9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Dear all,

I am re-reading the classic war diary written by Lipfert and Girbig and remembered his difficult dogfight with this Russian pilot that he describes as "the Ivan certainl must be an expert".

Lipfert finally managed to force this YAK-1 to crash (belly) land on a small island in the Strait of Kerch. I do not know if this is Kossa Tusla or as he recorded, Taman. The time was 11:15hs.

Is there ANY positive identification of this loss onto (now open to Russians) Russian Archives? The pilot apparently run off and the YAK-1 was only finished by Lipfert next morning....as he straffed it.

I do thank you (specially Russian experts) onto any help identifying this Russian pilot that he humbly honored as a fantastic flyer.

Adriano B.

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Adriano, good afternoon.
If I correctly remember the description of this battle and the description of events as a whole, it was in the last days of jumping-off place on Eltingen - namely, December 5, 1943. This description suits his 71 claim (P-39).
12/05/1943 6./JG 52 Lt Lipfert Helmut - Kossa Tusla - 10.23 (Boden) - P-39

According to one version, on December 5, 1943, Lipfert shot down (or finished off already damaged) the airplane of squadron commander 66 IAP 329 IAD Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin (in the future twice Hero of the Soviet Union)
Also:
12/05/1943 6./JG 52 Fw Otten Karl-Heinz - südwestlich Eltigen - 10.10 (50 m) - P-39 (9th)
12/05/1943 4./JG 52 Fw Ellendt Hans - raum Kossa Tusla - 10.20 (200 m) - P-39 (48th)

Perhaps the "newbie" that prevented Lippert in battle was just Otten or Ellendt ?

Best regards,
Kirill

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Here is a fragment of an article from the newspaper of the 4th Air Army "Krylya Sovetov" (Wings of Soviets) dated December 29, 1943 about a heavy fight on 05.12.1943, when Kamozin made an emergency landing on the Tuzla Spit:

"At the request of the sailors, "the gunner" told them how the soldiers-paratroopers learned about the Hero of the Soviet Union Pavle Mikhailovich Kamozine, under what conditions he met with him."
"It was a long time ago, 10 days ago," smoking a poisonous makhorka, gladly began to tell "gunner". We after the lunch "treatment" of the Fritz rested. Heard the rumble. Could not see the airplanes, then the cloudy weather was standing. Hiding. Waiting.We see that two crosses jumped out from behind the clouds, followed by two with red stars. "Messerschmitts" began to descend and leave to the sea, but our Then we learned that they were Kamozin and Vladykin. Soon the Germans turned and straightly on ours planes. Vladikin, all behind Kamozin, walked on, hit them, hit from the cannon, and back to his place. "We then sit and say: "well, pilots, to be afraid to fight with two fritzes". "Young people," I thought. After a while we hear a howling roar.

- "Lapotniki"! someone shouted. We see: from behind the clouds in single file, one by one, the Junkers dive directly at us. We are in a cracks, but it turned out to be in vain. The leading fighter (Kamozin) on the run attacked the first "Junkers". And shoted him down. The fascists scattered in different directions and started to run away. And Kamozin overtakes them and hits them. First one, then the second, and both fell on that village. To help bombers came 8 fighters. It's time for us to leave, but the fascists do not let them in, they decided, bastards, to deal with them. First they attacked Vladykin. All eight came to him from different directions and beat him. Kamozin deftly and unfolds on them. He drove off one, another, third, fourth off. Smoked "Messerschmitt", flew home. The Nazis still managed to damage Vladykin's car. He soon sat down somewhere in Taman. Kamozin was left alone. Imagine such a picture: a pair of Messers spinning from above, a pair at the bottom, and the remaining three go into the tail. It seemed that you can not escape. But Kamozin somehow turned over, unfolds and goes into a frontal attack.
... When the "Messerschmitts" fled, Kamozin got down, so that anti-aircraft gunners could help him fight back from the enemy. At this time, one fascist dived almost to the ground and wanted to hit from below, but miscalculated, got in sight by Kamozin and dashed into the water on the way. He made a landing at an underwater airfield, so to speak.

Six "Messers" continued to press. They see that Kamozin has nothing to shoot at, and they approach him closely. The bastards managed to set the plane on fire. Long time to think not was once - Kamozin sat near the shore in the water. The fascists were happy about that, you know, they are shooting on a lying plane. Then the artillery began to fire. Fortunately, Kamozin managed to jump out of the cab to the shore. We to him, he froze, the water is cold. Asks: "Brother, is there a tractor to pull the plane?" Our commander smiled and told him to go into the dugout to change clothes, get warm and rest.

When he came to us in the dugout and undressed, we look: all the chest he has in the orders - "Gold Star", the Order of Lenin, two - the Red Banner and the Patriotic War I degree. The soldiers surrounded him, questions began: who he was?, where?, for what was awarded?. Our brother-soldier is curious, he wants to know everything at once. There were many fellow countrymen. Among them was me. For a long time I had to live in Bezhitsa, from where comes Kamozin. I was also at the Krasnyi Profintern factory, maybe I worked with him in the same workshop. Father, I remember him. He was known to the whole city, it seems, he worked for fifty years at this factory. "The gunner" finished the story, took out a small leather pouch, twisted a cigarette, and with pleasure smoked, puffed up .... "
_________
Lina Semyonovna Zhukova-Latysheva remembers (in the 66th IAP, she worked in the crew (ground) Pavel Mikhailovich Kamozin as a gunsmith):
- Lina Semyonovna! Do you remember when Pavel returned after the forced landing?
- Oh sure. The sailors gave him a warm welcome. They brought him to the airport. "W-a-r-m" such.
________

If you remove the husks of newspapers and from Lipfert's diary, then the fact of confirming the fight is unequivocal I think

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Hi Adriano,

With thanks to HGabor, Evgeniy Velichko, Andrey Dikov and Nokose....

Here are some more of Lipfert's victories to compare against the war diary:

Helmut Lipfert

1 30.1.43/1247 La-5 1km N of Malaya-Balabinka (PQ 08693) @ 1200m 437 IAP

4 & 5 7.3.43/0820 and 0823 U-2s (claimed as "R-5s") Popochevskaya (PQ 86481) and Ivanovskaya (PQ 86731) @ low altitude 46 GNBAP (The Famous Night Witches), 218 NBAD. Only 2 losses: Serzhants Belyakova and Serebryakova's crews both safe. Transfer flight from Novodzhereliyevskaya to Pashkovskaya, managed to land and were sent to PARM (Barnickel claimed another, making this slight overclaiming between them)

6 14.3.43/0656 IL-2 Sturmovik Novorossisk (PQ 75731) @ 400m Probably claimed against 47 ShAP, gunner Serzhant Nikolai Viktorovich Borisenko was a casualty this area, this date

7 and 8 30.3.43/0625 LaGG-3s Slavyanskaya – Anastasyevskaya sector. Believe one or both of these were from 249 IAP

9 20.4.43/0630 "MiG-1" Abinskaya (PQ 85114) @ low altitude 7 IAP? Pilot possibly survived. Was this actually pilot Barabanov of 15 IAP, forcelanded near the front line with a holed radiator after combat with Bf109s?

16 23.7.43/0554 P-39L-1 Airacobra Kievskoye (PQ 76894) @ 500m 16 GIAP. Ml.Lt. Czikmariew KIA 6km NW of Marianskaja village (Soviet sources dated the loss as having occurred the following day)

17 23.7.43/1733 IL-2 Sturmovik Krimskaya (PQ 75264) @ 50m Possibly 618 ShAP. Crews of Ml.Lt. Nikolay Romanovich Shapovalov and Serzhant Stepan Nikolaevich Bazhenov plus Alexey Alexeyevich Beregovskii and Nikolay Rodionovich Vynychenko all KIA (Several claims by the Gruppe in the morning and several in the late afternoon, like this one)

45 5.11.43/1020 Yak-1 Kerch (PQ 66734) @ 1000m Was this from 9 IAP ChF? They had one Yak from the escort of 8 GShAP hit and forcelanded in Soviet territory (appears to have also been claimed by Foennekold)

66-68 2.12.43/0639, 0648 and 0655 LaGG-3s (the first was mistaken for a Yak-1) Kay Takyl-Feodosia sector 25 IAP-ChF. All appear to be legitimate victories: Ml.Lt. Viktor Ivanovich Verishchenko, Ml.Lt. Ivan Grigor'evich Gordievskiy and Ml.Lt. Dmitriy Andreevich Kusenko all KIA

80 29.12.43/1005 Li-2 ("Boston" or "Douglas") SW of Mayak @ close to ground level Misidentification: this was actually an Li-2 of 1 esc. 9.AP GVF. Kpt. Kurepin and one other badly WIA, 1 man KIA

96 9.4.44/1558 Pe-2 German airfield at Grammatikovo (PQ 46634) @ 5300m 366 ORAP, 4 VA. Legitimate victory. Ml.Lt V.I.Nesvetayev taken POW after bellylanding, Ml.Lt I.I.Sopelchenko and St.Serzh Sila both KIA. 4 VA's only Pe-2 loss this date

108 4.5.44/0644 Yak-7 Soki (PQ 36761 or 36763) @ close to water's surface Very likely Lt. Shamil Munasipovich Abrashitov of 402 IAP, (17 kills) KIA (There was a claim by Waldmann at around the same time that is also a contender for his loss)

110 and 111 5.5.44/1038 and 1050 Yak-7s Balaklava/Lapsi Bay One of these may have been Leytenant Ivanov of 402 IAP, 265 IAD. KIA this date, attributed to Lipfert or Hartmann

114 6.5.44/0740 U-2 Belobek (PQ 35441) @ close to water's surface 402 IAP. Lt. Anatoliy Filonov and Semen Denisov both KIA (looking for another pilot of their unit who had been downed earlier)

120 31.5.44/0804 Pe-2 Busila (PQ 78661) @ 600m Possibly 511 ORAP, 5 VA. Crew of pilot Dyadov HSU



125 5.6.44/1135 Yak-7 Carpiti (PQ 78673) @ 1000m 178 IAP. Legitimate victory. Pilot POW and known to have died in captivity (awaiting further details…)

129 27.6.44/1034 IL-2 Sturmovik Jassy (PQ 07372) @ 50m 5 VA or 17 VA. Overclaiming, no
IL-2s lost this date

145 31.8.44/1020 P-51 Mustang (plus one unconfirmed) Loewes (PQ 47257) @ 400m 52nd FG. Four definite losses: serial of one of the Mustangs was P-51 D-5-NA, 44-13295. Personnel losses were 2/Lt. Paul D Frazier of 4th FS (POW), 42-103395 of 1/Lt. Frank Edward Tomlinson of 2nd FS (POW), 2/Lt. Robert L Davis (of 2nd FS, KIA) and QP-X of Lt. Roy (?) Carlson also of 2nd FS (KIA). All of these were definitely lost to JG 52 Bf109s. A fifth Mustang crashlanded at Madna airfield, Italy upon return

146 17.10.44/1038 Yak-1B ("Yak-11") Hosszu-Palyj (PQ 18655) @ 3000m 73 GIAP, 6 GIAD, 5 VA. Lt. Malyavin KIA

147 21.10.44/1052 La-5F Oecfoed (PQ 07166) @ 700m 192 IAP, 279 IAD, 5 VA. Ml.Lt. Sukovyants safe
148 23.10.44/1531 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Solnok (PQ 08752) @ 1000m 131 GShAP, 7 GShAD, 5 VA. Crew of Kralkin and Babailov both KIA. Serials of Lipfert's victims were 10620 (factory No.1, Kuybishev) and 302820 (factory No.30, Moscow)

149 23.10.44/1531 IL-2 Sturmovik mH 131 GShAP, 7 GShAD, 5 VA. Pilot Lapinski POW, gunner Filippov MIA. Serials of Lipfert's victims were 10620 (factory No.1, Kuybishev) and 302820 (factory No.30, Moscow)

150 24.10.44/0922 Yak-9T ("Yak-7") Feherto (PQ 18272) @ low altitude 150 GIAP, 13 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Sisko POW

151 27.10.44/1217 IL-2 KR? ("IL-2 Sturmovik mH") Bued Sz.Mihaily (PQ 18129) @ 1200m Was this from 207 ORAP?

152 27.10.44/1221 Yak-7 Bued Sz.Mihaily (PQ 18156) @ 800m Believed to be from 122 IAP. Certainly no permanent losses this date. Overclaiming

153 13.11.44/1245 Yak-1 ("Yak-3") SE of Jaszbereny (PQ 98639) @ 4000m No. 42178 or 42188 of 149 GIAP. Ml.Lt. Stepanov safe, hit at this time and place. Made a one-wheel landing and sent off for repairs

154 16.11.44/1239 Yak-1B ("Yak-11") Tura (PQ 98446) @ 1500m 122 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Kapt. Artemev KIA

155 17.11.44/1105 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Jaszbereny (PQ 98634) @ 600m 90 GShAP, 4 GShAD, 5 VA. Pilot Kurilov KIA, gunner Ananev fate not mentioned

156 17.11.44/1110 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Jaszbereny (PQ 98498) @ 400m 90 GShAP, 4 GShAD, 5 VA. Crew of Ivlev and Petrunin both WIA

157 17.11.44/1320 Yak-1B ("Yak-7") Hort (PQ 98426) @ 600m 151 GIAP, 13 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Noskov MIA

158 23.11.44/1040 Yak-1B ("Yak-9") Atkar (PQ 98435) @ 800m 513 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Pilot Kuyanov. (The unit also lost pilot Goichenko, underclaiming? Serials were 29156 and 45168

159 5.12.44/1030 Yak-9T Hatran (PQ 98411) @ 1500m 122 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Ml.Lt. Erko MIA

160 9.12.44/1505 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Csajag (PQ 88784) @ 1200m 989 ShAP, 136 ShAD, 17 VA. Pilot Ml.Lt. Veretelnikov MIA, Ml.Serzh Bezroukov fate not mentioned

161 11.12.44/1453 Pe-2 Balatonkenese (PQ 88779) @ 4500m 39 ORAP, 17 VA. Crew of Elohov, Uhvatov and Tisenko all KIA

162 22.12.44/0937 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Stuhlweissenburg 189 ShAD, 17 VA. Too many losses to be able to match up (likely a legitimate victory though)

163 23.12.44/1048 Yak-9D Enying Probably 659 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. St.Lt. Salamatov crashlanded after dogfight with Bf109s

164 24.12.44/1425 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Seregelyes Possibly 189 ShAD, 17 VA

165 and 166 25.12.44/1208 and 1215 Yak-9T and Yak-1B (both claimed as"Yak-9s") 611 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Legitimate victorird. Some losses not yet matched to claims but known to include Capt. Konstantin Leontievich Chernogor KIA in Yak-1B 26170 near Zamoly. Lt. Nikolai Nikolaevich Kutsenko bailed out from his burning Yak-1B, S/N: 41184 also near Zamoly. Ml.lts Dmitrii Gavrilovich Kirichenko, Ivan Ivanovich Aleshkin, Aleksei Timofeevich Fadeev, Boris Aleksandrovich Yablyukhin were also downed

167 2.1.45/1115 La-5 E of Bodmer area 116 IAP, 295 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Roi safe

168 2.1.45/1145 Yak-9T 4km E of Vereb 611 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Dimov KIA

169 and 170 4.1.45/0826 and 0828 IL-2 Sturmoviks Tarjan Legitimate victories: 210 ShAP, 136 ShAD, 17 VA lost 8 IL-2s this date, including No.10967, 10987, 304836, 18853106. 17 VA lost a grand total of 17 IL-2s this date

171 4.1.45/1041 Yak-9D Bieske 897 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Konovalov WIA

172 4.1.45/1112 La-5FN Tardos 539211399/"99" of 30 IAP, 194 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Suhorukhov KIA
173 8.1.45/1413 A-20B-DL Havoc ("Boston") Stuhlweissenburg 41-2937 of 449 BAP, 244 BAD, 17 VA. Crew of Vetlov, Ionov, Tolmatski and Burtsev all KIA

174 8.1.45/1418 A-20G-40-DO Havoc ("Boston") Stuhlweissenburg 43-21588 of 449 BAP, 244 BAD, 17 VA. Crew of Kruglov, Kudryavtsev, Sikov and Shestakov all KIA

175 14.1.45/1211 Yak-9D ("Yak-3") Muzsla 31 GIAP, 6 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Bezuglii KIA

176 14.1.45/1436 Yak-9D ("Yak-3") Muzsla Unknown, no match to timing. Previous research stated that one of Lipfert's victories this date may have been 1615342 of 31 GIAP, 6 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Alexei Yefimovich Stadnichenko KIA

177 16.1.45/1217 La-5 Budaoers This one likely only damaged. 2 La-5s lost this date, both in late afternoon so this does not match. Overclaim.

178 22.1.45/1324 La-5 Stuhlweissenburg 116 or 164 IAP, 295 IAD, 17 VA. Legitimate victory but hard to match up. 116 IAP lost St.Lt. Georgii Konstantinovich Zolotarskii and Ivan Danilovich Plankevich both MIA this date

179 27.1.45/1445 IL-2 Sturmovik 7km NW of Adorny or Adorzy 951 ShAP, 306 ShAD, 17 VA. Pilot Lt. Filonovich KIA, gunner Abrosimov MIA

180 22.2.45/1400 La-7 ("La-5") Bart 179 GIAP, 14 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Pinko WIA

181 22.2.45/1625 Yak-3 Bina Believed to be an overclaim, no matchable loss

182 25.2.45/1053 Bf109 (claimed as a "Yak-9") Altsohl/Zvolen This was most likely W.Nr. 166248/"Yellow 9" of Grupul 9. Adj. Stag Av. Traian Darjan KIA. If genuinely a Yak: likely 513 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA, several losses this date

183 8.3.45/1410 IL-2 Sturmovik Sapolce 136 ShAD or 189 ShAD. Several losses this date, attributed to Flak but this could possibly be one of them

184 11.3.45/1035 Yak-9M ("Yak-3") Suborgarol/Siofok 611 IAP, 288 IAP, 17 VA. Lt. Kutsenko KIA

185 11.3.45/1405 Yak-3 Siofok Overclaiming? No such permanent loss, - probably damaged, or crashlanded on airfield

186 13.3.45/1013 Yak-9M ("Yak-7") Pakozol 866 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Lt. Kamenetskii safe

187 14.3.45/1207 La-5FN Stuhlweissenburg 39211637/"37" of 164 IAP, 295 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt Iozhitskii POW

188 14.3.45/1211 IL-2 Sturmovik Pakozol 672 ShAP, 306 ShAD, 17 VA. Lt. Mamontov KIA and Serzhant Kovalev both KIA

189 17.3.45/1615 IL-2 Sturmovik Lake Velencze 615 ShAP, 189 ShAD, 17 VA. Crew of Kapt. Nikitin and Gv.Serzhant Apalkov both OK. Was this IL-2 No.1873298 with engine No.257858, downed this date?

190 and 191 20.3.45/1533 and 1541 IL-2 Sturmoviks Stuhlweissenburg and Varpalota 210 ShAP, 136 ShAD, 17 VA. Losses were 11082/"White 8" of Ml.Lt. Petr Alekseevich Taranovich and St.Serzh Victor Konstantinovich Ogarkov both WIA (crashed NW of Guttamasi) and 1871797/"White 23" of Aleksei Dmitrievich Belyashin and Serzh. Phillip Fomich Verbitski both KIA (crashed at Oesku). These are the two victories that he achieved while drunk

192 21.3.45/1158 La-5FN Eastern end of Lake Balaton 848 IAP, 194 IAD, 17 VA. St.Lt. Vasilev KIA

193 21.3.45/1530 Yak-9M (“Yak-5”) Felstgalla No. 4515340 of 179 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Lt. Viktor Yakovlevich Ragulin MIA

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Dear NICK and KIRILL,

Thank you so much for sharing your vast knowledge on the Russian Front losses and LW claims.

Lipfert War Diaries is one of the finest books I have read (now thrice) about the Luftwaffe. He was very humble to share his lack of expertise at the beginning of his career, his doubts about his age, his own problems of Navigation and own faults, etc...just to show (or to let to History and Time) that there is no easy way...one must learn and learn and grow to become proficient in any field of activity.

KIRILL I was indeed mislead by the text, when he inform that "my next claim would have been my 75th victory"...Therefore I thought that his dogfight with that Russian piltot that he wrote that "was "happy" to see him running away and saving himself" (not his corrects words though) and whom he acknowledge that his opponent was a real expert.

There is seldom, on "War Diaries" this kind of chivalrous compliments to one opponent or "professional respect". This was one part of his book which I am glad that you have helped me to match (and discover the other side of the story). Thank you Kirill....Thank you so much indeed.

NICK, your answer matched the other "part of his book" that I always wanted to discover more about....this LaGG 5FN that he claimed on the 4th January 1945, a so close claim that Lipfert was shocking to see the results of his attack. I shall not write it in full letters here, in respect of his opponent...Me too, while Reading the book I was shocked...one tends to look safely and without emotion to those kind of description...machine against machine, but we do forget the Human Being inside the shot down planes....The mothers, sons, wifes or girl-friends that cried and mourned the losses....You have informed me the name and identity of this claim, which I always wanted to know.

Another thread here informed about the A-20 Boston (actually a Li-2) shot down over Kerch that was supposed (actually did not have) to carry High Officers of the Russian Army aboard....

I wounder if ONE DAY a revised Edition of his book, with copies from his Flugbuchs and details as those informed here, by you, experts of the Russian Front will ever arise....

Again I do express my gratitude in sharing your knowledge and enlightning me to discover the identities of those claims of Lipfert.

Wish you and yours a nice week, in health and Peace.

Adriano B.

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Adriano,


First of all, thanks for your last post in the thread expressing gratitude.

BUT....

I cannot take more than my fair share of the credit. As I stated in my previous post, I am indebted to the guys that did the research for the listing of Lipfert's opponents, for the most part, I merely COMPILED IT.
So the one man you need to thank the most is HGabor.

You can find the original work here:

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showth...t=1262&page=14

So, let it be said, the guy you owe most gratitude to is him. I would be plagiarising otherwise and fair... ...is fair

Nick

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Hi Nick,

It's probably just a typo in your list, but La-5FN pilot мл.л-т Сухоруков Алексей Степанович (№4235, +) on January 4, 1945 over Tardos-Tarján, Hungary belonged to 17th Air Army (3rd Ukrainian Front), 194 IAD, 530 IAP. He was killed in La-5FN, S/N.: 39211399, engine S/N.: 82111418. (His flight of 6 La-5s escorted 14 IL-2 Sturmoviks of 17 VA, 189 ShAD, 639 ShAP. Suhorukhov had 16 combat missions and 2 dogfights on his record.)

Soviet records say he was downed by flak, but it's a common mistake and his time of crash almost completely matches Lipfert's claim in the same area.

Gabor

PS: Thank you, but let me pass on your thanks and gratitude to our Russian friends and researcher partners, especially Boris Davidov, who helped our Museum with incredible soviet documents and information on the actions and losses of the Soviet AF over Hungary in 1942-45.

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Cheers Gabor,

Much appreciate the correction.

For Gabor AND Adriano:

One last point. An author friend of mine has compiled information on the air war over Slovakia, including Lipfert's remaining victims. He has asked me to withhold from sharing the details, at least for now, sorry.

But at the very least, let it be said:

Lipfert's astonishing accuracy/honesty/correctness (....whatever you want to call it....) continued right up until his final claims. A truly outstanding fighter pilot by any measure.

Nick

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Nick, I agree. Here is the famous, and well decorated 17 VA, 244 BAD, 449 BAP, 3rd Squadron A-20B Boston S/N: 41-2937 still in 1944 in Bulgaria, as well as her graphic. Nickname: "Za Pobedu!" or: "For Victory!" Tactical number on rudder is unknown, but probably white ~ 9. (1st Squadron numbers were red.) This particular plane was Lipfert's 173rd victory over the Börgönd airfield on January 8, 1945 in Hungary at Székesfehérvár-S. (In German: Stuhlweißenburg) This was the leading plane of their formation and by waving the wings they tried to pick up the soviet Yak fighter escort from Börgönd, when Lipfert caught her. Their group took off from Madocsa airfield. The killed crew:

л-т Ветлов Виктор Михайлович pilot (№104164, +)
л-т Ионов Виктор Матвеевич navigator/bombardier (№104174, +)
с-а Толмацкий Иосиф Исаевич radioman (+)
с-т Бурцев Василий Федорович gunner (+)

Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Hello Adriano,
Thanks for the kind words. But I do not see much merit in the fact that I know my native language.
Battles in the south in Russia, I know superficially. And what I wrote (not very skillfully) in this topic has already been published in the Russian Internet segment. For example, the article by Ivan Lavrinenko (he also used the books of Bernd Barbas, the data of Matti Salonen and Alexei Pekarsh). https://warspot.ru/7857-generaly-gra...apitan-kamozin
There are also many details of that battle on the website dedicated to Kamozin ( "The Society of Veterans of Aviation named after twice Hero of the Soviet Union P.M. Kamozin" of Bryansk) - for example, in the article by A.P. Romanov has a complete official description of the two missions on December 5, 1943 from operational reports of the 66 IAP and 329 IAD
https://kamozin100.ucoz.net/publ/sta..._kryma/1-1-0-2

Best regards,
Kirill

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Hi folks,

If you would like to locate in the map the crash sites of Lipfert's victims in Hungary, here is the list of the CORRECT location names for Nick's previous victory list. The German records were full of typos and errors, so here are the names for his victories, you can find by copy-paste in Google:

146: Hosszúpályi
147: Öcsöd (-E,-SE)
150: Újfehértó
151, 152: Büdszentmihály (New name since 1952: Tiszavasvári)
153, 155, 156: Jászberény
158: Atkár
159: Hatvan
160: Csajág
162, 173, 174: Börgönd (Székesfehérvár-S, German city name: Stuhlweißenburg)
164: Seregélyes
167: Bodmér
169: Tarján
171: Bicske
177: Budaörs
179: Adony
183: Soponya
185: Siófok
186: Pákozd
187: Székesfehérvár (German city name: Stuhlweißenburg)
188: Pákozd
189: Lake Velencei (Velencei-tó)
190-191: Székesfehérvár, Várpalota, Gúttamási, Öskü
193: Felsőgalla

Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Thanks Gabor, that's outstanding!

...And if anyone can fill more gaps in the listing that would be amazing too

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Dear Gabor, Nick and Kirill,

Sadly the language indeed was and Always will be a problem for most of us. For instance my first published work (biography of Captain Gordon Fox Rule, DFC, CdG* - Brazilian Greatest Ace of the Great War, 1914-18) was written in Portuguese, although there are several foreigners interested in Reading it in English language too.

I was eager to read the PRIEN Series about JG 27 and also am interested on several Works about KG 55, KG 6, KG 66 and JG 77 (an Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Baumgartner may be a distant relative of mine), all written in GERMAN (Deutsch) language.

Thankfully am able to read in FRENCH and ENGLISH therefore, most of the books I have acquired were on those two languages.

Like most of us, the appearance of Internet allowed us to have a huge access to relatives, to Editors, to new sites (like this one) and a fantastic exchanging of experiences, knowledge, pictures, documents, etc...WE ALL do gain with that broader Picture.

I do confess that it is indeed very very difficult for South Americans like myself to have access to authoritive Historians and their work about the Russian Front. Am aware that there are several of you in Russia, Hungary, Slovenia, etc...doing a fantastic job; sometimes discovering wrecks and writing about the stories behind those ghosts of the past.

I translated from the Russian language the passage for the 5th December 1943 from one of the sites you shared. One can see that both the German side (LW) and Russian original reports (VVS) do have "a bit of Propaganda style". I do not blame either side....it is transcribed like it was...

Just for instance a friend of mine found some harsh words of the Brazilian Commanding Officer of the 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron (attached to the 350th FG) about at least one case of indiscipline. Those words or comments were Always ommitted inside the "Official Sources" and the case was totally "covered"...Anyway, just to show that even cross-checking sources, etc...we will NEVER be 100% accurate....we can have our own ideas of one side of History, just one vague idea....

Returning to the LAGG 5FN claim of Lipfert on 4th January 1945...although it was only the 16th combat mission of Suhorukhov, LIPFERT on his memories (War Diary) do write that this Russian pilot was "his match or equal" in hability!

I am now working on a major book-tribute about the Brazilians that flew for the RAF, RCAF, SAAF, etc. in WW2...and am considering writing it in English rather than Portuguese language, so a broader range of persons will be able to read...and honor them....Hope to read some books about the Russian Campaign too, in a near futur, by one of you, Members of this Fórum, to enhance my knowledge.

Again I do thank you both, for the patience and sharing of your knowledge and expertise about those 3 claims I was looking more details of Lipfert's amazing career.

Congratulation to the Russian Historians quoted on this thread whose sites and researches are just amazing. Keep going guys...

Humbly yours,
Adriano Silva Baumgartner, ASV 00.344

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Adriano, thank you and good luck to your project! Good news: I almost forgot, but finally found the pics: few years ago one of our researcher friends found the remains of a soviet La-5 in the Tardos-Tarján area. Even the smashed spinner has been found. After cleaning the nice, original red color became visible! Now I must say that the 530 IAP probably had red spinners and white rudders... So .... I think there is a good chance, that this recovered spinner belonged to Suhorukhov's downed plane on January 4, 1945 that Lipfert described in his diary...!

Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Sheer brilliance, Gabor

I am with Adriano on this one: keep up the good work and please pass our regards to the amazing guys that are researching the archives and excavating the crashes

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Thank you Nick. Just a few days ago son of Gv.Capt. Armen Artemovich Karakozov visited Nagymányok, Hungary and the crash site of his Dad that he never knew... His Dad was the captain of soviet 14 GvAP DD B-25 Mitchell (S/N. 42-32474, Red '12') on August 9/10, 1944 when Fw. Eckart Ulmer (8./NJG 6) downed them. Their Mitchell unit flew partisan supply-drop missions over Yugoslavia and German night fighters were hunting for them during their approach. According to the soviet mission report that we have, they took off from Kalinovka and dropped the No.2527, 2526, 2553, 2540, 2525, 2567, 2575 and 2619 supply containers at Samarica, Croatia. They were downed on their way back over Hungary. In the village original crash photos showed the wrecks and '474' was visible on it. Yurii visited the site in the forest with my friends' team and wanted to be there alone for a while... Then he took a bag of soil ... when ironically 2 more pieces of melted aluminum chunks were found. After having a nice lunch, reviewing the recovered wrecks of his Dad's plane, placing flowers to the memorial of the six, once "unknown" soviet airmen in the village, he returned to Russia. It's shocking to see as he places flowers to his own father's memorial... He also took some soil to the brother of one of his father's crewmembers whom he knows, and who was too old now for the trip and could not come with him. Another "case" is closed. Hard to say anything.

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Gobsmacking....

As I am sure you know (...but for the benefit of other forum users....)
That one was just the first of two legitimate victories that Ulmer achieved that night. Three quarters of an hour later, he shot down 43-3507/"Red 4" of 14 GAPDD. That was the crew of GvLt. Pchelov KIA. The plane burned down a house, with a young boy killed by burning fuel

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Correct. Our team has recovered that B-25 Mitchell too at Akasztó, but found no living relatives of the killed crew yet.
Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Gabor
May I ask what all the digits shown in the picture means? We can see 267 and 46-78. Since it is s/n 41-2937 they can have nothing to do with that and I don't believe they have anything to do with any Douglas c/n either, they are listed as in the 5001-5999 range.

B Rgds
Stig

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Hi Stig,

No, '267' and '41-2937' DO belong to each other as '267 'is the end part (last 3 digits) of Douglas C/n: 5267 painted on the nose, still in the Santa Monica, Calif. aircraft factory and 12937 on the tail is the corresponding Army A. F. Serial Number (41-2937) for it. There is a strict link between the white Douglas nose numbers and the Army tail No.s. for the Bostons that you can calculate easily based on production chart.

So the big, 3 digit long white nose numbers on the A-20B Bostons were the last 3 digits of the 4 digit Douglas Construction numbers.

Not sure about the small 46-78.

Cheers,
Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Ha, ha Gabor :)

I should have made a list of the serial numbers vs the c/n.
Thanks for setting the situation right.

Good to have friends doing the hard work. I should have done it myself really.... :o

Thanks again
Cheers
Stig

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Dear Gabor and all, sorry for the delay in answering back.

Firstly thank you for sharing the pictures of what possibly is the spinner of the LAGG 5FN from Suhorukhov. Nice finding and interesting information about the red spinner, although Lipfert did mention a red trailing painting from the cockpit backwards (from memory), on his memories…

I was deeply touched and impressed by the amazing story of Karakozov. The picture of the son visiting the rest place of his father is poignant and very emotive. Thank you for sharing that with us. The picture speaks for itself…I lost my greatest friend and wing-man, my father, some 14 years ago…I can only guess what Mr. Karakozov passed through all those years…

There is no money in the world that can pay back the happiness you gave this son to finally met his late father (or finding the rest place of his father and crew). I can only imagine what he passed through and all those years, to finally (and thanks to the internet) finding the full story…Congratulations to all the Hungarian Team of Researchers that made that possible…really…and thank you for sharing that with us. I wish that soon a book with all those stories of air combats in your country, Hungary, will arose one day, in English language, so many around will be able to read too.
And…his unselfish act of taking some sand of this place (accident local) to give to the son of one of his father’s crewmembers, it is something!

Some years ago I got in touch with Mrs. Sarah V. Mosher (member of this Forum too), who was writing about the ex-fiancé of his late mother, a Canadian named Jimmy Muir, from Trois Rivières which was shot down after and near Arnhem in September 1944.

She gave me some information about the story, although I never read her book personally….another case of love that war broke or stopped. I remember her informing that her mother passed some part of 1946 or 1947 trying to find the rest place of her fiancé….finally finding. Another amazing story.

Congratulations and thanks for sharing all that with us. There are many persons doing great stuff to preserve History and the deeds and stories that seems were forgot by the new generations. Like I said before, the language is very difficult barrier…not every published work in German (JG 27, KG 6, KG 27, etc.) is translated to English and a very very small parcel of what Is published in Hungary and Russia is also translated to English language. Anyway, one tends to preserve one’s History by writing in our mother language, isn’t it?

Are you the Gabor of the DH-2 project or that one that lives in Canada? I do have a great friend named Gabor in Hungary…anyway…Cheerio Gabor and keep going.

Most humble and grateful,
Adriano S. Baumgartner

Sorry this is the third time I do try to answer you back, but internet keep falling here...the first answer was more complete than this one...

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Adriano, I tried to send a PM, but was rejected due to space limitation, so please make a little more space in your mailbox. Here are a few more pics (of the many) on Gv.Capt. Armen Artemovich Karakozov - with his B-25C-15-NA Mitchell (42-32474, Red '12'), and his son's visit as he takes some soil from his father's crash site in the forest were a few more aluminum pieces were found, and in discussion with our team, reviewing the recovered parts of the plane.

Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Few more details of Karakozov's B-25C Mitchell. Detail of soviet 14 GvAP DD mission plan (TsAMO archives) for the night of August 09/10, 1944 Yugoslav supply-drop mission with the 7 assigned B-25s and their crews, including the 2 planes, lost to German night fighter(s): Karakozov's 42-32474, red '12' and Pchelov's 43-3507, red '4'. Plane No.22 has been cancelled, so finally only 6 flew the mission to Yugoslavia that night. Another pic shows '474' on the wreck at Nagymányok and another one shows Hungarian soldiers removing the live ammo from the wrecks in -, and beside the Nagymányok forest.

Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Gabor,

Fantastic imagery librarianship and archival material....

...as always

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

The loss entry of the two 14 GvAP DD B-25 Mitchells and their crews that failed to return in the morning of August 10, 1944 from the night mission over Samarica, Yugoslavia. (TsAMO) Both planes (42-32474, red '12' and 43-3507, red '4') were lost to Fw. Eckart Ulmer (8./NJG.6) at Nagymányok and Akasztó, Hungary. The 6 B-25s flying the mission were:

B-25D, S/N: 43-3507, red '4' - Pchelov (KIA) at Akasztó, dropped supply-containers: №2644, 2624, 2627, 2655, 3189, 3196, 2674, 2645.
B-25D? S/N: 42-..362, red '5' - Smirnov (42-87362?), dropped supply-containers: №2524, 2522, 2562, 2556, 2521, 2529, 2551, 2604.
B-25D? S/N: 42-..369, red '7' - Konstantinov (42-87369?), dropped supply-containers: №2534, 2547, 2538, 2543, 93, 54, 55, 63, 68.
B-25C, S/N: 42-32474, red '12' - Karakozov (KIA) at Nagymányok, dropped supply-containers: №2527, 2526, 2553, 2540, 2525, 2567, 2575, 2619.
B-25D, S/N: 42-87394, red '14' - Vasin, dropped supply-containers: №1371, 1370, 1381, 1187, 0788, 1369, 1146, 1165.
B-25D, S/N: 42-87588, red '25' - Kuprienko, dropped supply-containers: №1411, 1188, 1145, 1382, 1374, 1375, 1156, 1163.

(Based on the container No.s the soviet HQ. could check and verify each crew if they really dropped their cargo successfully to the partisans after their radio message. They also knew what stuff the partisans received and what supply should be re-sent during the next mission(s).

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Compared the survivor planes of the August 9/10, 1944 Samarica, Yugoslavia mission to the 14 GvAP DD (later 14 GvBAP) AC list on December 11, 1944:

Red '7', ....369 (Arefyev) was still the same
Red '14', ....394 (Vasin) was still the same
Red '5', was ....392 (Belyakov), or just a typo instead of 362?
Red '25', 42-87588 (Kuprienko) is weird, as on December 11, 1944 it was ....533 (or just typo of 588?), while 42-87588 was still in service and belly landed at Tököl airfield, Hungary on March 24, 1945 with the Gusev crew.

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Hello GABOR, sorry about the PM Box being full....I deleted some old messages and now it is all right.

You can contact me also at: baumgartner_asv@yahoo.com.br

The information you added is really amazing; I mean all the cross-checking the 14 GvAP documents and loss list, etc.

May I ask one question for curiosity, when you do mention:
Based on the container No.s the soviet HQ. could check and verify each crew if they really dropped their cargo successfully to the partisans after their radio message. They also knew what stuff the partisans received and what supply should be re-sent during the next mission(s).

Is there recorded on the archives, any kind of reprimand or hierarchical order/penality to the crews who brought back their containers? I mean, if a crew did not manage to drop the supplies and containers on two consecutive missions or on alternate missions, were they posted away? Were they reprimanded officially? I remember some 138 and 161 Squadrons missions that were not successful and the crew returned days later or next night...and there were several unsuccessful missions recorded by the same crew on days, then a good one. I am trying to understand if the VVS did consider this natural (Navigation problems, enemy action that caused them to abort mission, etc.) or if this was a problem for a crew...

Am always learning here on the Fórum thanks to guys like you and the other "ACES".

Cheerio

Adriano B.

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

Adriano,

The list of container (cargo) numbers, loaded on each aircraft, flying a supply-drop mission was part of every mission-plan. Thus the soviet HQ could trace every container, based on the radio message of the partisans who collected them. If a plane was shot down early, or dropped the cargo somewhere else due to any reason, the HQ knew what supply should be re-sent during the next mission. Our research goal was to get information on the battles and plane losses in Hungary, including the soviet cargo planes to identify the crews, wrecks, etc.

From THIS perspective the soviet military policies of the unsuccessful missions, or mission sabotage by the crews (eg. dropping cargo too early to the Germans) and their consequences was completely irrelevant, so we did not research that. But because the mission plans contained the dropped container numbers, we know their assignment by every plane.
Cheers,

Gabor

Re: 9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)
 

See cargo list of the 14 GvAP DD B-25 Mitchells on the August 9/10, 1944 mission over Yugoslavia. Other regiments of the 5 GvAD DD (22 GvAP DD, 337 AP DD) also dropped containers at different locations, their numbers are also recorded in the division's mission-plan.