Hello,
On 14 September 1943, the JG 54 loss list shows five losses (two 100% and three damaged) around the airfield of Schatalowka-Ost:
_ 2 Fw 190 damaged on the ground by bombs
_ 1 Fw 190 destroyed by bombs while taking off (Lt Wilhelm Mey killed)
_ 1 Fw 190 damaged in a crash-landing
_ 1 Fw 190 shot down in an air battle SE of the airfield (Ofw Walter Repple)
I would like to know if anybody had a narrative of the JG 54 activity this day, to be sure that all these losses occured during the same event.
I am also searching confirmation that the German name Schatalowka is the same as
Shatalovo airfield (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shatalovo).
If this is the case, the Soviet side of the raid is probably described by the following source:
http://allaces.ru/p/episode.php?id=691
From the above, a rough Google-robot translation:
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14.09.1943 g. strikes against airfields and Borovskoye Shatalovo
From 6 to 15.09.1943, the troops of the Western Front offensive operations are not conducted. They were preparing to break through the one more heavily fortified milestones defenses on the approaches to Smolensk.
Before the onset of the Commander 1 BA, General M. Gromov decided to strike at the airfield Borovskoye. This shock was preceded by aerial reconnaissance. Not one day led its most experienced air pathfinders 168 IAP (303 Iyad, 1 BA, Western Front) MA Anufriev, GI Titarev, SG Struzhkin and NN Yakovlev. They found that each week, Tuesday and Friday, to 13.00 at the airport Borovskoye accumulated a greatest number of enemy aircraft. On the basis of these data on Tuesday 14/09/1943, was scheduled strike.
Exactly at 13.00 over enemy airfields there were 18 fighter GIAP headed by AE and Golubov regiment "Normandy under the command of Pierre Pouyade. Their task - to clear the sky of enemy fighters and to block those who were at the airport, do not give them the opportunity to fly.
With the same objective of 523 IAP, headed by KA Pilschikovym went to the adjacent airfield enemy Shatalovo.
For our task the pilots of these regiments have coped confidently. Duty four German fighters tried to take off from the airfield Borovskoye, but it attacked and destroyed IA Zamorin, VN Barsukov, AN Danilenko, IA Black. The same fate befell a couple of fighters on the airfield Shatalovo. They knocked KA Pil'shchikov and his wingman AP morels.
Navigator 168 IAP GI Titarev in a dogfight down two fighters, but he came under enemy fire. Yak Titareva began to fall. The pilot tried to throw a parachute, but the damaged lamp does not open. Then he climbed into a shell pierced a hole in the glazing of the lantern. Leaned almost to his waist and stuck - parapack made it impossible to get out of the cab. The pilot stared down the side of the cabin, parapack exploded. Airflow pulled out of the cockpit canopy. He opened up and pulled out the jammed pilot, tearing with his gun, pants and boots ... Thus, in shorts, barefoot and without arms, he landed near the front edge of the defense of the Soviet troops.
Three regiments bombers took to the goal and brought down his load on the parking lot of enemy aircraft and airfield equipment. They have destroyed dozens of Junkers and Heinkel, fuel depots and ammunition destroyed the barracks. Then "Petlyakov" turned around and lay on the opposite course. With airfields near Smolensk and Seschi up the German fighters and ran after them. When approaching the front line they were able to catch the bombers, but the fighter pilots 20 IAP and 168 IAP, as well as "Normandy" blocked their path. They shot down seven enemy aircraft.
There were no casualties and the Soviet side. Of the 168 IAP died SG Struzhkin of "Normandy" - A. Largeau.
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Thanks in advance