[Courtois Laurent]

Hello everybody ,

In general, this victory is considered to be at the expense of Albert Littolff, the French ace of the famous Normandie-Niemen. This grooving error was published twice again in 2017 and 2019 in a top level aviation magazine "Aces". Therefore, it seems interesting to me to spend some time to identify the 39th vicitm of Hartman.

The known data are:

No. 39, "LaGG" on 16.7.43 / 2.15pm over PQ 54661 @ 1500m.


In his Hartmann post our eminent colleague Christer Bergström wrote:

No. 39, "LaGG" on 16.7.43/1415 over PQ 54661 @ 1500m: 18 GIAP and Normandie Niemen Eskadrilya. 18 GIAP lost Serzhant Ivan Stolyarov while Normandie Niemen lost Kpt. Albert Littolff (possibly by Hartmann), Lt. Noel Castelain and M.Lt. Adrien Bernavon. All KIA

It cannot be Litolff, because 2:15 p.m. German time, equivalent to 3:15 p.m. Soviet time at that time the last French has been laid for 10 minutes and the zone does not correspond either 15 km to the east. You have to look among, 12 la-5, 10 Yak-7, 1 Yak-1 lost this day By the 1st VA (AA). The 3 Yak-9s lost that day are those of the Normandie-Niemen and cannot have been shot down by Hartmann.

second correction : 18 GIAP lost Serzhant Ivan Stolyarov" for this day,in the report of the 18 GIAP is wrotten "no meeting with ennemy".

Translation of the report of the 303th IAD :

18 Gv IAP from 18.15 to 19.25 protected our troops in the Znamensckoe, Ilanskoe, Khotynets region. 18 Yak-7s made 18 flights, flying 18 hours 59 minutes. To carry out a reconnaissance, two Yak-7 carried out two flights, flying 2 hours 25 minutes. In total 20 flights, 21h 24 minutes of flights. There was no encounter with the enemy.

The hunt is therefore on! It remains to be verified among the 13 remaining Soviet regiments who may be the 39th Victim ....