[Evgeny Velichko]

Bomber killers (10 or more):

1. Kap. Zalevskiy V.N.: 12 (17+22) – 1 x Do215, 11 x Ju88 (+1xDo215, 19 x Ju88 shared)
2. Kap. Grigoryev G.A.: 12 (12+5) – 1 x Do215, 3 x He111, 8 x Ju88 (+ 3 x Ju88 shared)
3. Mjr. Lavrinenkov V.D. : 12 (35+11) – 5 x He111, 7 x Ju88 (+ 2 x Ju88 shared).
4. Kap. Afanasyev V.I.: 11 (11+5) – 11 x Ju88 (+ 3 x Ju88 shared)
5. Podp. Kozlov N.A.: 11 (16+7) – 1 x Do217, 10 x Ju88 (+ 1 x Ju88, 1 x Fw200 shared).
6. Mjr. Bulayev A.D.: 10 (17+5) – 1 x He111, 9 x Ju88 (+ 1 x He111 shared)
7. Kap. Zelenov N.A.: 10 (31+10) – 10 x Ju88 (+2 x Ju88 shared)

Kapitan Vladimir Nikolayevich Zalevskiy is not well known pilot, but his total score is awesome. In this table he tooks first place because of his total personal+shared score.
He was born in 1918, and saw war on 22.06.41 in 157 iap as Mladshy Leytenant. He flew I-16, Hurricane Mk.II, Yak-7 (other sourses say Yak-1). Soon he became one of the most scilled bomber killer of VVS. Very brave, he always attacked bombers (especially pulk-leaders), trying break the formation and push them to drop bombs before target.
On 5 july 1943 in first few hours of Citadel begins, he flew his last mission. 18 Yaks ordered to patrol, and over target they meet large group of Ju88 (probably from KG 1) with escort of Fw190’s from III./JG 51. 10 Yaks leaded by kommander of 157 iap engajed Fw190, and 8 Yaks leaded by Zalevskiy tried to pass trough Fw190’s and attack Ju88. Only 4 Yaks could do it. Whitnesses sayd, that they saw that Kap. Zalevskiy shot down 2 Ju88. More 2 Ju88 were damaged by his wingmen. Unfortunatly, shortly after flight of Yaks breaked away from Ju88’s pulk, they came under attack of some Fw190. Kap. Zalevskiy and his wingman were shot down, both could bail from theyr burning aircrafts. Kap. Zalevskiy was heavily wounded in a leg, and died in hospital. In that air combat Soviet fighters claimed 3 x Ju88 and 2 x Fw190 and lost 2 x Yak + 4 x Yaks were damaged but could return to base. German fighters claimed 5 victories (as usual, missidentified as “MiG-3” and “LaGG”). Losses are not fully known (may be anybody could clear this). Vitaliy Gorbach, author of exellent book “Nad Ognennoy Dugoy”, sayd that Kap. Zalevskiy and his wingman were almost sure shot down by Hubert Strassl from III./JG 51.
Kapitan Zalevskiy flew near 300 combat missions. His total score includes: 11 x Ju88, 2 x Bf110, 2 x Bf109, 1 x Hs126, 1 x Do215 (+1xDo215, 19 x Ju88, 2 x Hs126 shared).
Awaqrds: HSU (30.01.43), 2 x Order of Lenin, Order of Red Banner, medals.