[Nokose]

Translated from D. Khazanov's "The Unknown Battle in the Moscow Sky 1941-1944"

Early in the morning of the following day St. Lt Arkadiy Fedorovich Kovachevich (subsequently Deputy Chief of the VVA in Monino, Hero of the Soviet Union) from the 27 IAP has intercepted and has shot down a German "Dornier" scout. In Arkadiy Fedorovich's recollections, the cold nights compelled the mechanics several times to warm thoroughly the motors of the fighters. As he approached his MiG at the Klin airfield and has just seen literally overhead in the pre-dawn sky the contrail flying at 5000 m the reconnaissance aircraft, with the gaining of altitude he departed to the west. Delay could prevent an effective interception-without any command the pilot has leaped into the cockpit, having literally thrown from there the engine mechanic, and the fighter was ready for takeoff.
With the climb and closure with the enemy the squadron commander attempted to remain in the dark part of the horizon, preparing the first surprise attack. He succeeded at a height of 8000 m for the gunners, probably, perished in the cockpit, since he received no return fire. After the second attack on the reconnaissance aircraft it was finished, it flared up and fell south of Sychevka. To the crash was sent the mechanics who brought back maps and a "Walter", which Kovachevich kept as war trophy.
On that night the Do 17P aircraft W.Nr. 3535 from Staffel 3(F)/22 has flown from the Dno airfield for conducting reconnaissance along the Leningrad-Moscow railway. It reached Kirishi station, it then crossed the front line, and it had to turn to the west and with the dawn return home after reaching Bologoye. For a unknown reason the crew continued to observe along the important pathway, passing Kalinin and Klin proved to be south of the airfield, it was afterwards it was intercepted and shot down. The navigator ObLt. T. Ritter - the very same aircraft commander- perished together with his other two crew members; no one attempted to leave the machine with a parachute.