Viktor Feofanovich Chistyakov was born in 1906 in the village of Peski (now a settlement) in the Yasinovatsky district. A Russian national and a member of the CPSU since 1927, he completed 6 classes in 1921 and a workers’ faculty in 1929. He also studied at the Dnepropetrovsk Institute of Railway Transport Engineers from 1930 to 1931, working at Avdeevka and Yasinovataya stations.
Chistyakov joined the Soviet Army in 1931. He graduated from the Voroshilovgrad Pilot School in 1933 and the Air Force Academy in 1942. He served in the Transbaikal Military District as part of the 22nd Fighter Aviation Regiment. His regiment was put on alert on May 22, just 11 days after the start of Japanese aggression at the Khalkhin-Gol River, and dispatched to Mongolia to reinforce the Soviet air grouping.
Early Engagements at Khalkhin-Gol
The regiment’s first airfield was Bayn-Tumen, where all four squadrons (28 I-16s and 3 I-15bis fighters), led by Major T. Kutsevalov, landed. The journey itself was perilous, as flying the “Ishaks” (donkeys, the affectionate nickname for Polikarpov’s planes) demanded immense courage. Combat operations for the Transbaikalian pilots began immediately, with some days involving 6-7 sorties for ground attacks, bomber escort, reconnaissance, and air hunting.
During two months of fighting at Khalkhin-Gol, Viktor Chistyakov personally completed 116 combat sorties. These included 10 ground attacks, 12 reconnaissance missions, participation in 13 aerial battles, and shooting down 7 enemy aircraft (including 4 in a group). The Japanese, with 4-5 years of combat experience in China, initially held air superiority almost until June 22.
The situation changed dramatically with the arrival of 48 top combat pilots and aviation specialists, including 21 Heroes of the Soviet Union who had fought in Spain and China. Led by Komkor Yakov Smushkevich, Deputy Chief of the RKKA Air Force and Hero of the Soviet Union, their presence, combined with the doubling of Soviet air forces by September, shifted the air balance to 2:1 in favor of the Soviets.
From his very first engagements, Viktor Chistyakov demonstrated himself as a skillful, brave, and composed fighter pilot. Flying his I-16, the Donbas native fearlessly engaged Japanese fighters in head-on attacks. On one occasion, a daring enemy pilot refused to turn away, and Chistyakov’s accurate burst from all four ShKAS machine guns struck the Japanese Ki-27’s oil radiator, sending it down in flames. His commanding officer, Major Nikolai Glazykin, congratulated him on his first confirmed kill, which occurred on the second day of his “Mongolian assignment” near Lake Buir Nuur.
June 22 marked the largest air battle in the Khalkhin-Gol conflict’s history, involving 105 Soviet fighters against a slightly smaller number of Japanese aces. Although the Soviets lost 47 planes to the Japanese 31, it was the first time Soviet aviators forced the enemy to retreat, seizing air initiative. Major Nikolai Glazykin died in this battle and was posthumously awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. He was replaced by Major Grigory Kravchenko, a Hero of the Soviet Union from China, with whom Chistyakov fought for over a month.
Heroic Deeds and Recognition
On June 26, Chistyakov and his squadron pursued and shot down a Japanese aircraft near the Khalkhin-Gol River delta. Fortune smiled again on July 27 when Chistyakov swiftly took off to intercept and destroy a Japanese Ki-15 reconnaissance plane that anti-aircraft gunners had failed to engage. Its cockpit yielded valuable documents, including secret schemes and reconnaissance records, for which he was personally thanked by Brigadier Gusev, commander of the 1st Army Group’s air defense.
On another occasion, Chistyakov single-handedly engaged eight Japanese aces, scattering them after downing one of their lead aircraft. His “eagles” also once timely discovered, attacked, and dispersed a column of 700 Japanese cavalry attempting a covert flanking maneuver along Lake Buir Nuur to reach the rear of Soviet infantry and Mongolian cavalry.
Perhaps the most memorable date for Viktor was July 29. That morning, he led the regiment in two air strikes against an enemy airfield north of Lake Utsuru-Nuur. During one such mission, he shot down a Ki-27 attempting to take off. Returning a third time to assess bomb damage, he encountered an enemy fighter. Despite being wounded by machine-gun fire from an experienced Japanese ace, Chistyakov mustered his resolve, forcing the “samurai” to land at his airfield. The captured pilot was Major Fumio Harada, commander of the 1st Sentai, credited with 17 aerial victories.
Post-Khalkhin-Gol Career and Legacy
On August 29, 1939, along with Chistyakov, three of his subordinates—V. Skobarikhin (8 victories), V. Trubachenko (5 victories), and A. Yakimenko (3 victories)—were also awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Chistyakov’s name earned a distinguished place among the 25 best air fighters of Khalkhin-Gol. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Senior Lieutenant V.F. Chistyakov, squadron commander of the 22nd Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Air Force, 1st Army Group, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
He was also decorated with the Order of the Red Banner, the Medal “For Battle Merit,” and the 1st Class Order of the Combat Red Banner of the Mongolian People’s Republic. During the war with Germany, he served as a student at the Air Force Academy, then as commander of the 6th Reserve Aviation Regiment. In this role, he trained dozens of pilots who collectively shot down 73 Fascist aircraft. His technical staff assembled scores of “Yak” family fighters, reinforcing Western Front air armies, earning his unit the nickname “Eagle’s Nest” from writer A. Novikov-Priboy.
After the Great Patriotic War, Viktor Feofanovich held various positions, rising to Deputy Commander of the Transcaucasian Military District Air Force for Logistics. He passed away in 1959 and was buried in Tbilisi’s Vake cemetery.