Fomchenkov, Konstantin Fedorovich

Born into a peasant family. Russian. He graduated from high school and FZU school. He worked as a mechanic, was engaged in an aero club.

In the Red Army since 1937. In 1939 he graduated from the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation Pilot School.

Member of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940, was awarded the medal "For Courage". On the fronts of World War II since June 1941, the beginning of which Senior Lieutenant Fomchenkov K.F. met with the flight commander in the 145th fighter aviation regiment.

Air battles of the first period of the war, as a rule, were distinguished by a significant numerical superiority of enemy aircraft over Soviet. So it was on the entire Soviet-German front. But the air battle on June 15, 1942 was especially remembered by the pilots of the 19th Guards Aviation Regiment. On the approaches to the city of Murmansk , six Soviet fighters clashed in a hot battle against thirty fascist aircraft. The winged guards, fighting not by numbers but by skill, from the very beginning took the initiative in their hands and foiled the enemy raid on Murmansk. The flight commander Konstantin Fomchenkov shot down one aircraft in person and two, together with the guard, captain I.V. Bochkov.

On June 18, 1942, Fomchenkov’s link flew out to intercept enemy aircraft. West of Murmansk, they met four enemy fighters. In the ensuing battle Fomchenkov from a distance of 100-150 meters attacked and shot down one "Messer." The rest of Hitler's vultures disappeared westward.

In mid-August 1942, the Soviet command decided to bomb the enemy’s targets in the Luostari area. Fomchenkov’s link participated in the operation as a group of escort of bombers. The blow was unexpected and took the Nazis by surprise. When our planes went on the reverse course, German fighters appeared. They tried to attack the strike group of Soviet aviation, but received a worthy rebuff. A short but fierce battle ensued, during which three Messers were shot down. Member of the CPSU (B.) / CPSU since 1943.

Captain Konstantin Fomchenkov, deputy squadron commander of the 19th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Guard, flew 320 sorties by April 1943, according to the award documents, personally shot down 8 and in a group of 26 enemy planes, and according to the research of M. Yu. Bykov - scored 7 personal and 18 group victories ^[1] .

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 24, 1943, for the exemplary performance of command missions at the front of the struggle against Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism of the guard shown to this, Captain Fomchenkov Konstantin Fedorovich was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Golden Star medal " .

Major Fomchenkov K.F., a guard squadron commander, died on February 24, 1944 while performing a combat mission in the Kesteng direction, knocking down a German fighter in his last battle, and being shot down - sending his burning plane to the enemy’s refueling station. By that time, the Soviet ace had completed 351 sorties, shot down 8 enemy aircraft personally and 18 in the group ^[2] .

He was awarded the orders of Lenin (08.24.1943), the Red Banner (08.19.1943), Alexander Nevsky (03.03.1944, posthumous), World War II degree (14.01.1943), Red Star (02.05.1942), medal "For courage ” (05/22/1940).

The ship of the USSR Ministry of Fisheries was named after the Hero.

• Heroes of the fiery years. M.: Moscow Worker, 1976. - Prince. 2.
• Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary / Prev. ed. collegium I. N. Shkadov . - M .: Military Publishing , 1988. - T. 2 / Love - Yashchuk /. - 863 s. - 100,000 copies. - ISBN 5-203-00536-2 .
• Glory to the Heroes of the Motherland! - Petrozavodsk: Karelia, 1985.

• Konstantin Fedorovich Fomchenkov (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ". Date of treatment June 12, 2014.