles, the Germans are mostly leading fighter pilots - felt their superiority both on technical and psychological levels. But even the Luftwaffe Asov existed almost complete unity in the assessment of the Guards Aviations, the elites of Soviet Fighter Aviation. The Germans belonged to them with great respect. In these guards shelves, the best Russian fighter pilots were collected.
Guardsmen, flying on one of the best fighters, were real asami - aggressive, tactically competent and fearless. Their actions were imbued with the same characteristic unshakable martial spirit, which was observed with English fighter pilots in the air battle for England. The rage of these Soviet pilots was manifested in the famous incident near the Eagle, in which Lieutenant Vladimir Lavrinenkov took part.

Lavrinenkov, having at that time 30 wins, having hanged in the air battle, I noticed, as a German pilot, landed on an open area, jumped out of his cockpit and tried to hide in the nearby rally, crouched trees and shrubs. Flowing over the place of falling the enemy, Lavrinenkov realized that the soldiers of the Red Army, apparently, would not be able to find a German, and he would be able to leave with impunity. The young Russian lieutenant immediately landed his plane next to the beaten me-109 and led Russian infantrymen along the shrub to Rives. Finding the enemy, Lavrinenkov rushed to him and strangled own hands. Then, returning to his fighter, he flew away, leaving the dead German at the feet of surprised Russian infantrymen *.
(Footnote. * This fact is not confirmed by Soviet sources.)
The Soviet Guards Shelves surpassed allies to the number of shot down aircraft. Attempting because of ideological contradictions underestimate all Soviet has a bad service providing stories. There is widespread and irrational bias when comparing air war in the East and West. But the fact is that no longer any fighter aviation has opposed such superior enemy forces, which it was the Germans on the Eastern Front.
According to the same ideological reasons, the best Soviet fighter pilots did not find proper recognition from historians. A quarter of a century remained in the shadow names of the best Soviet pilots, whose number of victories in the air twice the number of victories of the best American and British fellows on arms.
All the leading German aces who fought on the Eastern Front were repeatedly shot down or made forced landings. These pilots spent air battles more than anyone else. Erich Hartmann made 1,400 combat departures and conducted 800 air fighting, of which most against numerically superior opponents. At the same time, in a number of battles, he clearly turned out in a positional loss. Hartmann believes that Soviet fighters attacked it about 100 times. Although people like Hartmann, Roll and Barkhorn were among the most experienced flyers-Asov, the numerical superiority of the opposing opponent's forces on the theory of probability could lead to the fact that they will someday be shot down.
In the face of the Guards Aviation Services of the Red Army, Luftwaffe confested a serious opponent. It is still worth recognizing that most Russian pilots did not correspond to the rank of "Guardian". However, in many fights for survival, the Red Guard charged and with the Germans. The best Soviet speaker, Major General Ivan Keltub knocked 62 Luftwaffe aircraft. Another 7 Soviet fighter pilots won more than the best American pilot Major Richard Bong, who had 40 victories at the Pacific Theater of Military Action.

Ivan Kozdadub was born in 1920 in Ukraine in the family family. He learned to fly in the 1930s in one of the many aeroclubs in the USSR. During the service in the Guards Regiment of the Red Aviation, he was honored three times the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the awards, which in the United States corresponds to the medal of the Hero of Congress.
It has been reported that Korean During the war in Korea in 1951-1952, he commanded the North Korean Division of Fighters. His divisions were equipped with MiG-15 jet fighters - aircraft lighter than the F-86-E and F-86-f "Seizhr" of the United States with whom they fought. Until today, there is no answer to the question: did Keltub performed in Korea combat units? This is quite possible, since then he was fulfilled only 31 years old. The US military departments are convinced that the experienced Soviet pilot committed combat units in Korea, and they consider it possible that the newcomers added to their 62 victories in World War II and new *.
(Footnote. * According to the latest data, I.Kozhevedub did not commit combat departures in North Korea.)
The autobiography of Kozhevab "I ATACKA" was published in the GDR in 1956. However, the book, which should and could be a historically significant work, was actually distorted and extremely polemical life. For example, the pilot admits that the most significant event for him in life was to join the Communist Party.
An outstanding Soviet fighter pilot, whose units were often fighting with JG 52, was Colonel Alexander Tishkin. Sasha's coverskin won 59 confirmed victories in the air, during the war he was also awarded three times the Golden Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
The biography of Tashkin has a lot in common with the biographies of many German and allied asces. Regardless of the wearable form or flag, under which they fought, the majority of the Asov pilots were subjected to the same danger under similar circumstances.
In the young years in Siberia, Tashkin was inspired by the achievements of Pioneer of Soviet aviation Valery Chkalov. He left his home in Novosibirsk to try happiness in an aviation school. His inspiration was soon changed by disappointment when it turned out that the aviation school in which he did, prepares mechanics, and not pilots.
Every six months he filed a report on transferring it to the School, where the pilots are preparing. But the ability of Tierchin as mechanics were so outstanding that the commanders did not want to let him go. However, he did not give up and joined the Krasnodar Aeroclub Osoaviahima. Like Erich Hartmann in Germany, Tashkin in Krasnodar trained planyrism, passing a parachute jumping along the way.

Starting service aircraft, Tashkin learned to fly to U-2 and soon passed the exam on the pilot. He continued to write petitions about the transfer to pilots and his enviable persistence could convince the bosses. Its translation was finally satisfied. The Tashkin was addressed to the educational unit of fighters as, and soon after that transferred to the fighter part of the regular red army.
Whatever idea of \u200b\u200bthe principle of universal equality of people after the Russian Revolution had no coverskin, after receiving the service to the serve in a fighter squadron, he was comprehended by a heavy blow: while he continued to carry the signs of the mechanic differences on his form, other pilots treated him with disregard. In their eyes, he was rejected, because he came from "some mechanics", while they considered themselves "real" pilots.
But soon the coverskin proved that he is much more than just made a mechanic career. With his outstanding flight skills, the excellent knowledge of the designs of aircraft and aircraft, he has long surpassed other pilots and eventually achieved recognition. The depth of knowledge may might lead him to the fact that it would be just a good pilot instructor. Tashkin escaped this fate thanks to a great interest in air combat tactics. At the same time, he had a great service to military historians, because he won the diary, setting out its concepts of the battle tactics in their development in it.
His Bible became a book about the tactics of classical fighting fighters in I world War "My air battles" Frenchman Reneh Ponky. The phon, having 75 confirmed victories in the air, was considered the famous anntha fighter pilot. Tashkin, following the theories of the phonet and learning on his book, methodically worked out the described maneuvers in exponential air battles. He modified and expanded them, adapting to the new generation of fighters, as well as boldly introduced some innovations. The school of learning for mechanics has affected the topshit: possessing a mathematical mind, he forced himself to check everything. In his diary, Tashkin sketched all his tactical maneuvers and adversary maneuvers. He kept this habit throughout the war.
The development of post-revolutionary Russia was aimed at creating psychology of masses, where individualism is brutally suppressed. This installation has become the flesh of young Soviet people, the very generation, which in the II World War I fought for Russia. The result was the fact that millions of Russian youth completely absent qualities needed to achieve success in air combat - the highest individualism, the ability to accept fast decision, decisive initiative. Instead, a dogmatic motto of steel will and strict flight regulatory was used.
The experience of German pilots on the Eastern Front confirmed that most of the Russian pilots adhered to the fighting ideological installation: she was taught even more than the technical ownership of the modern aircraft. And if they soon coped with the last problem, then with the first it was more difficult.
On the top of the childhood born in 1913, the years of childhood, forming views on life, passed in a pre-revolutionary atmosphere, so that Soviet methods of education could not change it strongly. He became a lucky fighter pilot, because from the very beginning he learned that only the able to adapt the individualist could survive in air combat.
In his sketches, Tashkin has established that an extraordinary pilot on a weaker plane can overcome the more "competent" connoisseurs of charters flying on the best aircraft. His conviction was confirmed in practice in demonstration air battles.
Just like Hartmann with the German side, the tops of the Soviet fighter pilots became a supporter of a sudden, fast attack. This was taught by an experienced falcon pilot: they served in one martial squadron, where the Cashkin was sent at the very beginning of the flight career. Sokolov convinced that the sudden, fast attack in battle could become a decisive psychological moment, because he fighters the pilot of the enemy and makes it, thus, easy prey.
At first, the coverskin was engaged in complex shapes of the highest pilot and maneuvering in flight and when he began the main task - shooting from weapons on target - was forced to state that he should still learn a lot. Sasha did not know how to shoot apt. Exercising in shooting at the towed target, he made one attack after another, until all ammunition spent. Hundreds of bullets went by, in the blue sky, and the towed goal had only 3 or 4 hit.
Puzzled Tashkin could not understand why he could not hit the air target - his visits were excellent, he followed every letter of archery.
To find the answer, Tashkiny returned to his favorite preliminary mathematical training.
He sat down and calculated the trajectory of the flight, the speed of the projectile, investigated the problems of the air firing from a mathematical point of view. He wrote whole pages with complex calculations and drawn curves. These efforts led him to exactly the same conclusion that many years later in practice in air battles made Erich Hartmann.

Turning the theoretical experience of the Tashkin wrote: "Success depends on whether it is possible or not to shoot on close distance"Then he came to the conclusion that for the attack with a short distance it is very important to calculate the correct initial position. Tashkin has drawn new charts and the next day took off full expectation.
The pilot writes about his experience: "The mystery was as follows: I went to the towed target Cone at a certain angle, intending to open fire, when for all the rules, actually it was necessary to turn away. For a young pilot, it was a big risk. The slightest inaccuracy - And I would pumped by lead instead of the target cone aircraft-towing ...
When we landed, the pilot of the tug plane in rage attacked me: "Damn it, why did you approach me so close? So you can easily deprive anyone's life!"
Since then, I have shot only with a close distance and achieved a stunning accuracy. "
By mathematical analysis, Tashkin found the same tactical formula, to which Hartmann purely intuitively came many years later. The similarity of concepts and conclusions seems worthy of attention. In battle, both of these pilots found confirmation of the effectiveness of their technique.
At the time of the German invasion of Russia in 1941, Cashkin served as a personnel pilot in Ukraine. 2 days after the first fights with the Germans, he was sent with an intelligence task in Iasi, the area, over which much later, in the time of Hartmann, JG 52 fighters often met with fighters of the Tashkin division. Flying in a pair with Lieutenant Semenov, Tashkin saw from his MiG-3 five flying towards Me-109: three in the distance at high height, and two - right above themselves. Tashkin took the control knob to himself and went out one height with a pair of the enemy. The pilot of the leading German fighter gave a volley, Tashkin also answered fire and, unexpectedly dropping gas, made a turn. This maneuver brought him to the tail of the opponent's aircraft. Reducing the gap, the Tashkin from the closest distance was nailed from all the stems of the queue in Me-109. The German fighter instantly caught fire and went to the ground, the tack of a loaf of thick smoke.
Having rejoicing his first victory, the young Russian pilot made a mistake that was worthwhile to many newcomers: it fascinated the spectacular spectacle of the fall of the burning aircraft. And at that time, the slave shot down by the German speech on him. Tashkin woke up when the left wing of his aircraft was silent a series of cannon shells and a sparkling light of the fire swept past the cab. Squeezing, Tashkin led his MiG-3 towards the earth. In order to find protection for the seating armor, he bent in half - just as Erich Hartmann acted in his time in the first battle - and flew on the hatching flight home.
The joy of the first triumph of the Tashkin was somewhat overshadowed by he himself hardly survived.
The famous Assa Adolf Galland and Günther Rall recognized that they also fell into a similar situation, since they succumbed to the temptation to observe the fall of the opponent's aircraft. At the same time, Galland almost died, having rubbed the injury. In Raral, such frivolity led to his own fall, in which he broke the spine and was on the verge of death. Just like two outstanding German pilot-ASA, Tryshenka received a good lesson.
Tashkin, despite its advanced attack method, which began to follow in the conditions of hostilities, until the fall of 1941 almost did not have the opportunity to participate in air fights. He made countless intelligence flights, and he rarely appeared to fight German fighters. Developing his theory, the coverskin came to the conclusion that in that battle he instinctively entered correctly - and only therefore remained alive.
The innovations of the Tashkin began to lead to the fact that the Soviet Fighter Aviation gradually began to leave the strait shirt of the Soviet doctrine of the pre-war time. Russians who studied before the war battles on horizontals, after the battles of 1941-1942. were forced to quickly rebuild. Increased engine power and era of new aircraft led to a coup in tactics. Russian fighters discovered vertical maneuver. Much of these discoveries contributed to the tactical innovation of the Tashkin.
Often, to care from the attack of the enemy Tashkin, used the rise of the spiral. Contrary to the advice of their conservative comrades, he practiced a "fast barrel" as a maneuver extinguishing the speed of the maneuver. This innovation subsequently often led to the fact that the Germans pursuing the Germans, they produced the charge of their fire over his aircraft and they themselves came under the Soviet Ass.
Tashkin taught others to learn from his own combat experience. For details of the air combat, he remembered with photographic accuracy and subsequently exposed all maneuvers in the form of sketches on sheets of paper. The walls of his blockage were walked by diagrams and illustrations.

Similarly, as the best German pilots, against whom he fought, the Tashkin was repeatedly shot down *. He made forced landings many times. Sometimes after another difficult battle, when he landed in this way, comrades were surprised in the state of his fighter, diverting. Passion of the Tishkin study his opponent was insatiable. He not only prepared detailed plan The upcoming air bobs, but also personally flew on the trophy German fighters, while very carefully determining their weaknesses that he, as the enemy needed to know.
(Footnote. * Memories A.Pokryshkin do not confirm this information.)
Tashkin often set himself to the position of German pilots, putting out his impressions about the advantages and disadvantages of Me-109 in writing in writing. In battles over Kuban, where his regiment for a long time Fucked with JG 52, Tashkin has developed its air combat formula with four decisive factors: "Height, speed, maneuver, fire."
With good aircraft and commander parts, such as Tashkin, the guards shelves of fighter aviation entered into battle with any opponent. Often, the JG 52 radio trip service heard of the Russian radio transmitters, including the German frequency, transferred to the air: "German pilots, beware! In the air - AC Tryshenka!"
Powerful psychological pressure on the enemy in battle was maintained and as follows: Guardsmen painted their planes with paints, preferring at the same time the red color. They knew how to fight even better elite units of fighters of the Air Force of other states. Tryshany looked like Hartmann in many respects. He was convinced that there were very careful veholes to fulfill the combat missions, and put the demand before the command that the beginners were going into battle only after the experience gained. Thus, they will be saved lives, and they themselves will gradually turn into real fighters. With great patience, the coversman explained the art of air maneuver, passing rich knowledge, he led examples on his favorite charts. Many of the successful Soviet Asov are obliged to cover with their success and its teaching manner.
The student of the Tashkin was twice the hero of the Soviet Union Alexander clubs, who won 50 air victories.
Being the most famous Soviet Ass, Tashkin fought, using the same with Hartman tactics. Despite this, Tashkin should be more compared with Werner Mölderce. They were almost one age, the tactical knowledge of the Tashkin and perseverance in creating new methods is very similar to the Mölders methods, which, first of all, belongs to the merit in the deliverance of German aviation from the old tactics, which was taken out of the experience of the Ith World War.
Propaganda distortion of Russian military historians veiled Achievements of the Tashkin as a fighter pilot, commander of a part and a brilliant tactic, showing his individual successes through the prism of the general Soviet victories. However, his fame is rightfully deserved, and in this book he should pay tribute, as he often fought against Erich Hartmann and JG 52.
We do not have evidence that Tashkin and Hartmann fought with each other in the air, but this cannot be confidently and excluded.

Erich Alfred Hartman is a German pilot, the most effective fighter pilot of the Second World War. His combat account was 352 air victories. Hartman was born in 1922 in the city of Weisakh, (Württemberg). Part of the childhood spent in China, where his father worked as a doctor. Soon the family went away from there because of the worried civil war. Their return trip passed through the Trans-Siberian Highway - so Erich first visited the USSR. His mother Eliza was among the first female pilots, it was she who awakened interest in aviation in a boy. Returning home, Frau Hartman bought a lightweight aircraft, on which the debut of eight-year-old Erich was held as a pilot. With the arrival of the Nazis to power, the Revival program of Luftwaffe received state support. Eliza Hartman opened a flying school in which her fourteen-year-old son received a testimony of the pilot. With the beginning of the war, Erich, bubbling in Hitlergende Nazi propaganda, asked for Luftwaffe. It was sent to the eastern front, in the 52nd air squadron, which had already had great fame in Germany. Many of her best Asov served in her. The famous Walter Krupinsky became his first mentor and commander. Erich was led by him. The 20-year-old Novobine, looked much younger than his years, and the comrades nicknamed his "Bubi" (baby). Studying experienced mentors and constantly improving light skills, by the end of the summer 1943 he already had 90 victories. His call sign - Karaia 1, became well known to the Soviet pilots. He avoided air fights. His tactic was a blow from the ambush. If I saw the enemy system, I immediately launched an inexperienced pilot. This is always visible. It believed that it was more useful to knock down one than to get involved in an unsuccessful 20-minute "carousel". After the first success, Bubi, in the boyish, frighteningly painted the nose of his "Messer" in black color. Incidentally, our pilots nicknamed his "black" or "hell" and began a real hunt for him. We also fought not alone "gloomy". IN different time Asam "52" opposed the legendary Kozdelub, Tashkin, clubs. Perhaps it was they who pretty battered inlet gag - 14 times Erich sat down on "forced." During the next such landing, he was captured by Soviet infantrymen, but he managed to run. By bringing the invoice to 148, he received the Knight's Cross, and when their number reached 300, Hitler himself handed him diamonds to him. Hartman hit his last aircraft on May 8, 1945, after the signing of the act of surrendering Germany. He was captured by the Americans and transferred to the USSR. At first, it was in the Kirov region - in the camp among the swamps, where many prisoners of war died, then in the Gryazovetsky camp. For the demonstrative irregularity of the Hartman's authorities was a frequent guest of Karzer. Protocols, not filled in German, he did not sign: they say, I do not understand, although I owned five languages, including Russian. In the camp, many broke. Herman Graph himself, "Icon of Luftwaffe," wrote a repeated letter, so that he was stuck time. Erich, on the contrary, became the "leader" of the camp "dissidents". He refused to go to work. Recovered the international conventions on prisoners of war. From the Cherepovetsky camp, in one of the rare letters who have passed the censorship, he wrote his wife: "After gnawing with the Russian administration, I was sent to the" special meeting ", a kind of court, there I immediately demanded to shoot me. However, I was returned to Barack." The stubborn was offered that whip, then gingerbread. In exchange for cooperation, a considerable post in the future army of the GDR was offered. As a "whip" threatened to condemn as a military criminal. As a result, the court sentenced him to 25 years in prison. In 1950 he was transferred to the city of Shakhty, where he soon headed the riot of prisoners. The prisoners captured the administration and guard, and cut the traitors in their ranks. By phone, in the purest Russian, Erich demanded an international commission. But the rebellion was quickly depressed and Hartman added for another 25 years. In 1954, after, the new Chancellor of Germany Adenauer managed to agree with the Soviet government about the release of the remaining prisoners, Hartman returned home. He became an officer of the FRG Air Force. Often went to the USA, where he trained American pilots. After resigning in 1970, he still worked as an instructor and was engaged in the highest pilot. Hartman died in 1993 at the age of 71.