5 October 1941
I'm lucky to be reporting to you today as you will see once the pcitures are developed. It seems teh Luftwaffe wanted to draw us into a fight and it seems alas they succeeded. A group of bombers were reported heading for Mozhaysk so we took of from our base at Volkolamsk to stop them. Rushing at altitude to meet them to our horrot they were heavily escorted by Me-109s, EIGHT of them. I held altitude and rolled in on the first group of 3. Ju-88s I saw, fast and well armed. I started firing at range making hits but one of there gunners got a shot off at me. The dashboard splintered and even now I think God was watching me as there is a large hole just above where my rev counter used to be. Pulling up at the last moment I look over my shoulder and see a member of my zveno give them a pasting too. I gain height and roll back in this time approaching the trailing 3. I keep my speed up as this is my best defense, weaving a little to throw off the gunners I pour rounds into his left wing and see vapour trailing but I have to break off again else I'd ram him. I also took some more hits but my trusty Mig keeps going. Pulling up I wheel round on my wing tip ddetermined to take down at least one bomber today. My zveno are shouting over the radio, tackling the 109s. I roll in for the final time this time keeping slight off to his left, then as I get the right distance I let him cross over my sights and I give him a long burst into his wings and fuselage my 12.7mm spending all its ammo. I break off disheartened as it didn't seem to do any good but as I look over my shoulder I see him trailing a large trail of flame behind him. Then my engine coughs and starts to sound rough. I head for home with a heavy heart as one of my zveno is tangling with several 109s, however my engine would not last and I would be one more morsel of meat for the fascist grinder. My cockpit whistling due to the holes and nursing my engine I claw for altitude. I remember seeing an aerodrom about halfway between Volkolamsk and Mozhaysk near Ruza so I keep a look out. I spot it at the very moment my engine seems to be taking a turn for the worst. I quickly get landing clearance and point my nose at the runway nursing my injured steed and willing it to keep going. lowering flaps I'm glad they were OK as the MiG is a quick plane to land in the best of circumstances. I lower the gear at the last moment, keeping the nose up and praying to make the threshold. I increase power to arrest my descent and nothing happens. Then just before I cross the end of the runway it stops. My MiG wallows down and heavily touches teh rough ground at the threshold. The gear collapses and I slide to a halt, fortunately I am uninjured but I hope stavka don't look to poorly on me.
Unfortunately most of my flight weren't so lucky. I was the only survivor.
Ready for the days mission.
Closing on the Junkers.
In my sights.
Pulemeti udaryat.
The other point of view.
Smoking is bad for you.
Fire in ze hole.
Just hoping to get home.
Engine kaput.
Live to fight another day.