RUSSIAN POST in 2021 issued a series of 100th birth anniversary stamps of Soviet WWII heroes, chiefly the couples A.F. Solomatina and L.V. Litvyak and S.I. Kharlamov and N.V. Popova. Shown here are two first day covers of these couples.
Alexey Frolovich Solomatin (1921-1943) was Squadron Commander (Captain) of the 296th Fighter Aviation Regiment/268th Fighter Aviation Division of the 8th Air Force on the Southern Front. By February 1943 he had claimed 12 individual and 15 shared kills, in 108 combats and 266 sorties. His unit was renamed 73 GvIAP (73rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment) and he was promoted Captain. While in 73 GvIAP, he often flew with Lidya Litvyak as his wingman. On 1 May 1943, he was awarded the title and Golden Star (no. 955) of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Lidia Vladimirovna Litvyak (1921-1943) was Senior Lieutenant in the 586th Fighter Aviation Regiment/9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment/73rd Guards Fighter Regiment. Historians' estimate her total victories range from five to twelve solo victories and two to four shared kills in her 66 combat sorties. In about two years of operations (1941 till 1943), she was the first female fighter pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft, the first of two female fighter pilots who have earned the title of fighter ace and the holder of the record for the greatest number of kills by a female fighter pilot. She was shot down near Orel during the Battle of Kursk as she attacked a formation of German aircraft. On 5 May 1990, by the decree of the President of the USSR of for courage and heroism in the fight against the Nazi invaders, the first lieutenant of the guard L.V. Litvyak was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Lidia Litvyak (nicknamed White Lily or White Rose) met Alexei Solomatin, her future husband, in the winter of 1943 when she was transferred to the 296th Aviation Regiment. Their family life consisted of encounters between missions and did not last long, as both died in combat missions. Litvyak was called the "White Lily of Stalingrad" in Soviet press releases; the white lily flower may be translated from Russian as Madonna Lily. She has also been called the "White Rose of Stalingrad" in Europe and North America since reports of her exploits were first published in English.
Lidia Litvyak (nicknamed White Lily or White Rose) met Alexei Solomatin, her future husband, in the winter of 1943 when she was transferred to the 296th Aviation Regiment. Their family life consisted of encounters between missions and did not last long, as both died in combat missions. Litvyak was called the "White Lily of Stalingrad" in Soviet press releases; the white lily flower may be translated from Russian as Madonna Lily. She has also been called the "White Rose of Stalingrad" in Europe and North America since reports of her exploits were first published in English.
Semyon Ilyich Kharlamov (1921-1990) was originally deployed with the 821st Fighter Regiment in 1942, in December that year he transferred to the 249th Fighter Aviation Regiment as a senior pilot. There, he flew for the rest of the war and quickly rose through the ranks from senior pilot to Squadron Commander. As a skilled reconnaissance pilot, he discovered, radioed information about, and photographed positions of enemy forces before Soviet advances, having to fly past intense anti-aircraft artillery and enemy fighter cover to complete missions. In September 1943 during the battle for the Taman Peninsula he documented a convoy of 300 enemy vehicles and barges in the port, enabling attack aircraft to close in on the target. Later on in the war he documented enemy positions on the Kerch peninsula before gathering information about enemy defenses on various rivers in Eastern Europe. On 23 February 1945 he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for his accomplishments. Throughout the war he piloted the Yak-1, LaGG-3, and La-5 fighters, totaled 575 sorties, 419 of which were reconnaissance missions, tallying four solo and two shared kills of enemy aircraft over the course of 85 aerial engagements. After the end of the war he married fellow military pilot Nadezhda Popova, who he met during the war and had received the title Hero of the Soviet Union on the same day as him
Nadezhda Vasilievna Popova (1921–2013) was a Squadron Commander in the 46th Taman Guards Night Bomber Regiment during the Second World War who achieved significant domestic publicity after completing 18 bombing sorties in one night with navigator Yekaterina Ryabova. Awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 23 February 1945 for completing 737 sorties, she was featured in Ogonyok magazine. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 23 February 1945 for courage and heroism shown in battles against Nazi forces, the First Lieutenant of the Guard, N.V. Popova was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Nadezhda Popova and Semyon Kharlamov first met in August 1942, She returned to the unit after losing her plane during a combat mission, and he went to hospital after being wounded. By the end of the war, they had several chance encounters and eventually married shortly thereafter.
Nadezhda Popova and Semyon Kharlamov first met in August 1942, She returned to the unit after losing her plane during a combat mission, and he went to hospital after being wounded. By the end of the war, they had several chance encounters and eventually married shortly thereafter.
Source: Wikipedia
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