Mention should be made of Alexander Pokryshkin - generally considered the greatest military pilot of all time. Today is the 100th anniversary of his birth and three times Hero Of The Soviet Union.
Generally accredited with -
560 combat missions
156 air-to-air engagements
Official score: 59 enemy aircraft shot down personally, and 6 together with other pilots
He claimed more but his bravery is not in doubt and if you read the history books, he stands out as the kind of man who put his country first at extreme risk. People can argue passionately about it means to be a patriot. Today we look at a man whose skills and what he taught his fellow airmen helped to turn the tide of a war.
“It takes a brave man to not be a hero in the Red Army.” - Joseph Stalin