[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, Igor.

Well, I do not know where you get your information from, but even if parts of the JG 6 had not been in action on the eastern front from their formation, pilots in the unit had definitely had experience from the eastern front.

Some of them enough to fill their scorecard back and front...

Also, which 'average german pilot' filed this report? Barkhorn? In my opinion he would by then have more than theoretical experience with soviet aircraft and opposing soviet pilots in aerial combat.

And maybe german pilots even discussed the situation, and the experiences they made once they got to the eastern front and tried to use this to better their otherwise by then hopeless situation?

I agree that there would be difficulties in discerning La-5's and La-7's by looks only, but there is a small difference in performance isn't there? And this would maybe be the reason for guessing or making a valid assumption that you opposed one or the other aircraft type?

Best regards,
Andreas B