Hello Juha,
you're right, I checked the Maslov book again.
Personally, I would not consider it impossible for Shestakov to score 8 individual plus more than 30 shared kills in Spain. But I think it's virtually impossible to do so and becoming a HSU not until 10Feb1942. Thus, I assume a spain score of 2+1sh is far more likely.
After scrutinizing the website that's based on Bykov's work, my
P-40 top ten ace list needs an update:
ace: P-40 score(total score)- Caldwell: 20,5(28,5)
- Drake: at least 16(21)
- Pokryshev: 15,1(23,6) - according to Bykov
- Hill: 13,25(15,25)
- Litavrin: 13(18) - according to Bykov
- Hampshire: 13(13)
- Holloway: 13(13)
- Neale: 13(13)
- Edwards: 12,83(16,08)
- Zotov: 12,73-13,73(22,18-23,18) - according to Bykov
I dropped Waddy (12,5 P-40 kills) and Novichkov (6,33 P-40 kills according to Bykov, 19 P-40 kills according to Mellinger).
Some questions remain:
- I'm still looking for Drake's definite P-40 score. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=45616
- How many pilots took part in the Viktor Zotov's 2 shared kills on 30Sep1942 ?
- I found a guy in the www: Михалин Михаил Федорович with 14+2sh P-40 kills. Is he real ?
Michael