Pavel Sakharov was born in Ivanovo (or Mel'nikovo) on 23 July 1918.

In 1939, he graduated from Ivanov’s flying club and worked there as an instructor-pilot.

He joined the Red Army in 1940 and in July 1941, he graduated from Serpukhov Joint Military School of Pilots and Aircraft Mechanics.

Serzhant Sakharov joined 57 ShAP in July 1941, flying Polikarpov I-153s on the Western Front. This unit was probably the fighter eskadrilya of 57 ShAP, which existed between 20 August and 15 November 1941 and was commanded by leitenant Matvey Zotov.

In December 1941, he was posted as a flight commander to 13 ZAP (city of Kuznetsk), where he trained on Yak-1s.

In March 1942, he was posted as a flight commander to 2./20 IAP-SF of the Northern Fleet Air Force. This regiment was equipped with Yak-1.

The Yak-1s from 20 IAP-SF met Bf 109s between Motka Bay and Korabelny on 18 August 1943. Two were claimed destroyed by Sakharov and Aleksandr Shipov, which claimed one each.

Sakharov and Aleksandr Shipov claimed one Bf 109 each over Cape Ekkeri on 6 September 1943.

From March 1944, he served as eskadrilya CO of 3./78 IAP-SF, flying Kittyhawks.

On 5 November, kapitan Sakharov was decorated with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin.

78 IAP-SF was re-equipped with Airacobras in December 1944.

Sakharov ended the war with 1 shared biplane victory and a total of 11.
These had been claimed during 225 combat missions and more than 20 air combats.

He continued to serve in the naval aviation after the war.
In 1948, he graduated from the Higher Aviation Officer Courses of the Navy in Riga and in 1955, he graduated from the command faculty of the Air Force Academy in Monino.
He commanded the 781 IAP of the Pacific Fleet Air Force.
From 1958, for health reasons, he served as deputy chief of staff for combat training of the 30th separate air defense corps.

Polkovnik Sakharov was placed in the reserve in March 1961.

After retirement, he lived in Ivanov and died on 24 October 1985.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
	06/11/41		1/3	Bf 110 (a)	Shared destroyed	I-153		N Serpukhov	57 ShAP
	1942
1	11/09/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		S Luostari	2./20 IAP-SF
	1943
2	18/08/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Motka Bay - Korabelny	2./20 IAP-SF
3	02/09/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		NW Heine Saari Island	2./20 IAP-SF
4	06/09/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Cape Ekkeri	2./20 IAP-SF
5	02/10/43		1	Bf 109 (b)	Destroyed	Yak-1		NW Varde	2./20 IAP-SF
6	30/12/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Shuk Lake	2./20 IAP-SF
	1944
7	05/07/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Kittyhawk		Kirkenes	3./78 IAP-SF
8	22/07/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Kittyhawk		Titovka Lip	3./78 IAP-SF
9	15/09/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Kittyhawk		Bolshaya Volokova Lip	3./78 IAP-SF
10	21/10/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Kittyhawk		S Kirkenes	3./78 IAP-SF
11	24/10/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Kittyhawk		Finkongjellen Mountain	3./78 IAP-SF

Biplane victories: 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 11 and 1 shared destroyed.
(a) Victory is included only based on award material; it is not mentioned in operational and reporting documents.
(b) Victory is included only based on award material; it is not mentioned in operational and reporting documents.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936-1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov