Iconic August 1943 photograph by Samariy Gurariy showing Hero of the Soviet Union pilot Vasily Aleksukhin and rear gunner Aleksey Gamayunov in their named Il-2 ground-attack aircraft "Aleksandr Suvorov" near Kharkov.
Crew of the Named Il-2 Sturmovik "Aleksandr Suvorov" (August 1943)
This historic archival photograph, taken in August 1943 by renowned Soviet war photographer Samariy Gurariy, captures the top-performing aircrew of the 617th Ground Attack Aviation Regiment (617th ShAP) beside their named Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft, inscribed with the name "Aleksandr Suvorov" (Александр Суворов).
Pictured on the left in the pilot's cockpit is Flight Commander Junior Lieutenant Vasily Timofeyevich Aleksukhin (1919–1943), while senior sergeant Aleksey Dmitriyevich Gamayunov (b. 1918) operates the rear defensive machine gun station during operations in the Kharkov sector following the Battle of Kursk.
Combat Record and Technical Details
The photograph illustrates key operational details of Red Army tactical aviation during the summer of 1943:
- Two-Seater Il-2 Variant: The aircraft featured is a two-seat Il-2 ground-attack variant equipped with a rear defensive gunner position armed with a 12.7mm Berezin UBT heavy machine gun to protect against Luftwaffe fighter attacks from behind.
- Personal Presentation and Equipment: Junior Lieutenant Aleksukhin wears a standard leather flight helmet, protective flight gear, and carries a pilot's map case, while Gamayunov mans the flexible rear gun mount.
- Personalized Patriotic Inscriptions: The fuselage features white painted presentation lettering reading "Aleksandr Suvorov" alongside a Red Star emblem, honoring the legendary 18th-century Russian commander. Such named aircraft were often funded by public donations or civic defense organizations.
- Combat Achievements: The crew completed 76 combat sorties, destroying 14 enemy tanks, 2 steam locomotives, and 46 railway cars during low-level attack missions against Axis armor and supply lines.
Heroic Sacrifice and Legacy
On December 15, 1943, while serving as deputy squadron commander, Senior Lieutenant Aleksukhin's Il-2 was heavily hit by anti-aircraft fire during a ground attack run. Choosing not to bail out over enemy territory, he intentionally steered his burning aircraft directly into a concentration of enemy tanks in a self-sacrificial fire ramming attack (Gastello attack).
On February 4, 1944, Senior Lieutenant Vasily Timofeyevich Aleksukhin was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
📍 Location: Kharkov Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
📅 Date: August 1943
📷 Photographer: Samariy Gurariy (TASS / Sovfoto Archive)
📰 Primary Sources:
• Central Archive of the Russian Ministry of Defense (CAMD) / pamyat-naroda.ru
• Central Archive of the Russian Ministry of Defense (CAMD) / pamyat-naroda.ru
Recommended reading:
- Combat tactics and armor of the Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft
- Soviet air tactics during the Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive (August 1943)
- Biographies of Soviet airmen: Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Aleksukhin
- The tradition of named presentation aircraft in the Red Army Air Force (VVS)