Davidkov, Victor Iosifovich

Viktor Iosifovich Davidkov was born on August 4 (17), 1913 in the village of Vasilyevka, now the city of the Zaporizhzhya region of Ukraine , in a working class family. He graduated from seven classes and the school of FZU in Zaporozhye in 1932, after which he worked as a mechanic at the Zaporizhzhya Aluminum Plant . In June 1932 he was called up for military service and sent to the Baltic Sea Forces . However, already in October of this year, Red Navy officer Davidkov was demobilized due to illness. He lived in the city of Rodniki, Ivanovo Industrial Region , worked as a mechanic at the Bolshevik factory.

In 1933, he was re-drafted into the ranks of the Red Army . In 1935 he graduated from the 14th military school of pilots in the city of Engels . At the end of December 1935, he served as a military pilot of the 117th fighter aviation squadron of the 92nd aviation brigade of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District , which was located in the city of Lyubertsy . In May 1938, the entire squadron was transferred to the Primos group of forces of the Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army . In July 1938, he commanded the link of the 40th Fighter Aviation Regiment in the same place. In its composition, Lieutenant Davidkov took part in the battles near Lake Hassan in 1938. Since 1938, a member of the CPSU (b) .

Since April 1939 - instructor in the technique of piloting the 53rd fighter aviation regiment of the Air Force of the 1st Red Banner Army in the Far East . In early 1940, enlisted as a flight commander in the 80th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 9th Army Air Force. He participated in the Soviet-Finnish war from February to March 1940, made more than 30 sorties, mainly to attack enemy troop accumulations and military equipment in battles in the rebol direction. In this war he received his first award - the Order of the Red Banner .

Since March 1940, he served in the 131st Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Air Force of the Odessa Military District : pilot instructor in piloting technique, from April 1941 squadron commander, from April 1941 deputy regiment commander.

He met the Great Patriotic War in this position, in the ranks of the regiment he fought from the first day of the war as part of the 20th mixed aviation division ( 9th Army Air Force, Southern Front ). On July 10, captain Davidkov shot down two German Me-109s on an I-16 fighter in one battle, and the next day another one. He participated in the border battle in Moldova and in the Tiraspol-Melitopol defensive operation . By mid-September 1941, it flew 186 sorties (including 68 for attack and 12 for reconnaissance), in 29 air battles it shot down 6 enemy planes in person and 2 in the group. For these exploits presented to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 6, 1942, for the exemplary performance of command missions at the front of the struggle against Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown to this, Captain Viktor Iosifovich Davidkov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Golden Star medal (No. 850).

On November 1, 1941, after the death of the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Leonid Goncharov , captain Davidkov was appointed acting commander of the 131st fighter aviation regiment (he was later confirmed in this position). At the head of the regiment he fought in the Donbass-Rostov defensive , in the Rostov and Barvenkovo-Lozovsky offensive operations, as well as in the Kharkov battle . Since July 1942, on the Transcaucasian Front, he participated in the battle for the Caucasus . In 1942, a regiment under his command shot down 102 German aircraft, losing 43 of their own ^[1] . The regiment commander himself shot down another 4 enemy aircraft in person and 1 in the group ^[2] . In December 1942 he was sent to study,

In July 1943 he graduated from advanced training courses for commanders and chiefs of staff of air divisions at the Military Academy of the command and navigator of the Red Army Air Force . Since July 1943, he commanded the 32nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment , replacing the former commander of the regiment, Colonel Vasily Stalin . The regiment was part of the 3rd Guards Fighter Air Division of the 15th Air Army and fought on the Bryansk Front . Participated in the Battle of Kursk and the Bryansk offensive operation .

On December 6, 1943, the Guard Colonel Davidkov was appointed commander of the 8th Guards Fighter Aviation Division ^[3] ( 5th Fighter Aviation Corps , 2nd Air Army , 1st Ukrainian Front ). The division under the command of Viktor Iosifovich Davidkov distinguished themselves during the Proskurovsky-Chernivtsi , Lviv-Sandomierz , Sandomierz-Silesian , Upper Silesian and Lower Silesian , Berlin and Prague offensive operations.

During the war, Colonel Viktor Davidkov performed 434 sorties, took part in 50 air battles, in which he shot down 13 personally and in a group of 3 enemy aircraft ^[4] . The literature often indicates a higher number of victories won by him, for example, in the work “The Great Patriotic War. Divisional commanders ”, 21 personal and 2 group victories are indicated.

After the war, he also commanded the 8th Guards Fighter Aviation Division. In August 1947 he was appointed commander of the 11th Koenigsberg Fighter Aviation Corps of the 15th Air Army of the Baltic Military District . Since January 1950 he studied at the Academy.

April 25, 1951 ahead of schedule ^[3] he graduated from the Higher Military Academy named after K.E. Voroshilov , then he was appointed deputy commander of the 54th Air Army in the Far Eastern Military District . Since September 1951, he served as commander of the forces of the Primorsky border air defense region - deputy commander of the 54th Air Army. Since January 1953 - Commander of the 37th Air Army ( Northern Group of Forces ( Poland )). Since November 1959 he was commander of the 76th Air Army of the Leningrad Military District . In 1962-1963 he was on a business trip in Cuba ( Operation Anadyr ). Viktor Iosifovich Davidkov made his last flights on a MiG-21 fighter jet while in Cuba . From August 1963 - again the commander of the 76th VA, from April to July 1964 - the chief of aviation of the Leningrad Military District. Since August 1964 - First Deputy Commander of Long-Range Aviation . Since September 1968 - Deputy Head of the Air Force Academy named after Yu. A. Gagarin for academic and scientific work. Candidate of Military Sciences (1972). He was awarded the title " Honored Military Pilot of the USSR ."

In July 1977, Colonel General Viktor Iosifovich Davidkov resigned. He lived in Moscow .

By presidential decree of April 25, 1995 No. 413, retired Colonel-General Viktor Iosifovich Davidkov was awarded the Order of Zhukov .

He died on July 2, 2001 . He was buried at Kuntsevsky cemetery (plot 10).

• foreman - 12/10/1935;
• lieutenant - 05.25.1938;
• senior lieutenant - 01/13/1939;
• captain - 11/19/1940;
• major - 11/5/1941;
• lieutenant colonel - 01/21/1943;
• Colonel - 02/02/1944;
• Major General of Aviation - 05/11/1949;
• lieutenant general of aviation - 08/08/1955;
• Colonel General of Aviation - 05/05/1960.

• The Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union No. 850 (06/06/1942).
• Order of Zhukov No. 3 (04.25.1995).
• Two Orders of Lenin (11/05/1941, 06/06/1942).
• Four orders of the Red Banner (05/21/1940, 04/11/1945, 11/03/1953, 10/01/1963).
• Order of Suvorov 2nd degree (05/29/1945).
• Order of Kutuzov 2nd degree (11/11/1944).
• Order of Alexander Nevsky (08.30.1943).
• Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree (04/06/1985).
• Two orders of the Red Star (06/20/1949, 08/16/1983).
• Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd degree (04/30/1975).
• Medals.

• Honored Military Pilot of the USSR (08.16.1968)

• Team of authors . World War II: Divisional Commanders. Military Biographical Dictionary / V.P. Goremykin. - M .: Kuchkovo field, 2014 .-- T. 2 .-- S. 510-513. - 1000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-9950-0341-0 .
• V.V. Mєshkov. Davidkov Viktor Yosipovich // Encyclopedia of Ukraine today : [ Ukrainian ] : at 30 t. / NAS of Ukraine , Naukova іm partnership. Shevchenko , Institute of Encyclopedic Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. - K. , 2001—…. - ISBN 944-02-3354-x .

• Davidkov, Victor Iosifovich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ".
• Photo at 40 GIAP