Alexander Pokryshkin | Timeline

Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin (6 March 1913 – 13 November 1985) was the top Soviet flying ace in World War 2 and a Marshal of the Soviet Air Force. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union on three separate occasions (24 May 1943, 24 August 1943, and 19 August 1944). Pokryshkin was the most feared fighter pilot by the germans on the Eastern Front, a tactician and innovator, like the soviet equivalent to Werner Mölders. Officially he is credited with 67 victories, but according with the latest historic evidence, Pokryshking may have shot down 88, 94 or even 116 enemy aircraft. The reasons for this fog of war was the soviet pilot's habit of giving credit for certain victories to other pilots killed in action, as a way to honor them and at the same time avoiding being withrawn from service for propaganda purposes. At the same time, Pokryshkin was a known lone-wolf in many missions, and all his victories without another pilot witnessing are not counted.

April 6, 1913 - Novonikolaevsk (Novossibirsk) - Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin is born
November(?) 1(?), 1928 - Novonikolaevsk - Graduates from the 7th school grade of Novonikolaevsk

February 1(?), 1929 - Novonikolaevsk - Finds work as a construction worker for Sibstroytrest
January(?) 1(?), 1930 - Novonikolaevsk - Alexander leaves home and enters a local technical College
January(?) 1(?), 1931 - Novonikolaevsk - Alexander receives a degree after an apprenticeship of 18 months and works for 6 more as a toolmaker at the Sibkombinatstroy plant in Novossibirsk

June 17, 1932 - Perm' - Joins the army
December 1(?), 1933 - Perm' - With Flight School closed, Pokryshkin graduates as an aircraft mechanic
December 1(?), 1934 - Krasnodar - Pokryshkin becomes the Senior Aviation Mechanic of the 74th Rifle Division
November 1(?), 1938 - Sevastopol, Crimea - During his vacation in the winter of 1938 Pokryshkin was able to circumvent the authorities by passing a yearly civilian pilot program in only 17 days. This automatically made him eligible for flight school
October 1(?), 1939 - Sevastopol - Graduates from Flight School with top honours and the rank of Lieutenant =(START)

November(?) 1(?), 1939 - Kirovograd (Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine) - Appointed to the 55th Fighter Regiment (IAP) at Kirovograd, Ukraine

December 22, 1939 - Kirovograd - Promoted to Senior Lieutenant

January 1(?), 1940 - Singureni Airfield, Bălți, Moldova - 55 IAP moves to Singureni Airfield, Bălți, Moldova
May 1(?), 1941 - Singureni Airfield, Bălți - Pokryshkin helps ferry the new MiG-3 from Belcy/Beltsy to Mayaki
June 22, 1941 - Mayaky Air base (W. of Odessa) - His airfield at Mayaky, near the Moldova border, is bombed on the first day of the war - Pokryshkin shoots down 1 Su-2 by accident
June 23, 1941 - Mayaky - Recon mission over Prut Crossings - 1 Bf 109 shot down over Iasi (1 total)
June 24, 1941 - Mayaky - 1 Bf 109 shot down SE of Chlodeni (2 total)
June 26, 1941 - Mayaky - Reconnaissance flight - Pokryshkin shoots down two Hs 126. Later on the same day, he fights against four Bf109 and shoots down one of them (5 total)
June 27, 1941 - Mayaky - In two sorties, Pokryshkin shoots down a Ju-88 + 1 Bf109 (Ernst Winkler). Destroys another Bf 109 + 1 Stuka on the ground at Kishinev airfield (7 total)
July(?) 1(?), 1941 - Kotovsk (Podilsk, Ukraine - near Moldova) - 55 IAP moves to Kotovsk, Ukraine
July 2, 1941 - Kotovsk - Escort mission - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Ernst Schultz) + 1 shared (8 total + 1 shared)

July 3, 1941 - Near Bălți - Most of the sources say that Pokryshkin was shot down by Flak behind enemy lines, and that he took 4 days to reach his regiment….

July 5, 1941 - Kotovsk - …however, other sources say that he got a Hs 126 victory (9 total + 1 shared), which is two days after being shot down
July 20, 1941 - Bălți Airfield, Moldova - Ground attack against Beltsy Airfield - 1 Bf109 victory (10 total + 1 shared)
July 21, 1941 - Kishinev Airfield - Ground attack against Beltsy Airfield - 1 Bf109 shot down (10 total + 1 shared)
July 22, 1941 - Over Yampil (Olshanka) - 2 Bf 109 shot down (One of the pilots was Reinhard Heydrich) + 2 Ju-88 (15 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground)
July 27, 1941 - Pokryshkin is shot down by Hans Esser while fighting a group of Bf 109's
October 5, 1941 - near Orehovo - 1 Bf 109 shot down in a reconnaissance flight - (16 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground) - Pokryshkin makes a forced landing, right into russian troops in chaotic retreat
October 12, 1941 - Zernograd - Pokryshkin reaches his regiment after his forced landing and wound in the eye and is ordered to train fresh pilots in Zernograd while he recovers
November 17, 1941 - Semikarakorovsk Airfield, near Zernograd - After training the new pilots, they transfer to Semikarakorovsk
December 22, 1941 - In front of Shakhty - Pokryshkin, flying a Mig-3, locates Von Kleist's 1st panzer group - awarded the order of Lenin

February 16, 1942 - Promoted to Captain
March 1(?), 1942 - (Kuban, Azov) - 1 Hs126 shot down (17 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground)
March 7, 1942 - 55 IAP is made "Guards" on this date, as "16 GIAP" - Kuban, Azov, and re-equipped with Yak-1 fighters
April 1(?), 1942 - Novocherkask - Transfered to Novocherkask to get acquainted with the Me-109E
May 1(?), 1942 - During May, Pokryshkin shoots down 1 Bf110 + 1 Bf109 + 1 damaged (19 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground)
May 16(?), 1942 - Pokryshkin returns to his regiment, 16 GIAP
July 17, 1942 - North Caucasus front - 2 Bf 109 shot down (aces: DAMMERS, Hans + KEISER, Kurt) (21 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground)

July 20, 1942 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Fritz Brückmann) (22 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground)
July 28, 1942 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Franjo Dzal) (23 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground)
August 1, 1942 - over Kropotkin - 1 Ju-88 shot down (Helmut Grubert) (24 total + 1 shared + 1 on ground)
August 2, 1942 - Kropotkin Aerodrome - 16 GIAP repells an attack on Kropotkin aerodrome - 3 shared Bf 110 shot down (24 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground)
August 20(?), 1942 - Beslan - His regiment is recalled from the frontline to convert to a new fighter type, the P-39 Airacobra - flight to Beslan
August 22(?), 1942 - Mahachkala -The regiment leaves their planes and move with a ZIS truck towards Baku
September(?) 1(?), 1942 - Baku - The regiment arrives in Baku
January 1, 1943 - Baku - Pokryshkin moves out to 25 ZAP - Iranian border to receive P-39s
April 8, 1943 - Krasnodar - Promoted to Major. Returns to the front and immediately becomes involved in air battles in the Kuban region
April 9, 1943 - Kubaskaya Etazherka - First P-39 mission - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Reinhold Baisch) (25 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 4 damaged)
April 12, 1943 - over Krasnodar - 4 Bf 109 shot down (According to Luftwaffe, 3 of them were only damaged) - (26 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 15, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (27 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 16, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (28 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 20, 1943 - Nowossijsk - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Adolf von Gordon) (29 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 21, 1943 - Nowossijsk - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Lothar Myrrhe) (30 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 24, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (not confirmed) (31 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 29, 1943 - 1 He 111 shot down (32 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 30, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Ernst Kerkhoff) (33 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 4, 1943 - Pokryshkin leads 8 P-39 that shoot down 7 Me 109 without losses - 2 stukas + 1 Bf 109 shot down (Super ace Walter Krupinski - 67 victories at the time. Future ace of aces Erich Hartmann is his wingman with 11 victories at the time) (36 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 5, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Heinz Sachsenberg) (37 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 6, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Hans Scholze) (38 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 8, 1943 - 1 stuka + 1 Bf 109 shot down (Helmut Haberda) (40 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 14, 1943 - 1 stuka shot down (41 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 24, 1943 - Pokryshkin is awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" medal, and another "Order of Lenin"
May 29, 1943 - 1 Ju-88 shot down (42 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 31, 1943 - SE of Kamenskoye - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Eberhard von Boremski) (43 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
June 14, 1943 - 2 Bf 109 claimed (45 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)

June 23, 1943 - Switches from P-39K to P-39N
June 31, 1943 - Donbass - Orders arrive to transfer the Regiment to the Donbass
July 15, 1943 - Donbass - 9 GIAD (216 IAD) deployed in South Ukraine to help liberate the Donbass Area
July 22, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Heinz Sachsenberg) (46 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
July 23, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Hans Ellendt) (47 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
August 17, 1943 - 1 Ju-88 claimed (48 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
August 18, 1943 - 1 Ju-88 shot down (Günther Sauer) (49 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
August 21, 1943 - 2 stukas + 1 Bf 109 claimed (52 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
August 22, 1943 - 1 Bf 109 shot down (Günther Müchnow) (53 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
August 23, 1943 - 1 stuka claimed (54 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
August 24, 1943 - Pokryshkin is awarded the second "Hero of the Soviet Union" medal, the american Legion of Merit, and the third "Order of Lenin"
September 1(?), 1943 - Pokryshkin takes part in the liberation of Donbass
September 21, 1943 - over Bolshoy Tokmak - 2 stukas + 2 Ju-88 shot down (58 total  + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
October 1(?), 1943 - (Ukraine-Crimean Front) - Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. Takes command of 16 IAP
October 7, 1943 - 1 Ju-88 shot down (E. Richter) (59 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
November 5, 1943 - over the Black Sea - 1 Ju-52 shot down (60 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
November 6, 1943 - over the Black Sea - 1 Ju-52 shot down (61 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
November 7, 1943 - Moscow - Pokryshkin arrives in Moscow. He is proposed by Marshall A.Novikov to become the commander of the flight school of fighter pilots with the rank of General. He refuses, saying that he would be more useful at the front, training young pilots during combat operations
November 19, 1943 - over the Black Sea, near Tenderovskaya Kosa - 1 Ju-52 shot down - Pokryshkin almost crashes into his victim (62 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
November 28, 1943 - Bolsh-Kostromka Airfield, 50km W of Nikopol - 1 Stuka shot down (Hans Krumminga - who slams into another stuka, the one of Wilfried Herling - two decorated stuka pilots killed) (63 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)

February 22, 1944 - Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
May 2, 1944 - Jassy-Kishinev Campaign - Pokryshkin returns to the front and is promoted to commander of 9 GIAD
May 7, 1944 - 1 romanian He111 shot down (64 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
May 31, 1944 - over Husi - Some historians say that Pokrishkin shot down Super ace Gerhard Barkhorn on this day
June 1(?), 1944 - Promoted to Colonel and given command of 9th Guards Air Division

July 2, 1944 - Promoted to Colonel
July 16, 1944 - over Radtsiekhov-Stayanov Railroad - 3 Hs129 shot down (including Rudolf-Heinz Ruffer) (67 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
August 19, 1944 - Pokryshkin is the first member of the red Army to get 3 Hero of the soviet union (59 victories in 560 missions)
September 1(?), 1944 - Novosibirsk - Pokryshkin and Rechkalov go on a "good will" tour to Novosibirsk
October 21, 1944 - Zavod 381 Airfield, Moscow - Pokryshkin and his pilots, Rechkalov, Fyodorov and Trud go to Moscow to receive new La-7s donated by the people of Novosibirsk
October 23(?), 1944 - Mokriczow, Poland - Pokryshkin flies to Mokriczow
November 1, 1944 - Jezowe, Poland - Pilots of the 16 GIAP make flight tests on La-7
January 14, 1945 - Base: German autobahn between Breslau and Berlin - 1 stuka shot down (Johann Lacher) (68 total + 4 shared + 1 on ground + 7 damaged)
April 6, 1945 - Jüterbog(?) - Pokryshkin is awarded the Order of Suvorov 2nd Class
May 29, 1945 - Jüterbog(?) - Pokryshkin is awarded the second Order of Suvorov 2nd Class
June 24, 1945 - Moscow - Pokryshkin carries the Flag of the Air Force during the Victory Parade
November 1(?), 1948 - Frunze - Pokryshkin graduates from the Frunze Military Academy
January 1(?), 1949 - Rzhev - Pokryshkin acts as deputy commander of the 33rd Fighter Air Defense and the commander of the 88th Fighter Aviation Corps

June 1(?), 1951 - Rzhev - Becomes commander of the 33rd Air Defense Fighter Aviation Corps

August 3, 1953 - Promoted to General - Aviation Major

February 1(?), 1955 - Rostov-on-Don - Becomes Commander of Fighter Aviation of the North Caucassus Air Defense Army
October 1(?), 1957 - Rostov-on-Don - Graduates from General Staff Academy - Serves as chief of Fighter Aircraft of the North Caucasian Military Defense

January 1(?), 1958 - Moscow - Becomes commander of the 52nd Air Fighter Army

February 18, 1958 - Promoted to Aviation Lieutenant General
August 1(?), 1959 - Kiev - Becomes Commander of the Kiev Air Defense Army (from March 1960 - 8th separate)
January(?) 1(?), 1961 - Kiev - Acts as Commander of the 8th Army Air Defense and deputy commander of the Kiev Military District Air Defense Forces

February 22, 1963 - Promoted to Aviation Colonel General
October 21, 1967 - Kiev(?) - Pokryshkin is awarded the fourth "Order of Lenin"
July 1(?), 1968 - Moscow(?) - Becomes Deputy Chief of the Air Defence Forces
January 1(?), 1972 - Moscow(?) - Pokryshkin leaves active service with the rank of Air Marshal and becomes president of DOSAAF (Volunteer Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Navy)

December 16, 1972 - Promoted to Air Marshal
February 21, 1978 - Moscow(?) - Pokryshkin is awarded the fifth "Order of Lenin"
March 5, 1983 - Moscow(?) - Pokryshkin is awarded the Sixth "Order of Lenin"
November 13, 1985 - Moscow - Alexander Pokryshkin dies, aged 72 =(END)