[HGabor]

Thanks Nick,

Hartmann's 350th claim was also a soviet Yak-9 fighter on April 17, 1945. Unfortunately no further details are known about it. Anyways, the 5 VA this day had a Yak-9 combat loss indeed, its details are known, but due to the lack of information on Hartmann's side, they cannot be compared. But let's be nice, and let's say this was a potential/legitimate victory for him:

350: 17.4.1945 - Yak-9 - POTENTIAL VICTORY - Stab I./JG 52 -

On April 17, 1945 the 5 VA, 13 GvIAD, 151 GvIAP lost a brand new Yak-9U fighter, the newest model of the Yak-9 family at that time, built in the Omsk-factory. (Zavod 166.)

5 VA, 13 GvIAD, 151 GvIAP, Yak-9U (S/N: 42166074), lost in a dogfight near Rapovice. Pilot, Gv.Capt. Egor Vasilevich Vasilevskii, (25+2 victories ace, HSU - Hero of Soviet Union) was unhurt. Between 18:00-18:30 local, he led his Yak flight against Bf 109s and Fw 190s and downed two of them. At the moment of his 2nd victory of the day, his plane was hit by (report says) flak. (But it could be fighter attack too from back, below.) He quit combat and returned to his side where he belly landed successfully.

Other fighter 'losses' in 5 VA on April 17, 1945:

5 VA, 3 GvIAK, 6 GvIAD, 85 GvIAP, 1st Sq. has written-off a Yak-1B (S/N: 29173) due to wear and tear.

5 VA, 279 IAD, 486 IAP, La-7FN (S/N: 45210925) was lost to flak. While escorting IL-2 Sturmoviks, plane was hit by small calibre flak and belly landed at Mutenice(?). Pilot, 1Lt. Constantin Pavlovich Burikinun was unhurt, plane later repaired.

Additional info for Hartmann's 352nd claim on May 8, 1945: Beside 5 VA, 3 GvIAK, neither 5 VA, 331 IAD, nor 5 VA, 279 IAD suffered fighter losses! Missions flown by 5 VA on May 8, 1945:

142 IL-2 flew 188 missions
116 Yaks flew 180 missions
90 La-5,-7 flew 126 missions
47 Po-2 flew 129 missions
11 (511 ORAP) recce. Pe-2 flew 11 missions (one each)
9 (218 BAD) A-20G Bostons flew 9 missions (one each)
.................................................. ...........................
No fighter losses!

Cheers,
Gabor