In early August 1941, German propaganda Minister Goebbels without a shadow of a doubt said that"no stone in Berlin will not shudder from the explosion." Despite the fact that the Germans from 1939 years involved in military operations, the residents of Berlin do not feel the full horror of the war and sleep at night a sound peaceful sleep. While the Soviet cities shudder from thousands of bombs dropped by German planes.

In response to the bombing of Moscow, the command of the Soviet Union Navy has the idea of an air RAID on Berlin. This operation could refute the statement of the commander Luftwaffe Goering that " Russian military aircraft is completely destroyed." But the main thing-it would have refuted all firmly emerging in the minds of people around the world myth of the invincibility of the German army.

The bombing plan was drawn up by the highest bidder. But the most amazing thing is that regardless of their commanders exactly the same plan developed pilots of the 1st Mine-torpedo regiment of the Baltic fleet. In response to the order to strike on Berlin, Colonel Preobrazhensky and his Navigator Khokhlov provided the command with already prepared maps with a worked out route Saaremaa island – Berlin. Saaremaa island is the most Western point of the Soviet Union at that time, not yet captured by the Germans. In a straight line from it to Berlin 890 kilometers.

The composition of the Special air group of the 1st mine-torpedo regiment of the Transfiguration were included experienced crews squadrons commanders: captains Grechishnikov, Efremov, Belyaev, Plotkin and others. The group relocated to the Kogula airfield in Saaremaa and was preparing to start the operation. Armed group consisted of the aircraft ДБ3-B, "insects", as they called them pilots.

And now, six weeks after the start of the war in Moscow there is a radio message: "My location in Berlin. We have completed the task, we are going back home." On approach to Berlin during the first departure the German air defense didn't make on the Soviet bombers of a uniform shot, constantly taking our planes for the. So the Germans could not believe that the Russians would decide to such an operation. In the morning after the first bombing, the Germans said that they were bombed by British planes. But the British replied that that night, none of their aircraft flew in the direction of Berlin because of bad weather conditions. The Council of information Bureau put an end to this debate. Yuri Levitan reported the bombing of the Soviet air force in Berlin.

A few days after the first air RAID Stalin decides to strengthen the power of strikes on Berlin. On Saaremaa send special aviation group of special purpose major shchelkunova and the squadron of captain Tikhonov. At the same time, Stalin ordered the 81st air division led by division commander Mikhail Vodopyanov to make a bomb attack on Berlin, flying from the Pushkin airport near Leningrad.Many pilots of the legendary squadron did not live to Win. But then, in 1941, in the most difficult first days of the war, they not only flew to Berlin - they made everyone believe in our Victory.