The passion for aviation, which began in our country at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, became widespread in the 1930s. Boys and girls did not just play airplanes, they assembled and glued model airplanes with their own hands, read aviation magazines and books about aviation pioneers to their holes, and later went to study at flying clubs.
The Talalikhin family was no exception, brothers Alexander, Nikolai and Victor were "sick" from childhood. When the older brothers were called up to serve in the aviation, the younger Victor was impatiently awaiting the call. However, even before his 18th birthday, the Komsomol organization in which he was a member sent Victor to study at the Moscow flying club. This was followed by service in the Red Army and study at the Borisoglebsk Aviation Training Center for flight personnel training.
The aviation unit, in which Talalikhin served, was involved in the Soviet-Finnish war. Soviet biographers reported about 50 combat missions by Talalikhin, several downed planes and the escape of the group's commander Mikhail Korolev from death.
Whether participation in the Winter War was a baptism of fire for Talalikhin, or whether the actions of Soviet pilots were limited to ordinary patrolling of the airspace - this question remains to be clarified. It is quite possible that the biography of the pilot was somewhat embellished. However, if there are questions about the degree of Talalikhin's participation in hostilities with Finland, with participation in the hostilities of the Great Patriotic War, everything is clear.
Viktor Talalikhin met the Great Patriotic War with the rank of junior lieutenant. The Aviation Regiment, in which he served, took part in repelling enemy air raids on the capital. Talalikhin made more than 60 sorties, in the skies over the capital he shot down 6 German aircraft, on August 7 he made one of the first night rams in the history of Russian aviation. In his I-16 fighter, he pursued the He-111 bomber carrying a deadly cargo to Moscow. On it, he spent all the ammunition, and in order not to let go, he went to the ram.
The bomber fell down from the ram, the "hawk", as the pilot called his I-16, also lost control, but Talalikhin managed to use a parachute and jump out of the cockpit.
Talalikhin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his courage and displayed courage, he was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. In response to the congratulations of the Komsomol organization, the hero promised "always boldly and bravely, not sparing his blood and his very life, to beat the fascist vultures."
Talalikhin gave the last battle to the Nazis on October 27, 1941. On that day, Talalikhin's link covered ground units in the area of Ramenki near Moscow. Four I-16s and two MiG-3s rose into the gray sky, over Kamenka they noticed a group of six German Messerschmitts.
Talalikhin's plane was the first to attack the enemy, in this battle he shot down two Me-109s, but he himself came under fire, a bullet hit the pilot's head and his hawk went to the ground. Junior Lieutenant Talalikhin died defending the Motherland.
Today, streets in dozens of cities in Russia and Ukraine bear his name.
