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Air combat of 4 x IL-2 against 4 x Fw190.
Hero of the Soviet Union, guardian Kapitan Chekin Boris Sergeevich.
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Takticks of enemy fighters was following: groups of them flew inder the edge of clouds, and, hiding at low altitude, suddenly attacked our aircrafts over targets beside frontline.
21 july our ground troops enter Viipuri (Vyborg). Finns were trying to save vechikles and troops, and were retreating by wide roads to the north direction from Viipuri.
Group of 4 x IL-2 under command of Squadron Commander, Starshyi Lejtenant (1st ltn.) Polyakov, gaine and order: attack retreating troops on the roads North to Viipuri. Without any escort. After briefing, we checkedhow to make it more succefull, and desided: bgecause of many enemyfighters in area of target, we will fly low altitude, in formation of “right peleng”, close to “front”.
We took off and formated “right peleng”. I was 4th aircraft in formation. We passed frontline on low alt. We saw no enemy fighters around us. Leader made 2 attacks on target, and when he was going to make 3rd - My reargunner sayd: “Over the hill appeared 4 Fw190, the are going to attack”. My leader make and order “Assebly!”. After right turn I saw 2 Fw190, 800-900 metsre behind me, going to attack us from 6 oclock. Another 2 Fw190 were waiting high behind attacking pair. My leader decreased his speed, and we formated close “front” formation with distance ~ 15-20 metres between aircrafts. Leading Fw190 pair were going to attack us from 6 oclock. It was good for us, because we were on very low altitude and it was impossible to attack us from below, and because of many hills and ravines we had advantage in maneuvering (Fw190 had much higher speed then us).
When Fw190, who attacked me, closed to 600metres, my reargunner and gunners from other IL-2’s open fire. Germans anyway approached, going to open fire from close distance. Fw190, who a attcked me tried to stey in “dead” sector:
He opened fire in the mometn when I went down, and burst camo over me, damaged only radio antenna. Then he exit attack to right side with climb. Then same pair attacked second time, I went down to give my gunner better position of shooting. As a result, leading Fw190 was shot down by my reargunner serjeant Dudatin (burst straight in “face”) when we crossed a lake.
His wingman, saw the result of attcak, runned away.
Then second pair, who were waining beside us, enter to attack us.
Germans were going to make very rare method of attack: going in “dead sector” on parralel heading, they attacked us from turn dive.
Then we make left turn, to give our gunners ability to shoot. They to repulsed more 2 attacks.
After several attacks without success, they made some attacks shooting from rear side of our formation, aiming in the center of formation, trying to split us.
In the momet when burst of fire must hit me, I pulled up, and was hited only by 2 x 20mm shells, damaging my gear.
It was already 10 minutes of comabat, and frontline was ~ 2-3 km away. Ity seems that Fw190 runnedout of ammo, and we all Il-2 returned to our base without losses. I made mergency landing on one gear.
Germans didn’t gain success because reargunners prevent attack from close distance, and it was hard to hit maneuvering airplane from far distance.
This fight impressed me very much, because in that time I was very Young and unexpiriensed pilot, and didn’t believe in the maneuveres. After fight I was sure in the abilityes of defence of formation and low speed. This fight confirmed to me that in defence combat of Il-2 vs enemy fighters, when it is impossible to make “circle” or “snake” formation, the most effective takticks is to make “peleng” formation on low alt and speed.
Making some good maneuveres, we won this fight, and shot down 1 Fw190.
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Tomorrow I'll post another report, showing figh on 24 10 1944, when 2 Fw190 were shot down by IL-2 of 35 ShAP KBF during mission at 12:37 - 15:46, over Baltic Sea. It seems for me that was Fw190 from II./JG 54, there are some maches in JG 54 losslist.
S!