Russia. Fighter pilot Boris Safonov
19 Aug., 2015, press release
On August 26, 2015 Post of Russia will issue a stamp dedicated to the 100th anniversary of birth of the fighter pilot Boris Safonov who was named a Hero of the Soviet Union twice. The stamp illustrates a portrait of the pilot with the aircraft I-16 on the background, flying which he made 109 sorties and shot down 17 enemy aircrafts.
Boris F. Safonov (1915-1942) was a Soviet pilot, a hero of the Great Patriotic War. He was she first Soviet soldier who was named a Hero of the Soviet Union twice during World War II. He was the best fighter pilot in 1941-1942. During the war he made 234 sorties altogether, shot down 20 enemy planes by himself and 5 as a part of the battle group. On March 1942 four pilots from Severomorsk (one of them - B. Safonov) were awarded by Lieutenant-General Makforlan, the head of the British mission with the highest medal of British Aviation - The Cross "For outstanding flight achievements". On 30th of May, 1942 Boris Safonov died in the air battle.
Type of issue: sheets of 10 stamps and 1 double coupon (3×4)
Stamp Size: 42x30mm
Sheet size: 155x160mm
Circulation: 370,000 ex. (37,000 sheets)
First Day Cover will be in Moscow on 26th of August 2015
