[keith A]

This unit made 70 confirmed claims in WW2 according to sources. 34 were claimed in January-February 1945, and 13 in March 1945, leaving just 23 in the period 1942-44, of which according to the information I have Stepan Bahayev had made 10 (including shares)! This makes little sense given that the unit seems to have fought over Stalingrad and in other major combats since 1942. It boast several aces whose individual claimed are in excess of 70. Can anyone explain this?

By the way the aces are Nikolenkov (14), Tyulkin (14), Tryasak (11), Brentses (10), Gubich (9), Kuzmin (7), Maryn (6), Sorokin (6). Given that these are only the aces, this argues that they served in other units before or after 515, or their tallies are suspect and that shared/individual claims have been misreported.

Without the amendment of pilots scoring with other units you reduce the tally to assume the total is the first figure and reduce this by shared victories we are still in excess of 70....?