Quote:
Originally Posted by Kapper
If anyone has a copy of Khazanov’s article/work I would be interested in getting a copy to determine which of Hartmann’s claims he was able to confirm for his 80 victories?
For those interested, I’ve attached my combined lists that was used in the comparison.
Regards,
Craig...
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Khazanov doesn't go into the sort of detail you've attempted. I've translated parts of his piece...& the response from Lorant/Ring, which includes detailed quotes from Khazanov's article - therefore the following might be of some interest to you. Ring states that these illustrations
"serve to expose the superficial nature of Khazanov's assertions and confirm that his only goal in compiling his article was to discredit Hartmann and his record ...."
A) Hartmann's two victory claims on 20 August 1943.
Combats took place west of Millerowo on that day according to Khazanov who states that
"there exists no corresponding loss in the Russian archives" . In actual fact Hartmann claimed his victories in square 88263, ie east of Kuteinikowo, some 160 km south of Millerowo with 7. and 9./JG 52 claiming six Il-2s shot down. During the day some 33 victories were claimed by the Germans, although none in the sector around Millerowo.
B) Hartmann's 100th claimed on 20 September 1943.
According to Khazanov,
"German observers noted a LaGG-3 plunging earthwards, while on the Russian side the loss of a Yak-7 of the 288th Fighter Division of the 17th Army was reported.." Khazanov fails to state whether a time was recorded for this loss. At least eleven victories were claimed over the sector where Hartmann was operating that day.
C)
"On 29 May 1944 Hartmann claimed three La-5s shot down in the vicinity of the airfield of Roman (Rumania) during a large scale attack by aircraft of the 5th Air Army. All the La-5s of the 302nd Fighter Division returned safely" . False. Hartmann claimed a single Airacobra near Jassy. In addition Hartmann's victories 248-250 claimed on 4 June 1944 were P-39s and not Il-2s
D)
"Between 3 and 6 June 1944 Hartmann claimed 15 Airacobras and 8 La-5s" . Incorrect. During these four days of combat Hartmann claimed 22 victories ( 7 La-5s, 2 Yak-9s, 13 Airacobras, of which five were claimed before 15h00).
E)
" The Nazi regime needed heroes (...). According to German sources, based on the testimony of Hartmann's wingman Ofw. K. Unger, the famous 'ace' claimed a total of 19 soviet aircraft on 23 and 24 August, including eleven victories on 24 August 1944, while Russian losses amounted to three Airacobras only. The only likely candidate to have been shot down by Hartmann on this date is a single Po-2 of the 208th Night Bomber Division... " .
Khazanov asserts that Hartmann
"in no way obtained the exceptional results claimed. At the very least eight of these victories are pure invention..". However Khazanov fails to note that German fighters claimed a total of 24 victories on that date near Sandomierz. No Po-2s feature in these claims. These combats all took place over German-held territory and were thus witnessed.
F) Hartmann apparently shot down a number of German fighters in error. Khazanov quotes a story related to him by Sergei Sikorsky, the son of the famous designer who worked in the BRD (Federal Republic) post war and knew Hartmann well.
Hartmann..
" on occasion the most experienced pilots were obliged to get airborne in the most appalling weather conditions to 'free hunt' . Being able to spot the most basic of landmarks on the desolate Steppe and having absolute mastery of my aircraft were the two factors that enabled me to always return safely. On at least two occasions in bad weather ( once over the Dniepr during the autumn of 1943 ) I attacked and brought down two aircraft. It was only as they were going down that I noted the Balkenkreuze on their wings..needless to say no-one ever knew of this..."
I consider this statement highly unlikely. Hartmann never flew alone and always remained in contact with German ground stations. Any pilot engaging in combat would immediately report the fact over the frequency. G)
" one of Hartmann's primary concerns when flying combat sorties was his own personal safety. There are very few bombers among his victims.." An idiotic notion. Attacking bombers was obviously part of the mission if III./JG 52 encountered any in the air. Looking at Hartmann's first 150 victories achieved in 149 combat encounters over the course of his first 391 sorties, 85 of these of these were flown as bomber escort missions, 61 were 'free hunts', 3 were
'Alarm' scrambles and one sortie was designated a bridge protection sortie..Hartmann's scoreboard is the logical consequence of the types of sorties flown and aside from fighters thus comprises, six bombers, nine IL-2s, not forgetting three U-2s and R-5s.