Aleksey Frolovich Solomatin (; 12 February 1921 21 May 1943) was a squadron commander and flying ace in the Soviet Air Forces during World War II who was awarded the title

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

Life

Solomatin was born on 12 February 1921, in Bunakovo-2 village, Ferikovsky District,

Kaluga Oblast Kaluga Oblast () is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Kaluga. The Russian Census (2021), 2021 Russian Census found a population o ...

, in a large peasant family. He joined the Army in 1939, attending the Kacha Military Air College. When the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front, also known as the Great Patriotic War (term), Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union and its successor states, and the German–Soviet War in modern Germany and Ukraine, was a Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II ...

broke out, he was serving with the 160th Reserve Aviation Regiment near

Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...

, in

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. Later he was transferred close to Krivoy Rog, in the 296 IAP (296th Fighter Regiment), 268th Aviation Division, 8th Army Air, Southern Front. On 9 March 1942, he took part in a famed air combat that had extensive coverage in Soviet media. Boris Eryomin, commander of second squadron of 296th Regiment, led Solomatin and five more pilots, flying the

Yakovlev Yak-1 The Yakovlev Yak-1 () was a Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II. The Yak-1 was a single-seat monoplane with a composite structure and wooden wings; production began in early 1940.Angelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 239. The Yak-1 was a man ...

fighter, to attack a large

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

formation: 12 Messerschmitt Bf 109Es carrying bombs, seven

Junkers Ju 88 The Junkers Ju 88 is a twin-engined multirole combat aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works. It was used extensively during the Second World War by the ''Luftwaffe'' and became one o ...

bombers and six more escorting Bf 109s. The Yakovlev pilots claimed seven kills for no losses. Solomatin's Yak-1 was damaged but he managed to remain in the fight till the end Mellinger 2005, p. 22. and was credited with the destruction of a Bf 109.Mellinger 2005, p. 28. By February 1943 he had claimed 12 individuals and 15 shared kills, in 108 combats and 266 sorties. Then his unit was renamed 73 GvIAP (73rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment) and he was promoted ''Kapitan'' (Captain). While in 73 GvIAP, he often flew with Lidya Litvyak as his

wingman A wingman (or wingmate) is the pilot of a secondary aircraft providing support or protection to a primary aircraft in a potentially dangerous situation, traditionally flying in formation to the side and slightly behind the primary craft. The t ...

. On 1 May 1943, he was awarded the title and Golden Star (no. 955) of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Death

Solomatin was killed on 21 May 1943, when his

crashed in the village of Pavlovka, Rostov Oblast. He was at the time credited with 13 individual air victories and 6 to 16 shared.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * Mellinger, George. ''Yakovlev Aces of World War 2'', Osprey Publishing, 2005. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Soomatin, Aleksey 1921 births 1943 deaths People from Ferzikovsky District People from Kaluzhsky Uyezd Communist Party of the Soviet Union members Soviet Air Force officers Soviet World War II flying aces Heroes of the Soviet Union Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Soviet military personnel killed in World War II