Sergei Safronov (fighter pilot)

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Sergei Safronov
Sergei Safronov pilot.jpg
Born25 March 1930
Gus-Khrustalny, Ivanovo Industrial Oblast, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Died1 May 1960(1960-05-01) (aged 30)
Degtyarsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance Soviet Union
Service/branchSoviet Air Defense Forces
Years of service1952–1960
RankSenior lieutenant
Unit764th Fighter Aviation Regiment
AwardsOrder of the Red Banner

Sergei Ivanovich Safronov (Russian: Серге́й Ива́нович Сафро́нов; 25 March 1930 – 1 May 1960) was a senior lieutenant in the Soviet Air Defense Forces. Safronov, a fighter pilot, was shot down by a friendly surface-to-air missile while attempting to intercept Gary Powers' U-2, conducting a reconnaissance mission.

Biography[]

Safronov was born on 25 March 1930 in Gus-Khrustalny and graduated from the town's School No. 1 (later School No. 12) in 1948. He joined the Soviet Air Forces and graduated from the , serving with the 764th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Soviet Air Defence Forces at Bolshoye Savino Airport from 1952.[1]

In the 1960 U-2 incident he and his flight leader, deputy squadron commander Captain Boris Ayvazyan were vectored to intercept Gary Powers' U-2 with their MiG-19 fighters. On their way to interception, the U-2 was shot down by S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missiles, but large pieces of the downed aircraft made it look like its flight was continuing, so additional S-75 missiles were fired. However, the MiGs' IFF transponders were not yet switched to the new May codes because of the 1 May holiday and consequently, Safronov's plane was identified as a foe by the missile operators and another salvo was launched.[2][3] His aircraft took a direct hit from one of the S-75 missiles intended for the U-2 and was destroyed. He was able to eject, but died from his injuries;[4] Powers saw a parachute open after leaving the U-2.[5] Safronov was buried at the Yegoshikha Cemetery in Perm.[1]

The decree published by newspapers in the Soviet Union presented Safronov the Order of the Red Banner along with Major Mikhail Voronov and Captain Nikolai Sheludko (the commanders of the two missile batteries which had engaged the U-2). The decree did not mention that Sergei Safronov died and several subsequent publications did not state that he died.[6] His death was not revealed until thirty years later during Glasnost with the publication of several news articles.[7]

Personal life[]

He married Anna Vasilievna Panfilova,[8] a high school classmate,[7] and had a son, Alexander Sergeievich.[9] Years after Safronov's death, his wife married Ayvazyan.[9]

Legacy[]

Safronov was posthumously made an honorary citizen of the town of Degtyarsk, over which the incident took place. A monument to Safronov was built in the town's park.[7] On 1 May 2007, the 47th anniversary of Safronov's death, a memorial stele was dedicated at the 764th Regiment's airfield. Three years later, on the 50th anniversary of his death, a Mikoyan MiG-31 fighter stationed at Bolshoye Savino was named for Safronov.[8]

References[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b "1 мая 2010 года самолёту МиГ-31 было присвоено имя Сергея Сафронова, нашего земляка" [1 May 2010 MiG-31 aircraft named for our countryman Sergei Safronov]. vladregion.info (in Russian). Vladimir Oblast Patriotic Public Organization "Miloserdiye i poryadok". Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  2. ^ Khrushchev, Sergei (September 2000) "The Day We Shot Down the U-2: Nikita Khrushchev's son remembers a great turning point of the Cold War, as seen from behind the Iron Curtain". American Heritage magazine. Volume 51, Issue 5.
  3. ^ Taubman, pp. 445–446. Text sequence: Senior Lieutenant Sergei Safronov wasn't so lucky. His MIG-19 was shot down by a rocket meant for powers. [...] But when large pieces of the U-2 made it look on Soviet radar screens as if his flight were continuing, the additional missiles that were fired claimed Safronov instead.
  4. ^ Reed, p. 57.
  5. ^ "Sputnik". Cold War. Episode 8. 1998-11-15. CNN.
  6. ^ Khrushchev, p. 363.
  7. ^ a b c Artyukh, Dmitry (1 December 2015). "Сбитый своими МиГ" [We shot down our own MiG] (in Russian). Zebra-TV. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  8. ^ a b Izotov, Ilya (28 April 2010). "Имя летчика Сергея Сафронова будет присвоено истребителю МиГ-31" [MiG-31 to be named for pilot Sergei Safronov]. Rossiyskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  9. ^ a b Dokuchayev, Anatoly (1990). "Операция "Оверфлайт"" [Operation Overflight]. Krylya Rodiny (in Russian). Retrieved 3 May 2017.

Bibliography[]

  • Khrushchev, Sergei N. (2001). Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of a Superpower. Penn State Press. ISBN 9780271043463.
  • Reed, Thomas (2007). At the Abyss: An Insider's History of the Cold War. Random House LLC. ISBN 9780307414625.
  • Taubman, William (2004). Khrushchev: The Man and His Era. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN 9780393324846.
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