P-63C and 67th GIAP

[keith A]

I have read that this unit was using the P-39/P-63 in 1945, but also that they were flying Yak-3 from late 1944. Can anyone confirm which aircraft were being flown?

[Nokose]

I found one Russian site (not www.allaces.ru ) that stated that they had Airacobras from May43-May45. The unit's commander Guards Podpolkovnik Aleksey Borisovich Panov (ace and HSU) was killed in an "Airacobra" 12Sep44 near Praga, Poland. I don't know if they were talking about the P-39 or P-63.

[Jim Oxley]

According to the book "Stalin's Falcon's" 67 GIAP was equipped witht he P-39 when it moved to the North West front in early 1943. It continued to operate the P-39 until the last months of the war, when the P-39's were exchanged for Yak 3's.

Unfortunately it doesn't state what date the exchange took place.