1. 10. 1918 - 16. 1. 1977

Sergey Lugansky was squadron commander of the 270^th fighter aviation regiment (the 203^rd fighter aviation division, the 1^st storm aviation corps, the 5^th air army, the Steppe Front)..

He was born on October 1, 1918 in Alma-Ata in a peasant family. Russian. A member of the CPSU (B) since 1942. After graduating from junior high school in 1936, he worked as a gardener. Joined the Red Army in 1936, on the Komsomol voucher was sent to the Orenburg Air Force Pilot School, which he graduated from in 1938. He served in the 14^th Aviation Brigade in Pskov.

Junior lieutenant, Lugansky participated in the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-40. Made 59 sorties, shot down an enemy plane, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Star.

When the Great Patriotic War started, Sergey Lugansky was not far from Taganrog. He flew the LaGG-3 to attack the enemy troops. At Bataisk and Rostov-on-Don he shot down four enemy planes. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Then knocked 4 more planes at Belgorod, for which he was awarded a second Order of the Red Banner.

On September 14, 1942 covering the 13^th Guards Rifle Division of General A. Rodimtsev crossing the Volga, captain Lugansky led a frontal attack eight LaGG-3 planes against the superior enemy forces. The Germans were so close that there was no time to maneuver. Lugansky advanced to approach the Me-109 group’s leading. The fighters approached rapidly. There was a moment before the collision, and the German’s nerves broke and he jerked downward. It was his only saving maneuver, but he could not escape the ramming. By left stroke Lugansky completely demolished the “Messerschmitt” stabilizer. Having lost control, the enemy plane went whirling to the ground. Lugansky with the rest of our fighters returned to their base.

Later Captain S. Lugansky fought on the Yak-1B at the Kursk Bulge and at Kharkov.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on September 2, 1943 for 221 sorties, 18 enemy planes personally shot down and 1 in a group, Captain Sergey Lugansky was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 1493).

On September 27, 1943 troops of the Steppe Front crossed the Dnieper near the village of Mishurin Rog (Kirovohrad region, the Ukraine). S. Lugansky headed the squadron on the Yak-7 to cover the assaulters. At that time a group of the Ju-88 and the He-111 covered by the Me-109 approached the ferry. The assaulters had to attack the fighters. The “Junker” planes were repulsed, but the “Heinkel” fighters battled through the ferry. Lugansky decided to attack the flagship, came to it from the bottom and sliced on the steering height wheel with the Yak-7 propeller. The “Heinkel” lost control and crashed to the ground. Lugansky managed to land the damaged.

By December 1943, S. Lugansky personally shot down 13 more enemy planes in aerial combats on the 2^nd Ukrainian Front.

By the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on July 1, 1944 Major Sergey Lugansky was awarded a second Gold Star medal (№ 1981).

In June 1944, a brave fighting pilot was appointed commander of the regiment. In Romania, under the Oder he flew on the airplane presented by Alma-Ata scouts. Finished fighting in Berlin. By the end of the war he made 390 sorties, shot down 37 enemy planes personally and 6 in a group.

In 1949, he graduated from the Air Force Academy. He took command positions in the Air Defense Forces. Since 1964, Air Force Major General Lugansky - in reserve. Wrote “In the deep bends.”

He was awarded two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, two Orders of the Red Star, and medals.

He died on January 16, 1977. He was buried in Alma-Ata. A bronze bust of Hero was set at his home.