Photo by Senior Lieutenant of the Red Army Air Force S.M. Novichkov– Hero of the Soviet Union

The original photo is in good collector's condition. The size is 73*105 mm. There are traces of pasting into the album on the back. Guarantee of authenticity.

Stepan Matveyevich Novichok (1921-1992) — lieutenant colonel of the Soviet Army, participant of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union (1944). He was born on October 29, 1921 in the village of Klepalniki (now the Zaraisky district of the Moscow region). He graduated from nine grades of school, studied at the aero club, artillery and special air force schools. In 1941, he was drafted into the Red Army. In 1942 he graduated from the Vyaznikovo Military Aviation School of Pilots. Since May of the same year, he served on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. By 1944, Senior Lieutenant Stepan Novikov commanded the 67th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 1st Guards Fighter Aviation Division of the 16th Air Army of the Belorussian Front. By that time, he had flown 173 combat missions, shooting down 24 enemy aircraft personally.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "On awarding the title Hero of the Soviet Union to the officers of the Red Army Air Force" dated February 4, 1944, for "exemplary performance of combat missions of the command at the front of the struggle against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time", he was awarded the high title Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and a medal "Golden Star" number 2808.

By May 9, 1945, he had flown 277 combat missions, conducted 51 air battles, shot down 33 aircraft personally and 1 in a group. In 1946, he was discharged from the reserve with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He lived and worked in Moscow. He died on July 20, 1992. He was buried in the Novo-Village cemetery in Pushkino.