Ceremonial handover of the Soviet Il-2 “Revenge of the Barinovs” attack aircraft, built with Leningrad residents’ personal funds after the Siege. USSR, June 1, 1944.
The photograph captures the solemn handover of the Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft "Revenge of the Barinovs" to the Red Army Air Force on June 1, 1944. Unlike thousands of other Il-2 aircraft built in Soviet factories, this machine had an extraordinary story. It was financed entirely through the personal savings of Praskovya Vasilyevna Barinova and her daughter Yevgeniya, two survivors of the devastating Siege of Leningrad who chose to dedicate everything they had left to the struggle against Nazi Germany.
The Barinov family had suffered terrible losses during the siege. Praskovya's husband and youngest daughter died from starvation during the blockade, while her son Viktor disappeared after volunteering for the Leningrad People's Militia. When the siege was finally lifted on January 27, 1944, the surviving mother and daughter donated all of their remaining savings, including a family inheritance, requesting that the aircraft built with their money carry the emotional name "Revenge of the Barinovs". Their contribution became one of many examples of the nationwide fundraising campaigns through which Soviet civilians financed tanks, aircraft, trains, and other military equipment for the front.
The aircraft was assigned to Captain Georgy Mikhailovich Parshin, one of the most accomplished pilots of the 943rd Assault Aviation Regiment of the 13th Air Army, Leningrad Front. The left side of the fuselage bore the inscription "Revenge of the Barinovs", while the opposite side carried the slogan "For Leningrad", permanently linking the aircraft with the city's tragic wartime history.
The Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik was one of the most important combat aircraft of World War II and became the backbone of Soviet tactical aviation. Protected by heavy armored plating surrounding its engine and cockpit, it proved exceptionally effective against tanks, artillery positions, transport columns, and troop concentrations. More than 36,000 Il-2s were produced, making it one of the most numerous military aircraft ever built. German soldiers often referred to it as the "Black Death" because of its devastating attacks on frontline positions.
Captain Parshin flew more than one hundred combat missions in this particular aircraft, supporting Soviet offensives during the liberation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania before taking part in the final assault on Berlin. During the war he destroyed numerous enemy targets and achieved ten aerial victories. His exceptional combat record earned him the title of Hero of the Soviet Union twice, on August 19, 1944, and April 19, 1945.
After the war, Parshin continued serving as a military pilot until his death in a test-flight accident on March 13, 1956. Praskovya Barinova lived until 1974, while her daughter Yevgeniya died in 1972. Although the aircraft itself did not survive, its story remains one of the most moving examples of how ordinary Soviet civilians contributed directly to the war effort through personal sacrifice.
Photographed by Georgy Konovalov, this image records far more than a ceremonial presentation. It symbolizes the connection between the home front and the battlefield, demonstrating how the suffering endured during the Siege of Leningrad was transformed into determination, remembrance, and a tangible weapon in the fight against Nazi Germany.
Technical photo data:
📍 Location: USSR
📅 Date: June 1, 1944
📝 Event: Ceremonial handover of the Il-2 "Revenge of the Barinovs" to Captain Georgy M. Parshin
📷 Photographer: Georgy Konovalov
Recommended reading:
- Edward M. Young — The Flying Guns: The Development of the Soviet IL-2 and IL-10
- Hans-Heiri Stapfer — Il-2 Sturmovik in Action
- Christer Bergström — Black Cross / Red Star (Vol. 3–5)
- Richard Overy — Russia's War
- Il-2 Sturmovik USSR 1944
- Leningrad residents fund aircraft
- Georgy Parshin Hero of the Soviet Union
- Revenge of the Barinovs Il-2
- Siege of Leningrad civilian donations
- Siege of Leningrad legacy
- Eastern Front air warfare