The name of Pyotr Antonovich Brinko stands alongside those of the legendary aces of World War II. By September 14, 1941, he had 15 enemy aircraft personally shot down to his credit, two of which were achieved by ramming.
This remarkable feat was accomplished in just two and a half months from the start of the war, showcasing his exceptional skill and bravery in aerial combat.
Early Life and Pre-War Service
Pyotr Brinko was born on September 17, 1915, in the village of Mandrykino, now part of Donetsk, to a working-class family. He completed 10 grades and graduated from the Aero Club in Zaporizhzhia. He joined the Navy in 1935 and graduated from the Yeysk Naval Aviation School.
Brinko participated in battles against the Japanese near Lake Khasan in 1938 and at the Khalkhin-Gol River in the summer of 1939. He also fought in the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940, gaining valuable experience before the Great Patriotic War.
Combat Operations in the Great Patriotic War
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, Brinko was at the front, serving in the 13th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force, under the command of Hero of the Soviet Union Major Romanenko. He defended the skies of Leningrad and Tallinn and participated in the defense of the Hanko Peninsula, where his combat spirit was fully revealed.
On July 3, 1941, as two enemy fighters unexpectedly attacked the airfield, Brinko managed to take off under fire and gain altitude. Immediately, over the airfield, he shot down one of the enemy aircraft. A day later, he destroyed a “Junkers”. On another occasion, with enemy bombers approaching under low cloud cover, Brinko scrambled in seconds and daringly attacked, downing another plane.
On July 8, while returning to the airfield after strafing enemy troops, Brinko encountered and attacked an enemy bomber of unfamiliar design. Initially mistaken for a Ju 88 or Bf 110, it was later identified as a Ju 86 reconnaissance aircraft, which he shot down on his second attack. This downed plane was recovered from the water and displayed in Hanko’s central square.
On July 24, 1941, in an aerial battle near Leningrad, Pyotr Brinko, having exhausted his ammunition, rammed an enemy Bf 110. His comrades admired his courage and combat skill, learning flying mastery from him. Alongside his wingman, Alexei Antonenko, with whom Brinko had flown since the first days of the war, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on July 14, 1941.
Brinko achieved most of his victories flying an I-16 Type 18 fighter, with the red number “5” on its fuselage. Although it was not the most modern aircraft at the time, its high maneuverability and good armament allowed it to successfully counter newer enemy fighters.
Final Sacrifice and Lasting Legacy
On August 2, Pyotr Brinko achieved another victory, shooting down a Finnish Fokker D-XXI fighter. On August 7, near Dago airfield, he destroyed a Ju 88 bomber. On September 5, Brinko executed his second aerial ramming attack, eliminating another enemy aircraft. This was his 12th personal victory, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
Pyotr Brinko died on September 14, 1941, when, after being wounded by a fragment of an anti-aircraft shell, he lost control and crashed into a high-voltage power line. By then, he had completed over 100 combat sorties, with 15 enemy aircraft personally shot down and 2 as part of a group, in addition to burning one observation balloon.
He is buried in a mass grave of pilots who died defending Leningrad. He was awarded the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner, and the Red Star, as well as several medals. His surname is the first to be carved on the monument-obelisk erected in the village of Zhilgorodok, and streets in Donetsk and Leningrad are named after him. A memorial plaque was installed at mine No. 29.