SCOUTING PILOTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 82, 7 April 1943, Page 2

SCOUTING PILOTS

MUST IGNORE ENEMY BRAVE FIGHTERS TEMPTED (By CAPTAIN VICTOR POPOV) MOSCOW, December 22. Every branch of the Soviet air forces has its written and unwritten regulations, but the most difficult set of regulations to abide by. is probably the one for reconnaissance pilots; I mean that prohibiting these pilots from engaging the enemy. To be, a really efficient reconnaissance pilot one must not yield to that temptation. One can just imagine what a temptation it is when an enemy pilot is within the range of one's machine-guns, but the reconnaissance pilot must keep in check his feelings. His business is not to fight, but to escape. Once our command received information from a German pilot taken prisoner that the Germans had landed a squadron of bombers at an airfield near the town of "B." This had to be immediately confirmed by our command, which was determined to storm the area. I took as my assistant SeniorSergeant Malchenko, a young pilot who had proved his worth in many encounters with the enemy and who had asked me on numerous occasions to allow him to accompany me. "Here's your chance," I told him, "but remember, our duty is to reconnoitre." Dodging in Clouds When we had covered approximately three-quarters of our route 11 Messerschmitts took to the air and followed in our wake. I radioed to my companion: ."Keep near me. Follow my course. . . ." Sergeant Malchenko kept his dig;, tance of eight to ten metres from" me. I dived into some, clouds, changing my, course first—and he repeated my manoeuvre. i then dived out of the clouds, and, glancing back, saw Sergeant Malchenko still behind. A few seconds later the 11 Messerschmitts were there, too. We entered another cloud, again changing our course, but my companion kept close to me. Then I swooped down and observed 40 bombers and 15 Messerschmitts below. We made a 180degree turn and continued on our course toward home. Not far off were our front lines, and I felt more cheerful. Just then I encountered a Henschel 126 flying low, evidently on a return flight after observing our troops' position. I couldn't resist i the temptation, and from a steep dive let loose a long volley. No luck. I sent another and the Henschel crashed. While I was thus engaged the Messerschmitts again appeared. They all but encircled us, and it was lucky for us that there were clouds near by. Finally we made our escape and safely reached our airport. I shall never forgive myself, because that one Henschel very nearly spoiled our whole operation. After our flight our attack planes set fire to those 20 bombers, damaged 20 more and blew up an ammunition dump. Amazing Coolness However, under certain circumstances, the reconnaissance may be forced into battle. I remember one incident in particular that took place on the Stalingrad front. The path of two reconnaissance planes coming toward. their home base was blocked by four Messerschmitts. The Soviet planes attempted to- break through, but couldn't. The pilot in command ordered the other pilot to get away while he would draw off the enemy planes. - . He attacKed one Messerschmitt after the other, and those who witnessed the encounter from the ground were amazed at his coolness and courage and the efficiency of his manoeuvres. Although this commander perished after downing two of the German planes, he entered the battle merely to permit his companion to get away to report to his command the result of their flight.— ' N.A.N.A. and Auckland Star.