Famous military pilot Crimean Tatar by his mother. Legendary pilot Amet Khan Sultan


Or ly nor NS gd a

not mind ir Ayu t n a h eat le ...


There are outstanding people on earth who live according to the largest account - without regard to belonging to a particular family, land, people. But the greatness of these people is measured not so much by their large-scale activities as by the fact that they remember and sacredly honor their origins in life, the taste and smell of mother's milk, relatives, and blessed native places.

Such outstanding people can be safely attributed to Amet Khan Sultan - twice Hero of the Soviet Union, State Prize laureate, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR. He lived a short (only 51 years old), but heroic life, forever glorifying not only himself, his family and native places, but also his, albeit not numerous, but many people who survived.

And it all started as usual: the generous and wonderful Crimean land, a good and strong family, an ordinary Crimean Tatar school in the hometown of Alupka, and then a factory school in Simferopol.

It cannot be said that Amet Khan with early childhood dreamed of the sky: just in the years of his youth, the most active and creative achievements of science and technology were embodied in aircraft construction, in the development of flying clubs and the craze of young people in military-technical sports. So Amet Khan became actively involved in the flying club in Simferopol. Only then did he realize how interesting and important it is for him - the hobby of youth has become a lifelong passion.

That is why in 1939-40. Amet Khan went to study at the Kachin school of military pilots, and after graduation he attached one cube (military insignia) to the blue collar tabs of the commander's tunic. In his graduation certificate, the military authorities gave him the following characteristics: “He flies perfectly and with great desire, learns flying practice quickly and firmly. In the air he is bold and persistent, initiative and hardy ... ”.

It was these qualities, developed in the military flight school, that greatly helped the young fighter pilot throughout the Great Patriotic War- from the first to its last day, cemented to him the glory of an invulnerable reconnaissance pilot. Kineshma and Yaroslavl (here he received the first Order of Lenin for his famous "battering ram"), Yelets and Voronezh, Stalingrad and Rostov. Fascist pilots already recognized Amet Khan Sultan by his combat handwriting, urgently transmitted to each other by radio: “Ahtung! Ahtung! Amet Khan is in the sky! " When the ace pilot was appointed squadron commander, he used the available examples to show and prove to young pilots (yes, young ones - although he himself ended the war in Berlin at the age of 25!) That you can beat the Nazis at any altitude and at any ratio forces. He told them: "A fighter pilot must not only master the plane perfectly, but also possess military cunning, the ability to change the most effective tactical technique during a fleeting air battle in order to surely defeat the enemy."

And he fought, and received both the highest military awards, and less valuable and memorable for him personalized gifts. For example, once the commander of the regiment in front of the formation handed Amet-khan his general's wristwatch: “As a sign of the most beautiful battle of those that I have watched in my life!” - this was said to the recipient.

In the fall of the 42nd, Amet-Khan Sultan on a Yak-7 fighter participates in the Battle of Stalingrad. Here, in the fiery sky of Stalingrad, the pilot is included in a special group created to counter the German aces. In one of the fierce battles, his plane was shot down. Amet Khan Sultan escapes with a parachute.

By the summer of 43, the ace had already personally shot down 14 enemy aircraft. On August 24, 1943, by the Decree of the President of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Amet Khan Sultan was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

After Stalingrad, there were fierce air battles in the Kuban, the liberation of Taganrog, Melitopol and native Crimea. At the beginning of May 1944, Crimea was completely liberated from the invaders, and the participants in the liberation, the pilots of the 8th Air Army, were given rest for the first time in the war years. And the happy Amet Khan, together with several fellow soldiers, went to his native Alupka to visit his parents. The joy of meeting, the happiness of communicating with parents - everything was destroyed the next morning: the crying of the mother woke up the sleeping guests. Seeing officers in flight uniforms with many orders and stars “Hero of the Soviet Union”, one soldier reported: “We are following the order Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the eviction of all residents of Tatar nationality ”, the deportation of the Crimean Tatars was carried out. Hero of the Soviet Union Captain Amet-Khan Sultan appeals to NKVDs with a request not to evict his mother. But it's all in vain. Then the desperate pilot turns to the commander of the 8th Air Army Timofey Khryukin, and only with the help of the general is it possible to protect the mother of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

Amet Khan returned to the regiment withdrawn and silent, and only a very few understood how difficult it was for their friend to survive this tragic morning in Alupka. And the war was already, one might say, at the end - East Prussia, Germany.

Army Commander, Hero of the Soviet Union SI Rudenko wrote: “We heard about the native of Crimea, Hero of the Soviet Union Amet Khan Sultan even earlier, as a skilled air fighter. Now he fought in the skies of Berlin and immediately proved himself invulnerable in the air, possessing lightning-fast reaction and extraordinary endurance in difficult aerobatics. "

The last enemy plane was shot down by Guard Major Amet Khan Sultan in the skies of Berlin in April 1945. “For the shown courage and heroism in the fight against the German fascist invaders, for the successful conduct of 603 sorties, for personally shot down 30 enemy aircraft of various types, for 19 enemy aircraft destroyed in group battles, comrade Amet Khan Sultan was awarded the title of twice Hero Soviet Union".

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated June 30, 1945, Amet Khan Sultan was awarded the second Gold Star medal and the Order of Lenin.

Peace reigned on earth, and Amet Khan Sultan became a tester of new aviation and space technology. Thanks to the support and help of Timofey Khryukin, in February 1947, Amet Khan Sultan becomes a test pilot at the Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky, near Moscow. Per short term he becomes one of the best testers in the country, performing the most difficult flights.

In the 49th year, Amet-Khan Sultan participates in the first experiments on refueling aircraft in flight. This system was then successfully used for a long time in Long-range aviation... In the early 50s, Amet-Khan Sultan conducts unusual tests. He will have to test not much, not less, but an air-to-ship cruise missile. The manned analogue of the rocket is suspended under the Tu-4, the carrier aircraft gains an altitude of 3000 meters, after which it unhooks the projectile. Already in free fall, the automation turns on the engine, and the analogue flies to the target. After working out the automation, the pilot takes control and lands the projectile on the ground.

From the memoirs of PI Kazmin: “In one of the flights, Amet-khan, it means, was not yet going to not unhook, did not start the engine, and suddenly felt that he uncoupled. That is, something shorted somewhere, and he began to fall with the engine not started. ... So this is the situation. ... But Amet Khan, therefore, was not at a loss, that is, he probably felt the seriousness and danger of this phenomenon, he took all measures, grouped himself, gathered himself in his mind, which means that he thought everything out very clearly and was able to start the engine from the first attempt, here. But at that moment, it means that the cruise missile was almost above the level of the bay. He turned immediately to the airfield and sat down. When he sat down, I was the first to meet him, when he got out of the cab and said that “You know, Petya, my legs are shaking, it was not so scary during the war, and as they say, and I didn’t feel so inevitable this looming catastrophe, my legs didn’t hold ", here."

Tests were continued and soon the cruise missile was put into service. The question arises about rewarding test pilots. Amet Khan Sultan is presented to the third Golden Star. But again his nationality plays a fatal role. Crimean Tatar - three times Hero of the Soviet Union? It's impossible! As a result, Amet Khan Sultan was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Stalin Prize of the 2nd degree.

In the 61st year, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the title of "Honored Test Pilot of the USSR". It was a sign highest recognition his flight merit. The authority of Amet-Khan Sultan was indisputable. He was loved and respected by everyone: pilots, designers, and children in the yard. They listened to his opinion.

In the early 60s, Amet-Khan Sultan took part in flights to create zero gravity modes for training the first cosmonauts, and met many of them. On unique amateur footage, he is captured with Yuri Gagarin. The first cosmonaut of the planet came to Zhukovsky to congratulate the test pilots on May Day. He understands perfectly well that if it were not for their hard work, there would not have been his flight into space.


In October 70, Amet-Khan Sultan turns 50. The hero of the day accepts congratulations and sums up the results: over 32 years of flight work, about 100 types have been mastered aircraft spent over 4000 hours in the sky. During the feast, former brother-soldier Pavel Golovachev asks the hero of the day: is he going to complete his flight activity? In response, Amet-Khan Sultan tells a parable that eagles never die on earth. Feeling the approach of death, they fly upward with their last strength, and then fold their wings and fall like a stone to the ground. Therefore, the eagles die in the sky, they fall to the ground already dead.

The words turn out to be prophetic. Amet-Khan died like an eagle - in flight. On February 1, 71, he and the crew perform a test flight at the Tu-16 flying laboratory. Due to the detachment of the flaps, the plane begins to collapse and explodes in the air.

The renowned aviator openly protested against the accusation of an entire nation of "treason." He defended his mother, wrote in the questionnaires not "Dagestan", but "Crimean Tatar". As part of the delegation of the Crimean Tatars, the legendary ace was at a reception at the Central Committee of the party on Staraya Square - with a petition for their return to their homes. But it took another three decades before that happened.

Now it is our turn to fulfill our duty of gratitude to this man: saving the whole city, he put his own life on the line.

Streets in Volgograd and near Moscow Zhukovsky, a mountain peak in the Caucasus, a school in Kaspiysk, and the country's only named airport in Makhachkala are named after Amet Khan Sultan. His bronze busts stand in the capital of the Republic of Dagestan, in the resort Alupka, at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

Categories:

Tags: Reply With quote According to the All-Russian Population Census for 2010, representatives of 160 nationalities live in Bashkiria, of which 36% are Russians, Bashkirs - 29.5% and Tatars - 25.4%. Moreover, since 2002, the number of Tatars has grown by 1.2%.
Center activists believe that the problems of the Bashkir Tatars will be resolved by a referendum based on the decree of the Central Election Commission and the Council of People's Commissars (SNK) of the RSFSR No. 425 of 1920. On April 12, the XI Kurultai took place in Kazan, where the Bashkir Tatars announced a referendum.
“In recent years, the authorities of Bashkortostan have created insurmountable obstacles to the formation of autonomy for the Tatars in the republic. Tatar national organizations, opposition forces and their leaders are stubbornly persecuted. There are cases when even artists, politicians, and public figures from Tatarstan are not allowed into Bashkiria, "TOC chairman Rafis Kashapov told the Russian Planet.
TOC activists are outraged, in particular, by the problems with getting an education in Bashkiria. Kashapov claims that 1.8 million Tatars live in Bashkiria, but there are practically no Tatar schools either in Ufa or in other regions of the republic. “What can we say about secondary vocational and higher education. In 2012, there were 183 Tatar schools in Bashkortostan. In Ufa, there are only two Tatar gymnasiums for 300 thousand Tatars. This is a complete non-observance of the Tatars' rights to national education, ”he laments.
According to him, Tatar schools are "turning" into Bashkir schools. “We declare a complete disregard for the rights and open linguistic ethnocide of Tatars in Bashkortostan. Nobody has the right to tell us that the Tatars are an alien people, ”added the TOC chairman.
Kashapov spoke about the plans of the Bashkir Tatars for the fight against discrimination: the convocation of the Kurtulai Tatars of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan in the near future, an appeal to the heads of the republics and "rich Tatars to solve financial problems."
Recently, other Tatars - Crimean - demanded the creation of a national-territorial autonomy in Crimea. In the resolution they adopted, they demand the restoration of historical names, recognition of the legislative body, as well as "an immediate end to discrimination and repression against the Crimean Tatars for political, ethnic and religious reasons."
“Kazan and Crimean Tatars are united not only by belonging to the Turkic-speaking peoples, but also by a common historical fate,” continues Kashapov. - We, Kazan Tatars, remember the conquest of Crimea by Russia in 1783 and the liquidation of the statehood of the Crimean Tatars - Crimean Khanate... Thousands were destroyed settlements with their inhabitants, the exodus of a significant part of the indigenous population to neighboring states, the seizure of land from the peasants, the destruction of traditional ties and the economy of the peninsula. We fully agree with the demand for the creation of a national-territorial autonomy in Crimea. Moreover, my twin brother Nafis Kashapov, a political emigrant from Tatarstan, has been in contact for eight years with the leaders of the Crimean Tatar people and also supports the demand of the Crimean Tatars. "
“You shouldn't compare the Crimean and Bashkir Tatars - they are completely opposite. By at least, Crimean Tatars are not nationalists and defend completely different problems, "- says, in turn, the candidate historical sciences, Associate Professor, Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N.I. Lobachevsky Fyodor Dorofeev. The resolution of the Bashkir Tatars, in his opinion, can be called another attempt to return to the political and social field in connection with Ukraine and Crimea. "POC is political organization, which has been working for more than a dozen years. They don't care who they work with, they try to move to the periphery in order to attract as many people as possible. It is not known how many participants in this movement actually are, ”he said in an interview with the RP.
This is not the first time that Tatar nationalists have shown dissatisfaction with the Bashkir authorities. TOC activists and members of the Azatlyk youth union suggested, among other things, resettling Russian Tatars beyond the Arctic Circle. Tatar nationalists have become especially active in the last two years. “In the resolution published in January 2012, in addition to the issue of discrimination, there was an appeal to gather against Russian President Putin and to take an active part in the democratic movement for civil rights and freedoms in state structure countries, - the expert recalled.
According to him, “there are all signs of a call for a color revolution: TOC activists gather those who are dissatisfied with the authorities throughout the district, accumulate their dissatisfaction, and it turns out driving force who can then go to the streets. "
More details Reply With quote To quote book

Born on October 25, 1920 in the city of Alupka in a working class family. Mother is a Crimean Tatar. Father is a Lak.

Graduated in 1936, 7 classes local school and in 1933 the railway FZU. He began his career as a locksmith, and then as an assistant of a boiler foreman in a railway depot, where the Komsomol members elected him as their leader.

With the 9th Guards Fighter Regiment, Amet-Khan Sultan covered the combat path from Stalingrad to Berlin. During the years of the Great Patriotic War, he flew 602 combat missions, conducted 150 air battles, personally shot down 30 and in a group with his comrades - 19 enemy aircraft. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 24, 1943, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and on June 29, 1945, he was awarded the second Gold Star medal.

After World War II, becoming a test pilot, Amet-Khan Sultan tested more than 100 serial and experimental machines, becoming one of the outstanding test pilots of the USSR.

In 1951, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the title "Honored Test Pilot of the USSR", in 1963 - a laureate of the USSR State Prize. On February 1, 1971, he died in the line of duty.

Awarded with the orders: Lenin (three times), Red Banner (five), Alexander Nevsky, Patriotic War 1 st degree, Red Star, "Badge of Honor"; medals.

 * * *

When he came to the 9th Guards Aviation Wolf, they already knew about his feat - the ram of a fascist bomber. And still fresh in the memory was his unequal battle with the Nazis, in which Amet-Khan's plane was stitched by an enemy line. The engine choked, and the pilot had only one thing to do: to leave the burning car by parachute. He landed in no man's land. The Germans, in a hurry to capture the Soviet pilot alive, rushed to him, and Amet-Khan was ready to join the battle with them in order to sacrifice his life on this piece of "no-man's" land as dearly as possible - with a large number of killed Nazis. But he barely had time to put his pistol on a combat platoon, when 250 - 300 meters were left to the fleeing Germans, when he saw the Soviet soldiers who had risen to attack from our position. "They discouraged the Hitlerites," he said, "to profit from Amet-Khan."

Now I see that it was not in vain that they recaptured me, ”Amet-Khan joked in the circle of his new fellow soldiers. - In a good, apparently, the company I got, and thanks to them for that.

And the "company" of the regiment's pilots also liked the lively, very mobile, with an open smile, with an enviable sense of humor and genuine cordiality, Ametka, as the Guardsmen affectionately called him.

At the beginning, Amet-Khan was assigned to the 3rd air squadron of Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Korolev, but soon I. G. Korolev himself recommended him for the position of commander of this squadron in connection with his appointment as navigator of the regiment.

Despite his youth, Amet-Khan was then the youngest squadron commander in the regiment, he showed due will, perseverance and outstanding commanding ability when it came to completing a combat mission. One could only marvel at his ability to see everything and everyone in the air. He was strict and accurate in carrying out combat orders. But if necessary, he was not afraid to take the initiative.

Somehow, in the area of ​​the Gorodishche, the squadron commander led 7 fighters to escort the attack aircraft. When they began to storm the enemy ground forces, Amet-Khan noticed that several Junkers were bombing our forward edge. Leaving a link to cover the attack aircraft, Amet-Khan with the rest of the fighters rushed to meet the enemy and started a battle with him. In a short fierce battle, our pilots shot down 3 enemy vehicles. After that, the fighters led by Amet Khan returned to their attack aircraft and safely brought them to their airfield.

Having received new Yak-1 aircraft, Amet-Khan and the pilots of his squadron took part in the performance of the regiment especially important task- the destruction of the enemy transport aircraft supplying ammunition and food to the German troops surrounded in the Stalingrad region.

From October 10, 1942 to January 4, 1943, the regiment flew from Zeta and Diligence airfields. Amet-Khan took part in the defeat of a group of Ju-52 transport aircraft, which followed under the cover of Me-109 to Stalingrad. On that day, the regiment's pilots shot down 4 Junkers and 1 Messer, 2 of them shot down Amet-Khan. After 2 days, Amet-Khan Sultan shot down an enemy bomber He-111.

"As a pilot who perfectly owns the Yak-1 aircraft," wrote the regiment commander L. L. Shestakov, "Amet-Khan is unmatched. As a commander, he is demanding of himself and of his subordinates."

"Comrade Amet-Khan," wrote NA Verkhovets, deputy regiment commander for political affairs, "flew 110 sorties on the Stalingrad front alone, participated in 51 air battles and personally shot down 6 enemy aircraft ... Amet-Khan Sultan is a thunderstorm fascist air pirates. One name "Amet-Khan Sultan" confuses the fascists. Amet-Khan is a bright personification of the Soviet ace. "

Amet-Khan enthusiastically greeted the news of the liquidation of the Stalingrad group German troops, and then about the beginning of the offensive of our armies of the Southern Front.

Amet-Khan showed courage and courage in an air battle on March 25, 1943, when the battle for the liberation of the Don and the North Caucasus had already begun. The squadron commander led the four "Jacob" that flew to intercept enemy bombers. In the Keisu area, they met about 40 Junkers, which were covered by 6 Messers. Ahead dense formation enemy aircraft was a flagship bomber painted white.

Amet-Khan swiftly attacked the leading fascist from above. From 150 meters he opened fire and fired until he came close to him. The blow was accurate, "Junkers" caught fire, and a few seconds later exploded in the air. Seeing this, a group of enemy aircraft scattered, began to randomly leave to the west. They did not succeed in dropping bombs on the target.

When Amet-Khan left the attack and gained altitude, he noticed 2 Messers. Without delay, entered into battle with them. Fascist pilots tried to approach the Yak from different sides. But Amet-Khan continuously maneuvered, did not lose the advantage in height and fought offensively. The enemies left with nothing.

Amet-Khan, returning to the airfield, tried to stay higher. He always taught his pilots not to forget that enemy fighters can be encountered at any time. It happened this time as well. Not far from the airfield, he noticed 2 Me-109s, which were on a collision course below their group. Having dived into the leading "Messer", Amet-Khan set it on fire.

The immortal feat in that battle was performed by Senior Lieutenant Pyotr Korovkin. When he ran out of ammunition, he came close to the "Junkers" and hit him with the left plane of his car. The bomber fell to pieces. However, the brave Korovkin also died. He was buried at the Frunze airfield. Now, on that place, a park has been broken, in which an obelisk has been erected in honor of the heroes - pilots of the 9th Guards Regiment: Ivan Serzhantov, Pyotr Korovkin and Ivan Kupava, who fought in the fiery sky of Rostov.

"Height is the key to victory," Captain Amet-Khan wrote in a newspaper article of the Guard 3 days after the battle. - Anyone who is higher can dive into an enemy plane at any moment and, having developed a high speed, reach it. From a height it is more convenient to look around and conduct aimed fire. "

Fascist aviation with systematic raids on the Don crossings threatened to disrupt the advance of our troops. The front commander demanded to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the crossing. Shestakov's order was laconic and short: "The crossing must act!" Equally short was Amet-Khan's affirmative answer: "The crossing will operate!"

At dawn, a group of 10 "Airacobras", led by Amet-Khan, flew to the area of ​​the crossing. Visibility that day was excellent - "a million in a million," as the pilots said. We gained an altitude of 4500 meters and formed a battle formation. We were already in the air for about half an hour when Amet-Khan noticed 3 groups of enemy aircraft following to the crossing from the Azov Sea. They walked like a parade. Ahead 20 "Heinkels-111", behind them - the same number of "Messerschmitts-110", and another 20 "Heinkels" closed the line. Cover fighters were not visible ...

Amet Khan decided to attack without delay. The distance between our fighters and the fascist bombers was decreasing with every second. The squadron commander, making a U-turn, commanded: "Attack!" - and rushed at the enemy. Followers rushed after him. The Nazis opened barrage from machine guns installed in the tail of the aircraft. Coming at close range, the Guardsmen gave the first short burst to the enemies. Four Heinkels were immediately out of order. Amet-Khan climbed again over a group of bombers, and after the second strike, 2 more Heinkels went to the ground. In the third attack, two more enemy bombers were shot down one after the other. In great confusion, the enemy planes turned and went towards the sea, without dropping a single bomb on the crossing.

Pressing on the closing "Heinkel", Amet-Khan felt how the engine of his plane began to lose the rhythm of normal operation, and then began to fail altogether. The pilot was busy with one thought in those seconds: if only the engine did not stall, if only to get the fleeing plane. He succeeded. A long fiery arrow pierced the fascist bomber.

Amet-Khan left the battle, transferring command to his deputy, but he could no longer reach his airfield. The damaged engine stalled, and the squadron commander landed the car in the field.


By evening, Amet-Khan was already in his regiment and, having told his friends about the battle, he immediately unloaded the clip of his pistol into the air with the traditional salute "For the Living."

* * *

In August 1943, in connection with the transition of parts of the Southern Front to the offensive, the regiment took part in the battles to break through the German defenses on the Molochnaya River and liberate Taganrog.

On August 20, 1943, Guard Captain Amet-Khan Sultan shot down 2 enemy bombers near Kalinovka.

And the next day, having taken off at the head of 6 Airacobra planes to cover his troops in the Kalinovka-Dmitrievka area, Amet-Khan met 12 Ju-88 bombers in the Uspenskaya area at an altitude of 4000 meters. Having given the command "Attack in the frontal!", Amet-Khan, Golovachev, Safonov shot down one "Junkers", the rest of the fascist planes in confusion began to drop bombs over their territory.

At this time, the second group of bombers approached - 15 Non-111 - which our pilots attacked with a four from behind. As a result, Amet-Khan and Golovachev shot down one more Heinkel, which caught fire and fell in the area of ​​Uspenskaya ...

Having shot down 6 enemy aircraft and not having their own losses, Amet-Khan's group returned to its airfield.

The front commander, Colonel General F.I.Tolbukhin, who watched this battle, ordered to award the hero - pilot and brave commander Amet-Khan Sultan with the Order of the Red Banner.

"By a personal example of courage and heroism, - stated in another representation of the command, - he taught his flight crew to mercilessly destroy the enemy."

Then there were new battles, heavy and bloody ...

On August 24, 1943, the regiment received the joyful news that the squadron commander of the Guard, Captain Amet-Khan Sultan, had been awarded the high rank of Hero of the Soviet Union, and a week later, on August 31, in correspondence from the Southern Front, published in the Pravda newspaper, he was among the best air heroes. battles over Taganrog, the name of the Hero of the Soviet Union of the Guard Captain Amet-Khan Sultan was named.

Luck has always accompanied the squadron commander, and not only in air battles. It happened that Amet-Khan got into exceptional situations and got out of them with honor. One of these cases occurred in the area of ​​the Kiligey khutorov, in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. Here is how V.D.Lavrinenkov writes about him in his book:

“On that day, a stormy wind blew from the sea. When Amet-Khan and Borisov, having passed over the airfield, went on, we thought that the pilots wanted to take a closer look at the terrain, take everything into account before landing. But after a few minutes we saw not 2 and 3 planes heard gunfire, and the third was a small German monoplane, it flew so low that we could see how difficult it was to fight against strong winds.

Amet-Khan pressed on the monoplane, releasing short bursts in its direction. Pressing the fire to the ground, the Nazi pilot went to land, and from fright did not notice the airfield under him and landed right in the field.

At the same moment, Amet-Khan's "Airacobra" turned towards the airfield. And after a few seconds, she touched the ground with three wheels, dampened the speed and taxied to the headquarters building. Amet-Khan, excitedly excited, jumped off the wing and, smiling, walked towards me.

Take a gift, buddy! The Fizler - Storch pilot never dreamed of such a thing! I was probably flying to Evpatoria, and I put him on the Lavrinenkov Peninsula ...

Lucky you, Amet-Khan! Happiness not only goes, but flies towards you.

Well, this, Volodya, how can I say ... If I had not chased after him - the devil with two he would have been here! But by the way - it's done. Go! - already calmly finished he, heading for the car, which was not far away in the shelter. "

Back in early 1943, the commander of the 8th Air army set before the aviators the task of mastering free hunting flights as one of the most effective ways to combat the enemy. The guardsmen unanimously responded to this call, from the very better side proved himself in the free hunt Amet-Khan.

"If you want your name to become as glorious and honorable as the name of Amet-Khan, follow his example, listen to the advice he gives to hunter pilots," the army newspaper wrote about him. Amet-Khan said: "Hunting is my favorite pastime. There is where to show your abilities, knowledge and experience ... during the" hunt "the pilot should try to see everything, and he himself should remain unnoticed ... Attack the enemy when he is smaller everything awaits your attack. When meeting with an air enemy, own the height and remember: who is higher, he wins. "

Here are just a few examples of Amet-Khan's free hunting flights.

On January 24, 1944, operating in the Nikopol direction, 4 Air Cobra planes flew out to hunt in the area of ​​the Turkalli station. There they found a train containing 18 fuel tanks. The attack was carried out on the tanks, as a result of which there were 4 hotbeds of fire. A second raid was made after 50 minutes. The leader of the four was Amet-Khan. The echelon was already dispersed. Then, for greater safety, Amet-Khan, stretching the line of aircraft along the front, launched 2 attacks on the remaining tanks, 6 of them caught fire. Acting decisively, the pilots inflicted great damage on the enemy with small means.

On February 8, Amet-Khan, at the head of a group, flew into the area of ​​operation of our troops pursuing the retreating enemy on the right bank of the Dnieper. In the Borislav area, 2 enemy groups were found: 3 Junkers and 6 Heinkels, and attacked on the move. As a result of a short battle, Amet-Khan destroyed one bomber. After that, the flight was continued, and the pilots found a column of enemy troops moving along the road. During the attack, the group destroyed over 20 soldiers and officers.

On March 19, 1944, 2 "Airacobras" from the squadron of Amet-Khan took off for a free hunt in the area north of Odessa and found a cluster of aircraft at an enemy airfield. The squadron commander decided to strike at the enemy with an assault. However, the flight to attack the airfield on the same day had to be postponed due to snowfall.

In the morning of the next day, Amet-Khan sent a couple of hunters for additional reconnaissance, who confirmed the previously received information. And then 6 "Airacobras", led by Amet-Khan, flew off to attack. According to his plan, the group was divided into two: a shock one of 4 aircraft, which he himself led, and a pair of Guard Senior Lieutenant Kireev who was covering.

The blow was sudden. Amet-Khan's four made several attacks, Kireev's pair, patrolling at an altitude of 600 - 800 meters, reliably covered the strike group. 3 Ju-52s and 3 He-111s were destroyed. Buildings and equipment were on fire at the airfield.

Returning from the assignment, Amet-Khan vigilantly surveyed the space. Noticing a steam locomotive on the railway line, the air hunter attacked and damaged it.

* * *

1944 was remembered by Amet-Khan for the fact that the regiment participated mainly in the offensive operations of our troops, and this left a special imprint on the combat actions of the pilots. The fascists were no longer so confidently fighting in the air, and our pilots gained experience, determination and strength.

Amet-Khan and his "eagles" were believed, hoped for and admired by the best pilots - attack aircraft of the front.

"... In the Crimea, the Nazis," writes the brave attack aircraft, twice Hero of the Soviet Union MG Gareev, "had a lot of equipment, artillery, including anti-aircraft, and aircraft. Without cover fighters it was unsafe to appear in the sky. to carry out combat missions, we flew under the cover of the squadron of the Hero of the Soviet Union Amet-Khan Sultan. The glory of the feats of arms of this pilot resounded all over the front. Stories similar to legends were told about him. Our people admired him, and the Nazis were afraid of him like fire. Khan Sultan was masterful, he loved height, speed and accurate strike ... Both in battle and in life, I really wanted to be like this wonderful person. "

No less flattering reviews about the high combat qualities of Amet-Khan Sultan and his pilots came in the days of fierce battles for the Crimea and from bomber pilots. So, the command of the 6th Guards Bomber Aviation Taganrog Division wrote to the commander of the 6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division:

"... The personnel of the division expresses their gratitude and thanks your fighters for the excellent provision of cover for our bombers - they did not allow a single loss of bombers from enemy fighters, and especially when the formation of bombers stretched out after bombing during anti-aircraft maneuvers, as well as individual lagging aircraft , knocked out by enemy anti-aircraft artillery fire, were reliably provided with cover. An example of this is: Hero of the Soviet Union Guards Major Amet-Khan Sultan repulsed the FV-180 attacks on the lagging Pe-2 Guards Captain Paliy, accompanied him until the landing ... "

In his memoirs about the heroes - fellow soldiers, twice Hero of the Soviet Union A.V. Alelyukhin writes:

“Amet-Khan Sultan was especially famous. He was tireless in work, courageous in battle, courageous in making decisions. I remember one of his battles in 1944, when Amet-Khan's six covered the actions of attack aircraft, twice Hero of the Soviet Union Musa Gareev.

Stormtroopers made a second approach to the accumulation of Nazi tanks. At this time, 12 dark dots appeared over the horizon.

Prepare for battle! - Amet-Khan gave the command.

He believed in his fighting friends and boldly went to the leader. The constant friend is nearby - Ivan Borisov. An experienced pilot turned out to be the leader of the fascist fighters. He not only defended, but also attacked. And yet, Amet-Khan managed to deceive the enemy and catch him in sight. The German fell into a tailspin and crashed into the ground.

Amet-Khan looked around, made a slide. The stormtroopers continued their work. Fascist fighters were bound by the battle. But what is it? My heart went cold: a Nazi joined the tail of Borisov's car. Amet Khan threw his fighter down.

The fascist managed to fire only one round, as at the same second he began to smoke, having received a portion of lead from Amet-Khan. A friend's life was saved. "

Flying in the Crimean sky, he could not resist not to pass over his native Alupka. From the air, the resort town was as in the palm of your hand and seemed very small, as adults remember their native places, who left them in childhood. Everything seemed to be the same. Here is a narrow street. And here is the painfully familiar house with the steps, along which he once took his first steps, and it seemed that someone ran through the yard, but it was difficult to make out, although Amet-Khan was passing right above the roof of his home.

A few days later, when Crimea was already free, Amet-Khan invited all his fellow soldiers to his place in Alupka. We arrived together with the regiment commander Morozov in 3 cars. As soon as the car stopped, Amet-Khan jumped out of it and ran towards his father and his mother, who was hurrying after him. Amet-Khan picked up his mother, sobbing with joy, and carried her into the house. The pilots froze, watching this touching and joyful picture.

For questions and stories, this feast, rare for front-line soldiers, passed. But the general joyful mood was burst with notes of heavy memories of the days spent under the yoke of the Nazis. The father was trying to tell his son about it in detail, but his mother held him back: "Not about that, father, you say, we'd better listen to our son."

Relatives, acquaintances and unfamiliar residents of Alupka reached out to the house. Everyone wanted to hug the hero - a fellow countryman.

When the guests went out into the courtyard, an enthusiastic crowd was waiting for them. They picked up Amet-Khan in their arms and with the words: "Glory! Glory!" started pumping it. Then they also praised his friends - fellow soldiers ...

* * *

In the spring of 1945, Amet-Khan was appointed to the post of assistant regiment commander for airborne rifle service.

When there were fierce battles on the outskirts of Berlin, Major Amet-Khan Sultan of the Guards was introduced for the second time to the high rank of Hero of the Soviet Union.

It was one of the days of the final battles for Berlin, when Amet-Khan made the 603rd combat mission since the beginning of the war. Beneath him was a fascist treaty blazing in flames. Having the task of blocking the runway of the Tiergarten park, Amet-Khan, while flying over the Tempelhof airfield below himself, found 2 Focke-Wulfs, which were trying to storm battle formations our long-range artillery shelling the Reichstag building. He had the advantage in altitude and immediately attacked the leading enemy aircraft. The second round he managed to shoot down "Fokker". The plane crashed in the center of Tempelkhov airport. The fascist pilot, having thrown himself out with a parachute, landed in the area of ​​the firing positions of our battery, where he was taken prisoner by the artillerymen.


Having shot down the enemy, Amet-Khan sat down at the central Berlin airfield at a time when there was still shooting around.

I go in for a landing and I'm not sure yet, ”Amet-Khan recalled,“ ours or the Germans are in charge of the airfield. He sat down, but did not turn off the engine just in case. I look, our infantrymen are running towards the plane. The first, barely running up to the plane, shouted joyfully: "Ours, ours!" Before I had time to look back, I found myself in the arms of our soldiers, with tears of joy kissing the red stars on my plane. It's impossible to forget ...

* * *

Amet Khan could not imagine his life without the sensation of flight and sky. And when the question arose of how to live after long and hard years war, he chose the sky and aircraft - he became a test pilot.

He really "taught to fly airplanes", year after year increasing the number of machines he had tamed. By the 15th anniversary of his test work, he tested more than 100 types of aircraft.

In a relatively short period of time, he became one of the country's leading test pilots. He devoted a quarter of a century to testing.

The country's aviators and workers of the aviation industry warmly celebrated the 50th anniversary of the remarkable pilot.

"Dear friend! - wrote his associates, test pilots known throughout the country, - your name is rightfully mentioned in the top ten of the most famous names of test pilots ..."

Addressing the hero of the day, the leaders and employees of the A.N. Tupolev Design Bureau wrote:

"We know you not only as a great pilot, your work is an example for all of us, we know you as a modest, energetic, youthful agile and excellent person, and therefore, admiring your professional qualities, we express our sincere love to you."

General and chief designers, hundreds of engineers, pilots, workers and engineers and technicians sent their greetings to the hero of the day.

Amet-Khan was in his prime of strength and energy when death overtook him at a combat post.

In one of his addresses to former fellow soldiers, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General of Aviation V. D. Lavrinenkov wrote:

"I remember twice the Hero of the Soviet Union Amet-Khan Sultan - a man of extraordinary courage. He was for all of us the personification of a pilot who embodied best features Soviet air fighter. He was distinguished by an extraordinary love for flying, nothing, as they say, could knock him out of the "saddle" - the cockpit. And all of us, his fighting friends, like great sorrow received the news that our Amet-Khan Sultan died in the line of duty. He remained faithful to his military duty to the end, his memory will always live in our hearts, it will serve the cause of educating the young generation of aviators. "

Busts of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, laureate of the State Prize and Honored Test Pilot of the USSR Amet-Khan Sultan have been installed in Alupka and Makhachkala. Many schools are named after him. And in the town of Zhukovsk near Moscow, the street - the continuation of V.P. Chkalov Street - is named after him and it leads to the place from where these great pilots went into the sky.

(From the book by Dmitry Yakovlevich Zilmanovich - "On the Wings of the Motherland". Alma - Ata, 1985.)

Soviet military pilot, guard major, honored test pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1943, 1945).


Amet-Khan Sultan was born in the city of Alupka, now the Yalta City Council of the Republic of Crimea, in a working class family. Father - Lakets (originally from the village of Tsovkra in Dagestan), mother - Crimean Tatar. Member of the CPSU since 1942. In 1937 he graduated from the 7th grade and entered the railway school in Simferopol. After graduation, he worked as a mechanic in a railway depot in Simferopol. At the same time he studied at the flying club, which he successfully graduated in 1938.

In the Red Army since February 1939. In 1940, after graduating from the 1st Kachin Red Banner Military Aviation School named after A.F. Myasnikov, with the rank of junior lieutenant, he was sent to the 4th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Odessa Military District), stationed near Chisinau. He flew on airplanes I-15 and I-153. Met the war in Moldova.

In the great Patriotic war

Already on June 22, 1941, the junior pilot of the 4th Fighter Aviation Regiment, Amet-Khan Sultan, flew several sorties on an I-153 fighter to reconnoitre and attack the advancing enemy. In the fall of 1941, it covers the sky of Rostov-on-Don. In the winter of 1942, the regiment was retrained for the Hurricanes.

Since March 1942, the 4th Fighter Aviation Regiment has been part of the air defense of the city of Yaroslavl. Here Amet-Khan Sultan won his first aerial victory. On May 31, 1942, having used up all the ammunition in the attacks, he rammed the enemy Junkers-88 bomber, hitting it with the left plane from below. On impact, Amet-Khan's Hurricane got stuck in a lit Junkers. The pilot managed to get out of the cockpit of his plane and use a parachute. For this feat, Amet-Khan was awarded a personalized watch and was awarded the title of an honorary citizen of the city of Yaroslavl.

In the summer of 1942, Amet-Khan fights near Voronezh on a Yak-1 plane, and since August 1942 on a Yak-7B plane he participates in the Battle of Stalingrad. Here he established himself as a recognized ace and was included in the 9th Guards IAP, a kind of national team of Soviet pilots created to counter the German aces. In addition to him, this group included recognized aces: future twice Heroes of the Soviet Union Vladimir Lavrinenkov, Alexey Ryazanov, Ivan Stepanenko and future Heroes of the Soviet Union I.G. Borisov and B.N. Eremin. At Stalingrad, Amet-Khan was shot down and escaped a second time with a parachute.

In October 1942, Amet-Khan Sultan became the commander of the 3rd air squadron of the 9th GIAP, in which he fought until the end of the war.

After retraining to "Aircobra", he takes part in the liberation of Rostov-on-Don, in fierce air battles in the Kuban, in the liberation of Taganrog, Melitopol, and Crimea. In January 1944, together with his wingman, Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Borisov, Amet-Khan forced the German communications plane Fieseler Fi-156 "Stork" to land at his airfield. After a brief acquaintance with the cockpit of a car unfamiliar to him, he made an independent flight on it. After resting in the summer of 1944 and switching to a new La-7 fighter, Amet-Khan fights in East Prussia, participates in the capture of Berlin.

Major Amet-Khan Sultan spent his last air battle on April 29, 1945 over the Tempelhof airfield located within Berlin, shooting down the Focke-Wulf 190.

In total, during the war, he made 603 sorties (of which 70 were for attacking enemy manpower and equipment), conducted 150 air battles, in which he personally shot down 30 and as part of a group of 19 enemy aircraft.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 1136) to the squadron commander of the 9th Odessa Red Banner Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, Captain Amet-Khan Sultan, was awarded on August 24, 1943. The second Gold Star medal was awarded to the Assistant Commander for the Airborne Rifle Service of the same regiment (1st Air Army), Guards Major Amet-Khan Sultan on July 26, 1945.

Post-war career

After the end of the war, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, all the aces pilots were sent to study at the academy. Since August 1945, Amet-Khan has been a student at the Air Force Academy in Monino. The study was very difficult, the lack of education made itself felt. And at the beginning of 1946, the pilot submits a report in which he writes: “Soberly weighing the level of my knowledge, I do not see the possibility of further study. Therefore, I ask you to expel me, because I am not sure that I will survive five years of study at the academy. " His report was approved, and in April 1946, Lieutenant Colonel Amet-Khan Sultan was transferred to the reserve.

However, the pilot could not live without the sky and therefore with all his might he tried to return to the flying profession. For a long time he did not succeed. The fault was his nationality [source not specified 153 days] (in the questionnaires he indicated that he was a Tatar), since at that time the Crimean Tatars were accused of aiding the Nazis and evicted from their homes. But thanks to the support and help of fighting friends in February 1947, Amet-Khan Sultan became a test pilot at the Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky. In 1956, together with a number of former party and Soviet workers of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Amet-Khan Sultan signed a letter requesting the rehabilitation of the Crimean Tatars, sent to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine.

In a short time he became one of the best testers. In 1949 he was awarded the third class of a test pilot, in January 1950 - the second class, and in September 1952 Amet-Khan Sultan became a test pilot of the 1st class. He successfully performs a variety of tests.

In June 1949, together with I. Shelest, on a Tu-2 plane, he carried out the country's first fully automatic refueling in the air.

At the end of 1949, Ya. I. Vernikov and Amet-Khan Sultan perform the first flight on an experimental all-weather two-seat fighter-interceptor of the A. I. Mikoyan I-320 ("R-2") design bureau and in 1949-1950 carry out its factory tests ...

In 1951-1953, Amet-Khan, together with S. N. Anokhin, F. I. Burtsev and V. G. Pavlov, carried out full tests of the manned analogue of the KS projectile ("Kometa-3"). The analog aircraft (it was called K) was designed to test the projectile aircraft of the air-to-ship type KS in a manned mode. The analogue was suspended under the Tu-4KS aircraft, the carrier aircraft gained 3000 meters, after which it uncoupled the analogue aircraft. Already in free fall, the automatics turned on the engine, and the projectile plane flew towards the target. During tests on this topic, Amet-Khan performed the first K flight from the ground (January 4, 1951), the first launch from a carrier aircraft (in May 1951) and a large number of flights with a detachment from the carrier aircraft. After one detachment, the engine of the projectile did not start immediately, and only thanks to the endurance of Amet-Khan, who did not leave the car, but continued attempts to start the engine (which were successful only at the very ground), the prototype was saved. For carrying out these tests, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the Stalin Prize of the 2nd degree in 1953.

Many flights were performed by Amet Khan to test ejection systems from various aircraft. On November 12, 1958, during the tests of the ejection seat for the Su-7 and Su-9 aircraft by the test parachutist V. I. Golovin, the powder cartridge of the catapult firing mechanism exploded on the MiG-15UTI aircraft. The aircraft's fuel tank was punctured, both cabins were flooded with fuel, and there was a threat of fire. V. I. Golovin could not leave the plane due to the deformation of the ejection seat. In this situation, Amet-Khan Sultan decided to land the plane. The landing was flawless and the life of a comrade was saved.

On September 23, 1961, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the title "Honored Test Pilot of the USSR" (badge number 38). During his flight work, he mastered about 100 types of aircraft, his flight time was 4237 hours.

The famous pilot lived in the city of Zhukovsky, Moscow region. On February 1, 1971, Amet-Khan Sultan died while performing a test flight at the Tu-16 flying laboratory, designed to test a new jet engine. Buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery.

Awards

2 Gold Star medals

3 Orders of Lenin

4 Orders of the Red Banner

Order of Alexander Nevsky

Order of the Patriotic War 1 degree

Order of the Red Star

Order of the Badge of Honor

Memory

Streets in Alupka, Volgograd, Zhukovsky, Makhachkala, a square and aero club in Simferopol, a mountain peak in Dagestan are named after him.

Also in the city of Zhukovsky, on the street named after him, a monument is erected - a pilot standing on the wing

A bronze bust of the famous pilot was installed in his hometown of Alupka, as well as in Makhachkala.

Makhachkala Airport named after Ahmed Khan Sultan

On the 34th kilometer of the Ostryakovo - Evpatoria line, the Amet-Khan Sultan platform is located

On February 1, 1971, during a test flight of the Tu-16 LL flying laboratory, test pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel Amet-Khan Sultan, died.

In the life of any person, there are enough secrets, oddities and coincidences, both happy and unhappy. But if for a “simple” person all these “oddities” remain with him, far from always turning into stories to friends and relatives, then for people “famous”, whose life becomes the property of the “general public”, such facts turn into whole legends, are often used for "political" and sometimes for completely speculative purposes. There are enough such facts and "oddities" in the life of the hero of this article. It is even stranger when, when huge amount papers accompanying a person throughout his life, from its first minute to its last, various legends appear, which then begin to lead their "life", wandering from one literary source in another. Getting to the true documents is sometimes very difficult. This is how various interpretations of events and their "variants" appear, which are also lacking in the life of Amet-Khan. I cannot say that all the facts presented in the article are true. But the main thing is the person himself and what he really did in life ...

Amet-Khan Sultan (Sultan Amet-khan) (20 (25) .10.1920 - 01.02.1971).

The famous fighter pilot of the Great Patriotic War, at the age of 25, twice Hero of the Soviet Union (08.24.1943, 07.29.1945). He performed 603 sorties, participated in 150 air battles, shot down 30 aircraft personally and 19 as part of a group.

Honored Test Pilot of the USSR, laureate of the Stalin Prize for testing a manned cruise missile model (1953).

He was awarded three Orders of Lenin, five Orders of the Red Banner.

Awarded with ordersAlexander Nevsky, World War I 1st degree, Red Star and "Badge of Honor", many medals. During the flight test work, he mastered about 100 types of aircraft (according to some reports, more than 170), and the total flight time for them was 4237 hours. Honorary Citizen of the city of Yaroslavl, Lieutenant Colonel. Honorary Crimean, Honorary Pilot of France, Honorary Citizen of Melitopol.

Born in Crimea (Alupka), his father is a Lak by nationality, his mother is a Crimean Tatar. The house where he spent his childhood was located on the slope of Mount Ai-Petri.

And immediately, the first oddity. A number of sources mention the date of birth - October 20. In others, with the same confidence, on October 25th.

He received his primary education at a seven-year school. After graduating from the Simferopol Railway School, he worked in a depot. It was difficult, but at the same time he was engaged in the city flying club (founded in 1931). Entered the Kachin Red Banner Aviation School named after A.F. Myasnikov (Sevastopol), and having successfully completed a training course (1939-1940), he was sent to serve in Moldova, where he flew on the I-15 and I-153 fighters.

Kacha. 1939 year. There is a cadet Amet-Khan Sultan somewhere here.

Amet-Khan's fighter regiment, equipped with I-15 and I-153 aircraft, met the war in Moldova. The young pilot entered the battles with the Nazis from the first day of the war. In the fall of 1941, his regiment fought the Germans near Rostov-on-Don. After heavy losses, the regiment was transferred to reorganization and retraining. Now Amet-Khan had to fight in the British "harrikein".

In March 1942, the regiment of Amet-Khan Sultan became part of the air defense of Yaroslavl. The Nazi troops did not reach the city, but enemy aircraft bombed it.

The pilot fought actively. He took part in battles, bombed enemy troops, vehicles and tanks, and military bases on the ground. But the guy felt awkward in front of his comrades, and at every opportunity they made fun of him. Since the beginning of the war, he took to the air 170 times on a combat mission, but he never shot down a single enemy aircraft. But the experience came with time. Success also came.

On May 31, 1942, a pair of fighters, controlled by Amet-Khan and his wingman Strukov, were raised to intercept the Yu-88 bomber, apparently performing a reconnaissance flight. Strukov, immediately after takeoff, had an engine malfunction and Amet-Khan went into battle alone. At an altitude of 7300 m "Junkers" was attacked by them, but in the heat of battle, the fighter fired all the ammunition by. Not wanting to miss the enemy, Amet-Khan rammed the enemy Junkers-88 bomber, hitting it with the left plane from below.Amet-Khan jumped out of an unguided plane by parachute. In the distance, he noticed two people who had jumped out of a German plane.

There is also a frequent description of the Hurricane being stuck in the wing plane of a bomber.

The wreckage of the enemy aircraft was placed on the central square of the city of Yaroslavl. Amet-Khan, for his courage shown in the sky over Yaroslavl, was awarded the Order of Lenin and was elected an honorary citizen of the city. The engraved watch presented to the pilot by the city defense committee read the following words: “To the Lieutenant of the Red Army, Comrade Ametkhan Sultan, who heroically shot down a German fascist plane, on behalf of the Defense Committee of the city of Yaroslavl. 1942, May 31 ".

From that moment on, the pilot's account began to grow.

The military publicist N. Kostin wrote the following about Amet-Khan (the spelling of his surname is as stated in the source): “Once Ametkhan Sultan was summoned by the regiment commander Shestakov and instructed to cover the defense of the crossing, which is of great strategic importance. On the second day of the guard, Captain Ametkhan Sultan with a group of planes takes off to the place. The weather was clear and the visibility was excellent. They reach a height of four thousand five hundred meters. At eleven o'clock, three groups of enemy aircraft were seen flying from the Sea of ​​Azov to the crossing. Ahead were twenty Heinkels 111, followed by twenty Ju 88s and twenty Heinkels 111. As soon as the fascist bombers began to approach the crossing, Ametkhan's team launched an attack. Four Heinkels were destroyed immediately. When the enemy began to evade the attack, the commander of the third pair, pilot Safonov, reported a malfunction of his plane. "Back to the airfield!" - commanded Ametkhan. At that moment, another group of enemy aircraft appeared. Ametkhan and Pavel Golovachev, attacking from above and below, shot down two more Junkers. Another "cadet" was fired upon by senior lieutenant Borisov. Thus, Ametkhan and five of his glorious falcons - Borisov, Golovachev, Malkov, Safonov, Legky destroyed part of the enemy aircraft, the number of ours being ten times greater. None of the sixty German bombers hit the target - the crossing, and the surviving German aircraft were forced to flee. In this battle, only one Soviet fighter was injured, but he also returned to the airfield.

In the evening, the commander of the air force, General Khryukin, in the guards regiment, personally thanked Ametkhan:

- You deserve the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. I am sure the government will honor you with this high honor. Thank you hero!

A month later, on August 24, 1943, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree awarding Ametkhan Sultan the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. "

On April 23, 1943, the commander of the 8th Air Army, Lieutenant General of Aviation T. T. Khryukin, presented him to the rank of Hero of the Soviet Union. The view says:

"Comrade Amet-Khan Sultan made 359 sorties, conducted 79 air battles, personally shot down 11 enemy aircraft and 19 aircraft in group battles.

Has one ramming of an enemy aircraft. In total, he flew 110 sorties on the Stalingrad front, personally shot down 6 enemy aircraft and 7 enemy aircraft in the group. "

For exemplary performance of combat missions of the command, courage, courage and heroism shown in the struggle against the Nazi invaders, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 24, 1943, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal ".

In August 1943, based in Kotelnikovo, which had been recaptured from the enemy, the regiment received new R-39 Airacobra fighters. But during the very first flights, the insidiousness of an overseas gift was revealed: the plane easily fell into a tailspin, from which Lieutenant Klimov and Senior Lieutenant Ershov could not get out ... his place was assigned to ace Anatoly Morozov, to him, an old comrade in military work in the summer of 1941, Amet-Khan approached with a request: "Allow me to try the" Airacobra "in a spin, I will conquer - I will teach others" ...

The entire regiment froze and watched the dangerous rotation of the aircraft falling from a height of 7000 meters. Only hundreds of meters from the ground, the car went into a steep dive and soon rolled down the runway. And then the happy Amet-Khan explained to everyone how to get the capricious car out of the deadly rotation.

In January 1944, Amet-Khan and his comrade, Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Borisov , managed to capture the enemy aircraft Fi-156 "Shtorkh" with a pilot and a duty officer with documents, forcing the Nazi pilot to land on a Soviet airfield. Interestingly, Amet-Khan mastered the captured German communications plane almost immediately, making an independent flight on it. Here, too, there are discrepancies in the memoirs, according to another version, Amet-Khan commanded a squadron that "worked" from the jump airfield and did not fly to intercept, but sent two fighters. But he had already brought the trophy to the main airfield in person, accompanied by two fighters. He figured out the control of an unfamiliar plane in an hour.

One of the sources describes another "non-trivial" event in the life of a pilot.

In March 1944, a German Me-109 fighter flew over their airfield and dropped a pennant with a note. The enemy pilot challenged our best ace to a duel, promising not to fight until Soviet pilot will not gain an altitude of 3000 meters. Such impudence was not expected from the enemy in the 9th Guards IAP. By this time, the pilots of the regiment had already proved to the Germans that they were not bastard either. They reported to the commander of the 8th Air Army Timofey Khryukin. He, without hesitation, ordered Amet-Khan's Amet-Khan's Airacobra to be prepared for departure.

We must pay tribute to the German - he fulfilled the conditions of the duel. Everyone at the airfield remembered this battle forever, although it lasted no more than 15 minutes. "Messerschmitt" and "Airacobra" arranged a frantic merry-go-round in the sky. Writing unthinkable pirouettes, the planes chased each other without firing a single shot. And then a short burst sounded. "Messer" smoked and collapsed in a dive. Later it became known that Amet-Khan knocked down the German ace who shot down 50 of our planes.

Legend or reality? In the list of victories of Amet-Khan, 10.03.44 there is a "messer". The place of victory is indicated "northeast of Ochakov" ...

Amet-Khan Sultan ended the war by flying a La-7 fighter. "The American" Airacobras "are good, but still our horse" Lavochkin "is better!" - summed up Amet-Khan, having mastered the new aircraft. On this machine, he fought in the skies of Latvia and East Prussia, where he shot down 6 more enemy aircraft.

La-7 Amet-Khan, spring 1945

From the end of April, the pilots of the 9th Guards IAP, looking for the enemy, flew over Berlin. German planes, seeing our La-7 from a distance, turned back, and one of their group behaved in a completely strange way: it seemed to give signals that they wanted to surrender. Lavrinenkov with Amet-Khan were surprised, but also glad, led the group to the airfield. The German pilots made a good landing. Apparently, they had to be based here. As they got off the runway, they turned off the engines and raised their hands. Explained: they do not want to continue a senseless war ...

The last victory he won on April 25, 1945 over Tempelhof airfield. Amet-Khan led six La-7s to intercept enemy aircraft. Waiting for the enemy to appear, Amet-Khan patrolled for a long time over the area of ​​the city indicated to him. His flight time was already running out, the fuel was at the limit, when the Fokkers jumped out from behind the clouds. Amet-Khan with the first cannon burst set fire to the leader of the group. The pilot (group commander, knight of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves) jumped out with a parachute, and the wingmen left the battlefield.

The regiment commander, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Guards Major V.D. Lavrinenkov in April 1945, presenting Amet-Khan to the highest award - the title of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, wrote the following report: “Comrade Ametkhan Sultan showed an example of courage and heroism at the front. This high-class fighter pilot, who has fully mastered the art of air combat, has earned the title of one of the best aces in the regiment by his deeds. Ametkhan Sultan, masterly flying the plane, using his tactical superiority, knowing well weak sides Hitler's pilots and all the advantages of enemy technology, won 30 air battles. Comrade Ametkhan Sultan, who showed courage and heroism in the fight against the German invaders, successfully conducted 603 sorties and won them, personally shot down 30 enemy aircraft and 19 in group air battles, is worthy of being awarded the title of twice Hero of the Soviet Union. "

So, taking into account all these merits, on June 29, 1945, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the title of twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

Interesting statistics of victories of Amet-Khan, who flew on different types aircraft.

  1. Hurricane, victories were won in the period from 05/31/42 to 07/23/42. Bombers - 2 (Ju-88 ramming, first victory, Ju-87 in a group), fighters (Me-109) - 1 personally and 10 in a group, Xe-113 - 1 (in a group).
  2. Yak-7, victories were won from 08/23/42 to 09/15/42. Bombers - 3 (Ju-88, in a group), scout - 1 (FV-189, in pair), fighters (Me-109) - 5 in person and 3 in a group.
  3. Yak-1, victories were won from 13.12.42 to 24.07.43. Bombers - 4 (3 He-111, 1 Yu-87), fighters - 2 Me-109.

4. Airacobra, victories were won from 08/20/1943 to 04/24/44. Bombers - 7 (3 Yu-87, 3 Yu-88, 1 Xe-111), transport - 1 Yu-52, fighters - 3 (2 Me-109, 1 FV-190).

5. La-7, victories were won from 01/14/45 to 04/29/45. Fighters - 6 (1 Me-109, 5 FV-190).

Many copies were broken and many opposing opinions were expressed in connection with the nationality of Amet Khan. The problem of the Crimean Tatars itself is not the subject of this material, but this issue cannot be ignored either.

The family of Amet-Khan was directly affected by the tragedy that happened to the Crimean Tatars during the war. The pilot's parents remained in the occupation, and in 1943 the command ordered the partisans to take them to the mainland. However, the parents refused, and the partisans themselves were surrounded by policemen. The group had to break through with a fight. I think there is no need to remind that in the Crimea policemen were not Ethiopians ...

According to one of the versions, set forth in the memoirs of one of the participants in the partisan movement in Crimea, Amet-Khan's mother categorically refused to evacuate, calling her son "giaur" when she was shown a photo of her son in uniform. At the same time, there are memoirs of Amet-Khan's pilot-fellow soldier, Anatoly Plotnikov, who describes the meeting of Amet-Khan and his friends with his parents in 1944 and mentions their cordiality and hospitality. The truth is somewhere near?

Nevertheless, the hero's parents were not touched after the war, but Amet-Khan's brother, Imran, was arrested by the NKVD as a person who collaborated with the invaders. Imran Sultan served in the so-called auxiliary police ...

“I had a famous friend, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Akhmet Khan Sultan. His father is Dagestan, and his mother is Tatar ... Dagestanis consider him their hero, and Tatars theirs.

- Whose are you? I asked him once.

- I am not a Tatar or Lak hero, - answered Akhmet Khan. - I am a Hero of the Soviet Union. And whose son? Father and mother. Is it possible to separate them from each other? "- recalled the Avar poet and public figure Rasul Gamzatov."

In 1956, together with a number of former party and Soviet workers of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, Amet-Khan Sultan signed a letter requesting the rehabilitation of the Crimean Tatars, sent to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine.

It is often mentioned that Amet-Khan's nationality seriously complicated his life after the war. And there are grounds for such statements.

After the end of the war, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, all the aces pilots were sent to study at the academy. Since August 1945, Amet-Khan has been a student at the Air Force Academy in Monino. The study was very difficult, the lack of education made itself felt. And at the beginning of 1946, the pilot submits a report in which he writes: “Soberly weighing the level of my knowledge, I do not see the possibility of further study. Therefore, I ask you to expel me, because I am not sure that I will survive five years of study at the academy. " His report was approved, and in April 1946, Lieutenant Colonel Amet-Khan Sultan was transferred to the reserve.

After several months of training at the academy, Lieutenant Colonel Amet-Khan Sultan filed a report on expulsion and dismissal from service.

It was not about politics and not about the "fifth point" - the combat pilot bitterly admitted that he simply did not have enough education to study at the academy.

In a large number of sources, his expulsion from the academy, his dismissal from the army and for a long time "without heaven" are explained precisely by his nationality. It is more logical to assume that the dismissal is related to expulsion from the academy. Well, not to appoint twice a Hero, a lieutenant colonel as an ordinary pilot, or even a squadron commander? But the post of the regiment commander after the war has already begun to demand an academic education. If you can't grow, go "retire". According to some reports, Amet-Khan did not want to work as a "line pilot" in the Civil Air Fleet. Get a job in a managerial job "on the ground"? No experience, and the "fifth point" could actually play here. Quite a "usual" reaction of a personnel officer of that time when reading a personal file and getting acquainted with the nationality of a "defendant" was a slowly sweating seat of a chair. The author does not insist on this point of view, but he PERSONALLY saw similar phenomena in more "prosperous" years ...

But it's not for nothing that they say that a friend is known in trouble. Thanks to the help of military comrades-in-arms - twice Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Dmitrievich Lavrinenkov, Alexei Alelyukhin, former commander Timofey Timofeevich Khryukin, Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin, aircraft mechanic of the regiment where Ametkhan served, Inna Passportnikova with great difficulty, Ametkhan Sultan is a test pilot at the institute. A new life begins.

Except for the probationary period, on May 17, 1948, Ametkhan was officially hired for a new job.

Four-month visits to high authorities with a request to allow work as a tester ended positively.

In a short time he became one of the best testers. In 1949 he was awarded the third class of a test pilot, in January 1950 - the second class, and in September 1952 Amet-Khan Sultan became a test pilot of the first class. He successfully performs a variety of tests.

Initially, he works on gliders, then tests new ejection systems on jet and fighter aircraft Yak-15, Yak-25, MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, ISM-1, La-15, soon switches to heavy aircraft Tu-4, Tu-16, Il-28, Yak-28, An-10a. Ametkhan was the first to lift these and dozens of other planes into the sky, test them and give a start in life.

Most modern aircraft third and fourth generation MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-29, MiG-31. Su-24, Su-27, Su-29 were also tested by Ametkhan Sultan. They entered mass production after tragic death Ametkhan. Even the aces pilots were amazed at how skillfully he tested rockets.

With the work of Amet-Khan as a tester, there is another "story" with an indefinite degree of reliability.The Air Force command decided that test pilots were getting too high salaries compared to other testers. And so that the pilots did not grumble, they "asked" them to write about their agreement on a significant reduction in rates. Amet-Khan wrote, like his comrades, about his consent, but made a postscript: "But my wife is totally against it."

J.V. Stalin showed constant interest in how the creation of the latest species fighters. When he saw the receipt of the famous test pilot, he imposed his resolution: "I completely agree with the wife of Amet-Khan."

... The salaries for test pilots were left unchanged.

In June 1949, together with I. Shelest, on a Tu-2 plane, he carried out the country's first fully automatic refueling in the air.

In the early 1950s, he was entrusted with testing ... an air-to-ship cruise missile. The product (LL-1, LL-2, flying laboratories of the Design Bureau of P.V. Tsybin) was suspended under a Tu-4 bomber and dropped from a height of about 3000 meters. In free fall mode, the automatics started the engine, and the pilot, taking control, planted the rocket. “... The planning angle is like a brick; landing speed, like a meteorite; the fuel supply at landing is for one refueling of a pocket lighter, "one of the test pilots described the flight on such a cruise missile. Even professionals called these people "death row".

During one of the tests, the plane-projectile was dropped earlier than the prescribed time, and the engine was not started. The new car was in free fall, and the command ordered Amet-Khan Sultan to jump immediately. However, the pilot fought to the end, started the engine close to the ground and managed to land the car.

In the late 1950s, Amet-Khan Sultan completed dozens, if not hundreds, of test flights under the program to develop ejection seats for pilots and astronauts. His constant partner was the tester Valery Golovin, who performed the bailout.

On November 12, 1958, on the MiG-15UTI aircraft, in which Sultan and Golovin were, an unauthorized operation of the powder cartridge of the catapult occurred. As a result, the plane was punctured by the tank, and Golovin was caught in an ejection seat. The unpressurized cockpit was flooded with aviation kerosene, whipping so that the dashboard was not visible. A fire could break out at any second, and the flight director gave the command to Amet-Khan to leave the plane.

However, the pilot could not leave his comrade. In completely unthinkable conditions, with the every second threat of fire and explosion, Amet-Khan Sultan landed the plane, managing to save both Valery Golovin and the car.

On September 23, 1961, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the title "Honored Test Pilot of the USSR" (badge number - 38).

When the idea of ​​space flight was finally concretized, about twenty pilots were selected. After that, their composition was constantly changing. Finally, 5-6 people were approved, and intensive preparations began. Along with training on the most complex simulators, centrifuges, pressure chambers, special attention was paid to flights close to zero gravity conditions. It was at this time that Amet-Khan began to conduct training in preparation for the flight of cosmonauts. He lifted the plane to great height and created conditions of weightlessness for the astronauts. Thus, Amet-Khan conducted classes with Yuri Gagarin, Andriyan Nikolaev, Pavel Popovich, German Titov, Anatoly Kartashov, paving the way into space.

In recent years, Amet-Khan often heard from his friends: “Ametka! You will soon be fifty, hasn't it become difficult to fly, maybe you can rest? " Such thoughts sometimes visited Amet Khan himself. But for a person, whose entire conscious life was spent in the sky, it was excruciatingly difficult to give up flying.

October 23. In 1970, the 50th anniversary of Amet Khan was solemnly celebrated. V anniversary celebrations prominent aircraft designers of the country took part. Congratulatory speeches in honor of the legendary ace were made by: on behalf of the team of the Tupolev design bureau - Honored Test Pilot of the USSR Ivan Moiseevich Sukhomlin and Test Pilot First Class Eduard Vaganovich Elyan, from the team of the Ilyushin Design Bureau - Honored Test Pilot of the USSR Yakov Ilyich Bernikov, from named after the team of the Yakovlev design bureau - Deputy Chief Designer Yakovlev Kerim Bekirovich Bekirbayev, from the team of the Mikoyan Design Bureau - Honored Test Pilot of the USSR Major General of Aviation Grigory Aleksandrovich Sedov, from the Sukhoi Design Bureau - Honored Test Pilot of the USSR Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union, from the firm of Academician S. P. Korolev - Honored Test Pilot of the USSR Hero of the Soviet Union Sergei Nikolaevich Anokhin, comrades of Amet-Khan Alexey Ryazanov, Pavel Golovachev, comrades in joint test flights V. Vasin, A. Bogorodsky, V. Podkhalyuzin and other.

The solemn anniversary has become one of the most exciting days in the life of Amet Khan Sultan.Embarrassed by such honors, the pilot thanked everyone for the kind words. And when one of his friends noticed that it was time to pass on the experience to the young, Amet-Khan replied with a mountain parable: “When the old eagle foresees the approach of death, he rushes upward with his last strength, rises as high as possible. And then he folds his wings and flies like a stone to the ground. Therefore, mountain eagles die in the sky - they fall to the ground already dead ... "

None of the friends paid much attention to these words that joyful evening. And Amet-Khan Sultan himself could hardly imagine that this parable would turn out to be a prophecy.

After the holidays, working days come again. 1 February 1971 Amet-Khan embarks on another test flight.

The bus brought the crew to the plane with a nacelle sagging under its "belly", in which an experimental engine was hidden. Special care was required to test it at extreme conditions.

Yevgeny Besschetnov, who several years ago wrote a wonderful story about Amet-Khan Sultan and directly studied the causes of the tragedy, described that terrible picture on the basis of documents:

“According to the recollections of Sergei Anokhin's son, Sergei, who worked there, in the parking lot they met with Ametkhan and, while the preparation of the car for departure was being completed, they stood aside and talked.

- I have never had such a lousy mood, - complained Ametkhan. “I don’t understand why.”

- And you cancel the flight, - Anokhin Jr. advised him. - It's in your rights. Or trade with someone.

- I don't want to start a fuss. I'll fly off, then I'll go home and lie down. It helps me.

Having accepted the plane, Ametkhan Sultan, Evgeny Venediktov, navigator, radio operator and lead engineer took their jobs and took off. Everything was as usual ...

The tragic death of Ametkhan horrified everyone. No one wanted to believe it, because Ametkhan was a pilot who could use the slightest opportunity to save the plane and land it safely on the ground. Hence, there was not a single chance. The flying laboratory was smashed to small pieces - they were so lined in the snow in a wide strip several hundred meters long. Only the tail unit and the rear cockpit, although badly crumpled, retained their shape.

Leading engineer Radiy Lensky, who was in the rear cockpit, was dead. They found him soon. But the front cockpit with the rest of the crew, in general, the nose compartment of the aircraft could not be found anywhere.

Towards evening, as dusk approached, thick snow fell, and the search had to be stopped.

On the fourth day, the snow stopped. One of the oldest employees of the institute, the engineer of the detachment Nikolai Ilyich Filizon, who headed the group of technical staff, decided to look into a young spruce forest two or three hundred meters away from the crash site of the Tu-16. Filizon overcame another ten meters and noticed in the distance, behind the trunks of the trees, the white frosty metal of the casing and the dark glazing. The pilot's cabin! Almost half buried in the snow! The engineer got out into the open, called the rest of the search engines. And now the people cleared the snow near the cabin, got inside.

A grave picture presented themselves to them. Ametkhan remained in the command chair, apparently without making a single movement to save himself. The blow tore off his headset from his head and pushed it forward, the "horns" of the steering wheel lifted the pilot under his stomach, the new jacket he put on on that fateful day snapped on his back in several places, as if someone had cut it with a razor blade. Benediktov, who was on the right seat, was slightly crushed by a pine trunk. Mikhailovsky was cut in half at the bottom of the spine. And Lech Sparrow, who had asked for this flight inappropriately, was intact, only burned ... "

On February 8, 1971, Amet-Khan Sultan was buried with honors at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow. A bust is carved above the grave in granite, next to the stele is the inscription: "Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, State Prize Laureate, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR Ametkhan Sultan."

Along with Akhmet Khan, died: Lensky Radiy Georgievich - leading engineer for testing aircraft engines; Mikhailovsky William Alexandrovich - test navigator; Venediktov Evgeny Nikolaevich - test pilot; Vorobyov Alexey Vasilievich - flight radio operator-test. The crew was supposed to also have the assistant to the lead engineer Vyacheslav Mokrousov, but he was delayed, and the commander decided to fly without him. "

The mystery of the plane crash remained unsolved. According to one version, an experimental engine exploded, according to another, the flaps of the aircraft turned out to be faulty and uncontrollable diverging vibrations began, which led to the destruction of the aircraft in the air.

Streets in Alupka, Volgograd, Zhukovsky, Makhachkala, a square and aero club in Simferopol, a mountain peak in Dagestan are named after Amet-Khan Sultan.

Bust in Alupka on Amet-Khan boulevard

Monument on the Alley of Heroes in Kiev

Also in the city of Zhukovsky, on the street named after him, a monument is erected - a pilot standing on the wing.

A bronze bust of the famous pilot was installed in his hometown of Alupka, as well as in Makhachkala.

Museum in Alupka

Makhachkala Airport named after Amet Khan Sultan

On the 34th kilometer of the Ostryakovo - Evpatoria line, the Amet-Khan Sultan platform is located

Lyceum-school No. 8 of the city of Kaspiysk of the Republic of Dagestan bears his name.

In 2010, a monument to Amet-Khan Sultan was erected in the city of Yaroslavl with the support of local entrepreneurs and businessmen of Dagestan. The monument was erected not far from the place over which in 1942 a courageous pilot rammed a fascist "Junkers", saving the city from the enemy.

Monument in Yaroslavl

AMET-KHAN SULTAN IN THE MEMORIES OF CONTEMPORS

A.E. GOLOVANOV— Air Marshal:

— Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Ametkhan Sultan tested the engine suspended under the Tu-116. The engine exploded in flight. The legendary fighter pilot of the war, the Crimean Tatar, was killed. At home, in Alupka, him during his lifetime there was a monument.

The first Hero was hardly given to him, the second too ... For those tests that he conducted, for each separately, such as Gallay, they received a Hero.

And he was not given ... I think that there was no second such pilot in our country. Of course, neither Pokryshkin, with all due respect to him, nor anyone else can compare with him.

FRANCOIS de JOFFRE — French pilot of the volunteer air regiment "Normandy— Neman ":

— I met my old friend Ametkhan— twice Hero of the Soviet Union, the famous "battering ram king". Do you know what a ram is? This is the highest form of Russian self-sacrifice. pilot, who, having completely used up his ammunition, rushes to the enemy plane and hits it with his car. In ninety cases out of a hundred, this is inevitable death. Ametkhan was lucky and he survived ...

E.V. YELYAN— Hero of the Soviet Union, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR, commander of the first supersonic passenger aircraft Tu-144:

- Ametkhan The Sultan was a pilot who succeeded in everything, no matter what he undertook. Neither I nor anyone else knows such a second tester.

S.N. ANOKHIN— Heroes of the Soviet Union, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR:

— In all my flying life, I have not met a person so generously endowed with talent. Ametkhan was not afraid of any new cars. The work carried out by the Sultan was of exceptionally great scientific value.

A.V. Vorozheikin— twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General of Aviation:

— When the Germans heard the warning: “Akhtung! Ahtung! Ametkhan Sultan is in the sky! "— got lost and, whenever possible, tried to avoid meeting him.

Much has been written about Ametkhan Sultan and much more will be written about him, since his bright life, boundless heroism made his name a legend.

V.D. LAVRINENKOV — twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General of Aviation, Commander of the 9th Guards Aviation Regiment, where Ametkhan Sultan served:

— Ametkhan was never shy in front of the enemy, even if he outnumbered the detachment of his planes several times. He defeated the enemy with ingenuity, cunning, fearlessness ...

Ametkhan knew how to make every flight with the maximum benefit for the cause. And it was no coincidence that the pilots loved to go on a mission with him, they knew that he would definitely find an enemy.

P. GOLOVACHEV— twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General of Aviation, comrade Ametkhan:

— Ametkhan was fearless in battle, infinitely brave and courageous. At the same time, this calculating fighter had a sober mind and could find the most correct solution to successfully complete the battle.

Yu.A. GARNAEV—

— Ametkhan was instructed to be one of the first in the country to test an ejection seat to rescue a pilot in an emergency in the air. At a certain altitude, a strong explosion was suddenly heard, the body of the aircraft shuddered. The next moment, jets of kerosene whipped from the punctured tank into the cockpit— the powder cartridge of the firing mechanism of the ejection device exploded prematurely. The slightest spark was enough for the car to flare up with a burning torch. But Ametkhan managed to safely land the plane and save his comrade from death.

V.P. Vasin— Hero of the Soviet Union, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR:

— Ametkhan- pilot by the grace of God. His biography is unique. They say that everything is learned by comparison. He is not suitable for comparison with anyone. Everything about him was different: both the style of work and the flying acumen.

G.M. Shiyanov— Hero of the Soviet Union, Honored Test Pilot of the USSR:

— This is a pilot of the rarest, enormous talent. For 23 years I was with him. What Ametkhan did would be enough for a few people. Told me that after fifty he would retire. I didn’t leave, I couldn’t. Love for work— the only thing that turned out to be stronger than his own will.

Name: Amet-Han Sultan

Age: 50 years

Activity: military ace pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union

Family status: was married

Amet-Khan Sultan: biography

In the biography of fighter pilot Amet-Khan Sultan, who more than once, risking his life, went to ram, 603 sorties. Enemies, who feared the ace like fire, not in vain gave him the nickname "Black Devil", because in 130 air battles he personally shot down thirty German planes, so it is not surprising that when his squadron took to the skies, the Nazis were horrified.

Childhood and youth

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union was born on October 20, 1920 in the city of Alupka. The pilot's father, Sultan, who is a Dagestani by nationality, was an ordinary average worker, and his mother, Nasibe, a Crimean Tatar, was engaged in housekeeping and raising children. Their home, located at the foot of the mountains, resembled a nest of swallows.


At that time, the ideology of internationalism called for respect for neighbors, therefore, when after the Civil War peace was established on the peninsula, its inhabitants (Russians, Jews, Tatars, Germans, Greeks) built a new life hand in hand.

Amet-Khan, like all seaside boys, from childhood dreamed of traveling to distant countries. In May 1935 in Alupka was held National holiday Hederlez, on which the future pilot won the kuresh fight. The director of Artek, who was present at the event, awarded the talented guy with a ticket to the camp in which the Sultan first saw the plane.

From that moment on, he lived with a dream to climb into the sky. This desire led him to the Simferopol flying club, and later to the Kachinsky aviation school, in which the cadets underwent an accelerated course of study.


The Kachin school was the main one for training pilots in Russia. Amet-Khan quickly mastered the theory of flight, tactics and aerial shooting skills. In addition to flight training, there were also combined arms, combat and physical training, as well as regulations and duty.

From March to December 1939, the young man made 270 flights, after which a record appeared in the pilot's profile stating that the cadet took to the air "with great desire." Amet-Khan passed the final exams successfully. By order of the People's Commissar of Defense of March 5, 1940, he was awarded the rank of junior lieutenant.

The sultan went through the entire war, from the first to last day... The planes changed from the outdated "Seagull" to the famous "La-7", the list of enemy aircraft shot down by it grew, and awards were added. The ace flew many thousands of kilometers, but in the endless space of the war there was only one place to which the soul of the pilot always strove - his native land.


When the Crimea was occupied by the Nazis, in order to raise the spirits of the inhabitants, leaflets were scattered over the villages describing the exploits of Amet Khan, which eventually ended up in the Gestapo. Then the Sultan's parents were saved from being shot only by the fact that their youngest son served in the German commandant's office.

At that time, the Crimean Tatars found themselves at a crossroads - to go to the mountains and fight the invaders, or bend over and go into the service of the Germans. Everyone acted according to their conscience, but most just tried to survive. It is also worth noting that the German propaganda machine worked with sophistication, stirring up nationalist feelings and playing on old grievances, promising to give Crimea to the Tatars for eternal possession.

In fact, the Hitlerite elite planned to turn Crimea into a kind of Gotland and populate it with German colonists, having got rid of the local residents beforehand.

On May 10, 1944, Russian troops liberated Sevastopol. For the first time during the war pilots 9 guards regiment were taken to rest. Then Amet-Khan found out that his parents survived the occupation and that everything is all right with them. The captain was given a short leave to visit his father and mother. The ace arrived in Alupka in two cars, accompanied by friends, with whom he climbed into the sky every day.

On the 17th of the same month, the military broke into the Sultan's house, who were instructed to detain the mother of the famous pilot and, in connection with the decree on the expulsion of the Tatars from Crimea, send her to collection point... Only the help of his son's fighting friends helped Nasiba stay in the post-war Crimea.


After this incident, Amet-Khan's faith in a bright future was shaken. Then the pilot learned that his younger brother had been arrested as an accomplice of the invaders. The Sultan was allowed to see a relative. As wanted to ask Imran a lot, but the questions lumped in his throat when he saw his brother's haggard face.

Speaking at the meeting of the military tribunal, Amet-Khan reminded those present that then it was the Soviet propaganda with leaflets, which spoke of his exploits, that put the family in a desperate situation. It was not difficult for the Gestapo to find his parents, and his brother was simply trying to save his mother and father from being shot. In the future, the Sultan helped and supported Imran in every possible way.

Military service

The beginning of the Great Patriotic War was met by junior lieutenant Amet-Khan in the 4th fighter aviation regiment near Chisinau. In October 1941, the pilot was appointed commander of the 147th Fighter Aviation Division of the Southwestern Front. By that time, the Sultan had already made 130 sorties for reconnaissance and ground attack of enemy troops, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.


In the description of the 21-year-old pilot, compiled in those days, the commanders noted the courage, perseverance and perseverance of the Sultan, calling him a master aerial reconnaissance... Amet-Khan excellently owned the plane, feeling the car as himself.

After Stalingrad, already captain Amet-Khan participated in the liberation of Rostov-on-Don, Melitopol and Crimea. On April 18, 1944, another Order of Lenin was added to the awards, and after another air battle, the Order of the Red Banner. In August 1943, the Sultan was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and in October his military exploits were marked with the second Golden Star.


Throughout the war, the German command most of all feared the Khan-Sultan air regiment, which the Nazis called the Black Devil for his demonic dances in the sky.

Personal life

Unfortunately, there is very little information on the Internet regarding the personal life of a fighter pilot. It is only known for certain that the Sultan was married to Faina Maksimovna, who gave him two sons - Stanislav and Arslan.

Death

On February 1, 1971, Amet-Khan took to the skies in a relatively low-speed Tu-16 serial bomber, converted into a flying laboratory for testing new jet engines. On this day, it was planned to test a new motor.

When the crew started to release the engine, the radio operator informed the "tower" about the beginning of the flight mission. After that, the plane disappeared from the radar screens. The burnt car was found from the helicopter only after a couple of days. As it was established later, the flying laboratory was blown into small pieces right in the air.

The body of the radio engineer who was in the rear of the car was found quickly, but the front cockpit and the bow compartment with the rest of the crew were found only on the fourth day. Amet-Hunt was sitting in the captain's chair. The position of his body indicated that he had not made a single attempt to escape.


By the time of its death, the "Black Devil" had flown 4237 hours, mastered and tested 100 types of aircraft, was awarded two stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union, three Orders of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, orders, the 1st degree of the Patriotic War and the Red Star.

A native of Alupka was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery. Later, a mountain peak in Dagestan, streets in Volgograd, Zhukovsky and Makhachkala were named after him. Also in Yaroslavl, a monument was erected to the hero, and a museum was opened in Alupka.

Awards

  • Gold Star Medal (awarded twice)
  • Order of Lenin (awarded three times)
  • Order of the Red Banner (awarded four times)
  • Order of Alexander Nevsky
  • Order of the Patriotic War 1 degree
  • Order of the Red Star
  • Order of the Badge of Honor


What else to read

Where to go for a swim in the pool Active holidays 148278 If you stay in the city this summer and do not go to the sea, it does not mean that you are destined ...
How to watch fencing in order to understand everything Differences between foil fighting Fencing is one of five sports that are included in the program of all Olympic Games. For the first time in the program ...
How does the epee differ from the rapier and saber? Fencing is one of five sports that are included in the program of all Olympic Games. For the first time in the program ...