Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

Looking through "Luftwaffe Suomessa, vol.2" by Ossi Anttonen (1980), I read with much surprise what follows (P.98):

(July 1943) In the night sky over Leningrad, German pilots now met Lockheed Lightning nightfighers of 760. Fighter Regiment near Leningrad. These aircraft were imported to Russia via Iran from USA and flown to the Leningrad area via the Caucasus.

I have never heard that the P-38 was supplied to SSSR and in July 43 there was no such thing as a Lightning night-fighter.
Any idea what the author meant?

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

I don't have my reference books in front of me, so this is off the top of my head. I'm not sure if Russia was supplied with any type of night fighters?

The only aircraft that comes to mind and could possibly fit that time frame is the A-20/P-70 Havoc. Again, not sure if this subtype was sent to Russia.

This seems to indicate the 760th flew Hurricanes, Lagg-3s, and P-40's. http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/englis...p-40/index.htm

Regards,
Mike

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

In July 1943, 760 IAP was based at Belomorsk with Curtiss P-40s and Hawker Hurricanes under 261 SAD/Karelian Front. Its commander was Lt.Col. Anikeyev.

There is nothing in my notes to suggest that it was ever equipped with P-38 Lightnings or that it was ever trained and employed as a night fighter unit.

L.

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

When I interviewed veterans of NSG 9 (operating over Italy) "Lightnings" was their generic term for Allied night fighters. I never found out why!

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

Could be, but I wonder what kind of "night-fighters" the US could have supplied.
They had none at that time... apart from a score of P-70s, mostly used in the Pacific.

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

My understanding is that the Russians used Pe3s as dedicated night fighters, although often would simply use any convenient fighter, as with other nations. They did convert a number of A-20s into radar-equipped night fighters, using their own radar, but I believe this was later.

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

In 1941 the Soviets finished their R&D program at the Gneys-2 Radar.
Late 1942/early 1943 the Soviets tested the Gneys-2 Radars on their Pe-2s and Pe-3s converted to operate in night fighter role. The Pe night fighters were not successful however and in mid-1943 the Soviets set up new R&D project with Gneys-2 and Douglas A-20G-1 as a carrier of that radar system. That new project was relatively successful and such radar-equipped Soviet A-20G-1s were manufactured.

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

To sum up, the Soviets got A-20Gs that they used as night-fighters, the Germans used to nickname "Lightnings" as a generic term.
Seems legit.

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

But your original question is still unanswered. The VVS did not have Lockheed Lightning nightfighters, nor did the 760 IAP ever have anything but P-40s and Hurricanes until 1944 when it upgraded to La-5s, nor was it ever used in the nightfighter role.

Re: Lightning night-fighters in Russia?
 

Since the twin-boom configuration of the P-61 had at night's low visibility much relationship with the twin-boom P-38 LIGHTNING.

Best wishes

Horst weber