The battle of the aces - Golubev against Bartling and Leishte. Biography Great Patriotic War
"I want everything..."
This unique battle took place on March 12, 1942 near Leningrad. Two Soviet and two German pilots fought in mortal combat. Both Germans were generally recognized aces of the JG.54 “Green Heart” squadron: non-commissioned officer Günter Bartlig had 67 victories to his name by that day, Lieutenant Herbert Leishte - 29; they flew the most modern Messerschmitt Bf.109F fighters for that period. Soviet pilots fought on outdated I-16 fighters, which were significantly inferior to the Messerschmitts in speed. In addition, only one of them was an ace - the commander of the 3rd squadron of the 13th fighter regiment of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, Vasily Golubev, who had about 15 victories (naval pilots at that time did not yet divide their victories into personal and group); his wingman Vladimir Dmitriev was a fairly experienced pilot, but had no victories to his name yet. It was also important that both German aces were “free hunters,” which allowed them to choose the place and time of the attack, or gave them the opportunity to evade battle in case of an unfavorable situation. Moreover, the leader of this pair was non-commissioned officer Bartling; Lieutenant Leishte, despite his higher rank, flew as a wingman - in German aviation there was a rule: in battle, it is not the one with the highest rank who commands, but the one who is more experienced.
German “hunters” visited the Vystav airfield almost every day, where the 13th IAP was based; they tracked squadrons returning from a mission and with a surprise attack shot down vehicles that were lagging behind due to damage, after which they quickly retreated to their territory; it was simply impossible to catch up with them in the slow-moving Donkeys. And then Vasily Golubev developed a plan to hunt the “hunters”. When the 13th regiment took off on March 12 to carry out an assault strike on the Mga railway station, where three German echelons with troops had arrived to unload, commander 3 did not fly at the head of his squadron, but took the place of the trailing pair. Before departure, he ordered his wingman to maintain radio silence (Golubev ensured that radio stations were installed on all aircraft of his squadron), save half of the ammunition for the return trip, and warned that during the attack he would mainly carry out false attacks in order to preserve the entire ammunition supply. The calculation was that the enemy would not forgive the Russians for a massive attack on such an important facility as the MGA station, and the “hunters” would definitely attack returning planes near the front line or lie in wait near the airfield.
Eighteen I-16s, having made a roundabout maneuver, at an extremely low altitude approached the object from the German rear, which the enemy did not expect. Rocket shells and cannon and machine gun fire fell on the enemy from two directions, wagons and platforms with troops and military equipment caught fire, which literally clogged all the railway tracks. Fortunately, there were no enemy fighters over the object, and the Soviet pilots, overcoming dense anti-aircraft fire, made a repeated attack with their entire force from three directions. Fires and explosions at the station, as intelligence later reported, lasted for several hours.
On the return route, Golubev and Dmitriev fell somewhat behind the main group, pretending that their planes were difficult to control due to damage. Soon they noticed a pair of Messerschmitts pursuing them. But while the Germans kept their distance, not approaching: considering the Soviet pair unfit for combat, they decided to shoot down the Russians with a simultaneous attack - over their own airfield. But Golubev had been waiting for such a moment for a long time - we fell for his hook! Mimicking an uncertain landing approach, Vasily waited until the engines of the Masses began to smoke, switched to a forced mode for rapid approach and attack, and sharply increased the speed, simultaneously gaining altitude. Having reached the center of the airfield, he made a sharp left combat turn with extreme overload to set off on a collision course. Dmitriev held on to Golubev’s tail as if glued to it.
The enemy did not expect such a maneuver; Now he was lower than the Soviet pair and could not avoid the fight by diving - the ground was too close. So the Germans found themselves in a frontal attack. Both Messers, with their yellow noses in the air, went towards the Russians, apparently believing that they were out of ammunition and were making a false attack. Dark trails from two Bf.109s stretched towards Soviet aircraft. Golubev brought the leading “hunter” into his sights; the distance is about five hundred meters, one and a half seconds are left for everything, even for life! The fingers of Vasily’s right hand mechanically squeezed the general trigger of the machine guns, and three fiery tracks pierced Messerschmitt’s thin body like lightning. The planes flew past each other in some five meters... Golubev no longer saw how behind his back the “mess” he had struck exploded, scattering black flaming debris in all directions; however, everyone who was on the ground saw this, and a loud “hurray” swept across the airfield...
Without thinking about the results of the shooting, Golubev made a second combat turn, and above him in front he saw the only “Messer” going up. Having picked up the control stick, Vasily took the lead offhand and fired all four RS-82 rockets after the German. Four black caps of explosions swelled behind the enemy’s tail, but the Messer continued to rise steeply. It was impossible to catch up with him - the difference in speed was too great. "Gone!" - Golubev decided. But at one and a half thousand meters the German suddenly made a loop and, shooting, rushed down. Vasily was perplexed: what is this? Did the enemy really decide to fight alone or look at the burning plane of his leader? No, there’s something else here: the German came out of the dive and for some reason again climbed onto the second loop. Realizing that now every second counts, Vasily gave a radio command to Dmitriev to attack the enemy from below, and he himself abruptly threw the plane into the air and, on the third loop at the top point, shot the German from a distance of fifty meters. However, the riddled plane did not fall; he went down again, and then climbed up again. And then Golubev realized: the enemy’s elevators were jammed by fragments of the “eres” at the moment when he was going up after a frontal attack. The German found himself in a hopeless situation - jammed rudders threw him from loop to loop...
At the exit from the fourth loop, the Messer caught on the tops of fir trees near the aircraft parking lot of the 3rd squadron; The impact planes flew to the sides, and the fuselage crawled through the snow towards the airfield. Golubev saw from above how the pilot jumped out of the cockpit and, falling every now and then, ran towards the forest, straight to the squadron’s parking lot. Now the Fritz won't go far. Vasily reported this on the radio to the regiment's command post, and together with his wingman went to land.
A quarter of an hour later, the mechanics brought in a dead fascist pilot. Having run away from the plane in a fever, he died from wounds received in the air. Based on the burnt-out plane of the leader, Soviet pilots could not determine who was flying it, but on the fuselage of the wingman they counted 29 victory signs. Vasily did not remember the name of the killed pilot then - there were too many more important things to do. And only in the 90s, when it became possible to compare the documents of the warring parties, it became known exactly who exactly Golubev shot down.
According to information from the German side, on March 12, 1942, a combat pair of the 1st group of the 54th Geschwader “Green Heart” flew out for a free “hunt” in the Volkhovstroy-Shlisselburg area, consisting of: Rotteführer (lead) non-commissioned officer Gunther Bartlig and Kachmarek (follower) Lieutenant Herbert Leiste. The group did not return to the Siversky airport. On March 25, 1942, the regiment commander, Major Philip, declared the pilots missing in action during a combat mission.
Non-commissioned officer Günter Bartling 
Born in Leipzig in 1913. In 1929 he entered the gliding school. Since 1930 he has been a department commander at this school, and since 1931 he has been an instructor. In 1935 he was sent to the military pilot school in Berlin, and in 1937 he graduated from the test pilot department. In 1938, he fought in Spain as part of the Condor Legion. Since 1939 - in the 54th squadron. Participated in the French and Balkan campaigns. By the time of the attack on the USSR, he had 56 aerial victories to his name. In August 1941 he was wounded in an air battle north of Narva. He returned to service in November of the same year. During February 1942, he scored 11 air victories using the free “hunt” method over Soviet airfields of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts. On the day of his death, the German ace had 67 victories.
Lieutenant Herbert Leiste
(I couldn't find his photo)
Born in Berlin in 1920. In 1940 he graduated from flight school and in May of the same year was assigned to the combat training squadron of the 54th squadron, based in Belgium. Participated in raids on England. He won his first aerial victory on September 27, 1940, blocking an airfield in southern England. Participated in the attack on Yugoslavia. By the time of the attack on the USSR he had 9 air victories. On the first day of the war he shot down an I-15 and an SB-2 in the Kaunas area. On November 7, 1941, he was wounded by shrapnel on the ground during a Soviet air strike on the Siversky air hub. Returned to service in December 1941. By the time of his death, he had brought his victory count to 29. His last victory was won on March 3, when he shot down a Yak-1 over the airfield of the Volkhov Front.
And here are brief biographical details of the Soviet pilots who took part in the battle described above:
Vladimir Mikhailovich Dmitriev 
Born in Leningrad in 1917. In 1934 he graduated from high school and worked as a mechanic. In the Red Army from 1939, in 1940 he graduated from the Chuguev Military Aviation School and received the rank of junior lieutenant. In June 1941 he became a pilot of the 13th IAP of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. In October 1941 he was shot down and spent some time in the hospital. Soon after the battle described above, Dmitriev received the rank of lieutenant, and in June 1943 he took the position of navigator of the 4th Guards Regiment. Guard captain Vladimir Dmitriev died on February 7, 1944 in an air battle (he was shot down by the gunner of a Ju-87 bomber). In total he made 459 combat missions, in which he scored 15 victories (3 personal + 12 group). Awarded the Orders of Lenin and the Red Banner.
Vasily Fedorovich Golubev 
One of the most successful aviation aces of the Baltic Fleet. Born in 1912 in the village of Kamenka near Volkhov. Graduated from 7th grade of high school. He worked as an instructor at Osoaviakhim in the city of Volkhov. Since 1933 in service in the Navy. In 1940 he graduated from the Yeisk Naval Aviation Pilot School. He met the beginning of the war as part of the 13th separate squadron of the 13th IAP of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet on the I-16 fighter No. 13. Probably, this triple “13” determined the mystical events that Vasily had to experience. He was shot down three times: 07/13/41, 08/13/41 and 09/13/41. The last time Vasily was shot down over Lake Ladoga, and Golubev spent several hours in cold water, barely swimming to the shore. Returning to the unit, he changed his plane number to “33”. From that moment on, Vasily never had to leave his car again. Sometimes he returned on a completely riddled plane, but he always made it to the airfield and landed successfully. In the fall of 1941, Golubev took part in the defense of the Hanko Peninsula, and in the winter of 1941-42 he defended the “Road of Life” across Lake Ladoga. A passionate lover of frontal attacks, Vasily won most of his victories in oncoming battles. Having headed the 3rd squadron of the 4th GIAP KBF, Vasily Golubev proved himself to be a talented commander. Carefully planning operations and sorting out all the mistakes made, Golubev brought his squadron to one of the best units of the Baltic Fleet. Vasily especially distinguished himself on March 12, 1942, when he destroyed the Messerschmitt aces Heinz Bartling and Hermann Leishte. Having received the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Vasily Golubev continued to successfully fight on the outdated I-16 fighter, shooting down even the latest German FW-190 with it. Only in the spring of 1943 did the 4th GIAP, headed by Major Golubev, rearm with the La-5 fighter. At the end of 1943, Vasily was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his high performance. However, Golubev's career did not always develop smoothly. Once he “sent in Russian” by telephone to the commander of the Baltic Fleet, Admiral Tributs, who unfairly scolded Vasily for wounding a pilot, the general’s son, in battle. For this, the Hero of the Soviet Union, the commander of the guards regiment, had to serve a week in the guardhouse. 02.23.44 Golubev shot down a Bf-110 reconnaissance aircraft, which almost became his last victory. The German exploded right in front of Vasily’s nose, stunning him and throwing him into a tailspin. Golubev barely made it to the airfield, bringing a piece of skin from a German plane in the wing of his La-5. By the end of the war, Vasily was the only pilot from the first composition of the 4th GIAP (formerly 13th IAP) who remained in service.
During the war, Vasily Fedorovich Golubev flew 589 combat missions and won 39 personal and group victories. Since at the beginning of the war the pilots of the 13th IAP KBF did not divide victories into personal and group, today it is difficult to establish the ratio of these victories. Different sources indicate different numbers: 16+23 victories, 19+20 victories, and 27+12 victories.
And this is the equipment on which the heroes of the battle described above fought:
German fighter Bf.109F
Engine – DB-601E (1350 hp), speed – 630 km/h, flight range – 845 km, armament – 1x20-mm MG-151 air cannon, 2x7.9-mm MG17 machine gun (volley weight 1.47 kg /sec).
ADVANTAGES: stable in flight, easy to control, accessible to low-skilled pilots. Good horizontal and excellent vertical maneuverability. Many German pilots considered it the most successful of all versions of the Messers. The Bf-109F had a very high speed for the start of the war (630 km/h). The flight range has been increased compared to the previous version due to the external fuel tank.
The aircraft's armament had an ammunition counter and was automatically reloaded when the trigger was released. Excellent combat survivability - good armor protection (armored back, armored glass, protected tanks), robust design (all-metal), the ability to disable damaged mechanisms without compromising combat qualities. Radio stations are required; sight with a leather cushion, which prevents serious head injuries to the pilot during a forced landing. Cockpit canopy with emergency release; The fuel tanks are located behind the armored back, which allowed the pilot to leave the car in time if gasoline caught fire.
DISADVANTAGES: limited rear view; yawed on landing due to the narrow arrangement of the landing gear; difficult control at low altitudes at high speeds; Firepower has been weakened compared to the previous version.
Soviet fighter I-16 type 29
Engine – M-63 (930 hp), speed – 490 km/h, flight range – 440 km, armament – 1x12.7 mm BS heavy machine gun, 2x7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun (volley weight 1.38 kg/sec), 4 RS-82
ADVANTAGES: pre-war Soviet fighter with good horizontal and vertical maneuverability (but slightly inferior to the Bf-109 in the vertical); the most popular domestic aircraft of this class at the beginning of the war. The pilot is protected by an armored back.
DISADVANTAGES: quite strict in control, available only to pilots of medium and high qualifications. It had low stability, especially during takeoff and landing, which led to an increased accident rate. The speed is low even for starting a war; low survivability (killed by 2-4 air shells); did not have armored glass or tank protection; the tanks are located in front of the pilot, and in case of defeat they doused the pilot with burning gasoline. Limited rear view; Most copies lacked walkie-talkies; open cabin.
The story about the battle of the aces is somewhat revised
an episode from the memoirs of V.F. Golubeva
“Wings grow stronger in battle” and “Second Wind”
(M. Soviet Russia. 1980 and 1984).
Born on November 16, 1912 in the village of Kamenka, now the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region. Graduated from 7th grade. From November 1933 to October 1935 he served in the Red Army, junior commander of an anti-aircraft artillery battery (Leningrad Military District). After finishing his service, he entered the Dudergof (now Mozhaiskaya station within the boundaries of St. Petersburg) Osoaviakhim flight and glider school. He worked as an instructor, then as the head of the Volkhov flight and gliding club. In 1938 he graduated from the Osoavikhim Higher Flight and Glider School in the village of Koktebel (Crimea). He worked as an instructor at the flying club of the city of Mineralnye Vody. In October 1939 he entered the Yeisk Naval Aviation School. From August 1940, he served in the 13th Separate Fighter Aviation Squadron (IAE), was a pilot and senior pilot (from August to November 1940), and head of the parachute service (from November 1940 to June 1941).
From June 22, 1941, Lieutenant V.F. Golubev flew on the I-16 on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War as a pilot of the same 13th Aviation Aviation Flight. At the beginning of October 1941, he was sent to the Hanko Peninsula to defend the fleet and Kronstadt from enemy air raids; in November 1941, he was appointed flight commander. From February 1942 he fought as part of the 13th IAP KBF (on January 18, 1942, transformed into the 4th Guards IAP KBF), from March 1942 - commander of the 3rd squadron. He served with this regiment until the end of the war. He flew I-16, La-5 and La-7.
By June 1942, the squadron commander of the 4th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (61st Fighter Aviation Brigade of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force) of the Guard, Captain V.F. - as part of a group (the award list says 4 personal and 23 group victories). By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 23, 1942, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 722).
In March 1943, he was appointed assistant commander of the 4th Guards IAP of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet for flight training and air combat. In the summer of 1943, the regiment received aircraft built at the expense of Gorky collective farmers (“Valery Chkalov”). The La-5 with tail number "33" was flown by Guard captain V.F. Golubev. In August 1943, he took command of the regiment, continuing to take personal part in the fighting.
By May 9, 1945, the commander of the 4th Guards Fighter Order of the Red Banner Ushakov Aviation Regiment of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Guard Air Force, Lieutenant Colonel V.F. Golubev, made 546 combat missions, conducted 133 air battles, in which he personally shot down 17 and as part of a group of 16 enemy aircraft (in the last The award list says 16 personal and 23 group victories). The last flight took place on May 8, 1945.
After the end of the war he continued to serve in naval aviation. Since March 1946, he commanded the 3rd Guards IAP of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force. From December 1948 to December 1951 he studied at the aviation department of the Naval Academy. Since December 1951, he commanded the 122nd IAD of the Northern Fleet Air Force. Since January 1957, Aviation Major General V.F. Golubev has been Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet Air Force for Air Defense. In 1960 he was transferred from the Navy to the Country's Air Defense Forces, in June 1960 he was appointed first deputy commander of the 14th Separate Air Defense Army. Since October 1966 - Inspector General of the Air Defense Inspectorate for the Air Force of the Warsaw Pact member states of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the country's Air Defense Forces. From August 1968 to September 1970 - senior military adviser to the commander of the air defense of the United Arab Republic. From January 1971 to January 1975 - senior lecturer at the air defense department of the Military Academy of the General Staff. Since June 1975, Lieutenant General of Aviation V.F. Golubev was in the reserve, and then retired. Lived in Moscow. He died on April 17, 2001, and was buried at Vvedensky Cemetery.
Awarded the orders of: Lenin (03/16/1942, 10/23/1942), Red Banner (08/14/1941, 03/14/1944, 07/19/1945, 12/30/1956, 04/29/1957, 02/22/1968, 08/26/1970 ), Patriotic War 1- 1st degree (01/19/1943, 04/06/1985), Red Star (02/26/1953, 02/22/1955), “For service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces” 3rd degree (04/30/1975); medals, "Order of the British Empire" 4th class (1943), "Order of Military Merit to the United Arab Republic" (1970).
* * *
List of famous aerial victories of V. F. Golubev:
| Date | Enemy | Plane crash site or air combat | Your own plane |
| 01.08.1941 | 1 Yu-88 (in group 1/3) | south of Vaivara station | I-16 |
| 06.08.1941 | 2 Yu-88 (in group 2/10) | Lake Glubokoe - Kalishche station | |
| 09.08.1941 | 1 FV-189 (in gr. 1/6) | Brumbel | |
| 10.08.1941 | 1 Yu-88 (in group 1/6) | south of Moloskovitsa | |
| 1 Me-109 (in group 1/6) | Weimarn station | ||
| 11.08.1941 | 1 Me-109 (in group 1/6) | Srednee Selo | |
| 12.08.1941 | 1 Me-109 (in group 1/6) | Weimarn | |
| 14.10.1941 | 1 Yu-88 (paired) | Kerdle | |
| 24.10.1941 | 1 "Bulldog" (in pairs) | Hanko - Inkoo | |
| 01.11.1941 | 1 Spitfire (paired) | south of Lake Coe | |
| 21.02.1942 | 1 Me-109 (in gr. 1/4) | Carbusel | |
| 12.03.1942 | 1 Me-109 | northeast of Vystav airfield | |
| 1 Me-109 (in gr. 1/4) | Dusyevo | ||
| 19.03.1942 | 1 Xe-111 (in gr. 1/8) | west of Shala | |
| 31.03.1942 | 1 Me-109 | north of Pogostye station | |
| 16.05.1942 | 1 Me-109 | west of Lavrovo | |
| 28.05.1942 | 1 Xe-111 (paired) | Zelenets Island | |
| 1 Me-109 | |||
| 29.05.1942 | 1 Yu-87 | Cobon naval base | |
| 1 Yu-87 (in gr. 1/4) | north of Lipka | ||
| 13.04.1943 | 1 FV-190 | southeast of Bezabotnoye | La-5 |
| 1 FV-190 | Prozolovskoe swamp | ||
| 18.04.1943 | 1 "Brewster" | lighthouse Shepelev | |
| 21.04.1943 | 2 Fiat | Gogland Island | |
| 02.06.1943 | 1 FV-190 | Kirkkomansaari island | |
| 20.08.1943 | 2 "Brewster" | north of the Shepelev lighthouse | |
| 08.01.1944 | 1 Me-110 | New Storm | |
| 06.02.1944 | 1 Me-110 | Narva | |
| 23.02.1944 | 1 Me-110 | Tudulinna | |
| 05.03.1944 | 1 FV-190 | northwest of Omuti | |
Total aircraft shot down - 17 + 16; combat sorties - 546; air battles - 133. |
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From photographic materials from different years:
From wartime press materials:
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G Olubev Vasily Fedorovich - squadron commander of the 4th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 61st Fighter Aviation Brigade of the Air Force of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, guard captain.
Born on November 16, 1912 in the village of Kamenka, now the Volkhov district of the Leningrad region, into a peasant family. Russian. Graduated from 7th grade.
In 1933-1935, he served as a volunteer in the Red Army, junior commander of an anti-aircraft artillery battery of the 111th Air Force Air Regiment of the Leningrad Military District. After the service, he entered the Duderhof flight and glider school of Osoaviakhim. He worked as an instructor and then as the head of the Volkhov flight and gliding club. In 1938 he graduated from the Osoavikhim Higher Flight and Glider School in Koktebel (Crimea). He worked as an instructor at the flying club in the city of Mineralnye Vody, firmly deciding to become a military aviator. In 1939, Vasily Golubev entered (immediately into the 3rd year) the Yeisk Naval Aviation School. After graduating from college, he was sent to the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. He began serving in the 13th separate aviation squadron in August 1940: junior pilot, from November 1940 - instructor of the parachute service, from June 1941 - instructor.
He made his first combat flight at dawn on June 22, 1941, and already on June 28 he won his first victory: he shot down an enemy Junkers in an I-16. By August he had more than 100 combat missions. In early October, Golubev, among six pilots, was sent to the Hanko Peninsula to defend the fleet and Kronstadt from raids by Finnish and German aircraft. At this difficult time he joined the ranks of the Communist Party.
In October 1941, he transferred to the 13th Fighter Aviation Regiment, subsequently to the 4th Guards Regiment, and in November became a flight commander. As part of this regiment, he went through the entire war until the last day, from an ordinary pilot to a regiment commander, and participated in all operations of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force. Golubev is one of the most successful fighter pilots of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force.
In January 1942, Vasily Golubev was appointed commander of the 3rd squadron. From that moment on, he could implement his own tactical ideas and demonstrate his talent as a leader. Soon his squadron became the best in the regiment. In March 1942, the regiment became a guards regiment. In the summer of 1942, three squadron pilots were nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. This is the commander himself, his commissar and deputy squadron commander
By June 1942, Captain V.F. Golubev made 339 successful combat missions. In the 61st air battle he shot down 4 aircraft personally and 23 in a group.
U By the order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on October 23, 1942, the squadron commander of the 4th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, captain, was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 722).
In March 1943, V.F. Golubev was appointed assistant commander of the 4th Guards Fighter Regiment for flight training and air combat. In January 1943, the regiment received new aircraft - La-5. The Baltic ace's score began to grow inexorably. In the summer of 1943, the best pilots of the regiment received personalized aircraft. A La-5 squadron was built at the expense of Gorky collective farmers. In August 1943, V.F. Golubev took command of the regiment and, as one of the most successful pilots, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire, 4th degree. Unlike many other commanders, he continued to regularly fly out on combat missions. He spent his last battles on the new La-7 fighter.
On June 28, 1944, he scored his last victory. Vasily Golubev ended the war as a guard lieutenant colonel, commander of the 4th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, awarded the Order of Ushakov, 2nd degree, for military services.
By May 1945, V.F. Golubev made 589 successful combat missions and, participating in 133 air battles, destroyed 39 enemy aircraft (officially) - 16 personally and 23 in a group.
After the war, the brave fighter pilot continued to serve in naval aviation. Since March 1946, he commanded the 3rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 4th Navy Air Force (Baltic). In 1951 he graduated from the K.E. Naval Academy. Voroshilov. Since December 1951, he commanded the 122nd Fighter Aviation Division of the Northern Fleet Air Force. Major General of Aviation (3.08.1953). Since January 1957 - Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet Air Force for Air Defense.
In 1960 V.F. Golubev was transferred from the Navy to the country's Air Defense Forces and in June 1960 was appointed first deputy commander of the 14th Separate Air Defense Army. Since October 1966 - Inspector General of the Air Defense Inspectorate for the Air Force of the Warsaw Pact member states of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the country's Air Defense Forces. Then there was a long overseas assignment as a senior military adviser to the commander of the air defense of the United Arab Republic in August 1968 - September 1970. From January 1971 to January 1975 V.F. Golubev is a senior lecturer at the Air Defense Department of the Military Academy of the General Staff. Defended his Ph.D. dissertation.
Since June 1975, Lieutenant General of Aviation V.F. Golubev. - in reserve, and then retired. While on a well-deserved rest, he continued to work actively. He met with young people and talked about the exploits of aviators during the Great Patriotic War. Lately I have been interested in literary creativity. He published 11 books. I didn’t have time to finish working on the next book.
Lived in Moscow. Died April 17, 2001. He was buried in Moscow at the Vvedensky cemetery (section 1).
Honorary citizen of the village of Syasstroy, Volkhov district, Leningrad region.
Lieutenant General of Aviation (05/07/1966). Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin (03/16/42, 10/23/42), 7 Orders of the Red Banner (08/14/41, 03/14/44, 07/19/45, 12/30/56, 04/29/57, 02/22/68, 08/26/70), 2 orders Patriotic War, 1st degree (01/19/43, 04/06/85), 2 Orders of the Red Star (02/26/53, 02/22/55), Order “For Service to the Motherland in the USSR Armed Forces” 3rd degree (04/30/75), medals , the highest military orders of Great Britain - "Order of the British Empire" 4th class (1943) and Egypt - "For military services to the United Arab Republic" (1970).
His name is immortalized on a memorial plaque with the names of the Heroes of the Soviet Union of the naval aviation regiments of the Baltic Fleet, installed on the Walk of Fame in the city of Kronstadt. In Moscow, on the house where the Hero lived, a memorial plaque was installed.
Essays:
School of War. M., 1947
Heroes of the Great Patriotic War
Golubev Vasily Fedorovich
Vasily Fedorovich Golubev was born on November 16, 1912 in the village of Kamenka (now Volkhovsky district of the Leningrad region).
In 1933-1935 he served as a volunteer in the Red Army. Graduated from the Yeisk Naval Aviation School. After graduating from college, he was sent to the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. Began service in the 13th separate aviation squadron.
The Great Patriotic War
The first combat mission of V.F. Golubev committed on June 22, 1941. By August 1941, he had flown more than 100 combat missions. At the beginning of October 1941, V.F. Golubev, among six pilots, was sent to the Hanko Peninsula to defend the fleet and Kronstadt from raids by Finnish and German aircraft.
In October 1941, he transferred to the 13th Fighter Aviation Regiment, subsequently to the 4th GvIAP. As part of this regiment, he went through the entire war until the last day, from an ordinary pilot to a regiment commander. V.F. Golubev is one of the most successful fighter pilots of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Air Force.
In January 1942 he was appointed commander of the 3rd squadron. From that moment on, he could implement his own tactical ideas.
On March 12, 1942, alone in an I-16 aircraft, he fought against a pair of German MesserschmittBf .109 fighters, as a result of which both Germans were soon shot down.
At the beginning of 1943, the regiment began to receive new La-5 aircraft. Nevertheless, 6 I-16 aircraft remained in the regiment, on which they sometimes flew out for reconnaissance. In December 1942, the Luftwaffe fighter squadron “Jagdgeschwader 54” received Fw -190A 4 aircraft. In January 1943, V.F. Golubev, flying on an I-16, shot down two Fw -190A 4 from JG 54.
In total, during the war V.F. Golubev made 589 combat missions and shot down 39 enemy aircraft personally and 12 in a group.
Post-war period
After the war V.F. Golubev continued his service, mastering a number of jet machines in the air.
Fighter pilots G.D. Kostylev, D.M. Tatarenko, V.F. Golubev, A.G. Baturin at the plane
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 23, 1942, the squadron commander of the 4th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Guard, Captain V.F. Golubev was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
In 1951 he graduated from the command department of the Naval Academy. Then he was appointed commander of the air division of the Northern Fleet Air Force.
In 1968-1970 V.F. Golubev is a senior adviser to Egyptian air defense.
Since 1971 – senior lecturer at the Military Academy of the General Staff.
Resigned to the reserve in 1976. In the last years of his life, he was fond of literary creativity; he published 11 books.
Awards
USSR awards:
Medal "Gold Star" of the Hero of the Soviet Union (No. 722, 10/23/1942),
- 2 Orders of Lenin (03/16/1942, 10/23/1942),
- 7 Orders of the Red Banner (08/14/1941, 03/14/1944, 07/19/1945, 12/30/1956, 04/29/1957, 02/22/1968, 08/26/1970),
- 2 Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st degree (01/19/1943, 04/06/1985),
- 2 Orders of the Red Star (02/26/1953, 02/22/1955),
- Order “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR”, 3rd degree (04/30/1975),
- Zhukov medal,
- medal “For Military Merit” (1947),
- Medal “For Military Valor. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin",
- medal “For the Defense of Leningrad”,
- medal “For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”,
- anniversary medal “Twenty years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”,
- anniversary medal “Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”,
- anniversary medal “Forty years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945”,
- medal “50 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945”,
- anniversary medal “300 years of the Russian Navy”,
- medal “In memory of the 850th anniversary of Moscow”,
- medal “Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR”,
- anniversary medal “30 years of the Soviet Army and Navy”,
- anniversary medal “40 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR”,
- anniversary medal “50 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR”,
- anniversary medal “60 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR”,
- anniversary medal “70 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR”,
- medal “In memory of the 250th anniversary of Leningrad.”
Foreign awards:
Order of the British Empire, 4th class (Great Britain, 1943),
- Military Merit Medal (Egypt), 1970).
