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Re: JG 52 victories
Barkhorn Nr.215
“On the German side, the pair of Hauptmann Barkhorn and Uffz. Heinz Ewald from Staff II./JG 52 stood out in this fight. LaGG-3 shot down by Łukin was probably the victim of the leading German pair - Barkhorn reported that one Yak-1 was shot down north of the village of Gorki. The commander of II./JG 52 also reported shortly after a fighter identified as an Airacobra in the area northeast of Baksa. So, most likely, he was attacking the machine of junior lieutenant Derbyshev, whose diving maneuver and mouthpiece detachment were incorrectly identified as a hit and his 215th victory”, Lavrinenko wrote in his book – “Drei Falken der II./JG 52 …”. At that time, 4 Aircobras from 66 IAP under the command of Capt. A M Dobrynina flew to intercept bombers in the Arzim-Kobra area. At 12.15 at an altitude of 800 meters north of the border with Kerch, 4 Me109s were spotted attacking the LaGG-3. Dobrynin attacked the first pair from 100 meters on their way down. The second pair of rivals went to the pair led by Afanasyev. Dobrynin shot down one Bf109 from this pair. The letter awarding the award to Afanasev said that the airman was injured on December 16, but did not take part in the flight that day. He may have been injured in flight on December 17 when he made his next flight on December 27, and his Aircobra number 8 ascended again on December 19 on an afternoon flight. Ewald, who had won his fourth aerial combat victory, was shot down and had to make an emergency landing on home soil - perhaps via Dobrynin.
I think it was a No.215 aerial victory won by Hptm. Barkhorn
BenFolk
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