Early in Barbarossa , an Il-2 pilot was awarded the " Hero of the Soviet Union " medal after 10 successful missions, but very few pilots achieved this goal. In the second half of the war, 100 combat missions had to be flown to earn the award.

During the Great Patriotic war seven gunners lost their lives for every pilot killed in action
( for Il-2 ).

From Il-2 in action by H Stapfer
( Squadron/Signals publications )

__________________