Vadim Fadeev Fighter pilot Date of Birth: 25.12.1917 Country: Russia

Biography of Vadim Fadeev

Vadim Fadeev, a fighter pilot, was born on December 25, 1917, in the village of Fed'kino, in what was then the Ulyanovsk region of the Soviet Union. He came from a family of teachers and lived in Kuibyshev. Fadeev completed three courses at the Construction Institute and also trained at the local aeroclub, where he eventually became an instructor. He was well-educated, well-read, had a beautiful singing voice, and was known for his striking appearance – standing almost two meters tall with blond hair and blue eyes.

In 1940, Fadeev was drafted into the Red Army and graduated from the Chkalov Military Aviation School as a pilot. He fought on the front lines of the Great Patriotic War from August 1941. Initially, he served in the 131st Fighter Aviation Regiment, flying the I-16 aircraft. Once, in the vicinity of Codima (Moldova), Fadeev and a group of fighters attacked a column of Romanian cavalry. After exhausting all his ammunition, he descended close to the ground and used the plane's propeller to strike down the riders.

In 1943, Lieutenant Fadeev joined the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, quickly mastering the new equipment and becoming an excellent wingman and later squadron commander. He cherished a document issued by the commanding officer of the Air Army, which granted him double rations and permission for custom-made clothing and footwear. None of the standard-issue uniforms fit him properly due to his large size.

Fadeev's remarkable abilities as a fighter pilot were fully revealed during the battles in Kuban. Possessing immense physical strength and endurance, he often flew 5-6 sorties per day and frequently shot down multiple enemy aircraft. Within one week, he personally destroyed 10 enemy planes and one more as part of a group. By the end of April 1943, Captain Fadeev had completed 394 combat sorties, engaged in 43 aerial battles, and personally shot down 17 enemy aircraft.

One of his character traits was a careless attitude towards danger and an underestimation of the enemy's strength. At times, he behaved recklessly, abandoning control of the group to chase after a lone "Messerschmitt." He would even turn on the transmitter during flight and perform arias from operas or show off with circus-like stunts at low altitudes over the airfield. For fun, he grew a "shovel" beard, claiming it was to strike fear into the enemy.

On May 5, 1943, Vadim Fadeev died in an unequal aerial battle. In his final sortie, displaying his typical self-assuredness, he decided to act independently, which proved to be his fatal mistake. Separated from the main group of our fighters led by A.I. Pokryshkin, he and his wingman, Andrey Trud, encountered a group of 12 Messerschmitt-109 fighters. In this battle, Fadeev downed two enemy planes but was severely wounded and died while returning to his airfield.

By that time, he had completed over 400 combat sorties and engaged in 51 aerial battles. He was credited with 21 individual and 1 group victory (although some sources give different numbers, such as 17 individual and 3 group victories). Fadeev also destroyed up to 90 vehicles, 15 artillery pieces, 25 wagons, and a significant number of enemy troops through ground attacks.

On May 24, 1943, for his bravery and military valor shown in battles against the enemy, Vadim Ivanovich Fadeev was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. During the war, he received the Orders of Lenin and the Red Banner (twice) and various medals. He was buried in the central park of Kievskoe village in the Krasnodar region. Streets in Kuibyshev and Kievskaya were named after him to honor his memory.