Mikhail Baranov

Flying a Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter, Baranov claimed his two first victories on 22 and 28 September (Messerschmitt Bf 109s), but no actual German losses match those claims.[3] On 30 October 1941, he intercepted a Henschel Hs 126 on an artillery correction mission escorted by a quartet of Messerschmitts. Baranov shot down both the Henschel and a Bf 109. Later that same day, he shot down a Junkers Ju 88 whose crew was captured.[3][2] Luftwaffe records confirm 40% damage on Hs 126 B-1 W.Nr. 3457 of 3.(H)/32, and the loss of Bf 109F-4 W.Nr.5288 of Oberleutant Walter Höckner (Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 77, an experte with 68 victories), and Ju 88A-5 W.Nr. 4037 of 1./KG 77[4][5]

On 8 November 1941, Baranov again shot down two aircraft: a Henschel and one of the escorting Bf 109s.<[3][2] Shortly afterwards, Baranov was shot down by five Bf 109s and fell, wounded, behind enemy lines. In spite of a broken leg, he evaded German troops and reached Soviet lines.[2] Recovered from his wounds, Baranov added a Ju 88 and a Hs 126 to his score on 24 December 1941 and 17 February 1942 respectively.[3]

Baranov's unit - the 183rd Fighter Regiment of the 269th Air Division) - was part of the 8th Air Army. In mid July 1942 the 8th Air Army faced the brunt of the assault of Luftflotte 4 supporting the drive of the German 6th Army towards Stalingrad across the Don bend.

Among Baranov's daily adversaries were experienced elite fighter units like JG 3, II./JG 52 and I./JG 53, and the Ju 87s of StG 2. On 22 July Baranov claimed a Bf 109,[6] his first victory during the Battle of Stalingrad, followed by a second Messerschmitt on the 24th.[3] On 25 July 1942 the commander of Luftflotte 4, Wolfram von Richthofen, sent the Stukas of I. and II./StG 2, escorted by Italian Macchi C.200 fighters, to suppress Soviet strongholds along the Chir river, and Baranov's 183rd Regiment intercepted. In the ensuing dogfight Baranov shot down a Stuka and a Macchi C.200[3] - probably the Ju 87D-3 of Staffelkapitän of 4./StG 2) and the Macchi of Sottotenente Gino Lionello (21 Gruppo Caccia). Both airmen were injured.[7]

Two days later on 27 July, Baranov claimed three more victories - two Messerschmitt fighters and a Stuka, followed by a third Ju 87 on 4 August, and two Bf 109s on the 5th. At that time his score stood at 21.[8]

At dawn on 6 August 1942 three Yak-1s of 183rd Fighter Aviation Regiment took off to escort Il-2s of the 504th Ground Attack Regiment, bombing targets near Abganerovo. Those aircraft were flown by Baranov and his two wingmen. Almost reaching the target, they encountered two dozen Stukas escorted by four Messerschmitts. Baranov made a head-on attack, shooting down one of the Bf 109s. While his wingmen engaged the remaining German fighters, Baranov pursued the Ju 87s and downed one (the crew was captured), and forced the others to drop their ordnance prematurely. Baranov and his wingmen returned with the Il-2s in time to engage another group of Bf 109s. Baranov shot down two of them, but ran out of ammunition, ramming a third Bf 109. He was wounded in the leg.[2][8][9]

Two of his victims that day can be corroborated - the Ju 87 of 4./StG 2, whose pilot was taken prisoner, and a Bf 109 of 3./JG 53.[9] Other German losses match Baranov's claims, but the Luftwaffe reported them as accidental or downed by anti-aircraft fire.

Baranov not only was a prominent ace, but also a capable leader: inspiring the men of the 183 Regiment to score some 35 victories from 1 July to 8 August 1942; the remaining four regiments of the 269 Air Division (6th, 148th, 254th and 864th Regiments) scored 32 in total. The 183rd Regiment however lost 12 Yak-1s (the whole division lost 47 Yaks and LaGGs).[10]

On 12 August, Baranov received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin. Now a national hero, he made several propaganda tours to front-line aerodromes, training schools and factories to boost moral.