Soviet Northern Fleet P40 units in late 1943
 

According to what I seen in various sources the 191 IAP had P40N and P40M in late 1943, the 196 IAP had P40N. Can anyone add anything to this? I am interested in their operational record during the winter of 1943-1944.

regards

Keith

Re: Soviet Northern Fleet P40 units in late 1943
 

191 IAP definitely had P-40Ms, FiAF got one when its pilot got lost and landed on the ice of the Lake Valk (Valkjärvi) in the Karelia Isthmus on 27 Dec 1943, the plane was P-40M-1D-CU (43-9438).

Juha

Re: Soviet Northern Fleet P40 units in late 1943
 

Yep. They flew P40E alongside P40M earlier in 1943, I found a photograph of the two types in formation but no date.

Re: Soviet Northern Fleet P40 units in late 1943
 

Hi Keith,
I'm not very knowledgeable on this theater of war, but if not mistaken, 191 IAP and 196 IAP at the specified time were the 275 IAD 13 VA. This is the Leningrad front!
But Northern Fleet? These are different areas and patterns. Don't quite understand.
Also there is information that in the summer of 1943 196 IAP were armed Aircobra.

It seems to me much closer to the Northern Fleet was 152 IAP 324 IAD (later in 260 SAD) 7 VA (Karelian front).
Also until the summer of 1943 the P-40 was 195 IAP 259 IAD on the Karelian front.
But again - what is the connection with the Northern Fleet?

The P-40 I believe in the Northern Fleet in the winter of 1943-44 were 2 GIAP VVS SF; 78 IAP VVS SF (likely); 27 IAP VVS SF; 118 RAP VVS SF (possibly in same squadron)...

Best regards,
Kirill

Re: Soviet Northern Fleet P40 units in late 1943
 

This article covering the service of P-40 in Soviet Union might be helpful, it has also the far north covered: http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/englis...omanenko/p-40/

Re: Soviet Northern Fleet P40 units in late 1943
 

Here some additional info on P-40 units of VVS SF (Soviet Northern Fleet Air Force) and other Soviet air forces in 1943 in far north:

On 1.3.1943 following units with P-40´s were located at the Murmansk region:
2 GAIP (VVS SF) - 7 operational P-40 E´s at Vajenka (+1 under repair)
768 IAP (PVO 122 Fighter Division) - 4 P-40 E´s at Arktika
769 IAP (PVO, 258 Mixed Flight Division) - 10 P-40 E´s at Murmashi
19 GIAP (258 Mixed Flight Division) - 10 operational P-40 E´s at Shongui
20 GIAP (258 Mixed Flight Division) - 6 operational P-40 C (+ 4 under repair) + 7 operational P-40 E´s (+3 under repair) at Montshegorsk.

When it comes to Northern Fleet Air Force P-40 inventory, here some info of the situation on 1.7.1943 and 1.7.1944:
on 1.7.1943 it appears that there were only 2 P-40 (Kittyhawk) in the books of VVS SF, but on 1.7.1944 their number had increased to 83 (of which 74 were in operational condition).

About the actual combat performance of Soviet P-40´s it is difficult to say anything definitive due to mutual German/Soviet overclaiming. However the Soviet P-40 units did not suffer as many losses than Germans claimed. Examples of German overclaiming vs. Soviet P-40´s at the arctic front (Luftfotte 5):

Germans claimed on the period of 28.2.-6.3.1943 to have shot down in air combats 4 Tomahawks (P-40C) and 4 Kittyhawks (P-40 E) but the actual P-40 air combat losses during the period were just 1 Tomahawk.

On 18.8.1943 Germans claimed to have shot down 4 P-40´s in air combat but actually none was not lost on that day. The total German overclaiming during the air combats of 18.8.1943 appears to be have been as much as 5:1.

On 25.11.1943 Germans claimed to have shot down in air combat 9 P-40´s but the actual Soviet P-40 losses on that day were four P-40 N belonging to 78 IAP (VVS SF).

When it comes to Soviet combat reports and claims, the VVS SF appears to have been more accurate (less overclaiming) than other Soviet air units - the VVS SF command had given a spesific order that its fighter pilots were not allowed to report any "nonexistent" air victories.

When it comes to the airwar situation in the far north of German East Front the report of Finnish liason officer notes that by the August 1943 the initiative in the airwar of Arctic Ocean was firmly in Soviet hands and this was admitted by the Germans. During the year 1943 Germans reported that Soviet fighters in the Murmansk region were more willing to engage in air combat than earlier, that Soviet air activity was clearly increasing and that there was also a clear improvement in Soviet air tactics.

Source: Hannu Valtonen 1997: Luftwaffen pohjoinen sivusta. Saksan ilmavoimat Suomessa ja Pohjois-Norjassa 1941-1944. - Luftwaffe´s Northern Flank. German Air Forces in Finland and Northern Norway 1941-1944.

In the book are also included the known German aircraft losses in north (Luftflotte 5) by surviving German records. Many combat losses have been compared with Soviet claims and in some cases the clear corresponding match have been found (cases in which it can be said quite surely which unit or pilot had made a accurate claim).