Zimin, Georgii Vasilevich
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[edit] Biography
Zimin was born in St. Petersburg on April 23, 1912 (May 6, according to the old calendar), and spent his childhood in the city of Kaluga[1].
He joined the Red Army in December, 1931. In 1933 he completed the Leningrad Air Force Military-Technical School, and in 1935 the Engels Military Pilot's School[1].
He participated in the Battle of Lake Khasan in August, 1938 as a squadron commander in the 40th Fighter Regiment[1].
In 1941 he attended the Monino Air Force Academy[1].
During World War II, he served as assistant commander of the 42nd Fighter Regiment from July-November, 1941; commander of the 127th Fighter Regiment from November 1941-January 1942; commander of the 485th Fighter Regiment (which became the 72nd Guards Fighter Regiment in March, 1943) from January, 1942 to April, 1943; and commander of the 240th Fighter Division from April, 1943 to May, 1945[1].
By September, 1943 he had completed 163 combat sorties, participated in 39 aerial engagements, and shot down 13 enemy aircraft individually, plus 4 shared. On September 28, 1943 for his combat service he was awarded Hero of the Soviet Union[1].
By the end of the war, he had completed 249 combat sorties with 14 individual victories plus 4 shared. He flew in the MiG-3, Hurricane, Yak-1, Yak-3, Yak-7, and Yak-9.
After the war he attended the General Staff Academy, which he completed in 1948. He then served in a number of command positions within the Air Forces and Air Defense Forces (PVO), including: commander of a PVO Air Army from 1949-1951; Chief Director of Organization for the National Air Defense from 1951-1953; commander of the 59th Air Army from June, 1953 to May, 1954; General Inspector of the Air Defense Forces (PVO) from 1954-1956; commander of the 24th Air Army, Group of Soviet Forces Germany, from April, 1956 to December, 1960; 1st Deputy Commander of the National Air Defense Forces (PVO), from 1960-1966; and chief of the Air Defense Command Academy, from 1966-1981[1].
He entered the reserves in May, 1992, and lived in Moscow until his death on March 29, 1997[1].
[edit] Timeline
- April 23, 1912 Soviet Marshal of Aviation Georgii Zimin is born[2].
[edit] Publications
- Examples of Combat Tactics: The Fighter Division, 1982
- Fighters, 1988, Zimin's memoirs of his service in the Far East and World War II (also available at amyat.narod.ru)
[edit] Sources
- Zimin, Georgii Vasilevich at National Heroes (Герои Страны) (in Russian)
- Zimin, Georgii Vasilevich at allaces.narod.ru (in Russian)
