[robert]

On this night 2nd Air Corps was engaged in the area of Poltawa. There were many fighter attacks.
At 02.25 hrs in the area of Obojani on an altitude of 2000 m the aircraft of Major Smirnow (no.8 Guard Air Regiment ADD) was pursued by Bf110. The German pilot got within range but did not open the fire!
Slightly later in the same area but on an altitude of 5000 m the aircraft of Byczkow was attacked by 2 Bf110`s. After three passes the Russian crew was able to dive away.
One crew failed to return. It was the crew of Grudakow. The last radio message had been received at 23.46 hrs from the area of Liwny. Later it had been found out that 5 minutes after a bomb attack on Poltawa the aircraft was attacked by Bf109. Already the first burst was accurate. The left engine was shot in flames and the gunner was wounded. The crew was ordered to bail out. The aircraft crashed 5 km NE of Nowo-Dubno (12 km W of Dikanka).

Robert