Fierce Aerial Battle Over the Don River, July 1942

August 19, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet MiG-3 and Yak-9 fighters battle a German Junkers Ju-88 over the Don River, July 1942.

This striking composite photograph captures the intensity of an aerial battle over the Don River during the summer of 1942, in the midst of the Great Patriotic War. The image combines several episodes into one dramatic composition, giving a vivid impression of the scale and ferocity of air combat.

In the scene, Soviet MiG-3 and Yak-9 fighters engage a German Junkers Ju-88 bomber, which has been shot down. Additional distant silhouettes of three more aircraft can also be seen, suggesting the presence of a larger dogfight and highlighting the tension and chaos that characterized the skies over the Don.

The air battles of July 1942 were crucial to the defense of Soviet positions along the Don River, as the Luftwaffe sought to gain air superiority during the lead-up to the Battle of Stalingrad. The participation of aircraft such as the MiG-3 and Yak-9 underlined the Red Air Force’s determination to challenge German dominance in the air, despite technological and numerical disadvantages.

This photograph not only illustrates the technical and tactical aspects of World War II air warfare, but also conveys the desperate struggle for survival and control of the skies during one of the most pivotal phases of the conflict.

Technical photo data:
📝 Source of information: Unknown
📍 Location: Don River, USSR
📅 Date of photo: July 1942
📷 Photographer: Unknown

Aerial battle Don River 1942
Soviet MiG-3 fighter plane
Yak-9 Soviet Air Force
Junkers Ju-88 bomber shot down
WWII Soviet vs German air combat
Great Patriotic War dogfight USSR
Eastern Front July 1942 aviation
Battle of Stalingrad air operations
Red Army Air Force 1942
World War II aerial photography USSR