Nikolai Dmitriyevich Gulayev (1918−1985) was a fighter pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, aviation colonel general.
He was born on 26 February 2018 in the Cossack village of Aksaykaya (now Aksay, Rostov Oblast) in a worker’s family. He graduated from the Stalingrad Aviation School in 1940 to serve in the Air Defense Force and to join the front line in August 1942. During the Great Patriotic War Nikolai Gulayev distinguished himself in combats of the Battle of Kursk near Belgorod. For his courage and heroism in combats against the Nazi invaders, senior lieutenant Nikoly Gulayev was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union together with the Order of Lenin and Gold Star medal on 28 September 1943.
At the beginning of 1944 Nikolay Gulayev participated in the liberation of the Right-Bank Ukraine. During one of the aerial combats over the Pruth while leading a group of six R-39 fighters, he attacked 27 enemy bombers escorted by 8 fighters. In 4 minutes, 11 enemy warplanes were destroyed. Nikolai Gulayev personally accounted for 5 of them in that battle. He received his second Gold Star medal on 1 July 1944 as a guards captain. He flew over 200 combat sorties during the war and personally shot down 55 enemy warplanes (one of them in a ramming attack) at 69 aerial fights. After the war he served as a commanding officer at the National Air Defense Force.
The envelope with a commemorative stamp features Nikolay Gulayev’s portrait, two Gold Star medals and the emblem of the 75
th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945.
In addition to the envelope with a commemorative stamp, joint-stock company Marka has produced a special cancellation postmark for Aksay, Rostov Oblast, Russia.
Design: R. Komsa (illustration); А. Moskovets (emblem).
Circulation: 1 million.
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