Aviation of World War II

Home Russian

Mikhail Skachkov and Yak-7B

January 13, 1917 - January 22, 1943


Mikhail Sergeevich Skachkov, Senior Lieutenant

Deputy Commander of the Squadron 12-IAP *, Senior Lieutenant (VKPb personnel from 1936)

Mikhail Sergeevich was born on January 13, 1917 in the city of Pokrovsk (Engels), Saratov Region. After graduating from school in 1936, he took courses in accountants. And in 1937, at the call of the Komsomol, he joined the flying club in Engels. A year later he entered the military flight school.

Upon graduation, he was sent to the flight unit of the village of Alsufyevo, Bryansk region, where he was caught by the war.

From the first days of the war, the Germans brutally bombed the airfield, where he worked as an instructor pilot.

By the end of 1941, part of them were transferred to the city of Slavgorod, Altai Territory, where, while continuing to work as an instructor pilot, they trained young personnel.

He repeatedly asked to go to the front, wrote reports, but he was refused, because needed experienced specialists to train military pilots.

On October 20, 1942, he was sent to the Leningrad Front, in the 12th IAP, the 209th IAD, as a flight commander. The regiment's pilots carried out various combat missions, including guarding the Ladoga "Road of Life".


Twenty thousand soldiers, officers, civilians served the "Road of Life". They did everything they could, and even what is impossible in everyday life.
Among these 20 thousand was my grandfather Mikhail Sergeevich Skachkov.

January 22, 1943 flew at the head of the Yak-7B fighter flight to escort Il-2 attack aircraft in the Sinyavino area. In an air battle with four Me-109s, his plane was shot down. According to letters from his combat friends to my grandmother, Mikhail left the damaged plane by parachute, but was shot in the air by a German pilot.

Buried on January 24, 43 300 m. south of the village. Lipki, which is on the shore of Lake Ladoga, Leningrad Region.

Skachkov M.S. died defending his country, his people, his son from the fascist plague. He dreamed of living to see Victory, but laid down his head for it.

My father never saw his father. He was only a little over a year old when his grandfather died, but our family cherishes his memory in photographs, documents and letters.

Letters from the front

October 12, 1942

Well hello, dear Ninochka and son Valerik! I send my dear greetings and thousands of kisses ...

... On the 20th we are going to the front. I mastered the car on my own. Everything is fine, but there is no answer. Oh, what a pity, okay. Ninochka! I earnestly ask you not to be bored, live and overcome all difficulties. And I will return from the front, well then we will live, if we succeed. Wait with victory.

October 19, 1942

Hello Nina!

I'm in Moscow now. Today we are flying to the front. I don’t need to write yet, because I don’t know the address. We’ll fly to the front, find out the address and write in more detail. I feel great. Wait with victory. Do not worry. I will work in the same place where we lived, only a little further north, in one word I will liberate Rzhev, Vyazma, Smolensk ...

And so, 0-35 minutes left before departure. All is ready.

Provided for everyone. Received my salary today. Received the uniform. Do not worry about me.

Be proud of my success in the future, take care of Valerik.

Hello everyone. Kisses Misha.

October 26, 1942

Hello dear Ninochka.

I send you my warm regards and wish you and Valerik full health.

Ninochka, today I received the fifth letter from you, to which I give regular answers all the time, I don’t know why this is how the letters go, but in general they may still come.

... today we fly away, I think for the last time to swim on the Quiet Don and again beat the Fritz until there is enough strength and energy, and if they fuck it, so be it, because the best friends laid their heads and God told me so.

Yes, Ninochka, I wish you to bring up Valerik as his father Misha was, so that he was gifted with a heart of gold, and if I stay alive, I will definitely come to visit you, but if would this dream come true. I would not want anything, just talk to my dear friends, of whom I have very few left.

You know, Ninochka, another time you think about it and it will be so offensive for all your life, which you broke, cut off by the bastard and idiot of mankind, the fuhrer mad, well, nothing, the Russian people will turn their brains on the way back. Ninochka, write if you received a letter with poems that I sent you in April m-tse.

October 29, 1942

Hello dear Ninochka!

I send my dear greetings and best wishes in life.

... Ninochka! I am still alive and well. I have already mastered the Yastrebok. I am flying perfectly. There are no violations. I work as a deputy. squadron commander. I'm going to the front soon. On the 30th we will get ready ...

… Nina! And so I will smash the brutal fascist bastard. I will beat you to the last drop of blood. For there is nothing more to wait.

Nina, and you, in turn, be steadfast, endure all the hardships of life.

November 3, 42

Night 3h 20 min.

Carriage. I'm on the way. Hello dear Ninochka and Valerik!

I shake your hands tightly and kiss you. Ninochka! I'm going to the front. Don't write yet. Wait for an additional letter. I feel great. We sing, have fun. Well, as you know, I have great authority in songs. Nina! He dropped the letter in Tatarka and from there gave a telegram. Don't worry, the hawk has mastered the car very well. Expect heroic deeds from me. Live more fun. Oh, the train got in the way. We moved on. We stood on the stretch. Do not Cry. I will scold. I received a letter from Petya Zverkov. I think I'll see him. Well, the train is shaking, I can't write. Greetings to Marusya, Chuevs and all the acquaintances.

Kisses Misha.

December 16, 1942

… I will describe myself. Now I am at the ... front. The area where I work is familiar to me, because when you and I lived in 40 - 41, this area was flown by P-5. Now I think you understand where I am fighting vultures. Several days ago we had to face the Germans directly in the air. We were conducting an air battle with enemy fighters, as a result of which we shot down 2 planes in a group. Our losses were not. The feeling in aerial combat is excellent, everything is forgotten, you don't think about death, you just want to catch the victim in sight. Thus, I already have up to 20 sorties.

Nina! Now, of course, you will probably be interested in the center. front. Well for that matter enough ....

I am writing you a letter in s-those waiting for departure (on the tablet) ....

December 21, 1942

Hello dear Ninochka! My heartfelt greetings and from the bottom of my heart the best wishes for a lonely life.

Dear Ninochka! Forgive me for the long silence. You yourself know my delay. Yes! And so, I am Ninochka at the front. It is not possible to describe everything to you. Well, I will describe something interesting. I arrived in Moscow. We rested a little and a few days later flew to the front.

I am currently flying on the central front. We liberate our land from Hitler's robbers. The area of ​​operation is familiar to me, because we were with you in 40-41, more than once I had to fight with German vultures. More than one German was already herded into a coffin.

It is not possible to describe the picture of air combat for you. Well, I’ll tell you, everything is forgotten at this moment, so be careful not to go into the tail.

In short, things are going well so far. I am currently working as a squadron commander, so trust in me is very great and I will try to justify it.

I live in a village surrounded by pine forests, in one word it reminds of Olsufyevo. So Ninochka briefly about my life.

Well Nina! Live and don't be bored, take care of our son Valerik. He probably already "says" something and walks. Kiss him hard for me. Nina, I earnestly ask you not to be sad. As soon as I get a letter from you, I’ll send some money.

Write how you are doing at the farm, etc.

And so, dear, there is no time to write ....

January 18, 1943

Well, good hour, my dear family, Nina and son Valerik.

I am sending you my dear military greetings and wish you good health. Dear Nina, I have already taken offense at you that you do not write letters. Already from the front line I am writing the third letter, but I didn’t wait for an answer. It is true that you Ninochka has already written to me.

But ... I still haven't received an answer. I also wrote to dad 3 letters at the same time, and now I have written them at the same time, but there is no answer yet.

Now Nina, I flew even further away from you. Now I am waging a stubborn struggle with the German dogs to defeat them near Leningrad. We beat them here, as they beat them at Stalingrad, in the Caucasus, near Voronezh. In a word, the hour of the final defeat is approaching. My pilots and I have already shot down several Fascist vultures in aerial combat. I have wonderful pilots. We fight great, boldly. Dear Ninochka, write more often, there is no more time to write, I am in a hurry ...

Nina, write how you live, did you receive the 700 rubles that I sent you. How is Valerik's health?

Write faster. Wait, I'll come. Kisses to your Misha.

This was his last letter from the front.

Then came the funeral ...

Nina Tikhonovna Soldatova

Notice

YOUR husband, senior Lieutenant Mikhail Sergeevich Skachkov

Address: Slavgorod, Altai Territory, 1st Western Street, house number 54

in the battle for the Socialist Motherland, faithful to the military oath, showing heroism and courage,

during an air battle with enemy aircraft, died a hero's death on January 22, 1943.

Buried south of 300 meters from the village of Lipki, which is on the shore of Lake Ladoga, Leningrad Region.

This notice is a document for filing an application for a pension / Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 23, 1941 /

Commander of the 12th IAP   Guard battalion commissar   Vlasov

Grandfather's body was found near the village of Lipki, Leningrad Region, 300 meters from Lake Ladoga.

They reburied him in the village. Sinyavino in the Mass Grave with the defenders of the Sinyavino Heights. He died a hero's death with the rank of senior lieutenant on January 22, 1943, four days after his last letter.

The heroism of these people is one of the most beautiful pages in the history of the Great Patriotic War. They are heroes - each again in his own way, with his separate, unique behavior.

The years of a terrible war are going further into the past. But the feat of the people who stood up to defend the Fatherland will live forever in the memory of the Russian people.

Elena Valerievna Chernysheva (Skachkova)

* The 209th Fighter Aviation Division was reorganized by order of the NKO USSR No. 199 dated January 05, 1943 at 7 GvIAD

The 12th Fighter Aviation Regiment was reorganized by Order of the NKO USSR No. 199 of January 05, 1943 and the Air Force Headquarters Directive No. 513019 dated August 07, 1943 at 89 GvIAP.


Your Name (Nick):
Your e-mail:
Input # 7284356:
Your Information:

September 03, 2021.

An honest, open person. For his feat he did not receive any Soviet awards. Eternal memory to the hero.