Nelson Stepanyan, twice Hero of the Soviet Union

Nelson Stepanyan was twice Hero of the Soviet Union and an outstanding pilot of the Great Patriotic War.

In air combat he shot down 13 enemy aircraft and destroyed another 27 on the ground, including 2 Ju-88 bombers in combat and 25 aircraft on airfields. His personal tally thus reached 40 destroyed aircraft. During his service he flew 259 combat sorties, sank 13 enemy ships and vessels, and destroyed 80 tanks, 600 motor vehicles, 40 field and 60 anti-aircraft guns, 130 machine-gun nests, 40 railway wagons, 1 locomotive, 4 river crossings and up to 5,000 soldiers.

The image is a drawn portrait of the pilot in a leather helmet with goggles raised on his forehead.