Lev Schukin

Who is Lev Schukin?

Lev Kirillovich Schukin was a MiG-15 pilot of the Soviet Union. He was a participant of World War II. He was also a flying ace during the Korean war.

Serving with the 18th GIAP on his first combat sortie on 1 June 1951, he and his flight attacked a group of F-51s and Shchukin claimed the F-51D of Harry C. Moore, who was killed. A few days later on 6 June he scored his second victory, an F-80C.

On 17 June 1951 he participated in combat between 25 F-86s and 30 MiG-15s of his unit, and after shooting down one F-86, he was also downed, probably by Captain Samuel Pesacreta. Shchukin was hospitalised for a month. He flew again on in late August and on 29th surprised a group of RAAF Gloster Meteors of No. 77 Sqdn; Shchukin shooting down one of them. The pilot become a POW.

On 2 October 1951 he bounced a F-86 Sabre "Lady Frances" of Colonel Francis S. Gabreski, Executive Officer of the 4th FIW, the aircraft written off after landing.

Four more UN aircraft were claimed in October: a F-80C on 22 October, one F-84E on 23 October, one RAAF Meteor the following day, and a RF-80A on 30 October. On November 13 1951 Shchukin became Hero of the Soviet Union.