Description
Order of Alexander Nevsky #13390
Awarded to Fighter Pilot Guards Captain Ivan Evdokimovich Komarov (Иван Евдокимович Комаров)
Komarov shot down 14 German planes during 310 combat mission and 60 air battles
Komarov was shot down himself in 1941 by AA fire and he served in Korea as an advisor from 1951 to 1953
Made of solid silver and enamels. The order measures 47.77 mm in height including its eyelet. It weighs 49.3 grams with its suspension and 40.0 grams without. The suspension is 29.58 mm in width at its widest point and 20.58 mm in height at its narrowest point. The serial number is located at the 5 o’clock position on its reverse. The suspension ring, screwplate, ribbon and the suspension itself are all original.
In great condition considering it is a suspension type order. All details are perfectly crisp and even the higher laying parts on the obverse show light wear only. The red enamels are fully original and mostly present but show a superficial chip on the 12 and 3 o’clock rays. Both sides gained a nice medium dark patina to the silver there have been no repairs. The order comes with its suspension with all parts original and uncut connection ring.
Rare piece with amazing research!
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:
Guards Captain KOMAROV I.E. has been participating in the Patriotic war as part of the 64 Guards fighter aviation Red Banner regiment since 18 September 1942. In this period, he conducted 183 combat missions, engaged in 44 air fights, in which he personally shot down 8 enemy aircrafts: 1 Me-109, 6 Fw-190, 1 Ju-87. He also achieved 4 air victories together with his wingman: 3 Me-109, 1 Ju-87. All the air victories are corroborated by the ground troops commanders (se decrees №№1,9-1943 by 274 fighter aviation division; №64 by 4 Guards fighter aviation division on 23.08.1943).
For the effective ground assault missions against the enemy ground troops and for achieving 2 group air victories, he was bestowed with order “Patriotic war II class” (decree №01 by 1 Guards fighter aviation corps on 26.12.1942).
For 65 successful combat missions, for 1 personally shot down enemy fighter aircraft, and 1 fighter and 1 bomber shot down in a group, he was bestowed with order “Red Banner” (decree №013 on 17.03.1943 on Airforce Commands).
For 4 personal air victories, he was bestowed with order “Red Banner” (decree №31 on 19.07.1943 on 15 Airforce). Now, he is being recommended for his 4th award, order “ALEKSANDER NEVSKY” for his exemplary organisation of the combat operations by his aviation squadron and for 3 personal air victories.
Comrade KOMAROV is an excellent fighter pilot, tactically experienced commander. Having extensive combat experience, he daily trains his young piloting personnel the art of aerial combat. In his training, comrade KOMAROV, stresses especially the necessity of providing effective escort to the ground assault and bomber aircrafts, fighting cohesively in a pair and a group formations, midair combat cooperation between the pairs in opposition to the enemy all purpose aviation formations. He diligently follows each pilots training progress, their conduct during the combat missions and their mistakes, which are thoroughly analysed immediately after landing. This improves the training and gives the pilot the required skills in avoiding dangerous situations in air battles and gaining advantage over the enemy in altitude and manoeuvrability for more effective attacks.
Effective training process and prompt analysis of the piloting mistakes during combat missions bore fruits: comrade KOMAROV’s pilots shot down 27 enemy aircrafts only on the Bryansk and 1 Baltic fronts, loosing in return only 5.
Most typical air battles, in which comrade KOMAROV expressed his commander skills, occurred on the Bryansk front during the ground troops offensive, when each of the air combat mission was an encounter with a significantly superior enemy aviation force. The qualities, that allowed his unit to come out victorious were his commander’s steadfastness and cool, effective midair governance and wit, personnel example of courage, and special attention to training in the preparation period.
On 19 July 1943, a group of 7 Yak-7 aircrafts led by comrade KOMAROV flew a ground troops cover mission. They encountered 4 Ju-87 escorted by 8 Fw-190. Following comrade KOMAROV order, our fighters pushed head on into the enemy air formation and scattered it preventing the enemy bombers in conducting precision strike. Ju-87 released their bombs in disarray and escaped seeking cover in clouds, but not before loosing 1 bomber. The enemy fighters also were not able to withstand the push and retreated into cloud cover, after losing 1 Fw-190. In this combat engagement, comrade KOMAROV presonnaly shot down 1 Ju-87 and 1 Fw-190.
On their second sortie on the same day, the same formation encountered 8 Ju-87 escorted by 10 Me-110 and 8 Fw-190. The enemy bombers were on the way to strike our ground troops. The Yak-7 formation followed comrade KOMAROV’s order and bravery engaged the enemy. Despite such numerical superiority, the enemy could not withstand our energetic thrust. After having sporadically released the bombs over a forest, the enemy bombers ran into clouds and didn’t return to the battlefield. Such dogfights were typical for comrade KOMAROV’s squadron and occurred every day.
On 1 Baltic front, comrade KOMAROV took his squadron 26 times into combat escort missions. Their previous experience played its role here too. Our escorted ground assault aircrafts felt being properly protected and could concentrate on delivering punishing ground strikes, sustaining no losses themselves. They issued gratitudes to comrade KOMAROV for his excellent cover.
For exemplary organisation of the combat operations by the squadron, for extensive pilot training effort, for 27 destroyed enemy aircrafts by the squadron, for 3 personnel air victories, he deserves order “ALEKSANDER NEVSKY”.
The full translation can be read below:
More info about Captain Komarov can be found here and here
A nice interview with Captain Komarov can be viewed here and here
Captain Komarov’s accomplishments:
310 combat sorties, app. 60 air battles.
Victories 10+4:
06.08.1941 2 Me-109 (group victory) Western Front Flying I-153
30.12.1942 1 Ju-87 (group victory) Velikiye Luki Flying Yak-7
30.12.1942 1 Me-109 (group victory) west of Telezhnikovo Flying Yak-7
15.01.1943 1 Me-109 (personal victory) northwest of Bogoroditskoye Flying Yak-7
16.03.1943 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) south of Kozlovo Flying Yak-7
12.07.1943 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) Pobednoe-Zarya Flying Yak-7
13.07.1943 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) khutor Veselij Flying Yak-7
13.07.1943 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) Berezovets Flying Yak-7
13.07.1943 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) Staroe Bit’kobvo Flying Yak-7
19.07.1943 1 Ju-87 (personal victory) Oleshnya Flying Yak-7
19.07.1943 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) Podchernoe Flying Yak-7
26.07.1944 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) west of Shauliai Flying Yak-9
15.08.1944 1 Fw-190 (personal victory) south-west of Bauska Flying Yak-9
Also included in the picture gallery are:
- the combat diaries of the 64th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment on 13, 19 and 20 July 1944
- newspaper Stalin’s Falcons 30 July 1943
- a map 64th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, 4th Guards Fighter Aviation Division
- several pictures of Captain Komarov
It is worth noting that Captain Komarov at some point sold or lost (some of) his awards. The last image in the picture gallery shows his numbered Red Banners (‘2’ and ‘4’) from the interview being replaced by regular Red Banners (when the picture was taken). We suspect a similar situation occurred with his Nevsky as some pictures show him wearing one without suspension. The one he wore in the images might either be an official reissue or a copy altogether.
Please contact us with questions
