The project to restore the historic aircraft was implemented with the support of PJSC "UAC", the S.V. Ilyushin Aviation Complex., and the Foundation for Promoting the Preservation of Military-Historical Aircraft The Victory Memory of Victory. Its restoration was carried out in Novosibirsk, at the first stage - in the workshops of Aviastoration LLC, and then in the areas of the Siberian Research Institute of Aviation (SibRIA) named by S.A. Chaplygin.

The aircraft was discovered in December 2011 at a depth of 20 meters at the bottom of Lake Krivoye near the village of Safonovo-1 in the Murmansk region. The search and recovery of the stormtrooper were carried out jointly by the relatives of the commander of the crew, search and research groups "FROM" and "IKAR", the Winged Memory of Victory fund.

November 25, 1943 due to damage received in the air combat, IL-2 46th Attack Air Regiment of the Air Force of the Northern Fleet did not reach the airfield about three kilometers and made a forced landing on the ice of the frozen lake Krivoye. The commander, Junior Lieutenant Valentin Skopintsev and the air rifle red-fleet Vladimir Gumyonny emerged from the plane, which after a while fell through the ice and sank.

The search was initiated by the children of the commander of the crew three times a Chevalier of the Order of the Red Banner and a Chevalier of the Order of Nakhimov II Degree Valentin Skopintsev, Oleg and Eugenia. The story of the landing on the frozen lake, told by the father, prompted Oleg to apply to the Foundation in order to start the search for an airplane in memory of the feat of his father, his brother-soldiers and all the naval aviators who fought during the war in the skies of the Polar region.

The 46th Northern Fleet was formed in the spring of 1942 as part of the Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet. Since March 15, 1943, the 46th Northern Fleet was transferred to the Northern Fleet and relocated to the airfield of Vaenga-2 (now Safonovo-1, Severomorsk-2). In June 1943, the regiment proceeded to combat sorties. Along with the traditional work of assault aviation on ground targets and targets, the 46th Northern Fleet participated in attacks of surface targets, both individual ships and entire sea convoys of the enemy, using top-mast bombing. The 46th Northern Fleet played an important role in the destruction of German coasting navigation on the northern sea lines.

On November 25, 1943, 16 IL-2 attack aircraft of the 46th Northern Fleet together with the Pe-2 bombers of other air units, accompanied by fighters, carried out 2 combat sorties. In the first flight, because of bad weather conditions, instead of attacking the airfields of Hebugten and Luostari, the attackers of the 46th Northern Fleet had to strike a reserve target. One crew was lost. Hebugten was able to attack only a group of bombers Pe-2.

After improving the weather, 16 IL-2 attack planes of the 46th Northern Fleet accompanied by the re-sent to strike at Luostari. Storm Troopers were met with fierce anti-aircraft fire and fighter jets. Towards the aircraft of the 46th Northern Fleet in the air rose at least 25 German fighters Bf 109. As indicated in the combat report, as a result of a bomb attack assault on the ground, at least 10 aircraft were destroyed, six anti-aircraft dots were suppressed, and 26 fires were triggered. Additionally, in the course of air combat, 5 Messerschmitts Bf 109 were shot down by ground attack planes and 8 more were escorted by escort fighters. On our side, 6 ground-attack planes and 5 escort fighters were lost.

For commander Valentin Skopintsev, it was only the 3rd combat sortie, for Vladimir Gumyonnyj's arrow - the 2nd. But, despite the small experience, on the account of the pilot were added 2 destroyed aircraft on the ground and 1 suppressed anti-aircraft point, the arrow - shot down in an air battle Bf 109.

Vladimir Gumyonny was wounded. The riddled plane has almost reached the airfield of Vaenga-2 (Safonovo-1), when the engine damaged in battle has decayed. The commander made an emergency landing on the ice of the lake on his belly. Skopintsev got out of the cab and pulled out a wounded comrade. The unfavorable November ice could not hold the plane for long and broke under its weight. IL-2 once again showed its excellent survivability, almost pulling the crew out of the bark of the battle on the "honest word".

photos by Yulia Kuzmina