Heroes 20/01/20 9 German planes in one battle: a unique record of Alexander Gorovets
hero of the Soviet Union pilot Alexander Horowitz – the legendary personality. He holds the record for the number of kills in one sortie of the German planes. Unfortunately, the air battle of 6 July 1943, became a fighter pilot the last.
Military biography
Alexander Horowitz is a native of the Vitebsk region of Belarus. When the Great Patriotic war, he was 26 years old, and he worked at the flying club in the town of Shakhty, the Rostov region, after earlier school eventration in Ulyanovsk. After conscription came in flying school, where he taught other pilots, and in 1942 performed combat missions at the front. At the time of death he had the rank of Lieutenant and served as a Deputy squadron commander of the 88th guards fighter aviation regiment (Voronezh front, the 88th guards fighter regiment)
Feat
it was the second day of a Grand Battle of Kursk. Alexander Gorovets, driving single-engine fighter La-5 flew with other pilots of his regiment to patrol the area between the villages of Vladimirovka, Zorinsk yards and ol’khovatka. In this direction the enemy was dealt a powerful blow to the South of Kursk, and for reinforcements from the air on the wing has risen from 20 to 50 bombers Ju-87 (Junkers) under the guise of “Messerschmitts”.
At some point the German fighters overtook the Soviet squadron, returning from a mission. The last group flew Horowitz and Basil Rekunov. The first toward “Messerschmidt”, covering his partner, flew Rekunov, carrying out in conjunction the function of the slave. Horowitz at this time noticed dozens of bombers.
Allegedly, on Board La-5, which was run by Horowitz, the radio didn’t work, and he was able to convey information to other pilots. Therefore, leaving Rekunova to resist the fighters, Horowitz resewed himself to destroy the Ju-87, starting with the flagship aircraft. One by one he shot down enemy bombers with machine gun fire. To combat the enemy, the pilot approached the enemy closely and fired at them. The second downed “Junkers” fell apart in the air, and the third caught fire. The rest of the bombers tried to scatter, but Gorovets, pursuing them, one by one knocked out six “Junkers”. No ammo, and a Soviet pilot made a desperate step – he hit ninth enemy bomber’s tail with their own screw. Ju-87 fell down, and Horowitz flew to the airfield.
However, on the way to the base of the AC attacked 4 German fighter BF-109. La-5 was damaged, so to avoid the Horowitz failed. In the end, one of the queues was in the case of the Soviet fighter, and he upright began to fall to the ground. Horowitz tried to evacuate by parachute, but did not. His plane crashed in the crater made by the explosion, but for many years remained unknown exactly where he fell.
the Posthumous fate
the Posthumous star of the Hero was assigned to Alexander Gorovets 28 September 1943. Of his exploits commanders became known from the words of other participants of the flight.
the Uniqueness Horowitz conducted by air combat was the fact that almost every munition hit the target by maneuvering the enemy. To do this, the pilot had exclusively accurately target long queue. Previously this was considered impossible even in theory.
In 1957 the residents of the village Zorinsk yards dug up the plane Gorovets. Was found the documents in the name of the pilot and other personal items. Hero buried in the same village with honors, and at his death was later a bronze bust.
Modern commentators have expressed doubts about the reality of the feat Gorovets, attributing his glorification of military propaganda. However, serious historians see no reason to deny the truth of the event.
Horowitz was one of the most successful combat pilots of Second mworld war. His record was broken only as the Luftwaffe Erich Rudorffer, who on 6 November 1943, shot down 11 Soviet aircraft. Among the allies the same with Horowitz result 24 October 1944 in the skies over the Philippines has made American David Mccampbell.
Source:
© Russian Seven
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