Lev Shestakov
Encyclopedia
Lev Lvovich Shestakov was a Soviet military aviator and the Red Air Force's leading ace in the Spanish Civil War
.
, joining a Spanish Republican Air Force
fighter squadron in 1937. Flying Polikarpov I-16
s he claimed eight solo victories and 31 collaborative (shared) victories gained in 90 sorties during the Spanish Civil War.
Shestakov joined 69 IAP in September 1939, and was at the time one of the most famous Soviet aces.
At the time of the German invasion of the Soviet Union
in June 1941, Shestakov was serving with 69 IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment) on the Odessa front, and became the Regiment Leader on 16 July 1941. During the battle for Odessa 69 IAP pilots achieved 94 air victories. The losses inflicted on the Romanian Air Force above Odessa in 1941 by Shestakov's fighter pilots compelled the Romanian High Command to withdraw its entire air force from the Eastern Front.
At the end of 1941 69 IAP received the LaGG-3 to replace the outdated I-16 and relocated to the Stalingrad area. Over the next three years he held other commands in various regions, including Stalingrad.
On 9 August Shestakov's engaged by fourteen Bf 109s of II./JG 77 escorting He 111s of KG 27. 69 IAP claimed nine Bf 109s shot down without loss (II./JG 77 reported one damaged Bf 109E)
Shestakov eventually flew more than 200 missions during the war, took part in 32 aerial combats and was credited with 26 kills before being killed in action on 13 March 1944.
On 13 March 1944 (other sources state 12 March), he intercepted German bombers but was never seen again.
After the war, fellow ace Vladimir Lavrinenkov wrote a book about Shestakov called "His Call code - Sokol (Falcon) 1". According to Lavrinenkov's book, Shestakov fought a private war with a well-known Stuka ace - a 'Kurt Renner', who was awarded 'the Golden Knight's Cross'.
No such Stuka ace existed, although the Stuka ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel
- who flew over the same operational area as did Shestakov - was the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross with the Golden Oak Leaves. Shestakov apparently tried to shoot him down during the first months of 1944, and reportedly searched for a Ju 87 with a viper painted along its fuselage, assuming that this conspicuous aircraft was flown by Renner/Rudel.
After his death, it was rumoured that he died seconds after shooting Rudel's plane, but given that Rudel survived the war and died in 1982, Shestakov could not have done any serious damage to Rudel's aircraft had he in fact ever attacked it. Rudel himself speculates in his autobiography that Shestakov did try to shoot him down, but was either shot down by Rudel's rear gunner or crashed after losing control of his aircraft, being caught in the turbulence behind Rudel's Ju 87.
His 26 victories in the World War II
raised his career total to 65, including shared. During his service he flew over 200 combat missions, took part in 32 air combats killing 15 enemy pilots.
, Order of Lenin
, Order of the Red Banner
, and Order of the Patriotic War
.
According to research by Tomas Polak and Christopher Shores, Shestakov rates as Russia's all-time second-ranking fighter pilot, ahead of Ivan Kozhedub (62) and behind Vasiliy Naydenko (99).
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
Career
Upon graduating from military college in 1936 he applied for combat in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, joining a Spanish Republican Air Force
Spanish Republican Air Force
The Spanish Republican Air Force, , was the air arm of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939...
fighter squadron in 1937. Flying Polikarpov I-16
Polikarpov I-16
The Polikarpov I-16 was a Soviet fighter aircraft of revolutionary design; it was the world's first cantilever-winged monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear. The I-16 was introduced in the mid-1930s and formed the backbone of the Soviet Air Force at the beginning of World War II...
s he claimed eight solo victories and 31 collaborative (shared) victories gained in 90 sorties during the Spanish Civil War.
Shestakov joined 69 IAP in September 1939, and was at the time one of the most famous Soviet aces.
At the time of the German invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in June 1941, Shestakov was serving with 69 IAP (Fighter Aviation Regiment) on the Odessa front, and became the Regiment Leader on 16 July 1941. During the battle for Odessa 69 IAP pilots achieved 94 air victories. The losses inflicted on the Romanian Air Force above Odessa in 1941 by Shestakov's fighter pilots compelled the Romanian High Command to withdraw its entire air force from the Eastern Front.
At the end of 1941 69 IAP received the LaGG-3 to replace the outdated I-16 and relocated to the Stalingrad area. Over the next three years he held other commands in various regions, including Stalingrad.
On 9 August Shestakov's engaged by fourteen Bf 109s of II./JG 77 escorting He 111s of KG 27. 69 IAP claimed nine Bf 109s shot down without loss (II./JG 77 reported one damaged Bf 109E)
Shestakov eventually flew more than 200 missions during the war, took part in 32 aerial combats and was credited with 26 kills before being killed in action on 13 March 1944.
On 13 March 1944 (other sources state 12 March), he intercepted German bombers but was never seen again.
After the war, fellow ace Vladimir Lavrinenkov wrote a book about Shestakov called "His Call code - Sokol (Falcon) 1". According to Lavrinenkov's book, Shestakov fought a private war with a well-known Stuka ace - a 'Kurt Renner', who was awarded 'the Golden Knight's Cross'.
No such Stuka ace existed, although the Stuka ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel
Hans-Ulrich Rudel was a Stuka dive-bomber pilot during World War II and a member of the Nazi party. The most highly decorated German serviceman of the war, Rudel was one of only 27 military men to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, and the only...
- who flew over the same operational area as did Shestakov - was the only person to be awarded the Knight's Cross with the Golden Oak Leaves. Shestakov apparently tried to shoot him down during the first months of 1944, and reportedly searched for a Ju 87 with a viper painted along its fuselage, assuming that this conspicuous aircraft was flown by Renner/Rudel.
After his death, it was rumoured that he died seconds after shooting Rudel's plane, but given that Rudel survived the war and died in 1982, Shestakov could not have done any serious damage to Rudel's aircraft had he in fact ever attacked it. Rudel himself speculates in his autobiography that Shestakov did try to shoot him down, but was either shot down by Rudel's rear gunner or crashed after losing control of his aircraft, being caught in the turbulence behind Rudel's Ju 87.
His 26 victories in the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
raised his career total to 65, including shared. During his service he flew over 200 combat missions, took part in 32 air combats killing 15 enemy pilots.
Achievements
His decorations included Hero of the Soviet UnionHero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
, Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
, Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
, and Order of the Patriotic War
Order of the Patriotic War
The Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisans for heroic deeds during the German-Soviet War, known by the former-Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War.- History :The Order was...
.
According to research by Tomas Polak and Christopher Shores, Shestakov rates as Russia's all-time second-ranking fighter pilot, ahead of Ivan Kozhedub (62) and behind Vasiliy Naydenko (99).