VVS operations 6-8 may & 8-10 june 1943, claims and losses.

[Evgeny Velichko]

From Oleg Rastrenin's book:

During attacks on Luftwaffe airfields on 6-8 may & 8-10 june 1943 VVS lost (KiA, MiA, WiA, DfW, KiFA):

103 Il-2 - 86 pilots and 70 gunners;
28 A-20 and Pe-2 - 24 pilots, 22 bombardiers, and 28 gunners;
72 fighters - 68 pilots.

Short description of 10 june 1943 air raid:

10 june, 2 attacks:

1 raid to attack airfields Kharkov and Mikoyanovka (~4:15)

1 raid to attack airfields Sescha(20:20-20:40)

I will briefly describe raid to Sescha.
1st wave of:

12 x Il-2 (leader Kap. V.Rubtzov, 312 shap) with close escort of 6 x Yak-1 (leader Maj. N.Tzagojko, 122 iap)
11 x Il-2 (leader Kap. K.Brekhov, 62 shap) with close escort of 8 x Yak-7B (leader Kap. Sibirtzev, 172 iap)
Both groups with fighter sweep of:
4 x Yak-1 (St.Lt. R.Seroglazov, 162 iap)
4 x La-5 (Kap. N.Spiridenko, 49 iap)
7 x Yak-1 (St.Lt. Kisilev, 172 iap)

2nd wave consist of:
9 x Pe-2 (2 bap) with close escort of 6 x La-5 (Maj. Alifanov, 263 iap)
9 x Pe-2 (38 bap) with close escort of 6 x La-5 (Kap. Rakitin, 263 iap)
9 x Pe-2 (Maj.Ageyev, 6 bap) with close escort of 6 x La-5 (Maj. Kashirkin, 522 iap)
9 x Pe-2 (St.Lt. Kuznetzov, 130 bap) with close escort of 6 x La-5 (Maj. Gribok, 522 iap)

Fighter sweep:
15 x La-5 (2 giap).
--------------------------
Road to target:

no enemy fighters, weak AAA fire. No claims and losses.

--------------------------
Over the target:

Result of attack on Sescha airfield:
312 shap claimed: 15 2 x Flak destroyed, 15 large explosions;
62 shap: destroyed ~10 and damaged ~5-7 enemy aircrafts, 1 house destroyed, 5 explosions;
Pe-2's of 204 bad: many explosions on the airfield, all airfield covered with heavy smoke.

Over tha target Il-2 wave was intercepted by large group of Fw190's.

Losses:
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. A.Kuznetzov, 312 shap) shot down by AAA, crashed in airfield area;
Il-2 (St.Lt. Alferov, 312 shap) damaged by AAA, reached his base airfield and emlanded;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Mochalov, 312 shap)damaged by AAA, reached his base airfield and emlanded;

---------------------
Road from target to home bases:

Groups of fighters had splittered and got hard combat with large groups of enemy fighters. Both Il-2 and Pe-2 waves came under attack of Fw190 groups.

Losses:
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Ivliyev, 312 shap) heavy damaged by Fw190, reached his base airfield and emlanded;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Komarovsky, 312 shap) heavy damaged by Fw190, reached his base airfield and emlanded;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Anufriyev, 62 shap) heavy damaged by Fw190, reached his base airfield and emlanded;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Popov, 62 shap) heavy damaged by Fw190, reached his base airfield and emlanded;
Pe-2 (Maj. I.Ageyev, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Volkov, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Shpagin, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Stepchak, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Yemeljanov, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Shibanov, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Ignatjev, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Nikitin, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
Pe-2 (Ml.Lt. Smol'sky, 6 bap), shot down by enemy fighers in area of Sescha;
La-5 (Lt. Oparin, 522 iap) shot down by enemy fighters during escort of Pe-2 of 6 bap, Sescha area;
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Ishimsky, 522 iap) shot down by enemy fighters during escort of Pe-2 of 6 bap, Sescha area;
Yak-1 (Maj.Tzagojko, 122 iap) damaged by Fw190, bellylanded behind enemy lines;
Yak-1 (Ml.Lt. Nepokrytov, 122 iap) shot down by Fw190,did not returned from combat mission;
Yak-1 (St. Shelukha, 162 iap) shot down by Fw190, did not returned from combat mission;
La-5 (St.Lt. Pankin, 2 giap) did not returned from combat mission by unknown reason;

Claims:

Fw190 shot down by La-5 (Kap.Rakitin, 263 iap), crashed in area of Krasny Oktyabr';
Fw190 shot down by La-5 (Ml.Lt. Orlov, 263 iap), crashed in area of Krasny Oktyabr';
Fw190 (shared) shot down by pair of La-5 (Maj.Alifanov, Ltn. Sapegin, 263 iap), crashed in Sescha area;
Fw190 (shared) shot down by pair of La-5 (Kap.Popov, Ml.Lt. Chernushevich, 263 iap), crashed in area of Zhebovo.
---------------

If interested in full information, let me know - use PM. I have full claims losses of that operations.

Best wishes!

[Evgeny Velichko]

And another (of 2) raid on 10 june 1943.

1 raid to attack airfields Kharkov and Mikoyanovka (~4:15)

12 x Il-2 (leader Yankin, 66 shap) with close escort of 12 x La-5 (leader Kap. Matviyenko, 297 iap)
12 x Il-2 (leader Kozlenko, 673 shap), 12 x Il-2 (leader Stepanov, 800 shap), 12 x Il-2 (leader Chernetzov, 820 shap) with escort of totally 36 fighters from 4 iak.

Fighter sweep: 29 La-5, task to block Rogan' airfield.
--------------------------
Road to target:

no enemy fighters, weak AAA fire. No claims and losses.
--------------------------

Over the target:
Kharkov airfield - 66 shap+673 shap: destr. ~35 aircrafts, 4 x Flak, 1 hangar, 1 building, 17 explosions.

Makoyanovka airfield - 800 shap + 820 shap: 3 x Flak, 5 x Bf109, 9 cars, 2 ammodepots.
5 x Il-2 (800 shap & 820 shap) were damaged by AAA fire, returned to base.

---------------------
Road from target to home bases:

Groups was intercepted by large group of Bf109's.

Losses:
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Odarchenko, 820 shap) shot down by Bf109, crashed at area Bol'shiye Baiki;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Levchenko, 66 shap) shot down by Bf109, MiA;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. Kindarjan, 66 shap) shot down by Bf109, crashed at area Bely Kolodetz;

Claims:
Bf109 shot down by La-5 (Kap. Korol'kov, 297 iap), crashed near village Ziborivka.

[Evgeny Velichko]

8 june 1943.

2 air raids of 15 VA and 1 VA.
15 VA: to Orel-Central, Mezenka, Kuliki, Lezhenka (Prokurovka) at 20:00 - 20:05;
1 VA : Sescha 20:20 - 20:25.

I'll describe 15 VA raid, the most bloodly.

6 x Il-2 (leader Kap. Smirnov, 614 shap), 6 x Il-2 (leader Kap. Kovgan, 614 shap) with close escort of 9 x La-5 of 50 iap;

Fighter sweep:

6 x Yak-1 (leader St.Lt. Golovin, 65 giap) to block and strafe attack airfield Mezenka;
8 x La-5 (Podp. Ivanov, 63 giap) to block airfield Kuliki;
8 x Yak-7B (leader St.Lt. Manoshin, 64 giap) to block airfield Lezhenka (Prokurovka);

--------------------------
Road to target:

Group of 63 giap was intercepted by 10-12 Fw190 + Bf109 in area of Kuliki airfield.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by La-5 (Serj. Sudoshkin, 63 giap), crashed in area of Kuliki airfield;
Losses:
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Kudryanov, 63 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission;
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Valentey, 63 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission;

Group of 65 giap was intercepted by group of 4 Fw190 and 2 Bf109 in area of Orel-GVF.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by Yak-1 (Kap. Kubarev, 65 giap), crashed in 10 km West from airfield Orel-GVF;
Fw190 shot down by Yak-1 (Ml.Lt. Popov, 65 giap), crashed near of Yuzhnaya Sloboda, area of Orel;
Losses:
Yak-1 (Ml.Lt. Lapshenkov, 65 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Orel area;
Yak-1 (Lt. Zhukov, 65 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Orel area;

Group of 64 giap was intercepted by group of 4 Fw190 and 4 Bf109 in area of Lezhenki.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by Yak-7B (Ml.Lt. Alekseyev, 64 giap), crashed in area of Selivanovo;
Bf109 shot down by Yak-7B (St.Lt. Manoshin, 64 giap), crashed in area of airfield Lezhenki;
Losses:
Yak-7B (Ml.Lt. Matzina, 64 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Lezhenki airfield;
Yak-7B (Lt. Zaikin, 64 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Lezhenki airfield;
Yak-7B (Ml.Lt. Drozd, 64 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Lezhenki airfield;

--------------------------
Over the target:

Lezhenka airfield (65 giap): 5 aircrafts destroyed on earth.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by Yak-1 (St.Lt. Koventzov, 65 giap), crashed in South-East from Mtzensk;

Orel-GVF: result of strike is not recognised, in case of full group of 12 Il-2 did not returned from combat mission. Escort fighters saw 7 - 10 explosions on airfield after Il-2 strike.

---------------------
Road from target to home bases:
Because of heaviest AAA fire escort of 50 iap climbed up and lost group of Il-2, then were intercepted by group of Fw190.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Losses:
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Korotkikh, 50 iap) shot down by Fw190, crashed in area Orel-Mtzensk;
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Mikhailov, 50 iap) shot down by Fw190, crashed in area Orel-Mtzensk;
La-5 (Serj. Zhuravlev, 50 iap) shot down by Fw190, crashed in area Orel-Mtzensk;
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Zhuchkov, 50 iap) heavy damaged by Fw190, crashed on landing on his airfield;

In that moment group of Il-2 came under attack of large group of Fw190.
Losses:
Il-2 (Kap. A.Smirnov, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Kap. P.Astapenko, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. P.Varapayev, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. A.Gamynin, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Kap. A.Kovgan, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Lt. I.Kosmachev, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. V.Kramar, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. N.Chebotaryov, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (St.Serj. E.Saburov, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Serj. G.Sorokin, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. G.Maltzev, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. A.Rezinkin, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;

[Nokose]

Evgeny,
Did you mean the date for post#2 to be 10Jun43 instead of 10Jul43? Also is all this info from Oleg Rastrenin's book "Split Sky. May-June of 1943" (Translated version of title)? Great stuff!

[Evgeny Velichko]

Yes, Nokose. Little typo

All this info is a BRIEF info from that book. Book contains more and more very interesting stuff.

I post this info here to let all who interested to confirm/unconfirm VVS and Luftwaffe claims and losses.

[yogybär]

Claimanalysis:

Concerning 8.6.1943 raid to Secha:
JG51-claims
12-24IL-2 claimed vs. 12 admitted
18-31 fighter vs. 11 admitted
min numbers for timeframe, max numbers include claims w/o daytime

Concerning 10.6.1943 raid to Secha:
Claims by JG51:
8-12 Pe-2 claimed vs. 9 admitted by VVS
31-34 IL-2 claimed vs. 7 admitted by VVS (from them 3 flak)
8-13 fighter claimed vs. 6 admitted by VS
Minimum numbers for claim-times between 19:13 and 19:49, max numbers incl. claims w/o daytime
Additionally 2 IL-2 claims by Hauptmann Hermann, 3./ZG1

Concerning 10.6.1943 raid to Charkov:
Claims by II./JG3:
3 IL-2 claimed vs. 3 admitted by VVS
3 LaGG5 claimed vs. nul admitted by VVS
in area 61 6xx

PS: Might be corrected later on...

[Evgeny Velichko]

Originally Posted by yogybär

Additionally 2 IL-2 claims by Hauptmann Hermann, 3./ZG1

It is noted in book:

" 3 Il-2 came under attack of enemy fighter UNKNOWN type".

It could be because VVS fighter pilots sayd directly Fw190 or Bf109. When they may saw Bf110, they may note it in combat report as "enemy fighter". Later, in high Staff, "enemy fighter" could be changed to "enemy fighter, type unknown".

[Nokose]

Hptm Hermann 3/ZG1 shows on Tony Woods list Il-2 m.b. [Il-4] 19:25 and Il-4 19:33. Oblt Hermann Luecke 9/JG51 claims four Il-4 from 19:16-19:25. Il-4 is a two motor bomber. Does anyone have losses for JG51 for the claims made by the VVS?

[yogybär]

Originally Posted by Nokose

Hptm Hermann 3/ZG1 shows on Tony Woods list Il-2 m.b. [Il-4] 19:25 and Il-4 19:33. Oblt Hermann Luecke 9/JG51 claims four Il-4 from 19:16-19:25. Il-4 is a two motor bomber. Does anyone have losses for JG51 for the claims made by the VVS?

Nokose, there are ca. 300 IL-4, -5 and -7 in that list, all in 1943. I personally interprete these as IL-2m.H. (with reargunner).
Reasons:
1) There were names like this given by Luftwaffe for IL2-2seater
2) Nearly all of these claims are at altitudes <1.000m. And I am sure Soviets would NOT use IL-4 so low.
3) IL-4 was mostly used in NBAPs (Night Bombers)

[Evgeny Velichko]

Yes, yogybär, that is what I talking about, directly.

Originally Posted by yogybär

And I am sure Soviets would NOT use IL-2 so low.

Typo? Do You mean "Il-4 so low"?

Originally Posted by yogybär

3) IL-4 was mostly used in NBAPs (Night Bombers)

Actually, Il-4 (with DB-3F) WERE used in mid summer, july-august as DAY bomber, during Kursk battle. But suffered great losses, and trasferred to night-only actions.

Genlmen - lets try to confirm/unconfirm JG 51 losses in air and Luftwaffe losses on the ground by Il-2 and Pe-2 attacks. Any ideas what geschwader could suffer losses on that day? 8 june, 10 june?