Kamozin Pavel Mikhailovich biography. Aerial pianist - Pavel Kamozin

Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin- Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, fighter pilot, deputy squadron commander of the 269th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 236th Fighter Aviation Division of the 5th Air Army of the North Caucasus Front, squadron commander of the 66th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 329th Fighter Aviation Division 4 1st Air Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front.

Born on July 16, 1917 in the city of Bezhitsa (now a district of Bryansk) in a working-class family. In 1931, he graduated from 6 classes and entered the factory school (FZU), worked as a mechanic at the Krasny Profintern plant (now Bryansk Machine-Building Plant OJSC), and from 1934 studied at the flying club. In the Red/Soviet Army since 1937. In 1938 he graduated from the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation Pilot School.

The Great Patriotic War P.M. Kamozin met in the Kiev Special Military District, transformed into the Southwestern Front. He made his first combat flight on an I-16 fighter on the second day of the war, June 23, 1941. A wound through the foot is a sad result of the future air ace's baptism of fire...

Together with his unit, he is sent to retrain for LaGG fighters, become an instructor, and returns to the front only a year later...

On his first combat flight as part of the 246th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 236th Fighter Aviation Division of the 5th Air Army of the Transcaucasian Front, flight commander, junior lieutenant P.M. Kamozin celebrated with victory! In an air battle in the Tuapse direction, near Shaumyan, he shot down a Nazi Messerschmitt fighter - Me-109, and in the first month of fighting he destroyed four enemy aircraft, among which, armed with four cannons and six machine guns, a Dornier bomber - " Do-217". The young pilot learns combat skills from such a virtuoso fighter as Major D.L. Kalarash, with whom he repeatedly flew on combat missions. And after his death, in November 1942, Kamozin shot down three Messerschmitts at once in one battle: two 109s and a 110...

By the end of April 1943, deputy squadron commander of the 296th Fighter Aviation Regiment, junior lieutenant P.M. Kamozin made 82 combat missions to escort bombers, cover troops, reconnaissance and attack. In 23 air battles, he personally shot down 12 enemy aircraft.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 1, 1943, for the courage and bravery shown in battles with the Nazi invaders, Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 1148).

While in the reserve regiment, senior lieutenant P.M. Kamozin masters the American P-39 Airacobra fighter, after which he is assigned to the 66th Fighter Regiment of the 329th Fighter Division of the 4th Air Army, where he soon becomes a squadron commander. In the very first battle in this regiment, piloting an “airacobra”, P.M. Kamozin shoots down a reconnaissance plane "Focke-Wulf" - "FW-189", but his fighter also receives serious damage from the fire of enemy anti-aircraft guns, the brave pilot lands his plane in no man's land, near the trenches of the military outpost of the Soviet troops. ..

In the battles for the city of Russian glory - Sevastopol, the pilots of the Kamozin squadron shot down 64 enemy aircraft, 19 of which were chalked up by its commander. December 31, 1943 P.A. Kamozin and his wingman Ladykin flew out for reconnaissance. Returning to their airfield, in the area above the village of Seven Wells, they noticed a transport plane escorted by six Me-109 fighters. Kamozin makes a decision - to attack on the move, and at maximum speed rushes towards the target, shooting down a transport plane with a burst of fire... When Crimea was liberated from the invaders, it became known that on board this plane there were 18 German generals who were carrying awards and New Year's gifts for presentation to our soldiers and officers...

By mid-summer 1944, the squadron commander of the 66th Fighter Aviation Regiment, Captain P.M. Kamozin made 131 successful combat missions, participated in 56 air battles, in which he personally shot down 29 enemy aircraft and 13 as part of a group.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated July 1, 1944, Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin was awarded the second Gold Star medal.

On January 20, 1945, squadron commander of the 101st Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, Captain P.M. Kamozin. was performing another combat mission, but due to engine problems, the engine of his Airacobra stalled, and the fighter crashed to the ground... Fortunately, twice Hero of the Soviet Union P.M. Kamozin remained alive, however, he never recovered from the injuries received in this accident... Captain Kamozin celebrated Victory Day of the Guard in the hospital.

During the war years P.M. Kamozin conducted about 200 combat missions, in 70 air battles he personally shot down 35 and 13 enemy aircraft in a group.

After the war, since 1946 P.M. Kamozin is in stock. He returned to his native Bryansk and worked in civil aviation. Conducted social work.

He was awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, and many medals. He was awarded the title "Honorary Citizen of the City of Bryansk". His bronze bust (author - sculptor M.G. Manizer) is installed in the park near the Palace of Culture of Bryansk Mechanical Engineers. Name P.M. Camozin is worn on one of the streets of the city of Bryansk. A Hero Museum has been opened in Bryansk secondary school No. 11.

Literature

• I, Kamozin...Attacking!: photo project by Arkady Kurdikov / A. Kurdikov. - [Bryansk, 2007]. - 34 pp.: ill., portrait.
• Brazhnikova, S. Hero's Anniversary / S. Brazhnikov // Bryansk Crossroads. - 2012. - July 18 (N28). - P. 3.
• Vasenkov, V. Sons fly further / V. Vasenkov // Bryansk worker. - 1987. - January 23.
• Gonetsky, F. Lived to fly! / F. Gonetsky // Bryansk. - 2001. - August 22 - 28 (No. 34). - P. 5.
• Dolgikh, Yu. On guard of peace and socialism / Yu. Dolgikh // Agitator’s Notebook (Bryan.). - 1986. - No. 2. - P. 29.
• Sonorous name// Bryansk worker. - 2015. - November 26 (No. 47). - P.2.
• What he was an ace! // Bryansk worker. - 2017. - June 1 (No. 21). - P.10.
• Kamozin P.M.// Heroes of the Soviet Union: a brief biographical dictionary. - M., 1987. - T. 1. - P. 618.
• Kamozin Pavel Mikhailovich: brief biographical information // Great Patriotic War. 1941 - 1945 : dictionary-reference book. - M., 1985. - P. 199.
• Kuznetsov, A. What an ace he was! / A. Kuznetsov // Bryansk worker. - 2005. - March 15. - P. 3.
• Novitsky, A. What does it mean to live / A. Novitsky // Bryansk worker. - 1985. - May 10.
• In memory famous pilot // New life (Bryansk region, Kletnyansky district). - 2013. - July 30 (No. 61). - P. 2.
• Pereprosova, L. Legendary Kamozin / L. Pereprosova // Bryansk Teachers' Newspaper. - 2017. - June 2 (No. 19). - P.11.
• Polozov, V. S. Kamozin - wing to wing / V.S. Polozov // Bryansk worker. - 2007. - May 18 (No. 72-73) - P. 20.
• Sysoev, S. And they stepped into immortality / S. Sysoev // Agitator’s Notebook (Bryan.). - 1985. - No. 5. - P. 19.
• Faev, Yu. Legendary Kamozin / Yu. Faev // Bryansk time. - 1997. - July 16 - 22 (No. 29). - P. 10.
• Shashkova, A. Kamozin’s Guiding Star / A. Shashkova // Bryansk Teachers’ Newspaper. - 2015. - July 24 (No. 27). - P. 4-5.
• Shkolnikov, L. What they accomplished is immortal / L. Shkolnikov // Agitator’s Notebook (Bryan.). - 1986. - No. 22. - P. 23.
• Fearless air fighter [Electronic resource]. - Access mode: URL: http://www.puteshestvie32.ru/content/kamozin.
• Heroes Countries. Kamozin http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1108.
• Kamozin Pavel Mikhailovich [Electronic resource]. - Access mode: URL: http://www.kray32.ru/bryansk_history009_17.html.
• Reds falcons. Soviet pilots. 1936-1953. Kamozin Pavel Mikhailovich [Electronic resource]. - Access mode: URL:

Of the Soviet fighter pilots who took part in the battles for the Kerch Peninsula from the autumn of 1943 to the spring of 1944, the most famous is the squadron commander of the 66th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 329th Fighter Aviation Division, twice Hero of the Soviet Union Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin. During the war years, he won 34 personal and at least 4 group victories, most of which occurred in the battles for Kerch.

Unfortunately, the pilot did not leave any memoirs, but based on conversations with him, his friend, writer Georgiy Reimers, published a documentary-fiction story “Attention! Kamozin in the sky." In this book and other publications dedicated to the ace, two episodes stand out in particular: the destruction on the last day of 1943 of a transport plane carrying 18 generals and other high-ranking German officers, and the subsequent duel with a German ace, who received the name “Count” in the book. Let's try, based on the surviving archival data, to figure out what is myth and what is reality in these stories.

They say that on New Year's Eve whatever you want...

The documents of the 329th Fighter Aviation Division and the 66th Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was part of it, have been preserved in the archives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and differ from the funds of other units and formations in their enviable completeness. According to them, on December 31, 1943, just after noon, Senior Lieutenant Kamozin, at the head of six Airacobras, flew from Taman on a mission to reconnaissance enemy troops on the Kerch Peninsula. The pilots had to explore the vast area of ​​Zamorsk - Bagerovo - Tarkhan - Glubokaya Balka - Mud Deep - Katerlez - Bulganak.

Approaching the Kazantip Bay, at 12:35, the scouts noticed a German twin-engine transport aircraft of an unidentified type flying towards the Bagerovo airfield at an altitude of 400 meters under the cover of four Messerschmitt Bf 109s: a pair was flying behind, the other two were to the side. A pair of senior lieutenant Pavel Kamozin and his wingman, junior lieutenant Alexei Vladykin, who separated from the Soviet group, attacked the transport ship head-on. Then the Soviet pilots turned around and made two attacks in the tail, firing 10 37-mm cannon shells, 146 large-caliber 12.7-mm bullets and 500 7.62-mm rifle caliber bullets from a killing distance of 20–25 meters.

According to the pilots' report, as a result, the German car crashed five kilometers east of the village of Meskachi (now Pesochnoye, north-west of the Tashly-Yar station, also known as Zeleny Yar). The pilots managed to see the enemy plane burning on the ground, after which they entered into battle with the unwary German fighters, making two attacks on turns. However, being far from their territory and having another task, the Soviet pilots chose not to get involved in a protracted battle and went into the clouds, heading for their airfield.

The main transport aircraft of the Luftwaffe was the three-engine Junkers Ju 52, well known to all Soviet pilots, although the Germans used a whole variety of different machines in this capacity, including captured ones. The fact that the application of Pavel Kamozin and his wingman includes a certain twin-engine aircraft serves as additional evidence of its authenticity.

Since there is no mention of this victory in one of the award sheets for Kamozin, drawn up in January 1944, we can conclude that the victory was not credited to him at first. However, after the liberation of the Kerch Peninsula, allegedly based on interviews with local residents, it was established that 18 German generals and officers with high ranks were flying on the crashed transport plane, who were carrying awards and gifts for the New Year. It’s as if the Germans fenced off the place where the “important bird” fell, didn’t let anyone in, and wore mourning bands on their sleeves for a whole week. Thus, the victory of the ace received not only confirmation, but also fame.

It is now reliably known that in December 1943, not a single Wehrmacht general was killed in the Crimean Peninsula area. Moreover, it seems completely incredible that so many high-ranking officers could fly within the range of Soviet fighters in one plane. If we discard the fantastic legend about the dead generals, then the victory could have a very real basis, given that the Soviet pilots carried out a total of three attacks on the transporter and used up a considerable part of the ammunition. The only alarming thing is the passivity of the accompanying German fighters, who allowed Kamozin’s pair to attack the transport vehicle three times without hindrance. Also, the operational documents say almost nothing about the remaining four pilots of Kamozin’s group, although they could continue to carry out reconnaissance and not see the fall of the German transport aircraft.

Pilots of the 66th IAP, from left to right: squadron commander Captain Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin, pilot Junior Lieutenant Alexey Vasilyevich Vladykin (cadet photo) and head of the regiment's air rifle service Captain Fyodor Aleksandrovich Kapustik (post-war photo). Kamozin's constant wingman Alexey Vladykin was a successful pilot who, at the time of his death on January 12, 1944, had won five personal victories and one in a group; Fedor Kapustik had 10 personal victories by the end of the war

It is curious that in the end the personal victory was chalked up to Senior Lieutenant Kamozin, although in fact he attacked and shot down an enemy vehicle together with his wingman, Junior Lieutenant Vladykin. As for the surviving German data on losses, a suitable transport or other similar aircraft in the right area and on the right date does not appear in them. Perhaps the attacked German vehicle only received minor damage and landed safely, so it was not included in the list of losses, or the loss was included in the reports for 1944, which were far from being preserved in full.

Was there a “Count”?

As Reimers and his colleagues narrate, after the death of a large group of generals, the Germans announced a real hunt for the Soviet pilot and sent an ace from a certain “Goering Diamond Squadron” to the Kerch Peninsula to destroy Kamozin. Describing him, Soviet authors report that previously the German ace shot defenseless women and children from the air in France, bombed Soviet hospitals in Minsk and received personal gratitude from Goering for the mass extermination of refugees on the roads of Ukraine. It seems that comments in this case will be unnecessary.

As one of the aces of the II./JG 52 group, Lieutenant Peter Düttmann (152 victories), recalled, thanks to radio interception, German pilots during the battles for Crimea actually knew the names or call signs of many of their counterparts. However, even with such information, the Germans were in no hurry to single out one of the opponents, and certainly would not have sent a special ace to destroy them. There were enough “experts” in the group of Hauptmann Gerhard Barkhorn (Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn), and in January 1944, with 1000 sorties and 240 victories, he himself was one of the most successful pilots of the Eastern Front. There was no hunt for individual Soviet pilots: in the battles against the 4th and 8th VA, as well as the Black Sea Fleet Air Force, the II./JG 52 fighters had enough other tasks.

Trying to give more credibility to the story of Kamozin and “Count”, some would-be researchers are trying to write down the famous ace Hermann Graf (212 victories) as a victim of the Soviet pilot. Once the most successful pilot of the Luftwaffe and holder of the Knight's Cross with Diamonds, Colonel Graf was certainly a serious rival, but in the winter of 1943–1944 he had no time for the Crimea. The JG 11 squadron he led was part of the German air defense and tried in vain to protect the north of the country from raids by allied bombers

However, let us consider the duel between German and Soviet aces described by Reimers and other authors - after all, according to all the laws of the literary genre, the opponents could not help but meet. In domestic publications, the description of the battle in which Kamozin managed to shoot down an experienced enemy is as follows:

“The squadron commander, noticing the enemy, raised his four to a height of 6500 meters. Yes, “The Count” foresaw a lot. I chose the moment when Kamozin was already returning from a combat mission - which meant he was tired and running out of fuel. He was engaged in an air battle, which means there was little ammunition. The situation was not in Kamozin’s favor, and he could have avoided the fight. But the squadron commander, decisively giving orders to his wingmen, was already in the starting position for the first attack.

Kamozin came up with an original plan for the battle. Kamozin’s wingmen were surprised to see how close the commander passed by the “Count” and how sluggishly he made a combat turn. The fascist was seduced by the ease of prey and rushed after Kamozin. Two reserve planes rushed towards the “Count”, slightly higher than the main flight. The Nazi interrupted the attack and began to defend himself, losing sight of Kamozin.

Without wasting a second, Kamozin gained altitude and, when the “Count” made another turn, he threw the plane into a dive and pulled the trigger. The line was precise and devastating. The fascist plane began to fall apart in the air. This was the end of the “Graf,” the pride of Hermann Goering’s “diamond” squadron.”

An analysis of all the battles of Pavel Kamozin in the Crimea after December 31, 1943 according to the operational documents of the 66th IAP and the 329th IAD makes it clear that the literary episode is fully correlated with a real air battle. It took place on January 27, 1944 over the eastern part of the Kerch Peninsula.

At 15:00, four Airacobras, led by Senior Lieutenant Kamozin, took off on a mission to cover the ground forces of the Separate Primorsky Army in the Tarkhan-Kerch-Bulganak area. Covering the commander's back was an experienced pilot, Lieutenant Alexey Globa, who had recently been appointed flight commander. The second pair was headed by the head of the air rifle service of the regiment, Captain Fyodor Kapustik, who also had plenty of experience: he managed to fight in China in 1937–1938. The only relatively weak link in the small group was Kapustik’s partner, Lieutenant Yakov Kondratyev. He was a pre-war trained pilot, but the instructor of the 11th reserve air regiment arrived at the front as a trainee only a week before the events described, and this was only his 16th combat mission.

The squadron of Pavel Kamozin (in the center) after the end of the battles for Crimea and replenishment. Bogodukhov, Ukraine, summer 1944

At about 15:40, the guidance radio station reported the presence of German “hunters” in the area south of Kerch. Having headed to the indicated area and gaining an altitude of 6000 meters, the Soviet pilots noticed a pair of Bf 109s above them and decided to use a trick. The Kapustik couple went into the sun, and Kamozin and his wingman pretended to be slowly leaving, not noticing the danger. Counting on easy prey, the Messerschmitt pilots began diving after the Airacobra from 7,000 meters. The Kapustik pair, located to the side, fell behind the unsuspecting German fighters, and its leader shot down one Bf 109, which fell burning near the village of Eltigen. The second Messerschmitt was overtaken by the Kamozin-Globa pair and was also shot down. The enemy plane crashed west of Eltigen and was counted as a group victory for both pilots. Both requests were confirmed by the guidance radio station of the deputy commander of the 4th VA, Major General S.V. Slyusarev.

According to surviving German data, on this day both JG 52 squadron groups operating over the Kerch Peninsula suffered at least one loss each. First, in one of the morning battles with pilots of the 57th Guards IAP, Bf 109G-6 W.Nr.140185 was shot down "black 7" from 5./JG 52, and its pilot, non-commissioned officer Ludwig Vogel (Uffz. Ludwig Vogel) was wounded. Captain V. M. Savchenko, as well as senior lieutenants S. M. Martynov and A. D. Kozyrevsky can claim this success - each of them declared victory, but Martynov and Kozyrevsky did not observe the fall of the downed aircraft.

It is more difficult to determine the author of the victory over one of the Messerschmitts of the I./JG 52 group that arrived near Kerch shortly before. According to German data, a pair of Lieutenant Franz Schall (Lt. Franz Schall, 137 victories) and non-commissioned officer Anton Resch (Uffz. Anton Resch) from 3./JG 52, who flew out on a “free hunt”, collided with six Airacobras. The battle ended unsuccessfully for the German fighters: the Bf 109G-6 W.Nr.20581 “yellow 3” piloted by non-commissioned officer Resch received 26 bullet and shell holes, and the pilot himself, who had won 11 victories by that time, was seriously wounded and dropped out for a long time building.

German fighter pilots from group I./JG 52, summer 1944. Far right - non-commissioned officer Anton Resch

Unfortunately, the time of departure of the German pair is unknown, so it is not yet possible to say exactly which of the pilots of the 329th IAD won the victory over Resch. In addition to Kamozin with Globa and Kapustik, several more pilots of the 329th IAD could lay claim to this success: in total, on that day they declared the destruction of seven Bf 109s and one Fw 190, and four more Bf 109s were counted as destroyed. It is quite possible that non-commissioned officer Resch was shot down in battle precisely with Kamozin’s group, but even in this case, Fyodor Kapustik’s claim looks preferable: he launched the first attack, unexpected for the enemy, which most likely hit the wingman Messerschmitt.

Unannounced hunt for Kamozin

Be that as it may, one thing can be said with confidence: Pavel Kamozin did not shoot down the ace nicknamed or last name Count in the skies of Crimea, since this simply did not happen in groups I./JG 52 and II./JG 52. But the Germans had other “experts”, in battles with whom the future twice-Hero himself repeatedly suffered. So, on November 16, 1943, the Soviet ace’s Airacobra was shot down, according to him, by German anti-aircraft guns. The pilot had to make an emergency landing, and the plane was sent for repairs. Perhaps Kamozin did not notice the Messerschmitt attack by the commander of II./JG 52, Hauptmann Barkhorn, who at that time declared two American-made fighters shot down.

Two weeks later, on December 5, in a battle with a large group of Ju 87 dive bombers and Bf 109 covering them, Kamozin’s plane was again shot down - this time, apparently, by Fr. Hans Ellendt (64 victories) from 4./JG 52 , after which the Airacobra was finished off by the commander of 6./JG 52, Lieutenant Helmut Lipfert (Ltn. Helmut Lipfert, 203 victories). Kamozin again managed to land forcibly on the Tuzla Spit, but now the Airacobra could not be restored.

Helmut Lipfert accepts congratulations after another successful flight. In his memoirs, he left a detailed description of the fight with Pavel Kamozin on December 5, 1943, paying tribute to the skill of his opponent

On January 23, 1944, in a battle over Kerch in the area of ​​Mount Mithridates, his fighter was shot down by Lieutenant Heinz Ewald (Ltn. Heinz Ewald, 84 victories) from the headquarters unit of group II./JG 52. Finally, on March 11, the ace’s plane in the Tuzla Spit area was attacked aspiring “expert” from 5./JG 52, Lieutenant Walter Wolfrum (Ltn. Walter Wolfrum, 137 victories) and received serious damage. Kamozin managed to reach his airfield and make a safe landing, after which the next Airacobra was sent to repair shops.

In addition, twice more, on November 25, 1943 and March 23, 1944, the Soviet ace’s fighter was shot down in air battles with Messerschmitts, but none of the German pilots claimed victory. As can be seen from the above examples, even without a targeted hunt for Kamozin, he often got it. However, the Soviet ace was lucky: in all the cases described, he himself did not receive a single scratch. This was also the merit of the Airacobra itself - it was not without reason that Soviet pilots lovingly called the American machine a “fireproof safe” for its survivability. Pavel Kamozin died in 1983 in Bryansk.

Despite the difficult trials, fate also protected the failed “Count” - the German ace Anton Resch. Returning to I./JG 52 at the end of May 1944, Resch clearly improved in skill and by September already had 63 victories, but in the same month he was shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft guns, bailed out and was again seriously wounded. Returning to his unit in 1945, he brought the score to 91 victories, although, according to other sources, there were only 65. On April 7, 1945, the pilot was awarded the Knight's Cross. After being in Soviet captivity, Resch returned safely to Germany and died in his hometown of Stolberg in 1975.

Despite the fact that Pavel Kamozin was one of the most successful Soviet aces, his fame was not great, and the pilot himself was very modest and did not like to be photographed. As a result, very few front-line photos of the twice Hero have survived to this day. This photograph was published in one of the spring issues of the Ogonyok magazine for 1944, where it was reported that “in the battles for the liberation of Crimea from the Nazi invaders, the master of air combat, Hero of the Soviet Union, Captain P. M. Kamozin shot down 10 enemy aircraft.” By the time of publication there were already nearly 30 victories

To conclude the story with the “Count” and the mythical generals, we can say that the only uncertain point remains the original source of these legends. As you know, there is no smoke without fire, and it is unlikely that even during the life of Pavel Kamozin, his biographer Reimers would have decided to replicate stories that had no basis. Therefore, somewhere else yellowed wartime documents with fantastic intelligence data or colorful reports from the political department are still waiting for their researcher...

The author is looking for relatives of aviators of the 4th Air Army and the Black Sea Fleet Air Force who took part in the battles for Crimea, and would be grateful if they contact him by email [email protected].

Sources and literature:

1. TsAMO RF, fund of the 66th IAP.
2. TsAMO RF, fund of the 329th IAD.
3. Reimers G.K. Attention! In the sky Kamozin. - Tula: Priokskoye Book Publishing House, 1975.
4. Zefirov M.V. Luftwaffe aces. Who is who. Speed. - M.: AST, 2010.
5. Bernd Barbas: Die Geschichte der I. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52. - Eigenverlag, Überlingen.
6. Bernd Barbas: Die Geschichte der II. Gruppe des Jagdgeschwaders 52. - Eigenverlag, Überlingen.
7. Bernd Barbas. Das vergessen As. Der Jagdflieger Gerhard Barkhorn. - Luftfahrtverlag-Start, Bad Zwischenahn, 2014.
8. Peter Düttmann: Wir kämpften in einsamen Höhen. - Eigen-Verlag, Falk Klinnert, Auflage, 2002.
9. Michael Balss: Deutsche Nachtjagd. Materialverluste in Ausbildung und Einsatz. - VDM, Zweibrücken, 1999.
10. http://podvignaroda.ru.

Born on July 16, 1917 in the city of Bezhitsa (now within the city of Bryansk) in a working-class family. Russian. Member of the CPSU since 1943. Graduated from 6th grade in 1931. He worked as a mechanic at the Bezhitsky plant "Red Profintern". In the Soviet Army since 1937. He graduated from the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation School in 1938. He participated in the Great Patriotic War from June 1941. Deputy squadron commander of the 269th Fighter Aviation Regiment (236th Fighter Aviation Division, 5th Air Army, North Caucasus Front), junior lieutenant Kamozin, by March 1943, had made 82 combat missions to escort bombers; covering troops, reconnaissance and attack of the enemy. In 23 air battles he shot down 12 enemy aircraft. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded on May 1, 1943. The second Gold Star medal was awarded to the squadron commander of the 66th Fighter Aviation Regiment (329th Fighter Aviation Division, 4th Air Army, 2nd Belorussian Front) on 07/01/1944 for 131 combat missions and participation in 56 air battles in which he personally shot down 29 enemy aircraft and 13 in the group. Since 1946 he worked in civil aviation. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, and medals. Died on November 24, 1983. He was buried in Bryansk. A bronze bust of Kamozin was installed in his homeland.

  The price of a second. Kamozin Pavel Mikhailovich.

Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin was born in 1917 in the city of Bezhitsa (now one of the districts of the city of Bryansk), Bryansk region, into a working-class family. Russian by nationality. Member of the CPSU since 1943. In the past, he was a mechanic at the Bezhitsk plant "Red Profintern". Without interrupting his work, he studied at the regional flying club, then entered the Borisoglebsk military aviation school. In the Soviet Army since 1938. From the first days of the Great Patriotic War he was at the front. He took part in battles on the Southern, Transcaucasian, North Caucasian and other fronts. In total, during the war years he personally shot down 35 enemy aircraft and 13 aircraft in group battles. He finished the war with the rank of guard captain. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 1, 1943, Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. On July 1, 1944, for new military exploits, he was awarded a second Gold Star medal. He was also awarded many orders and medals. After the end of the war, the famous Soviet pilot was demobilized from the army and returned to his hometown. Now P. M. Kamozin lives in Bryansk, works in civil aviation.

The war found Junior Lieutenant Kamozin in the reserve aviation regiment, as an instructor pilot. On June 22, a combat alarm sounded over the military camp. The familiar voice of the announcer announced on the radio that Nazi Germany had treacherously attacked the Soviet Union.

A short rally on the parade ground. Incendiary, angry speech of the commissioner. Hundreds of stern faces, eyes burning with hatred. The united impulse of patriots - into battle, to the front!

After the rally, Junior Lieutenant Kamozin turned to the regiment commander with a request to second him to the active army. The commander, after listening carefully to the pilot, said:

I also want to go to the front. But for now we are needed here.

Kamozin became convinced of the truth of the commander’s words in the very first days of the war. They flew day and night. The retraining of pilots was carried out according to an accelerated program. And yet the thought of the front did not leave Kamozin for a minute.

And then one day a messenger from headquarters approached him:

To the regiment commander!

The commander smiled warmly at the pilot when he crossed the threshold of the office.

“I envy you, Kamozin,” he said to the aviator. - In a week you will be at the front. The order has already been signed. You received good training from us, we have high hopes for you.

Thank you, Comrade Major! - That was all the junior lieutenant could say.

In October 1942, Pavel Kamozin arrived at the combat unit. The fighter pilot was appointed flight commander. Front-line life began, full of risk and unforeseen dangers. On the second day of his stay in the regiment, he was sent to carry out a combat mission.

Seven fighters, led by junior lieutenant Kamozin, patrolled over the Black Sea coast, covering the landing. From time to time, the group commander banked the plane from wing to wing and vigilantly inspected the airspace. Vineyard plantations, mountain rivers and lakes, and serpentine ribbons of highways floated below. In the distance a light strip of sea could be seen. But six Messerschmitts emerged from behind the clouds. They confidently moved towards rapprochement. Kamozin ordered his followers to close formation and prepare for the attack.

The first air battle with a real enemy. Kamozin had been preparing for it since the day he first sat in the cockpit. He learned to destroy the enemy in flight school and in the reserve regiment. He was an excellent cone shooter and target shooter on the range. Will your hand tremble now?

There is only one thought in the pilot’s head - to win, to win the first battle. 500... 200... 100 meters to the Messerschmitts... It's time to open fire. The hand did not tremble, the trained eye did not fail. The first attack is the first victory!

The Nazis, having suffered losses, called for reinforcements from the nearest airfield. Soon, another 15 Messerschmitts arrived at the battlefield. The triple superiority did not frighten the Soviet fighters. One after another, two more planes, shot down by Pavel Kamozin, fall to the ground. The followers do not lag behind the commander. They boldly attack the fascists and do not give them a second of respite.

It's time to return to the airfield. Fuel is running low. The pilot was jubilant. In the first battle - three enemy planes shot down! When Kamozin landed and climbed out of the cockpit, the regiment commander, Colonel Smirnov, approached the plane and kissed the young pilot deeply.

The victory over the enemy instilled confidence in Pavel Kamozin in his abilities. His commanding authority grew stronger. His subordinates saw in him a person they could rely on in difficult times.

The military glory of Pavel Kamozin increased in the battles for the liberation of Sevastopol. The squadron he commanded destroyed 63 Nazi planes in the hot Crimean skies. Pavel Kamozin personally shot down 19 enemy aircraft. The Kamozinites had no losses of their own. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR awarded the pilot the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Often flying out on "free hunts", the squadron commander did not miss a single opportunity to fight the enemy, destroy him or put him to flight. This time, too, while flying behind the Nazis’ rear, Pavel Kamozin noticed a heavy Nazi plane on the horizon. He walked to the front line, accompanied by six Messerschmitts.

“An ordinary bomber will not be covered by six fighters,” the Soviet pilot thought and signaled to his wingman to prepare for an attack.

Kamozin did not count on an easy victory. I knew that the Nazis would fight to the last. I gained altitude, came in from the direction of the sun and threw the plane into a dive. If you don’t shoot down the first attack, the enemy will leave: the covering fighters will not allow a second strike. The enemy vehicle is getting closer and closer. Kamozin already clearly distinguishes the spider swastika and still does not press the trigger. Now his wingman will catch up with him, and together they will strike the enemy. A burst, another, a third... The bomber began to smoke and sharply began to descend. The Messerschmitts darted in different directions. And Kamozin and his wingman went to their territory.

A few days later, a message came to the regiment headquarters that Pavel Kamozin and his wingman had shot down a plane on which a group of fascist generals and officers was flying. They brought iron crosses from Berlin to be awarded to “especially distinguished” soldiers and officers of the active army. In front-line units, on the occasion of the death of the generals, the Nazi command declared mourning.

The death of a group of senior fascist generals caused a commotion at the headquarters of Hitler's command. The order was given to destroy the Russian ace Pavel Kamozin by any means necessary. An experienced pilot, widely known in fascist aviation under the nickname “Count”, was transferred from Goering’s “diamond” squadron to the front where Kamozin fought. He carried out hundreds of combat missions, fighting the British in the skies of Norway. He shot defenseless women and children from the air on the roads of France, bombed Soviet hospitals in Minsk, and received personal gratitude from Goering for the mass extermination of refugees on the roads of Ukraine. It was he who was instructed to “remove” Kamozin.

The insidious plan of the Nazis became known to the Soviet command. An urgent encryption message was sent to the regiment where Pavel Kamozin served. Colonel Smirnov, having familiarized himself with the document, summoned Pavel Kamozin. The pilot, after listening to the commander, said that from now on he would increase vigilance, but refused special security.

The regiment commander and commissar looked at each other. They were happy with their pet. You can rest assured about him: he will be able to stand up for himself and for the honor of Soviet weapons.

To destroy the “Count,” the commissar noted, “means to knock out the “diamond” spirit from the fascists, to win a great moral victory over the enemy.

From the regimental headquarters, Pavel Kamozin went to the gunsmiths. There were no combat missions expected that day, and he decided to check the plane with them and re-shoot the weapons.

With every day of the war, Kamozin’s combat and command experience was enriched, but he was still distinguished by his modesty and hard work. He sought to use the slightest opportunity to improve his flying and fire skills. How many times has it helped Kamozin and his comrades in battle! Pavel remembered how he once saved Lieutenant Toichkin from imminent death. The young pilot did not notice how a Nazi fell behind him. A second, another - and Toichkin’s plane will fly to the ground, engulfed in flames. But the enemy’s targeted line did not follow: at the last moment the fascist was escorted by Pavel Kamozin.

For this feat, the pilot was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree.

In battle, seconds matter, Pavel Kamozin always told young pilots. - The price of a second is life!

And so, preparing for a meeting with the fascist ace, Pavel Kamozin studied the enemy’s tactics, his strengths and vulnerabilities. But "The Count" hasn't shown up yet. Apparently, he also did not waste time and watched Kamozin’s actions from the side.

Combat tension increased every day. Pavel Kamozin felt that the “Count” was walking somewhere nearby and was about to show his claws. One evening, when the squadron commander was returning from a combat mission to the airfield, he was told on the radio:

"Count" in the air.

The squadron commander, noticing the enemy, raised his four to a height of 6500 meters. Yes, “The Count” foresaw a lot. I chose the moment when Kamozin was already returning from a combat mission. This means I’m tired and running out of fuel. Conducted an air battle. This means there is little ammunition. The situation was not in Kamozin’s favor, and he could have avoided the fight. But the squadron commander, decisively giving orders to his wingmen, was already in the starting position for the first attack.

Kamozin came up with an original plan for the battle. Kamozin’s wingmen were surprised to see how close the commander passed by the “Count” and how sluggishly he made a combat turn. The fascist was seduced by the ease of prey and rushed after Kamozin. Two reserve planes, located slightly higher than the main crew, rushed towards the “Count”. The Nazi interrupted the attack and began to defend himself, losing sight of Kamozin.

Without wasting a second, Kamozin gained altitude and, when the “Graf” made another turn, he threw the plane into a dive and pulled the trigger. The line was precise and devastating. The fascist plane began to fall apart in the air. This was the end of the "Graf" - the pride of Hermann Goering's "diamond" squadron.

At the airfield, the air division commander was waiting for Pavel Kamozin and his wingmen. The general, who had turned gray in battle, warmly thanked the Kamozins for their courage and bravery.

That day, Pavel Kamozin wrote to his family: “Time is hot at the front. Every day there are intense air battles. We have learned to hate the enemy and destroy him mercilessly.”

This battle was one of the heaviest air battles in which Pavel Kamozin took part. In the group he led there were only 5 Laggs, while against them there were 18 Messerschmitts and 7 Heinkels. The Kamozins knew that victory in this battle depended on how each of the five Soviet pilots would fight. No one thought of retreating or avoiding meeting the enemy. Everyone wanted one thing - to destroy the Nazis and put them to flight. Kamozin closed the group more tightly and attacked the enemy first. One after another, friendly, daring attacks by Soviet pilots followed. And when, after the second strike, three Messerschmitts fell to the ground (two were shot down by Kamozin, one by Lieutenant Toichkin), the enemy began to fight uncertainly and began to turn. This difficult battle lasted 30 minutes. The Nazis lost six aircraft. The Soviet pilots no longer had ammunition, but they did not stop their attacks until the remaining 19 Nazis were the first to leave the battle area.

Pavel Kamozin loved to repeat the words of his friend, hero pilot Lieutenant Colonel Kalarash: “A pilot must have a heart of steel, then even with a wooden seat back he will not flinch in battle.” That was Pavel Kamozin himself...

January 12, 1944. On this day, Senior Lieutenant Pavel Kamozin made several combat missions. As always, he appeared at exactly the specified time in the patrol area and, at the first signal from the guidance station, confidently rushed towards the enemy.

13 Junkers marched in two groups under the cover of four Messerschmitts. The first group was attacked head-on by Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, the second group was attacked in the rear by Senior Lieutenant Kamozin. Both attacks were successful. And the other one shot down one enemy plane.

After this, Senior Lieutenant Kamozin started a battle with two Messerschmitts, but they hastened to escape, not accepting the challenge of the Soviet ace.

On the second sortie, Pavel Kamozin, at the head of a group of fighters, again covered the Soviet ground forces. The German bombers decided to pass the front line under the clouds to avoid meeting the Soviet fighters. But Pavel Kamozin and his fighting friends were on the alert. They managed to unravel the enemy's plan and met the Nazis as they emerged from the clouds with well-aimed, crushing attacks. Kamozin was the first to attack the flagship of the enemy group and shot him almost point-blank with dagger bursts. The Junkers caught fire and, falling onto its wing, flew down. Killed by pilot Vladykin, another enemy aircraft fell to the ground. But the battle did not subside, the battle continued.

At this time, the guidance station transmitted to Kamozin: “Another group of bombers is flying under you at low level. Intercept!”

Senior Lieutenant Kamozin rushed to intercept the second group of bombers. On the way, he met two Messerschmitts and immediately attacked one of them. The enemy vehicle caught fire. Then Kamozin rushed to repel the bomber raid.

In stubborn and brutal air battles, Pavel Kamozin shot down two German vehicles on January 12, 1944. The hero has personally shot down 30 enemy aircraft. The army newspaper “Wings of the Soviets” these days called on its pages: “Fighter, fight like Pavel Kamozin!”

“Why does Kamozin fight more successfully than others, what is his strength?” - the newspaper asked. And she answered: “It lies in the swiftness of the attack. The chance of victory in battle is with the pilot who is the first to notice the enemy. Kamozin understands this very well. His keen eye always seeks and is the first to find the enemy. It is by this that a brave pilot creates an advantage over the enemy.”

The newspaper explained that a skillful search for a target, of course, does not mean victory. As you know, she doesn’t come on her own. It is won by Pavel Kamozin thanks to another remarkable quality - attacking skill. Perseverance in achieving the goal, audacity, exceptional accuracy of fire, skillful maneuver - this is what ensures success for a brave fighter pilot.

Pavel Kamozin is faithful to the proven rule of the ace fighter: he hits the enemy from close range, with a short aimed burst. He does not scare the fascist, but shoots him point-blank. This is how he destroyed five enemy aircraft in the last battles.

In one of the last air battles, Pavel Kamozin found himself in an exceptionally difficult position. He alone had to enter the battle and fight with a group of fascist fighters. But even in this situation, Kamozin did not defend, but attacked, attacked. The Soviet pilot survived the unequal battle and emerged victorious. Two fascists found their death in the Crimean sky.

Pavel Kamozin tirelessly improved his combat skills, increasing his knowledge, skills, and combat skills from victory to victory. He taught his wingman, junior lieutenant Vladykin, not to break away from the leader in battle, to be his reliable protection in the air and his faithful friend and comrade on the ground.

Fighter pilot Pavel Kamozin embodied an example of a skillful, brave and daring air fighter. Our flying youth were brought up on his glorious military deeds.

Captain Kamozin fought in the most critical sectors of the front, and always found himself where it was more difficult. Until the end of the war, he shot down a total of 35 fascist aircraft personally and 13 in group air battles. The Soviet government awarded the winged warrior the second gold medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin did not part with aviation. He works fruitfully in the Civil Air Fleet of the USSR. Fellow countrymen from the city of Bezhitsa know him as an active public figure, a man of great soul.

People of immortal feat. Essays on twice,
three times and four times Heroes of the Soviet Union, 1975