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P-63 Kingcobra in VVS in Europe 1945!
I think that the thread below has already come rather far from the original, interesting topic concerning the possible appearance of Soviet P-63 Kingcobras in Eastern Europe in WW II. I do not want to became involved in the unproductive yes-no poltical debate, but would merely want to return to the original problem.
According to a biographical article about the Soviet fighter ace V.S.Yeliseyev (Hero of RF 6 September 1996) published in the well-known Russian aviation journal MIR AVIATSII no. 3/1999 6 IAK (Fighter Aviation Corps of 16 Air Army) received 6 (six) Kingcobras in spring 1945. One of these Kingcobras was flown by Vladimir Yeliseyev (then serving in 67 Guards IAP, which was ex-436 IAP) during the Battle of Berlin from March 1945. As this article (written by Vladimir Ratkin) refers explicitely also to Yeliseyevs´s previous Airacobra-missions misidentification is excluded. The article is furthermore based on TsAMO-documents (war diary of 67 GIAP etc.). In my book "Red Stars Vol.4" I also indicated this use of Kingcobras by VVS in the European theatre, but my remarks seem to have passed unnoticed.
Carl
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