Soviet Fighter Ace Vladimir Pokrovsky Poses with His P-40E Kittyhawk, 1942

December 10, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Fighter ace Vladimir Pokrovsky poses with his Lend-Lease P-40E Kittyhawk in the Soviet Arctic, 1942.

Soviet fighter ace Vladimir Pokrovsky standing beside his P-40E Kittyhawk in the Soviet Arctic, 1942.

This photograph shows Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Pavlovich Pokrovsky (1918–1998), a Soviet fighter pilot and future Hero of the Soviet Union (awarded in 1943), posing next to his P-40E Kittyhawk fighter aircraft. The American-built P-40 series was supplied to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program and became one of the principal foreign fighter types used by Soviet aviation during the war.

Pokrovsky served as a flight commander in the 2nd Guards Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment named after Boris Safonov, part of the 6th Fighter Aviation Brigade of the Air Forces of the Northern Fleet. His unit operated in the harsh Arctic environment, escorting Allied convoys, intercepting Luftwaffe reconnaissance flights, and protecting naval bases in the far north.

The P-40E Kittyhawk shown in the photograph was valued for its durability, strong armament, and reliability in extreme weather conditions — qualities essential for operations in the severe climate of the Soviet Arctic. Although not as agile as some Soviet or German fighters, the Kittyhawk performed well at low and medium altitudes typical of northern engagements.

Pokrovsky became one of the Northern Fleet’s notable aces, credited with multiple aerial victories during the defense of Arctic supply routes. His combat service contributed significantly to the protection of Allied convoys sailing to Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, a crucial lifeline for Soviet wartime logistics.

This wartime portrait, taken by the renowned frontline photographer Yevgeny Khaldei, captures both the pilot’s confidence and the importance of Lend-Lease aviation in Soviet air operations.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: Soviet Arctic, USSR
📅 Date: 1942
📝 Subject: Fighter pilot Vladimir Pokrovsky with his P-40E Kittyhawk
📷 Author: Yevgeny Khaldei