Loss of a rare bird:Ermolaev ER-2
 

In my archives without further details:

on 06/10/41:
7 Ermolaev ER-2 (421° Regiment) on 9 (Cap.Andreev) were shot down by Bf.109.

on 18/10/41:
also 6 (always 421° Regiment) shot down by Bf.109

1)Someone can confirm these losses
2)what units claimed these "rare birds",certainly as Pe-2 because of the scarcity of the "bird"

Michel

Re: Loss of a rare bird:Ermolaev ER-2
 

There is a description of the activities of 421 online (in Russian):
http://allaces.ru/p/episode.php?id=47

My own translation below lists 5 shot down by fighters and a six surviving being intercepted:
In mid-October 1941, having advanced rapidly, leading German units were able to capture intact several strategically important bridges across the Volga in the Kalinin area. To stop the advance of the enemy required to destroy the bridges - the task was given to all available aviation regiments. In the case went even four-engined TB-7 were sent during the day, without fighter cover. So did the Yer-2 heavy bombers of 420 and 421 DBAP (81 DBAD).

In cloudy weather, two Yer-2 took off at 12:45 hrs with the crews of Leitenant Ivan Morozov (blue "2") and Leitenant A. C Gayvoronsky (red "5"). Approaching the target undetected, both crews dropped their bombs (four FAB-250 and two FAB-100), but all missed. During the attack the bombers were fired on by Flak, and then attacked by the "Messerschmitt", resulting in both being shot down in flames and falling in the forest. Only one air gunner was killed, the other crew members later returned to the regiment. According to their reports, the Germans also lost one fighter.

But the combat mission was required to be accomplished at any cost. At 15:07 a new raid was launched on this target by three Yer-2 flown by A A Balenko (white "4"), Buzovir (yellow "6") and Tyklin (white "8"). The formation shared the fate of the previous pair: they missed the bridge, were fired at by Flak, and then all shot down on the way back by fighters. Again the surviving crew members reported on the destruction of a Bf-109. The burning bomber of Leitenant Balenko settled on the surface of the Moscow Sea and floated for some time, enabling the crew to get out.

The third and last attempt to bomb the bridge that day was flown by the two Yer-2 of Tikhonov (yellow "3") and Tryapitsya (yellow "8"), departing at 16:24. Weather noticeably deteriorated, and clouds covered the sky, which, on the one hand, protected them, but on the other, made it difficult to find the target. Both crew were again unable to hit the target, the bombs falling 15-20 meters from the bridge. Hiding in the clouds, Tikhonov avoided attacks by enemy fighters, while Tryapitsyn had to repulse the attack of a single Bf-109.

The names of two air gunners of 421 DBAP killed this day are known: Sgt Fedor Yemelyanovich Kulyuda, and Ml Sgt Andrei Denisovich Salobuto.


The German claims for bomber this day (according to a file by Jim P using the Jagdverbande book for 1941):
Date Rank Fname Lname Unit JG Claimed Location Time ClaimNo Unit_Cl RLM
18/10/1941 Oblt. Franz Beyer 8. JG 3 Pe-2 - 07.00 41 532 yes
18/10/1941 Fw. Franz Gilhaus 5. JG 52 SB-2 - 09.15 3 324 yes
18/10/1941 Oblt. Carl Wilhem Hartmann Stab II. JG 52 SB-3 - 09.45 19 325 yes
18/10/1941 Hptm. Rudolf Resch 6. JG 52 DB-3 - 09.45 20 326 yes
18/10/1941 Hptm. Rudolf Resch 6. JG 52 DB-3 - 09.50 21 327 yes
18/10/1941 Uffz. Hans Gleißner 4. JG 52 DB-3 - 10.05 2 328 yes
18/10/1941 Oblt. Karl-Gottfried Nordmann Stab IV. JG 51 DB-3 E. Medyn 10.20 63 617 yes
18/10/1941 Ltn. Hans Boos Stab IV. JG 51 DB-3 8km E. Malojaroslawetz 10.25 13 618 yes
18/10/1941 Ofw. Gerhard Gleuwitz 6. JG 52 DB-3 - 11.40 11 329 yes
18/10/1941 Oblt. Karl-Heinz Leesmann Stab I. JG 52 SB-2 - 11.50 24 142 yes
18/10/1941 Oblt. Harald Jung 4. JG 51 R-3 - 12.03 13 545 yes
18/10/1941 Ltn. Horst Walther 4. JG 51 R-3 - 12.09 7 546 yes
18/10/1941 Fw. Wilhelm Brunner 4. JG 51 R-3 - 12.15 4 547 yes
18/10/1941 Ltn. Joachim Riedel 3. JG 52 DB-3 - 12.15 2 143 yes
18/10/1941 Ltn. Joachim Riedel 3. JG 52 DB-3 - 12.18 3 144 yes
18/10/1941 Ltn. Paul-Heinrich Dähne 2. JG 52 DB-3 - 13.22 2 145 yes
18/10/1941 Ofw. Oskar Wunder 2. JG 52 DB-3 - 13.23 2 146 yes
18/10/1941 Fw. Heinrich Sturm 6. JG 52 Pe-2 - 13.27 1 330 yes
18/10/1941 Oblt. Johannes Steinhoff 4. JG 52 Pe-2 N. Kalinin 15.17 43 331 yes
18/10/1941 Oblt. Johannes Steinhoff 4. JG 52 Pe-2 Kalinin 15.18 44 332 yes
18/10/1941 Oblt. Carl Wilhem Hartmann Stab II. JG 52 Pe-2 - 15.29 20 333 yes

Given the time difference between German and Soviet reports, the last three German claims by II./JG 52 could be the three Yer-2 lost during the second attack.

For the first two there are more possibilities.

Re: Loss of a rare bird:Ermolaev ER-2
 

This seems logical Laurent,all the more so as unless one makes a gross error of identification (the "silhouette" of a DB-3 has little to do with a ER-2)

Stay 06/10/41

Michel