Can this loss of Brewster be confirmed?
 

15.06.44 1 «brewster»

According to the L. Kulakov from 103 GvIAP he was flying an escort mission for Pe-2 recce to the Viipury area in a P-39, when they were attacked by a group of finnish brewsters. He shot at one, and it blew up in the air.

Re: Can this loss of Brewster be confirmed?
 

Privet!

According book Kesäsota by Atso Haapanen HLeLv 26 flew couple of interception missions during June 15th. Planes were Brewsters BW-384 (09.10-10.25, 11.40-12.30 and 15.00-16.00) and BW-377 (11.40-12.30). Times in parenthesis are Finnish time. It is possible that some document have incorrect times recorded and BW-384 has made only one or two flights instead of three.

Not a single FinnAF fighter was lost June 15th for any cause (I checked also Kohtalokkaat lennot 1939-1944 by Jaakko Hyvönen which lists all FinnAF a/c and crew losses). No damages for Brewsters are mentioned either.


Regards,
Kari

Re: Can this loss of Brewster be confirmed?
 

Hmmm. Any possibility to track damaged aircraft? Could these be some other type similar in appearance? And btw, accolrding to this pilot they were attacked by 6 aircraft...

Re: Can this loss of Brewster be confirmed?
 

What is your source for the date? Could the date be wrong (Which it to my experience is in eg. articles, books and other secondary sources)? One Brewster was lost on June 10 (BW-365 was shot down at Kivennapa, Sn.Serg. V.Kauppinen scaped by parachute) and another (BW-374 was shot down ai Kivennapa, Ltn. T.Mattila was killed) on June 12, 1944. The location for both cases (KIvennapa) is in the Viipuri (Vyborg) direction.
Carl

Re: Can this loss of Brewster be confirmed?
 

Source is M. Bykov, description of the fight - Kulakov from 103 GvIAP (currently alive in St-Petersburg). We need a description of the fight from finnish side, since quite often kills were confirmed later, and written down also for later date.

Re: Can this loss of Brewster be confirmed?
 

In this case please ask Misha Bykov to contact me directly, he has got my address,
Carl

Re: Can this loss of Brewster be confirmed?
 

Hi Carl, Hi All.
Sadly (for us) Kulakov's claim can't be confirmed in any way. BW-365 on June 10 was almost undoubtedly the victim of Airacobras of 196 iap (3 Brewsters were claimed shot down in air combat over Raivola-Kivennapa area at 11.30-11.40). On June 12 none Brewsters were claimed, but on 13 there were 2 claims: the same 196 iap reported 1 Brewster downed E of Kemrja (sorry, I write it from Russian transcription) Railway station at 21.10-21.15 and 1 more Brewster was claimed by 27 giap NW of Myatsakula (?) Railway station. Daytime not reported.

Regards,
M Bykov aka Owl-99