lilia litvak - Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum

gaynako · #1 27th May 2005, 09:14

Does somebody tell me which german pilot was shot down on last days of may 1943, by Lilia Litvak (it was her 10th victory). According to her mecanician, it was a Bf 109 with a "PikAs" (so a plane of the JG 53), piloted by an officer with many victories..
Thanks a lot

Christian

Andy Fletcher · #2 27th May 2005, 09:37

Christian,

Neither Stalin's Eagles or Stalin's Falcons provide any details as to the identity of the pilot you mention.

Claims listed in Stalin's Falcons for May43

5th - Bf109
7th - Bf109
31st - Balloon

Out of Lidiya Litvyak's 12+4 (+1 balloon) claims Stalin's Falcons lists 15 (out of 17).

Regards

Andy Fletcher

Andy Fletcher · #3 27th May 2005, 09:44

Hi Christian,

All gruppen of JG53 were operating in the MTO at the time you mention.

Maybe the "Ace of Spades" (Pik As) symbol was a personal emblem of the pilot in question.

All the best

Andy Fletcher

Ota Jirovec · #4 27th May 2005, 10:19

Hello Andy,

Please don´t take neither Stalin´s Eagles nor Stalin´s Falcons too seriously. The recent serious research made by Mikhail Bykov´s group revealed that the official Litvak´s score at the moment of her death was just 4 personal + 3 group kills. I am not sure if any of these was achieved in the end of May 1943, but perhaps some of our Russian friends could shed some light into it.

Andy Fletcher · #5 27th May 2005, 10:30

Hi Ota,

Thanks for the warning. I've heard that they are both regarded by Russian researchers as not being very accurate, but they are probably the best books on Soviet aces written in English available at the moment.

I'm struggling to learn German so the though of trying to learn Russian is just too much to contemplate.

I hope that Mikhail's book will be published in English as he and the researchers around him seem to be really serious about producing accurate biografical information.

All the best

Andy Fletcher

Ota Jirovec · #6 27th May 2005, 13:18

Hello Andy,

According to the post by MiB on one of the Russian forums in 2003, only two Litvak´s victories achieved with 296 IAP (73 GIAP) in 1943 have been found in the documents: 1 Ju 88 on 22. 3. 1943 and 1 Bf 109 on 19. 7. 1943. Plus one balloon on 31. 5. 1943.