Lightning night-fighters in Russia?

[Carl-Fredrik Geust]

As Marek already referred to my Red Stars Vol.4 book, please below find the updated section on Lightnings in USSR:

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The first Lightning seen in USSR was apparently the photo-recce F-5B 42-67128 DOT-DASH (7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, Eight Air Force) of Col. Paul T.Cullen, Director of Operations, USAAF Eastern Command (former C.O. 7 PRG), who landed in Poltava, Ukraine during preparations of Operation Frantic 24 May 1944. Several dozens of Lightnings escorted the American bombers to Ukraine during summer-autumn 1944, and Lightnings were also seen at other Soviet bases. Some of the ferry pilots of 1 PIAP got even acquaintance Lightning flights. Regardless of repeated requests no Lightnings were however officially delivered to Russia.

At least two P-38L-1-LO Lightnings force-landed in Eastern Europe were flown and evaluated by Soviet specialists:
- PRIDE OF JEAN (former inscription PRIDE OF BILLINGE, 44-24214, boom number "71", 15 AF, 1 FG, 94 FS; piloted by 2Lt. Richard T. Skyes who crashed 6 December 1944 behind the Soviet lines near Kerekegyháza in Hungary, approx. 70 km SSE Budapest) was recovered by 5th Air Army at Nagykörös, Hungary, winter 1945, and

- BLACKIE (44-24384, tactical "80", which had participated in Operation Frantic). After forced-landing in Soviet-held territory it was repaired and used for some time by 173 IAP DD based at Minsk and later Czestochowa, Poland. (This long-range fighter regiment was mainly equipped with modified A-20G Bostons.) In 173 IAP BLACKIE was used only for some acquaintance and training flights. After V-E Day it was transferred to NII VVS, where it was evaluated in 1947 by V.I. Khomyakov as leading test pilot, P.M. Stefanovskiy and Yu.A. Antipov. Because of unavailability of 100-octane fuel maximum engine power could not be reached.

Note: The Lightning claimed by the Finnish top ace Ilmari Juutilainen of LeLv 34 over Gulf of Finland 10 July 1943 is most probably a misidentification as no Lightnings are known to have been used by VVS KBF or by 13th Air Army. Various theories have been presented as to the identity of Juutilainen´s victim. One possible explanation is that the aircraft was in fact a German Fw 189, which had entered Finnish-controlled airspace without preceding information, and according to standing orders was shot down (a number of similar cases are known). In order to key down the unfortunate tragedy “P-38” was entered into the official records by the regiment´s intelligence officer.
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Carl