Chapter 4
Unlikely Target
"That was an interesting story Comrade oleg, but it was not the one I wanted to hear" said Stalin, before stopping in the snow.
"What missions do you want to tell me about, comrade Stalin" asked Oleg, who was eager to please Stalin. He would do everything to avoid a shot in the neck.
Stalin turned towards Oleg and with a twinkle in his eyes he asked:"Tell me about the day you shot Hitler!"
Oleg swallowed, he had received strict instructions to tell nobody about that particular mission. But Stalin was off course the Great Leader, he had the right to know.
Oleg and his wing-man had been circling over Berlin. The Red Army was at its doorsteps and the Soviet pilots were asked to stop any aircraft taking off from the city. Oleg decided to head for Templehof-airfield. If there were Germans trying to escape by air then they would certainly take off from there.
The airfield loomed in the distance, covered by dark clouds. The weather was appalling, the Germans might use it as cover to escape. Oleg spotted a plume of dust kicking off from the airfield. Someone was taking off!
"Ivan, follow me!", called Oleg on the radio as he dove towards the airfield.
There had to be an important person on board that aircraft, since the entire airfield lit up as FLAK began to fire at the two Yak's. Oleg pulled up from his dive. There was no need to risk being shot down. He could simply wait until the German bomber flew out of FLAK range.
The bomber tried to reach the cloud cover, but Oleg had anticipated its move. Once out of reach out of the Flak, Oleg could dive onto the bomber, spraying it with shells and bullets.
Oleg could only imagine the horror inside the bomber, as his bullets riddled its wings and fuselage. Incredibly there was no return fire from the bomber, perhaps they had removed the guns to be faster. But it would not help them, as Oleg was gaining quickly on them.
The yak buffeted as it got into the propeller wash of the bomber. Getting closer towards the bomber, Oleg could see that someone aboard was banging at cockpit, trying to break it open. For a brief moment, Oleg and the man looked each other in the eyes. Oleg recognized the man, he had seen him on countless propaganda movies. He could not believe his eyes until the bomber rudder loomed large into his windscreen.
With a scream, Oleg pulled hard on the stick, his propeller tips barely missing the top of the rudder with a few inches. The Yak started to climb upwards. Behind him Ivan started his dive towards the bomber. Now it was his turn to spray the aircraft with bullets.
Oleg glanced down as the Yak arrived at the top of the loop. The German bomber was descending rapidly, but without any sign of smoke or fire.
Completing his loop, Oleg prepared for another run on the bomber, but it would be no longer necessary. With a huge splash, the bomber hit the water of a lake, disintegrating in a thousand pieces.
Ivan, who was trailing the bomber, climbed back towards Oleg.
"Ivan, did you see any parachutes?", asked Oleg.
"No I did not Oleg. Your guns must have riddled their cockpit." replied Ivan.
Oleg watched at Stalin, who had savoured the entire story. Then Stalin asked him:"You did recognize him?"
Oleg nodded, "I am sure about that, Comrade, from all the pictures"
Stalin stroke his moustache, thinking about the situation: "And your wing-man? Does he now about it?"
"No, I never told him?", replied Oleg.
Stalin wrapped his arm around Oleg, pulling him closer and started whispering:" Comrade Oleg, I like what you do, you are a fine pilot for the Motherland. But now i must ask you to never tell this story, to anybody. You understand?"
Oleg quickly nodded, sensing that it would be better to shut up.
"Now Comrade Oleg, It is time to join your squadron again. And rest assured, Mother Russia won't forget you." With those words, Stalin guided Oleg back towards the car that brought him to here.
Oleg opened the door, turned around, saluting to Stalin, before diving into the car. He looked back as the car drove away, happy that he had survived this meeting with the Great Leader.
The political officer with the glasses joined Stalin, asking him: "Comrade Stalin, if you wish we could arrange an 'accident'?"
Stalin looked at the car, disappearing in the distance: "No, that won't be necessary. I like that pilot and besides, once the KGB has finished their operation, nobody will believe him anymore.
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From wikipedia
The generally accepted cause of the death of Adolf Hitler on April 30, 1945 is suicide by gunshot and cyanide poisoning. The dual method and other circumstances surrounding the event encouraged rumours that Adolf Hitler may have survived the end of World War II along with speculation about what happened to his remains...--------------------------------------------
END OF THIS BOOK
