Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

I've finished translating this small narrative by Walter Wolfrum where he gets shot down by a Russian fighter, in which he is out-turned and has to crash-land later. I believe this happened on June 16,1944

One part of his statement he says "I knew that a Yak-9 cannot turn much tighter curves than I can"

Afterwards General Seidemann told him that he was hallucinating regarding this new Russian fighter. Wolfrum writes: "I wanted to say something, but under the influence of brandy and boiling with rage I brought forth no more than a babbling."

So was Walter shot down by a YAk3 or by a well flown YAK 9 (or YAK1) Any comments welcomed.

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Are you possibly referring to the 16 Jul 1944 when he was shot down by Airacobras of the 9 IAP.

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Hi Guys

My friend Bernd Barbas knew Wolfrum well. I did ask of the severe wounds attained on 16th July 1944. I was told severely wounded in hip by 37mm shell, which I would think came from an Airacobra. I can find no lose for him on 16th June 1944.
Died on 26th August 2010 by getting too hot in the summer heat.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Johannes,

Thanks for the information.

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Hi Guys

Bernd always thought there could be a confusion between P-39 Airacobra and P-63 Kingcobra? in this instance. I think P-63's were very rare. Anyway he I think mentions it in his I./JG 52 publication. If you would like a copy I can give you the contact details.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Speaking out of ignorance didn't one the Yak 9 variants carry a 37mm gun?

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Yes John, the Yak-9T had a 37mm cannon through the hub.

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Hi Guys

Bernd Barbas has forwarded me a letter he received from Wolfrum in August 1991. In it he states that he was in a dog-fight with P-39's, but could be P-63's. Not only was he badly wounded in his right hip, but a half inch bullet was removed from his right buttock. He had lost much blood. The significant part is the bullet being referred to as half inch, which can only imply a yankie bullet.

The P-63 in my ignorance was the successor to the P-39?, certainly they look similar, and I presume it was armed with half inch MG's, and a 37mm cannon?

I do by memory recall seeing P-63's in the mikrofilms as claims, I think with reference to JG 51, but at this time JG 51 and JG 52 fronts may have overlapped anyway. Still certain aircraft types were more common in certain areas, i.e the U.S types seem to me more popular in the north, but Il-2's seem rarer there. Somebody that is expert to Russian aircraft types can probably tell us if P-63's were likely in the area involved.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Soviet P-63s were only to used against the Japanese. Not that they didn't tho.

P-39
http://www.332ndfg.org/p39-10.jpg

• Length: 30 ft 2 in (9.2 m)
• Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.4 m)
• Height: 12 ft 5 in (3.8 m)

P-63
https://www.the-blueprints.com/bluep...obra-01691.jpg

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Johannes:

According official soviet records, none of P-63's were in active service on the front.

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

As I have said on numerous occasions: You always shoot down aircraft described in the latest intelligence report.

Thus long-nosed 190s in the winter of 1943/spring of 1944. FW 190s in the Pacific, as well as Ju 87s. Etc.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Must be. See Cronauer "Flieger-Asse und Kanonenfutter" with Flugbuch repro stating 'combat with Airacobras' pages 158-161

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Hi Guys

Yes, I did read on the internet that the Russians were only given P-63's with the understanding that they were not to be used on the German front........don't know why!
I'll check through and establish who thought they had made claims over P-63's......Marquardt by memory. Trouble is that they were so similar to P-39's, yet the pilots claiming them usually got within 30 metres of them i.e three aircraft lengths.........that's unbelievably close. Perhaps they deemded them to be P-63's because there performance was superior to P-39's or something.

Anyway I'll get back to you with the claimants.

Johannes

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Hi Guys

Did look through the microfilm for P-63's, and must confess I could find none, must have imagined it.

Johannes

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Why were P-63s not used on the German front?
When they arrived there were no overriding reason to introduce a new a/c type. They also climbed very well for a US fighter and had good speed at higher altitude for a fighter in the VVS service, so many were allocated to the PVO (air defence formation) as interceptors e.g. in the Moscow area and besides many were kept in the Far East in case of war with Japan.

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Hi Guys

In Elmar Arensmeyer flugbuch he mentions Kingcobra's threel times:-

14th April 1945 0900-0957 hrs combat with four Jak-3's and two Kingcobrsa.

20th April 1945 1345-1445 hrs combat with sixty Jak-3's and thirty Kingcobra's. Then during this combat witness to Heinz Marquardt's 113th-114th claims..... two Kingcobra's.

On 18th March 1945 he was in combat with Airacobra's, so he makes the distinction between Airacobra and Kingcobra, and mentions them as such not P-39 and P-63.

So were they Kingcobra's, or misidentified Airacobra's?, and if no Kingcobra's were used against the Luftwaffe, then why would he know about them?

A most intriguing riddle.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

They knew about Kingkobra because intelligence, foreign newspaper articles etc. Germans were also aware of e.g. B-29, and it was one of the reasons why LW High Command was so worried of possible high altitude bombing attacks on Germany.

Juha

Re: Walter Wolfrum and the mythical YAK-3
 

Hi Juha

Thanks for the explanation. Actually though Arensmeyer states combat with Jak-3's and Kingcobra's, and states he was witness to Marquardt claiming two Kingcobra'a, he then himself claims an Airacobra.

Fortunately I think that B-29's being pressurised would have been unsuitable against Germany. The Japanese could not attack the B-29's, Germany could.

Kind Regards

Johannes