Found MIAs of the 872 ShAP

[Nokose]

On www.airforce.ru there is a new article for Oct2009 by I.G. Prokofev titled "History of Two Crews". It's about the recovery of a Il-2 of the 872 ShAP (281 ShAD) and the remains of the crew. The story about this recovery also changed the history of what happen to the second Il-2 that was with the recovered aircraft on the 27Jul43. The location is the swamp north of Borodulino which is north of Ljuban.

[dp_burke]

I can't read the article but it looks fascinating, could anyone give a brief run down of what it says. We were loots of documents found in the wreckage? So nice to see the photos of what I assuem were its crew and its must be nice for the families to see their loved ones buried.

[Nokose]

If you use Yahoo or some other, type in airforce.ru and it should have Translate next to your search. The story besides the recovery is on the 27Jul43 17:28-18:30 two Il-2 of the 872 ShAP escorted by 4 Yak-1Bs of the 287 IAP attacked the airfield at Borodulino. The both Il-2 were hit by flak(?) while the 4 Yak-1's were fighting for their lives with 6 Fw-190s. One Il-2 rammed the ammo storage and blew it up. The other flew off to the north and was never seen again. It seems that the wrong Il-2 pilot and gunner got the Hero status.

[Brian]

Thanks Nokose

I have just been reading about the Russians in Cuba 1962/63. Fascinating stuff.

Cheers
Brian

[dp_burke]

Thanks, yes I'm aware of online translations but the translations from auto sites are never easy reading, I just wanted the general synopsis.

regards. Dennis

[Nokose]

Dennis,
The pilot and gunner found were Ml. Lt. Guriy Nikolayevich Maximov and Sgt Kuzm Alekseyevich Chuprov. The actual ram was by Ml. Lt Ivan Panteleevich Lyapin and St. Sgt Mikhail Mikhaylovich Kuzmin. It seems St. Lt. Borisov of the 287 IAP started the "ball rolling" that it was Maximov. It spun out of control with post-war memiors. It was a great piece of detective work in correcting history. The people who dig these sites do great work but I wonder about handling that unexploded ordinance especially by teenagers.

[dp_burke]

Thanks for that, good point you make on the ordnance.

I think it is nice to see faces put to the names of Soviet airmen like we do for Allied and German men here in Ireland and elsewhere.

Good work.