Soviet MiG-3 Fighter of Lt. Zakhar Sorokin on Vaenga Airfield, 1941

December 12, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Lt. Zakhar Sorokin’s MiG-3 on Vaenga airfield before a combat sortie, Northern Fleet, 1943.

This wartime photograph shows Lieutenant Zakhar Artemovich Sorokin (17 March 1917 – 19 March 1976) of the 72nd Mixed Aviation Regiment, part of the Air Forces of the Soviet Northern Fleet, standing beside his MiG-3 fighter at the Vaenga airfield prior to a combat mission in 1943.

The MiG-3 was a high-altitude interceptor designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau. While optimized for high-altitude performance, it often flew in low-to-medium altitude engagements on the Northern Front, where its speed and firepower were decisive in local air superiority efforts. Sorokin’s unit was tasked with intercepting German reconnaissance and bomber aircraft operating over the Arctic and Murmansk convoys, defending key northern bases under harsh weather conditions.

The photograph, taken by renowned wartime photographer Yevgeny Khaldei, captures a rare pre-flight moment, highlighting both the readiness of Soviet pilots and the operational role of the MiG-3 in the early stages of the Eastern Front campaign. Sorokin would go on to become one of the experienced Northern Fleet fighter pilots, participating in multiple sorties against the Luftwaffe.

This image illustrates the challenges of Arctic aviation — extreme cold, minimal infrastructure, and the necessity of pilot skill and aircraft reliability — all crucial elements in the defense of the Soviet north.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: Vaenga, USSR
📅 Date: 1943
📝 Subject: MiG-3 fighter and Lt. Zakhar Sorokin, 72nd Mixed Aviation Regiment, Northern Fleet
📷 Author: Yevgeny Khaldei

• Soviet fighter pilots 1943
• Northern Front aerial operations
• MiG-3 combat missions
• WWII Soviet Arctic aviation
• 72nd Mixed Aviation Regiment