Andrey Baklan was born in Kalinovka on 23 July 1917.

In 1938, he graduated from the Odessa Military Aviation School of Pilots.

He took part in the Soviet-Finnish Winter War in 1939-40, flying Polikarpov I-153 with 49 IAP. He flew about 40 missions, mostly in the ground-attack role but didn’t make any claims in this conflict.

In June 1941, leitenant Baklan still served in 49 IAP, flying Polikarpov I-153s.

In September 1941, he was posted to 237 IAP. With this unit, he flew Yak-1s.

He was posted to 521 IAP in February 1942 and continued to fly Yak-1 with this unit.

In April 1942, he was posted to 434 IAP. With this unit, he flew Yak-1s and Yak-7s.

Baklan and Ivan Izbinskiy claimed one Bf 109 each north of Valuyki on 2 July.
These were possibly claimed in combat with Bf 109s from II./JG 52 which reported that Unteroffizier Helmut Adam from 4./JG 52 made an forced-landing in Bf 109 F-4 WNr. 13225 (White 3 + –) at Valuyki due to unknown causes and was reported as missing. Unteroffizier Adam had taken off from Belyi-Kolodes and the fighter was a total loss after the forced-landing.

434 IAP was heavily involved in combat with Ju 87s and Bf 109s over Kalach on 26 July.
Eight Ju 87s were claimed by leitenant Aleksandr Aleksandrov (Yak-7B), kapitan Vasiliy Babkov (2 Ju 87s while flying a Yak-1), Ivan Izbinskiy (Yak-7B), Nikolay Karnachonok (2 Ju 87s while flying a Yak-7B) and Vasiliy Savel'yev (2 Ju 87s while flying a Yak-1).
Seven Bf 109s were claimed by Baklan (Yak-1), Ivan Izbinskiy, starshiy leitenant Nikolay Gorshkov (Ya-7B), Aleksey Khol'zunov (2 Bf 109s while flying a Yak-1), leitenant Aleksandr Shishkin (Yak-1) and major Ivan Kleshchov (Yak-1).
It’s possible that the Bf 109s were claimed in combat with II./JG 3, which lost Bf 109 F-4 WNr. 10250 (unknown pilot), reportedly due to flak.

434 IAP took part in hard combats in the Stalingrad area and on 21 September, twelve Yak-7Bs under command of kapitan Aleksandr Yakimov met 15 Junkers bombers covered by six Bf 109s. After the attack, they claimed seven victories. Known claiming pilots are kapitan Yakimov (one Bf 109 over Kotluban Station), Baklan (one Bf 109 over Konnaya) while Aleksandr Aniskin and starshiy leitenant Fedor Kayuk claimed one shared Bf 109 south of Kotluban Station.

On 21 November 1942, 434 IAP became 32 GIAP.

On 23 November 1942, he was decorated with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union (No. 755) and the Order of Lenin.

Six Yak-1B pilots of 32 GIAP took off from Zaborovye at 17:38 on 9 March 1943 and were surprised to receive a radio call from the ground station about a formation of 30 German bombers, escorted by 20 Bf 109s, that had crossed the frontlines. This was the He 111 of III./KG 53, escorted by JG 54. In spite of their numerical superiority, the “Grünherz” pilots were unable to cover the bombers. Two were claimed shot down by kapitan Andrey Baklan (claimed as a Ju 88 between west of Slugino and Kolomna) and mladshiy leitenant Sergey Vishnyakov. One of the Heinkels from 8./KG 53 made a forced landing at Gogulovka (He 111 H-6 WNr. 7733 marked III. with 15 % damage) and the other one was damaged, with one crew member getting killed. In the clash between the fighters of both sides, 32 GIAP’s aces seem to have frightened off many of the Messerschmitt pilots, since they claimed four shot down (including one over Slugino by Ivan Korchachenko), while in reality no fighters were lost on any side.

In June 1943, he was posted to 19 IAP. With this unit, he flew La-5s and La-7s.

19 IAP claimed two FW 190s Dobzhinovo area on 21 July 1944. Baklan claimed one north-east of the town while Viktor Aleksandryuk claimed one north of the town.
Aleksandryuk had earlier in the day claimed a Hs 126 south of Reyovets station airfield.

On 19 August 1944, 19 IAP became 176 GIAP.

On 23 September, Baklan and Viktor Aleksandryuk claimed one FW 190 each north-west of Valmiyera.

He took part in the Soviet attack on Japan in August 1945.

Baklan ended the war 2 biplane victories and a total of 20.
These were claimed during more than 700 missions.
Baklan was credited with a large number of shared victories but these have been difficult to verify.

During the war, Baklan was also decorated with a second Order of Lenin 26 March 1942), the Order of the Red Banner (1940), The Order of Suvorov 3rd Class (25 July 1944), the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class (11 March 1985) and the Order of the Red Star.

He continued to serve in the Air Force after the war.

Baklan died on 20 May 1985.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
1	07/09/41		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	I-153		Yukhnovo - Kirovo	49 IAP
2	10/09/41		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	I-153		Konotop	49 IAP
	1942
3	07/02/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Yak-1		Kalinin Front	237 IAP
4	22/03/42		1	Ju 87 (a)	Destroyed	Yak-1		Okorokovo	521 IAP
	22/03/42		1/3	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Yak-1		Okorokovo	521 IAP
5	22/06/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Zapadnoye	434 IAP
6	02/07/42		1	Bf 109 (b)	Destroyed	Yak-1		N Valuyki	434 IAP
7	26/07/42		1	Bf 109 (c)	Destroyed	Yak-1		Kalach	434 IAP
8	18/09/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-7B		Vertyachiy	434 IAP
9	21/09/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-7B		Konnaya	434 IAP
	1943
10	09/03/43	17:38-	1	Ju 88 (d)	Destroyed	Yak-7B		W Slugino - Kolomna	32 GIAP
	1944
11	15/04/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	La-5		Kupchintsy	19 IAP
12	16/04/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	La-5		Khudachkuv-Vel'ke	19 IAP
13	07/07/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	La-5		Gavinovichi	19 IAP
14	20/07/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		Ignatul	19 IAP
15	21/07/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		NE Dobzhinovo	19 IAP
16	12/08/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		S Varka	19 IAP
17	23/09/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-7		NW Valmiyera	176 GIAP
18	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed
19	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed
20	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed
	??/??/4?		1/?	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed

Biplane victories: 2 and 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 20 and 21 shared destroyed.
(a) According to some sources, this was four Ju 87s attacked by three Yak-1 and shared between them.
(b) Possibly claimed in combat with Bf 109s from II./JG 52, which lost 1 Bf 109 (pilot MIA). 434 IAP claimed 2 Bf 109s.
(c) Possibly claimed in combat with Bf 109s from II./JG 3, which lost 1 Bf 109. 434 IAP claimed 7 Bf 109s.
(d) Claimed in combat with III./KG 53, which suffered 1 force-landed and 1 damaged. 32 GIAP claimed 2 He 111 shot down without losses.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936–1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Black Cross/Red Star Volume 4 Stalingrad to Kuban - Christer Bergström, 2019 Vaktel Förlag, Eskistuna, ISBN 978-91-88441-21-8
Deutsche Luftwaffe Losses & Claims -series - Michael Balss
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov