Vasily Afonin

Vasily Maximovich Afonin (Russian: Василий Максимович Афонин) (1919 – January 4, 1996) was a Soviet air ace who fought in the German-Soviet War.

Vasily Afonin also participated in the Winter War of 1939-1940.

During the German-Soviet War he fought with the 72 GIAP, flying at various times the LaGG-3, Yak-1, Yak-7, Yak-9 and Yak-3.

Retiring at the rank of lieutenant-colonel, Afonin was officially credited with 14 personal and 3 shared victories in the air (or 11 personal and 2 shared victories):

Honours and awards

• Hero of the Russian Federation (2 May 1996)
• Order of the Red Banner, three times (16 January 1943, 21 July 1943, 12 July 1944)
• Order of the Patriotic War;
  • 1st Class (27 August 1943)
  • 2nd Class, twice (15 January 1945, 3 November 1985)
• Medal for Combat Service
• Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary since the Birth of Vladimir Il'ich Lenin"
• Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
• Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Jubilee Medal "50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Medal "For the Capture of Berlin"
• Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy"
• Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
• Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
• Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"

References

• "Асы Великой Отечественной. Самые результативные летчики 1941-1945 гг." ("Aces of the Great Patriotic War. Pilots of 1941-1945 with top results"), by Mikhail Bykov, 2007
• Corrections done to the previously listed book