Aerial Battles around Kiev October 1943

[yogybär]

Does anyone know the order of battle in these air battle, i.e. above the bridgeheads N of Kiev?

On the Luftwaffe side, I am pretty sure that even JG54 was involved in this pretty southern battle, as well as some JG51. JG52 for sure, as they are the usual suspexcts for LF4/HG Süd . For Kampf- & Schlachtgeschwader, I haven't checked my data yet.

On the VVS-side, I just know that Voroshekin's IAP was involved, and they had colleagues in La5 and Il-2 as well . Also, I gotta read some more about this.

Target is to make a comparison of the forces involved. When one looks at the deployment of even JG54, it seems that the Lw put in as much as possible in any way in the South that autumn...

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Do not forget the Hungarian air brigade's units.

[yogybär]

I found the following data:
Luftwaffe had ca. 600AC, 40% fighters
VVS employed the 2nd Air Army with also ca. 600planes, incl. Voroshekins Yak7B-unit.

Who kows more? Csaba, which hungarian units do you know about?

[Csaba B. Stenge]

4 Staffel (one Ju 88 bomber, a Ju 87 bomber, a Ju 88 long recce and a Fw 189 tactical recce each) Did not count the transport planes.

[yogybär]

German units which might have been involved used the following AF's which I still have to find on the map:
Stab, I, II, 10./SG2: Nowo Krassnoje, Pervomaisk;
III/SG77: Kirowograd, Kalinowka;
NSGr.4: Nowy Dwor, Radziwillow, Usin, Biala-Zerkwa;
III/JG52: Nowo-Zaporoshye, Malaja Beresowka/Alexandria, Kirowograd, Apostolowo;

Csaba, do you know which AF's the RHAF used during that operation or maybe, which german units the cooperated with? Why were the "Pumas" not involved?

[Dénes Bernád]

From early September 1943 on, the Hungarian fighters were based on Poltava airfield, about 300 km E from Kiev. At that time, only the 5/2. Fighter Squadron stayed on the front zone, which incorporated the few 1/1. Fighter Squadron pilots who remained to soldier on.