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Aleksey FleyshmanFighter pilot
Date of Birth: 29.06.1917
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Alexei Dementevich Fleishman was born on June 29, 1917, in the village of Grishkovtsy, now part of the Berdichev district in the Zhytomyr region of Ukraine. His family was working-class, and he had to work from a young age. After graduating from high school in 1931, he entered a trade school in Zhytomyr and then an auto mechanics school in 1933.
Aviation Career
In 1934, Fleishman began working at an aviation workshop while studying at a rabfak (a preparatory school for workers and peasants). After graduating from the Zhytomyr flying club, he entered the Odessa Military Pilot School in 1939. He graduated in October 1940 as a junior lieutenant and was assigned to the 4th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 50th Mixed Aviation Division in Chisinau.
World War II
On June 22, 1941, Fleishman made his first combat flight to cover Chisinau. He flew an I-153 "Chaika" aircraft and carried out combat missions primarily to attack enemy troops at river crossings along the Prut and Dniester rivers, as well as on roads in Moldova and southern Ukraine. He flew over 60 combat missions.
In October 1941, his regiment was sent to Kineshma, where Fleishman quickly mastered the British Hawker-Hurricane aircraft. On November 5, 1941, the regiment flew to the Tunoshna airfield to carry out air defense missions for Yaroslavl, Rybinsk, and the north of the Moscow region. Here, between October 1941 and June 1942, Fleishman flew over 60 combat missions.
In June 1942, the regiment was transferred to a field airfield northeast of Voronezh, where Fleishman personally shot down three German aircraft and conducted seven aerial reconnaissance flights. From the beginning of 1943, he fought as deputy squadron commander on the Stalingrad front. He flew 68 combat missions, shooting down three German aircraft personally and four in a group with his comrades.
On April 14, 1943, Senior Lieutenant Fleishman participated in the battles on the Kuban. He flew 54 combat missions, shooting down four aircraft personally and three in a group. In one of the air battles, he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 over the front line.
In July-September 1943, Fleishman participated in the battles on the Kursk Bulge. On August 4, he achieved his final victories by shooting down two Fw 190 fighters.
Hero of the Soviet Union
On August 24, 1943, Alexei Dementevich Fleishman was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his courage and bravery in combat. By that time, he had completed over 300 successful combat missions. Having fought in over 60 air battles, he had shot down 13 enemy aircraft personally and 14 in a group.
Post-War Career
From March 1946, Captain Fleishman served in command positions in aviation units in Pyongyang (North Korea), Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the city of Dalian (China), and Primorsky Krai.
In August 1956, he experienced an emergency situation while flying a MiG-17, resulting in a concussion. He was later discharged from the Air Force with the rank of colonel.
After recovering, Fleishman worked as a lecturer for the "Knowledge" society in Kharkiv, Ukraine. He later became the director of the planetarium and worked at the agricultural project institute. He retired in 1982 but continued working as a lecturer and chairman of the military knowledge sector. From 1986 to 1989, he headed the Frunzensky district's Council of War and Labor Veterans. From 1995 to 1999, he was chairman of the Council of Disabled War and Military Service Veterans in the Kharkiv region.
