Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Totally true Gabor though from my records and photos of the units involved
on 1st Iasi Kishinew Offensive none had red outline , and if some they did
then would highly unusual and I have no such records or photos to ID with

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

That's too bad, let's wait for a good dataplate then for proper ID.

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Gabor

I agree ,of particular interest to me would be to determine
if this rare fuselage marking was standard with this Avia Reg
or just for a senior pilot. Then I may be able to go through
details and trace the pilot and his Reg

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Thank you all for your input, hopefully something more relevant will pop out from the crash site !

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Hi Gabor,
On individual aircraft of the 69 GIAP 304 IAD had such a marking - for example:
*http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/9810/...4ca72_orig.jpg
http://ava.org.ru/iap/69g/p39_shikunov_21.jpg
And also possible in 129 GIAP 205 IAD:
http://airaces.narod.ru/all2/karmin4.jpg
But it can not be ruled out that this is an aircraft of any regiment (from 6) two divizions 7 IAK (205 IAD or 304 IAD).

Best regards,
Kirill

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Thanks Kirill,
Very similar numbers indeed. Some of them have very well visible red outlines. Let's hope a dataplate will be found to determine its identity. Thanks,
Gabor

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

In Iasy region operate two fighter division - 9 GIAD (16, 100 and 104 GIAP) and 205 IAD (129 GIAP, 438 IAP, 508 IAP). No one of them used red outlined white board numbers. Red outlined numbers used 304 IAD (21 GIAP, 69 GIAP, 9 IAP), but they stayin' in reserve. I have all of serial numbers lost in Iasy region P-39's. A dataplate with number needed.

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Hi Folks,
This seems to be a 'good candidate' for the recovered Airacobra, marked with red outlined white '31' on the fuselage behind the red star. (The number '31' was clearly painted on the squared back fuselage maintenance door at the tail, so it had to be from a unit, which applied their markings on the fuselage, not on the nose! 9 GvIAD units were such.)

According to the combat diary of 5 VA, 9 GvIAD, 104 GvIAP, on June 3, 1944 Gv.Lt. Mikhail Stephanovich Lihovid, flying P-39 #31 has failed to return from the combat mission of 7 Airacobras, flown between 18:20-19:10 (Moscow time). He was involved in a dogfight with 3 Fw 190s. This is the last time in June, 1944, when P-39 #31 of 104 GvIAP saw action.

A P-39, #31 flew combat mission again on July 16, 1944, which - I am sure- was already a new plane, receiving the very same markings. Certainly other nearby groups could loose a P-39 with marking #31, but June 3, 1944 was in the prime time of the dogfights in the Iassy area where this plane was recovered, and Lihovid's plane was white '31' for sure. (Later he was KIA in August, 1944.)
Hope this helps.

Gabor

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Gabor thank you very much for your update, one quick question, is the handwritten document available on pamyat-naroda.ru ?

Thank you, Mihai

Re: VVS P-39 loss list ?
 

Yes, now this document is uploaded in there. (ЦАМО, Ф:22249, Оп:0020780сс, Д:0001)
Gabor