Szentkiralyszabadja, December 20, 1944
During a field survey I found distorted aluminium pieces and exploded ammunition
shells on a plow-land west of Szentkiralyszabadja.
In 2000, I read Csaba D. Veress’ book titled „Battle of Balaton”. In chapter
„Breakthrough of the Margit line (December 20-25, 1944)” I found the following
information: on December 20, 1944 during the dogfights of the 101/1 Hungarian Fighter,
Group Flight Officer Dezso Szentgyorgyi shot down a Soviet IL-2 ground attack aircraft.
The Soviet plane exploded upon hitting the ground at Berektó dűlő, south-east of
Szentkiralyszabadja. Both crew members went down with the aircraft and were killed.
Flight Officer Dezso Szentgyorgyi claimed 35 aerial victories by the end of the World
War. Among the Hungarian fighters he had the highest score ever.
In a later publication of Csaba D. Veress – „Centuries of Szentkiralyszabadja” – one
can read the following: …a Soviet aircraft crashed south-west of the village on the plot of
the Meszaros family at Berektoi-dulo on the eastern side of hillcock Posa.
After the investigation work, I could pinpoint the crash-site of the aircraft at south-
west of the village. Meanwhile I found more artifacts which indicated the type as IL-2
M3 ground attack aircraft. The crew was thrown out of the plane when it hit the ground.
There is a rumor that one of the airmen was found still alive and a German soldier killed
him.
We know about the event from the recollection of Corporal Tibor Varjas who was
flying as Dezso Szentgyorgyi’s wingman. His memoirs were published by Csaba Becze.
Using the documents held by the -CAMO RF – (Centralnüj Arhiv Minisztersztva
Oboronü Rosszijszkoj Fegyeraciji) Archives Gabor Horvath aviation historian identified
the crew with the help of Boris Davidov.
The pilot of the crashed IL-2 M3 ground attack aircraft was Lieutenant Lev
Nikolaievich Szomolencev, the name of the gunner was Sergeant Nikolai Philipovich
Loginov.
Lev Nikolayevich was born on September 2, 1921. His father's name is Solomencev
Nikolay, his mother's name Solomenceva Marfa (maiden name Gudova). Lev graduated
from high school in 1939. He tried to go to flight school and in 1940, he was finally
accepted. After his disappaerance, the family searched for him for near 15 years but to no
avail. It was after almost 76 years, that one of the descendants Alexandra Lysynskaya
discovered my article on the internet, which described the pilot of a crashed airplane. We
came into contact through the help of my colleague Judit Regenye and thus the family
could finally gain closure on the fate of Lev Solomencev.
Sándor Pálffy (Lackó Dezső Museum Veszprém)
Gábor Horváth (aviation historian)
Dezső Szentgyörgyi, bearing the rank of ’Vitéz’, Hungary’s most successfull fighter-pilot
Impact location (from the east side ) of the IL-2 M3 Sturmovik, 2005
The first pieces of aluminium in the plough-land
Ploughing revealed further pieces of aluminium belonging tot he wreck of the warcraft IL-2 M3
Bakelite and plastic fragments
Sturmovik components whith Cyrillic letters
Malformed hinge, factory-marked 14
Mark 14, factory stave-mark (having its designation at assemblage of the plane)
Perspectival photo of IL-2 M3
The Air Regiment 707’s once airplane
Pilot Lt. Lev Nyikolaevics Szolomencev’s data
Pilot Lt. Lev Nyikolaevics’s data: Air Army 17, Air Regiment 707,registration number: 02699
Loss cardboard of board shooter Sergant Nyikolaj Filippovics Loginov
General view of collected findings, On the left: plexiglas pieces of the cockpit window, on the
right: fragments of iron strap members of the V-Ya Volkov Yartsev 23 mm caliber machine guns and
the 12,7 mm caliber UBT machine gun of the warcraft
Portrait of Lt. Lev Solometsev
Diaries of Nikolay Solomentsev
Graduation photo of Solomentyev, from the pilot academy in Tarnarog
Descendant of Solomentyev, Alexandra Lysanskaya
Lev Solomentsev with his father, Nikolay
The Solomentsev family, the pilot Lev on the left
IL-2 Impact location on a 1:10000 scale map