This is the extraordinary story of Vasily B. Emelianenko, the veteran pilot of one of the Soviet Union's most contradictory planes of WWII the I1-2. This heavily armored aircraft was practically unrivalled in terms of fire power, but it was slow to maneuver and an easy target for fighters. I12 had to attack enemy flak columns at extremely low altitudes, which led to enormous tolls both in equipment and personnel. It is no wonder then that, having flown 80 combat sorties against the Germans, Emelianenko was awarded the highest decoration the Hero of the Soviet Union. He went on to complete a total of 92 sorties. His plane was shot down 3 times, and on each occasion he managed to pilot the damaged aircraft home, demonstrating remarkable resilience and bravery in the face of terrifying odds.
