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Aleksej OstaevBomber pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Soviet-Finnish war
Date of Birth: 15.12.1905
Country:  Georgia |
Content:
- Biography of Alexei Ostayev
- The commander looked at the pilot and didn't insist.
- Half an hour later, he landed at his airfield.
Biography of Alexei Ostayev
Alexei Egorovich Ostayev was a bomber pilot and a Hero of the Soviet Union, as well as a Hero of the Soviet-Finnish War. Born into a peasant family, he was of Ossetian ethnicity. After completing seven years of school, he worked as a locksmith for the railway. In 1930, he joined the Red Army and became a member of the Bolshevik Party in 1931. In 1933, he graduated from a military pilot school and went on to participate in the Soviet-Finnish War as a senior pilot for the 58th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 55th Air Bombing Brigade of the 7th Army of the Northwestern Front. He successfully completed 30 combat flights.
On February 19, 1940, Senior Lieutenant Ostayev's plane was shot down, but he managed to return to his airfield. Military correspondent Gutman describes the incident: "The target was still far away. The squadron gained altitude and flew at full speed towards the railway station. - We are approaching the station, - the navigator reported. The squadron turned and descended towards the target. Suddenly, blue and white smoke trails appeared in front of the plane, colorful splashes falling onto the cloudless frozen blue sky. Flashes of explosions flickered. 'Anti-aircraft guns,' Ostayev concluded. - Well, let's strike back! Let's see who gets who!' The station was getting closer. The explosions intensified. A deafening blast jolted the plane. Ostayev felt a sharp pain in his leg. For a second, he closed his eyes and clenched his jaws tightly. He realized that a shell had hit the plane. But just a second later, he noticed that he had fallen behind his comrades. This couldn't be allowed."
Maneuvering, he checked the operation of the turn control, ailerons, and depth control. They were functioning properly. Ostayev increased speed and rejoined the formation. An unexpected gust of wind blew into the cockpit. The navigator had opened the bomb bay doors. They were already flying over the station. Ostayev saw neighboring planes dropping bombs. When he looked back a few moments later, black clouds of smoke hung in the air. The wagons were engulfed in bright flames and exploding.
Ostayev breathed a sigh of relief. The most important thing was done. He contacted the navigator - he was fine. Then he called the radio operator, Pogrebnyak. There was no response. "What happened to him?" Ostayev thought anxiously. "Is he wounded?" He sent a note through the pneumatic mail system, but there was no reply.
This worried Ostayev even more. Perhaps Pogrebnyak was severely wounded and needed quick help. Home, back to his airfield, as soon as possible.
Unta was soaked in blood. His leg throbbed with pain, and he could no longer press the pedal with it. Weakened by blood loss, Ostayev nevertheless continued to control the aircraft confidently.
And there it was, the airfield. Ostayev began to land. The plane was already running on the snow. The pilot didn't call for help, although he had the right to. He did what he always did: he increased the throttle to taxi to the parking lot.
Technicians ran towards him, crossing their arms over their heads. This meant that he couldn't steer. When Ostayev got out of the plane, he saw that the wheels were mangled by shell fragments.
Pogrebnyak followed the ship's commander. He was injured. Both were sent to the hospital.
Half an hour later, Ostayev was informed about the number of bullet holes. There were seventy-five of them. Shrapnel had shattered oxygen devices, longerons, turrets, and ammunition boxes.
Ostayev spent ten agonizing days in the hospital. He didn't want to stay there any longer and returned to his unit. His plane was still being repaired. The commander offered him a leave.
"No," said Ostayev, "it's not the time to rest. Please give me another plane."
The commander looked at the pilot and didn't insist.
The days of battle began again for Ostayev. While waiting for his plane to be back in service, he flew on other aircraft...
Once, over Vyborg, after a bombing run, fighters attacked him. Ostayev saw tracer bullets streaking towards him, flying like sparks from the chimney of a giant locomotive.
There were nine Focke-Wulfs. They circled around the six bombers flying in a tight formation.
Ostayev noticed the signals from the radio operator in the leading plane. He pointed upwards with his glove. Ostayev understood and gained altitude.
The Focke-Wulfs launched persistent attacks. A shower of fire rained down on Ostayev's aircraft. Bullets pounded against the cockpit. He quickly gained altitude, then descended again. He maneuvered, but the plane was already damaged. The suffocating smell of burning filled the cockpit, making it difficult to breathe. Water and oil leaked from the shattered radiator and oil tank.
The Focke-Wulfs' attack failed. The fierce fire from our gunners created an impenetrable curtain. The Focke-Wulfs started to retreat further and further until they finally gave up.
Ostayev's engines were experiencing intermittent failures. Oil and water thermometers showed zero. Through the cowling, Ostayev saw smoke coming from the wing. It would burst into flames soon, and then...
He quickly turned off the engine. Well, the right engine failed, but the left one was still working!
This happened at an altitude of 2,000 meters. In moments like these, the ground doesn't seem welcoming at all. He could have planned to land on one of the numerous lakes and wait there for help to arrive.
But Ostayev decided to push on until the end. He relied on his own strength, his experience, and the aircraft, which continued to respond to the controls...
Half an hour later, he landed at his airfield.
Weary from the battle, he didn't go to rest but instead helped the technicians replace the bullet-riddled fuel tanks, panels, and engines.
On March 21, 1940, Major Ostayev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was presented with the Gold Star Medal No. 265.
He participated in the Great Patriotic War from June 1941 and served as the deputy commander of a bomber squadron.
On July 1, 1942, Major Ostayev died while carrying out a combat mission. He was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.
Streets in Tskhinvali, Georgia, and Ordzhonikidze, North Ossetian ASSR, bear his name as a tribute to the Hero.
