Soviet pilot, experienced test pilot, fighter pilot, who received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union twice, Chkalov's friend and ally, the indispensable and fearless Suprun Stepan Pavlovich … He lived a short, only 34 years, but bright, like a flash, life, not left children, but left behind a great memory. His biography can be read as a fascinating novel - he managed to do so much. Contemporaries said that Suprun changed the history of the Soviet military aircraft industry and aviation.
Family
The biography of Stepan Pavlovich Suprun is full of bright events. On August 2, 1907, in Ukraine, in the village of Rechki, the future hero was born in the family of Pavel and Praskovya Suprunov. Styopa's father was at odds with his grandfather, for which the latter, suspecting his son of complicity with the rebels, drove a young family with small children out of the house. Pavel Suprun then had to look for work at a sugar factory, but even there, obeying his violent temper, he participatedon strike, and then left for Canada, fearing heightened police interest. Settling in the town of Winnipeg, in more than two years he managed to earn money for a shifskarta - a special ticket for an ocean steamer, and in 1913 he moved his wife and three children to Canada.
In a foreign land
Stepan Pavlovich Suprun, like his father, had a rebellious disposition. The tall, strong boy was an authority among his peers, as he had a heightened sense of justice and could enter into an argument with adults, for which he was often punished. Later, Stepan's younger sister recalled that her older brother, at the age of 16, was a ringleader and a fighter, but always protected the younger ones. She even thought that he would become a thug, a gangster, because one day he stole a gun from a parked car. But Stepan himself said that even then, back in 1922, he was a member of the cell of the League of Young Communists, where he came at the insistence of his father, and was preparing to become a revolutionary.
In 1915, due to the crisis in Canada, Stepan's father, Pavel, lost his job, but staked out a small plot in the dense forest, built a house and sowed the plot with wheat. Having become the owners of the land, the Supruns briefly felt a little relieved. But Pavel Mikhailovich, who did not give up hope of returning to his homeland, closely followed the upheavals in Russia. In 1917, he finally convinced himself that it was time to return. In addition, the aged father, Mikhail Suprun, called his son home. But the departure was delayed, first due to lack of money, then due to the illness of his mother, Praskovya.
Return Home
The plans of the fiery revolutionary Pavel Suprun were destined to come true only in 1924. With the help of representatives of the Canadian Communist Party, the Suprunov family, which already had six children, moved back to Russia. By this time, Stepan had graduated from the 7th grade of a school in Canada and could continue his studies in his homeland. But everything did not work out right away. The conflict between father and grandfather drove the family first to Kazakhstan, and then to relatives in Ukraine, in the city of Sumy, where the local regional executive committee elected Pavel Suprun as secretary. Styopa first studied with a carriage master in Belopolye, then got a job as a carpenter in the committee to combat unemployment in Sumy. Without abandoning his dream of helping the cause of the revolution, he read a lot and studied hard. In 1928, Stepan began working at a machine-building plant in Sumy. And during the call, he asked to be taken to the aviation troops. So he got into a school for the training of aviation specialists, and after that, in 1931, he graduated from a military flight school. In the documents of those years, the talented cadet was characterized as a future experimenter, researcher and excellent fighter pilot. Thus began the flying career of Stepan Pavlovich Suprun.
Striving up
A year after graduating from the school of military pilots, Suprun was already spoken of as a first-class specialist. During his service in Bryansk, he was even given training for young pilots. Everyone who worked with the young pilot noted his incredible endurance, desire to learn and discipline. In his enthusiastic letters to his family, he talked about new technology, his colleagues, and plans for the future. It was thanks to his passion and enthusiasm that the younger brothers followed in his footsteps. Stepan Pavlovich Suprun was able to educate himself a worthy replacement in the person of not only his brothers, but also numerous students and associates who unconditionally recognized his authority and admired his skill.
Test Pilot
Thanks to positive references from senior comrades, Stepan Suprun in 1933 was transferred to the Air Force Research Institute for test work. His experience and ability to drive any machine, attention to detail and skill as a pilot allowed him to quickly win honor and respect even from such sky professionals as Vasily Stepanchenko, Valery Chkalov and Petr Stefanovsky. Suprun from the first days participated in the testing of various types of aircraft. He volunteered to participate in the "Vakhmistrov's whatnot" experiment, when two light fighters were hung under the wings of a large aeroplane. For more than five years, Stepan Suprun participated in air parades over Red Square, demonstrated the most complex aerobatics, and tested experimental equipment. For his services and achievements, he received the Order of Lenin in 1936, and a year later became a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Suprun's opinion in evaluating prototype aircraft was taken as the ultimate truth. His words that the car did not comply were enough for the experimental aircraft not even to be taken to the runway. If Suprun's resolution was to "launch into series", mass production began immediately. In 1938 incertification of Stepan Pavlovich Suprun, a Soviet test pilot, the word "indispensable" will appear for the first time.
Indispensable
By December 1938, the indispensable pilot already had over 1,200 flying hours. And at the same time, he clearly felt that he was being patronized and restricted from working with experimental machines. At the same time, from the south of Spain, where the Civil War was going on, reports began to arrive that the Soviet I-16 fighter was losing to the Messerschmitt. A replacement was required. Stepan Suprun sincerely believed in the brainchild of the aircraft designer Polikarpov and insisted on his participation in the tests of the I-180, which was going to be put into production, for revision. In the winter of 1938, during a test flight on this fighter, the famous pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Valery Chkalov, a close friend of Suprun, crashed, which made Stepan even more eager to test new prototypes. To achieve his goal, he even had to write a letter to Kliment Efremovich Voroshilov, in which he pointed out the need to evaluate the fighter. He received permission to fly, but did not reveal the secret of the obstinate plane. The light fighter let down an experienced pilot more than once or twice, forcing him to suffer because of failures. When, during the flight, the I-180 ceased to obey the pilot and killed another associate of Suprun - Thomas Suzi - Stepan decided never to have children. He felt he had no right to cause grief to his family.
Stepan Suprun did not have a chance to get combat experience in Spain, where he aspired, but in the summer of 1939 he was orderedcommand went to China - to protect the city of Chongqing from Japanese aircraft. In the very first battle, the “unfired” pilots under the leadership of Suprun showed what Soviet soldiers were capable of. They rushed into battle on a par with veterans and brilliantly carried out attacks. Soviet military fighter pilot Stepan Suprun showed his talent in this particular battle. The enemy has left the battlefield. Later, on the recommendation of Suprun, the fighters began to supply heavy machine guns, which greatly increased the firepower of the machines.
Ambiguous LaGG-3
Stepan Suprun returned to Moscow for a special assignment in the winter of 1940. The war, which flared up more and more, forced to hurry with the improvement of aviation. Several new fighters Yak-1, MiG-3, LaGG-3 were developed and built, which required flight and recommendations. MiGs and Yaks were traditionally made on the basis of duralumin structures. But the development engineers S. Lavochkin, M. Gudkov and V. Gorbunov suggested using a completely new material for the construction of the aircraft - wood.
Single-seat fighter-monoplane, polished to a shine, aroused the interest of the pilots. In the summer of 1940, Stefanovsky and Suprun were testing a new fighter. But even the survivability of the machine and the efficiency of its production did not compensate for the weak engine, low load capacity, design flaws and, most importantly, instability in flight. Landing on the LaGG-3 Suprun compared with the kisses of a tigress, it was so dangerous. Nevertheless, after the modifications, the aircraft was put into mass production and induring the Great Patriotic War was used as a fighter, interceptor, bomber and reconnaissance.
War
Tragic Sunday of the beginning of the war Stepan Pavlovich Suprun met in Sochi. As soon as the news of the German attack became known, he immediately flew to Moscow. The authority and merit helped him to get through to Stalin to share the idea of creating a combat regiment of test pilots. After receiving the personal permission of the Commander-in-Chief, Suprun requested the latest Il-2, MiG-3, TB-7 and LaGG-3 aircraft, as well as the Yak-1 M from the factories. On June 27, an order was issued to create six new regiments. Suprun, his colleague and friend Stefanovsky were to equip 2 fighter regiments on the MiG-3.
The 401st Special Purpose Fighter Aviation Regiment under the command of Stepan Suprun appeared on the Western Front on July 1, 1941. Aircraft gave the first victorious battle immediately on the day of arrival. Suprun himself that day forced two enemy planes to crash. According to the memoirs of colleagues, Stepan Pavlovich often joined the battle, even if there were more opponents, but each time he won. He himself led pilots into battle, participated in reconnaissance flights and escort flights to cover heavy vehicles.
For four days of fighting, fighters led by Suprun destroyed 12 enemy aircraft in air battles, blew up two crossings and a railway bridge. The commander himself did not cease to constantly train his subordinates, demanded strict discipline and strict observance of orders. Hepersonally every time he entered into an air battle and destroyed four German aircraft. July 4, 1941 was a fateful day for Stepan Suprun.
The death of a hero
The story of death has two versions. According to the first, Stepan Suprun, as part of dozens of bomber escorts, flew on assignment, but on the way back he decided to reconnoiter and, with his partner Ostapov, separated from the group. A battle broke out in the sky over the villages of the Tolochin district of the Vitebsk region. Ostapov spotted German planes, but was shot down. Suprun was left alone and once again entered into an unequal battle. But he did not notice the escort planes in the clouds, was seriously wounded and, despite a heroic attempt to reach the ground, collapsed down. Witnesses of the battle subsequently discovered a charred golden star under the wreckage of the aircraft.
According to the second version, Suprun's plane, which decided to conduct reconnaissance at low altitude, was shot down by fire from the ground. But this version is contradicted by the testimony of numerous witnesses who saw the air battle between Suprun and the Messerschmitts.
Eternal memory
During his short life, Stepan Pavlovich Suprun received awards more than once. In addition to the Order of Lenin in 1936, he received a car as a reward. So his achievements and merits in piloting were noted by the government. Suprun received his first title of Hero of the Soviet Union, along with the Golden Star and the second Order of Lenin, in 1940, being in the rank of major. Twice he became a hero of the Soviet Union in the first year of the war, but he was awarded the title posthumously.
The memory of the legendary pilot is alive to this day. Sumy has a bronze bust, a memorial plaque and a street named after him. Monuments are installed in the village. The river and the city of Belopolye. There are also streets named after Stepan Suprun in Moscow and Sevastopol.
