Fedor Mitrofanov Fighter pilot Date of Birth: 08.08.1916 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Fedor Mitrofanov

Fedor V. Mitrofanov was born on August 8, 1916, in the village of Pozhnya, now part of the Velikopisarevsky District in the Sumy Oblast, into a peasant family. He completed 7 years of primary school and studied for one year at the Kharkiv Machine Building Technical School. In 1936, he entered the Chuguev Military Aviation School and graduated in 1939.

During the Great Patriotic War, which began in June 1941, Fedor Mitrofanov fought on the fronts as part of the 445th, 562nd, and 813th Fighter Aviation Regiments. By November 1942, he had become the commander of the 445th Fighter Aviation Regiment's squadron, which was part of the 6th Fighter Aviation Corps of the country's Air Defense Forces.

Senior Lieutenant F. V. Mitrofanov completed 250 combat sorties and personally shot down 10 enemy aircraft and 3 enemy aircraft as part of a group during 18 aerial battles. On February 14, 1943, for his courage and bravery demonstrated in battles against the enemy, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

On February 2, 1945, Captain F. V. Mitrofanov, now the commander of the 813th Fighter Aviation Regiment's squadron, which was part of the 215th Fighter Aviation Division of the 8th Air Army, was killed while carrying out a combat mission in the Elbing area (Elblong, Poland). At that time, he had flown over 500 combat sorties and personally shot down 15 enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner (twice), and Alexander Nevsky, as well as several medals. A school in the village of Pozhnya was named after him in honor of his heroism.