Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning Gentlemen,

whereas only one Western Allied pilot, William Fiedler, reached ace status in the P-39, the Soviet air force used this unusual plane with great success. The following list compiles the most successful P-39 aces with their P-39 scores.

1. Grigorii Rechkalov - 54,17
2. Aleksandr Pokryshkin - at least 40
3. Dimitrii Glinka - 39
4. Nikolai Gulayev - 38,33
5. Ivan Babak - at least 37,5
6. Mikhail Komelkov - 34,48
7. Alexei Smirnov - at least 33,5
8. Boris Glinka - 30
9. Aleksandr Klubov - at least 28
10. Pavel Kamozin - at least 25

I would be grateful for any help with the definite P-39 scores of these aces.

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello Michael
Interesting topic. I also would like to know the definite P-39 scores. I only have some second hand info with unknown reliability.

Grigorii Rechkalov – 52+4
Dimitrii Glinka - 44
Aleksandr Pokryshkin – c. 40 +?
Ivan Babak - 34+5
Mikhail Komelkov – 33+7
Nikolai Gulayev - 32
Alexei Smirnov - 31+1
Aleksandr Klubov – 27+3
Boris Glinka – 27+2
Fedor Arkhipenko – 26+4
Pavel Kamozin – at least 23+6
Andrey Trud – c. 25+1?

Again, my list is unreliable.

Juha

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello Juha,

thanks for your interest.

• Rechkalov's P-39 score of 52+4 and Gulayev's P-39 of 32 stem from George Mellinger's "Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces of World War 2". But you find a full list of their totals here:

http://soviet-aces-1936-53.ru/abc/r/rechkalv.htm
http://soviet-aces-1936-53.ru/abc/g/gulaev.htm

• That website lists only 3 of Klubov's 19 shared kills, thus his P-39 might be higher than 28.
• It lists 27+2 kills for Boris Glinka (all in P-39) whereas Tomas Polak in "Stalin's Falcons" attibutes a total of 29+2sh to him.
• Arkhipenko has 24,5 P-39 kills and thus narrowly misses a rank in the top ten list.
• Kamozin's P-39 score of at least 23+6 is new to me. It would add up to more than 25,00.
• Trud has a total of 25,33 but his first kill was scored in a Yak-1. Thus he narrowly misses a rank in the top ten.

Kind regards,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello Michael
thanks alot for the links and the extra info!

Juha

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello Juha,

you're welcome.
Another interesting candidate for the top ten is Vladimir Bobrov.
Tomas Polak gives him 13 kills in the Spanish Civil War and 30 kills in the Great Patriotic War. According to George Mellinger these were only his individual kills and there were 4 additional shared kills in Spain and 20 in WW2.
Therefore, that list might to be incomplete
http://soviet-aces-1936-53.ru/abc/b/bobrov.htm
with a minimum P-39 total of 17,83 and a maximum P-39 total of 37,33.

Who knows more about this issue ?

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hi,
I think that the page of Mikhail Bykov will be interesting to you:
http://owl-99.livejournal.com
http://owl-99.livejournal.com/83703.html

Best regards,
Kirill

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Cool. Top ten ace lists ranked by individual kills.
Is owl_99 Bykov himself ?

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning,

how many of Ivan Bochkov's 6+10shared Airacobra kills were scored in a P-400 ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

The P-400's of the USAAF claimed 45 kills, all in the Pacific.
Who was the top-scorer of that subtype ?

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Michael I realize this is roughly related to the main thread but it should be posted in the Pacific section of the board. You will likely get a lot more responses there. Suggest you repost in that section.

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

OK.
Update: I've adjusted the P-39 top ten ace list according to that wonderful website:
http://soviet-aces-1936-53.ru/index.html

1. Grigorii Rechkalov (Речкалов Григорий Андреевич) = 54,17 [53+3]
2. Alexandr Pokryshkin (Покрышкин Александр Иванович) = 40-44,5 [40+0 - 43+3]
3. Dimitrii Glinka (Глинка Дмитрий Борисович) = 39 [39+0]
4. Nikolai Gulayev (Гулаев Николай Дмитриевич) = 38,33 [37+3]
5. Ivan Babak (Бабак Иван Ильич) = 37,5 [35+5]
6. Mikhail Komelkov (Комельков Михаил Сергеевич) = 35,48 [33+7]
7. Alexei Smirnov (Смирнов Алексей Семёнович) = 34,5 [34+1] + 1 balloon
8. Boris Glinka (Глинка Борис Борисович) = 28 [27+2]
9. Alexandr Klubov (Клубов Александр Фёдорович) = 28 [28+0]
10.Alexei Yegorov (Егоров Алексей Александрович) = 25 [25+0]
11. Pavel Kamozin (Камозин Павел Михайлович) = 25 [23+4]

Can anybody tell me if any of these victories were scored in the P-400 ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning Gentlemen,

according to this website
http://warbirdsandairshows.com/aircr...torieswwii.htm
the Airacobra has scored 5 CBI kills.
Can anybody tell me the name of one of the claimants and the location of his claim ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

I too am curious and DUBIOUS about the deployment of P-39,P-400 in CBI and especially victories!!!

Never heard of "these victories"

The P-43 "Lancer" in Pacific ? and 3 victories??....Which??

On the other hand nothing on the P-66 "Vanguard" in CBI.....To my knowledge,it seems some victories by Chinese pilot(s).no?

Hum!Hum!

Michel

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

I do not have any P-39 or P-400 victories in the CBI theater in my databases. You will have to query the webmaster of that site, and ask him for documentation and sources (which I note he does not supply).

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello Frank,

thanks for checking.
I've contacted the webmaster David Jackson.
He recommends this book
https://www.amazon.de/Victory-Roll-A...tory+roll+wolf
but acknowledges that the info I seek is not included.

Have a nice Friday,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Gents,
The P-39/P-400 PTO claims for USAAF in CBI could be in the Aleutians...technically part of the Pacific but not generally referred to as such. I wonder if the mistake was made in itemising the Aleutians separately from the PTO.

The P-43 kills in the CBI - well, a number of claims were referred to by pilots of the late-AVG/early 75 FS (I think that was the initial USAAF unit which took over from the AVG in China). I am not aware if any of these claims were confirmed but a number were discussed in various unit histories and pilot biographies. These claims would have been by the USAAF, and not included as part of the small number of claims by Chinese AF pilots.

Regards,
...geoff

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

There is no way that the P-39 claims in the Aleutians (I believe I show about 9) can be considered as being in the CBI. The Aleutians are in the northern Pacific, and 11th Air Force.

There are no P-39 claims in the CBI. I have three P-43 (or P-43A) claims, in August and September 1942, by the 75th and 76th Fighter Squadrons. 74th, 75th, and 76th FS were the successors to the three AVG squadrons, as part of the 23rd FG.

There are lots of P-39/P-400 claims in the Pacific, and a few in the MTO.

I am only able to track the Chinese pilots in the CACW, all of whom flew the P-40, and later the P-51. And that webpage does say that these are claims by US pilots.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning Frank,

3 P-43 claims ?
I know only of Jeffery Wellborn.
Can you tell me who the other two are ?

Have a nice weekend,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Osprey's Aces of the Republic of China Air Force says -

You-hsin KAO claimed a Ki-43 on 12/1/43 and a Ki-48 on 29/11/43 while flying a P-43A.

Chi-kai CHOW downed a Ki-46-III on 24/10/42 while flying a P-43A.

Cheers
Peter

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good evening Gentlemen,

has the P-39 ever scored over other parts of the Asian continent, like the Philippines ?

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good evening Gentlemen,

can anybody tell me the dates and/or decimals of the 3+3shared Alexandr Pokryshkin claims that are not listed in this list ?
http://soviet-aces-1936-53.ru/abc/p/pokryshkin.htm

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

I hope the following adds some details.


https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/...ed-challenges/


https://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircra...9/42-4287.html

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Regarding Pokryshkin, Bykov states no shared victories with the P-39 but only the three mentioned on the site claimed with MiG-3 and Yak-1.

Best wishes/Håkan

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good evening Håkan,

I suppose the list I mentioned is based on Mr Bykov's work.
I would interpret it as listing 43+3sh kills of a total of 46+6sh.
Therefore, I think the dates and decimals of 3+3sh Pokryshkin kills are unknown to the webmaster (and Mr Bykov).
Could you agree ?

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello Michael,

My interpretation is that when Pokryshkin was decorated with the third HSU in August 1944, the award documents mentions 46+6 but Bykov has only found evidence of 43+3 in his research.
The awards document are very often wrong (I've only looked into RAF and VVS so other air forces I don't know) so I would go for Bykov's 43+3 as the most correct.

Best wishes/Håkan

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning Håkan,

would you say that wrong figures in the award documents are the main reason for the wrong totals of Soviet aces which can be read in older books ?

Have a nice Wednesday,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

I think it's a combination of wrong info compiled in wartime, propaganda, a mix between claims, shared, probables etc. As I stated above, this is quit common in both RAF and VVS records.

//Håkan

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning Håkan,

luckily, those 3+3sh claims that possibly miss would not change Pokryshkin's rank within the P-39 top ace list.

Have a nice weekend,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning Gentlemen,

I just finished reading "Reprise de la lutte sur P-39" by David Méchin. I did not know before that this excellent WW1 aviation expert has written WW2 articles, too. I learned that the French scored a few kills while protecting Mediterranean convois from bases in North Africa.

It seems to me like the P-39 scored on at least four continents:

• Europe: Grigorii Rechkalov (Ukraine)
• Africa: Hugh Dow (Tunisia)
• Asia: ?
• Australia & Oceania: William McDonough (Papua New Guinea)
• America: Arthur Rice (Aleutians)

Can anybody tell me the name of a pilot who scored over the continent of Asia in a P-39 ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

I am no aware of P-39 serving in the CBI but P-63 were used (and I believe scored) against the Japanese in August 1945.

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello
I recently got the book SOVIET UNION AIR ACES 1941-1945 by Waldermar Trojca Model hobby and theresis no mention on Bobrov Vladimir Ivanovich? while other books do mention him and lack of the HSU wants going ?

Cheers
Santiago

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good morning Santiago,

you find Bobrov here:
http://soviet-aces-1936-53.ru/abc/b/bobrov.htm

Good morning Alfred,

yes Nikolaj Filippovič Mirišničenko scored a P-63 kill:
http://aces.safarikovi.org/victories...apan.1945.html

The idea of the Americans having scored CBI kills in the P-39 is from here:
http://www.warbirdsandairshows.com/a...torieswwii.htm

Have a nice Wednesday,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Michael,

With regard to US P-39/P-400 claims in the CBI, I have been through the squadron and group records for the units there, and none of them ever had P-39s/P-400s. This was part of my research for my AVG/CBI Victory List, published last century/millennium. I suggest you get in touch with the webmaster of that webpage and ask for sources and details.

The webpage is also wrong in stating zero victories for the Hellcat in the MTO, and at least technically wrong with it scoring zero victories in the CBI. On Jan 12, 1945 VF-3 shot down a number of Japanese aircraft over Saigon. Yorktown of course was out in the South China Sea at that time, so the Hellcats were not *based* in Indo China/Vietnam.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

William Wolf have done the same kind of table for his great book "Victory Roll!" while Robert Allen also provided me with his own, I'll look into them if it confirm this (which I doubt).

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Good evening Frank & Alfred,

the webmaster is David Jackson, a notable expert for air shows (and several other topics). His source is “Victory Roll –The American Fighter Pilot and Aircraft in WWII” by William Wolf.

In my own edited list, which is based on Robert Allen's list I have 8 MTO victories and 0 ETO victories for the F6F (adjusted by Barrett Tillman). Thanks for the VF-3 info. I think 0 CBI victories for the F6F means that no F6F were operated from Asian continent bases.

No CBI unit had P-39's ?

Kind regards from Germany,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

...I'm still interested which P-39 pilots are thought to have scored the 5 CBI kills listed here:
http://www.warbirdsandairshows.com/a...torieswwii.htm

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

The odd thing about the CBI list at the above link is not just the 5 kills for the P-39. Adding the numbers for USAAF fighters gives a total of 1504, however, USAF85 has 1100.56 as the total number of credits for the CBI.
Interestingly, the AAF Statistical Digest shows 847 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air in the CBI.

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Hello Stig,

maybe the differences are partly based on inclusion or non-inclusion of AVG kills.
But this deserves a separate thread.
Do you think that the P-39 ever scored an aerial kill over the continent of Asia ?
(A kill over the Phillipines would suffice for my statistics.)

Have a nice evening,

Michael

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

Last P-39 kill in the Pacific was in July 1944, before 5th AF had gotten to the Philippines.

Enjoy!

Frank.

Re: Bell P-39 top ten ace list
 

No kills in 1942, when the Phillipines were lost to the Japanese ?

Cheers,

Michael