№ 325/кор. “To the 75th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945” series. 100th Birth Anniversary of V. Talalikhin (1918–1941), fighter pilot

Viktor Talalikhin (1918-1941) was a military pilot, Second Lieutenant, the Great Patriotic War participant, and a Hero of the Soviet Union. He was one of the USSR’s first to make a night air ram.

He was born 18 September 1918 in the village of Teplovka, Volsky Uyezd, Saratov Province. In 1938, he graduated from the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation School of Pilots and received the rank of junior lieutenant.

Viktor Talalikhin participated in the Soviet-Finnish war. He was deputy commander of the air squadron of the 177th Fighter Aviation Regiment in the Great Patriotic War. On the night of 7 August 1941, he was one of the first Red Army military pilots to make a ram attack at night. Flying the I-16 type 29 over the village of Kuznechiki near Podolsk, he shot down the He-111 bomber. His plane fell into a forest near the village of Stepygin, Domodedovo District, and the wounded pilot descended into the River Severka on a parachute. In subsequent battles Talalikhin destroyed five more German aircraft. He was killed in an air battle near Podolsk on 27 October 1941. He was eternally put on the roll of the 1st Squadron of the 177th Fighter Aviation Regiment In 1948. For the exemplary fulfillment of the combat assignments of the command on the front of the struggle against German fascism and the courage and heroism shown to V. Talalikhin, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (8 August 1941).

The envelope with the original stamp depicts a portrait of V.V. Talalikhin against the background of the I-16 fighter, the "Gold Star" medal and the emblem of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.