I 61 - American?
 

Writing from Schatalowka on 28.9.41, my grandfather wrote that three Russian fighters attacked the airport. He describes them as "schwere russ. Ja[e]ger vom Typ I 61 (amerik. Baumuster)".

I get the impression after a quick search in webland, that the I 61 was the precursor to the MiG-1 and built by the Russians.

Does anyone know what plane my grandfather was thinking of? Was he incorrect by saying the I 61 was built by the Americans? Or is he thinking of a different plane?

If it helps, all three fighters were shot down, and my grandfather comments that a 2cm shell from one of the light Flak guns penetrated the engine of one plane through 4mm of armour. It was also carrying a bomb.

Many thanks.
Karl

Re: I 61 - American?
 

Hi Karl,

You are correct, I-61 is an alternate designation for the MiG-1.

I believe the Germans also incorrectly used the designation I-18 for the MiG-1 and MiG-3.

I've no idea what the American link could be as the MiG-1 was designed and built by the Mikoyan Gurevich design bureau, definately Russian (Soviet).

Andy Fletcher

Re: I 61 - American?
 

The I-16 was sometimes erroneously called Curtiss fighter, just like the SB was sometimes called Martin bomber, it could be that the new I-61 (MiG 1/3) was also attributed to a foreign firm?

Re: I 61 - American?
 

Thanks for the prompt replies!

Re: I 61 - American?
 

These aircraft probably were MiG-3s. The name of the place is Shatalovo in English transcription, although the Germans called it Schatalowka.

With which unit did your father serve?

Re: I 61 - American?
 

in his book "mein flugbuch " by gunther rall you can read:
numbers of victorys.

his 10th victory ( date 11.august 1941 O Kanew) MIG -3
his 26th victory ( date 23.october 1941 S Alexandrowka ) I-61
but probable most of the time they had not really a glue what they shot down. at least not in my opinion :confused: )


in the year 1940 the soviets have called the mig 1 = I-200 ( according to Sobolew ) I 26 = yak 1 / I 301 = LaGG-1 .
later they called the planes after the designer/developer.

Re: I 61 - American?
 

Hi Christer,

My grandfather was with a section of Flak-Transportbatterie 2./41 which was assigned to work with a 2cm Flak battery protecting the airfield. I don't know which battery this was or what Flak-Abteilung it belonged to. The only clue is that the regimental Stab reported 60 kills (+ 19 possible kills) by the end of September.

The Zugfu[e]hrer of the battery that shot down one of the planes was a Hptm. Hauser (possibly Hanser).

The Russian pilot managed to escape into a nearby wood, but was wounded in the hand - a glove was found in the cockpit with a finger in it (a bullet smashed the steering stick).

Thanks for your interest.

Re: I 61 - American?
 

It is MiG-1/3 I believe... Therse markings can be also found in the lists of captured Soviet planes published in "Barbarossa Victims" by T. Kopanski.
Markings I-200, I-26, I-301 were the names of prototypes of the new planes designed in 1940. At the moment of entering the production names were changed to well known MiG-1, Yak-1 and LaGG-3.
BTW - MiG -3 can have some foreign roots - it's ancesor -Project X (or K) is quite similar (in idea) to XP-37... But we may also said that Russians could decide to biuld the new plane taking after He-100.

Re: I 61 - American?
 

not just prototypes.
from an book by Dimitri Alexejwitsch Sobolev , translated in german.

""
Ein weiteres Beispiel für den deutschen Einfluss auf die sowj. Luftfahrt in den Vorkriegsjahren :
Zum Jahresende 1940 entschied das ZK der RKP(B) über die künftige Benennung neuer Kampfflugzeuge mit dem ersten Buchstaben des Namens des Hauptkonstrukteurs .
Jak 1 anstelle von I 26 , Mig 1 anstelle von I 200. etc etc.

Re: I 61 - American?
 

Sorry to correct you, but it was the I-153 which sometimes erroneously was called "Curtiss".