VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

Please search the videosite yt " WtbqlAw0v4g " - for some reason I cannot post the link here. EDITN Ow it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtbqlAw0v4g

The aircraft was reportedly lost around end of 1943 during the Kerch-Eltigen operation which actually included some heavy aerial battles.

I found the following claims:
07.12.43 Fw.Hans Ellendt 4./JG 52 Curtiss P-40 W. Kap Tusla: 200m 08:58
13.12.43 Ltn.Heinrich Sturm 4./JG 52 Curtiss P-40 E. Eltigen: 200m 09:46

Does anyone know more about this aircraft, i.e. unit it belonged to, pilot, date of loss etc.

The aircraft was reportedly lost around end of 1943 during the Kerch-Eltigen operation which actually included some heavy aerial battles.

I found the following claims:
07.12.43 Fw.Hans Ellendt 4./JG 52 Curtiss P-40 W. Kap Tusla: 200m 08:58
13.12.43 Ltn.Heinrich Sturm 4./JG 52 Curtiss P-40 E. Eltigen: 200m 09:46

Does anyone know more about this aircraft, i.e. unit it belonged to, pilot, date of loss etc. ?

Re: VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

Yogybaer

Sorry I don't know the unit, however the aircraft is a late P-40K, M or N-1 model, and based on its condition even if the plates were missing it'd be easy to identify. Would be nice to know that's for certain.

Buz

Re: VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

If it has six machine guns it is not an N-1. N-1 only had four, intended as a fast light fighter.

Re: VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtbqlAw0v4g

@ Modeldad: It has six MGs, so no N-1.

Re: VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

Hello,
according to the press:
the plane was found in 2016, the dig up of the wreckage was in May 2017. It was indicated that the pilot was Junior Lieutenant Vladimir Ivanovich Avdeenko, born in 1921, out of 62 IAP of the Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet - was missing without a message 29.11.1943

Re: VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

However often the missing guns were re-added, I have no idea if the Russian's did this or not, quite a number of users did as iirc the extra guns were shipped with the aircraft.

Buz

Re: VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

Sergey Sergeev clarifies the information

In March 2018, there was a clarification in the press: "the plane was piloted by Soviet pilot Nikolai Semenovich Krayniy. During the Kerch-Eltigen landing operation on November 15, 1943, the fighter was shot down by the Germans. The pilot managed to splash down and get out of the sinking plane on an inflatable rubber boat. Saved Nicholai Krayniy his fellow soldier, countryman and best friend Alexander Dmitrievich Karpov. Returning from combat mission, Alexander Karpov learned that the plane of Nicholai Krayniy was an hit. Karpov volunteered to find a colleague. Flying over the Kerch Strait, he found him, drifting on a rubber boat, and sent him a rescue boat.
After five months, in April 1944, history almost repeated itself. "During the liberation of the Crimea, Nikolai Was shot down for the second time. He splashed again, this time 15 kilometers from Cape Tarkhankut. Find Nicholai Krayniy again instruct his friend Alexander Karpov". Karpov again found his friend. While simultaneously he to shoot down a German seaplane, . Soviet rescue boat, sent to the aid of Nicholai Krayniy, eventually saved the pilot and simultaneously captured four Germans."
https://crimea.ria.ru/society/20180323/1114089511.html

These are the pilots of the 3 air squadron 30 reconnaissance regiment VVS ChF

Re: VVS P-40 in the strait of Kerch
 

Kirch, thank you!

There is no claim in the lists for a P-40 on that day. Anyway five Yak*were reported by by II./JG52 that day, so either*misidentification or Flak.

Interesting that the VVS used the P-40 for*Reconnaissance operations - probably because it was such a bad fighter.