Every year in Russia there are fewer and fewer veterans of the most terrible war in the history of mankind, real heroes of their time, people who fought for the freedom of our country, not sparing themselves and their lives. So, in 2014, one of the outstanding attack pilots, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, a unique person, died - this is Talgat Begeldinov, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. For a long time they did not want to take him to the flight school, referring to his small stature and young age, but he was able to prove that there are no restrictions for real courage.
Biography
In his homeland in Kazakhstan, he has long managed to become a legendary personality, even in old age he did not cease to actively participate in the social and political life of his people, became one of the organizers and was the president of a charitable foundation that helps veterans and their families.
In Kazakhstan, any student knows where he was bornTalgat Begeldinov, the memory of the hero is honored and they try to pass it on to the next generation. He was born on August 5, 1922 in the small village of Mai-Balyk, Akmola region, but later the family moved to the city of Frunze, which is now renamed Bishkek and is the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The family did not live well, father and mother left their native village due to lack of land, they were interrupted by small earnings. The boy lived with his parents until the age of 6, then for some time he was brought up in the family of his childless uncle, that was a tribute to an ancient tradition.
Some sources dispute Begeldinov's birthplace, calling it Kyrgyzstan, but, by and large, this is not so important, Talgat Yakubekovich is one of the few people who can be called a man of the world.
Love the sky
By the age of 16, a lively young man, impressed by the exploits of the book heroes of the novel "Two Captains", dreamed only of planes, combat flights and the sky. There was an flying club in the city of Frunze, but they did not immediately want to take Talgat, for his age he was rather small in stature and was only slightly visible from the cockpit. But he was accepted, and difficult days begin for the young man, he had to combine school and study at the flying club, and besides, he needed to help his family. They lived very poorly, the clothes were unsightly, there was not enough money for food, so Talgat Begeldinov had to get a job.
The young man hid his passion from his father for a long time, because he dreamed of seeing his son as a doctor. However, soon Talgat was able to prove to both his parents and instructors that he was capable of being not just a pilot, but a courageous and stubborn person. Way toIt was not easy for a peasant boy to get a diploma in an flying club, he was not taken seriously for a long time, humiliated, and even survived, but Begeldinov withstood the blow, passed all the exams with honors and even studied to be a public instructor.
Start of war
Talgat understands that he can no longer live without the sky and airplanes, and soon he had a unique opportunity to continue his flight education. A commission arrived at the flying club to select cadets for the Saratov flying school, Begeldinov was chosen immediately, and in 1940 he went to Saratov, not even suspecting that he would not be able to return to his homeland for many more years.
Talgat Yakubekovich Begeldinov at the school had to face more than once a dismissive attitude towards his height and nationality, but here he will receive the first serious school of life and extensive experience in flying on different devices. Young cadets from the first days of the war were already eager to fight, but the commanders insisted on the professional training of pilots, they did not want to send weak youths to the front to certain death.
Introduction to IL-2
A few months later, Begeldinov achieves a transfer to a bomber aviation school near Orenburg, where the young man quickly masters heavy vehicles and soon receives the rank of corporal.
But even here the young pilot was not released immediately to the front, together with other cadets he helped in the school on the economic side. They planted potatoes, raised cows and pigs, allfood was sent to the soldiers on the front line. Soon he was transferred to a fighter school, where Talgat met his future "iron horse", the famous IL-2. Even then, legends were made about him, and all the pilots wanted to surf the sky only on him.
At the front
Finally, the school received an order to second part of the fighters to the front, among them was Talgat Begeldinov. Acquaintance with the war took place near Tver, here young people learned that those with whom they talked a few hours ago rarely return to the base. The battles were serious, even experienced aces of the sky died, and here they are, nineteen-year-old youths with a minimum number of flying hours. No one was afraid, and Talgat and his comrades rushed to the front, into the thick of battles.
But even here, for several weeks, the command forced them to carry out training flights and fire at an imaginary enemy. Finally, military everyday life began, several sorties a day, first in a group with other aircraft, then individually, Talgat Yakubekovich destroyed trains, echelons, tanks, anti-aircraft guns and other strategically important Nazi bases.
Hero of the Soviet Union
On one of these combat missions, Begeldinov was able to attack a German Messerschmitt in a bomber and shoot it down. The Soviet press immediately wrote about the feat of the young sergeant, the downed German turned out to be an important figure, on his account there were more than a hundred destroyed aircraft, the German officer for a long time could not believe that he was shot down by a young sergeant. Behindthis flight Talgat will receive the Order of the Patriotic War of the second degree.
In his military life there will be hundreds more stories related to combat intelligence, the leadership of a bomber column, the attack of German attack aircraft, etc. At the beginning of 1943, Talgat Begeldinov entered into an unequal battle with nineteen Messerschmitts and was forced to commit landing behind enemy lines, together with their shooter, they got out to their own for two weeks.
Talgat Yakubekovich earned his first Gold Star medal and the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1944, the planes under his leadership bravely defended the cities of Kirovograd and Znamenka. The pilot himself then shot down four enemy attack aircraft. The second time he was awarded the same title a year later, when, thanks to a skillful and thoughtful strategy, his squadron was able to destroy large concentrations of enemy equipment and infantry.
Post-war years
Talgat Begeldinov, Hero of the Soviet Union, fought for only two years, but during this time he has 305 sorties, many downed aircraft and hundreds of command tasks completed. He took part in the battles for Berlin, passed among thousands of soldiers on Red Square and returned to his native Bishkek as a real hero.
In the difficult post-war period, he decided to continue his studies and entered the Red Banner Air Force Academy in Moscow. While still at the front, Talgat Begeldinov joined the Communist Party and became an active participant in party congresses and events. In 1945, the inhabitants of the Makinsk region, his small homeland, chose him asas a deputy, Begeldinov happily went to his native land and met with his constituents. The inhabitants of the area, from which his father had once had to leave due to lack of land, now greeted Talgat with cries of joy and recognition.
Participation in public and political life
Political activity had to be combined with command service in the Air Force of the Soviet Union. Despite the fact that Talgat Yakubekovich was suspended from flying for he alth reasons, he worked in civil aviation for many more years. After being transferred to the reserve, he continued to work in Kazakhstan, was engaged in the creation of a runway in large cities of the country, was elected several times as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
Talgat Begeldinov - a pilot, twice GSS, had a restless nature, which prompted him to additionally graduate from the Moscow Civil Engineering College and head various departments in the State Construction Department of the Kazakh SSR for several years.
Literary activity
Talgat Yakubekovich lived a long bright life, never gave in to difficulties, always went to the end in everything. His path can be called an example for the younger generation, he himself met with young people more than once, spoke about military exploits and the strength of the spirit of the Soviet people.
He set out his memories of the difficult path to the profession of a pilot, combat everyday life and the post-war period in the book "Il Attacks", published in 1966. The book became very popular not only in Kazakhstan, but also interritory of the entire USSR. The feat of Talgat Begeldinov formed the basis of many television programs, documentaries and feature films.
Memory
According to the recollections of friends, colleagues twice Hero of the Soviet Union was easy to handle, friendly, always helped everyone who came to him for help. In peacetime, he became interested in breeding bees, his apiaries were famous throughout the district.
Public recognition and people's love Talgat Yakubekovich Begeldinov felt during his lifetime. Even during the war years, journalists often interviewed the famous Soviet attack aircraft. In tribute to the memory of his exploits and the common victory, on May 9, 2000, a bronze bust of the famous hero of the Great Patriotic War was erected in the city of Kokshetau.
Today the Aktobe Military Institute of the Air Force of the Russian Federation bears his name, as well as the Republican Military Boarding School in Karaganda, which he often helped as part of charity events.
