Attempt to identify Luftwaffe losses in the last 6 months of the war using the example of Mikhail Kuzmin (15.ORAP VVS KBF)

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello,

Mikhail Evseevich Kuzmin (1920-1999) served in the 15th Separate Recce Aviation Regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force (15.ORAP of VVS KBF) from July 1944. He flew a Yak-9. Prior to that, he served in the 12.IAP of 9.ShAD VVS KBF, where he claimed several victories, all in 1944. It is difficult to verify what was behind these claims in reality. But after transferring to 15.ORAP, most of his claims were made over the sea, against anti-submarine aircraft and minesweeper aircraft.

Since the Kriegsmarine docs have been preserved much better than the Luftwaffe docs, some of his claims can be verified, and I hope that some others as well.
All of these claims were made during the main task - recce - and were incidental successes. On these missions, Kuzmin was the lead pilot, and I do not currently know the names of his wingmen. The dates of the claims in the publications are sometimes incorrect, but here the dates have been verified using operational reports and combat flight logs. So, 9 claims:

13.Nov.44:
Claim: 09:25 msk = 07:25 MEZ two Yak-9s attacked a BV138, after an 8-minute attack it ditched in 5420N/1940E (near Elbing, in Frisches Haff) with its right engine on fire, 15 km from the shore. Kuzmin probably did not finish it off due to a lack of fuel.

German data: according to several Kriegsmarine docs (radio received at 08:45 MEZ), three [sic!] Russian fighters attacked a BV138 from SAG126 in L.Qu.0631 (30 km w Memel), the aircraft broke the mission due to weapon failure.
The distance between these events is about 150 km. There may be an error in the coordinates. Neither the Soviet Air Armies nor other units of VVS KBF were related to these events.

17.Nov.44 (Episode 1):
Claim: BV138 shot down at 12:38 msk = 10:38 MEZ in 5515N/2000E (north of Cape Brüsterort, East Prussia).
German data: at 12:00 MEZ, a message was received from SAG126 that BV138 had been missing since 11:30, with no radio from it.
This loss is recorded in Summarische Verlustmeldungen (RL2-III/816, /846): SAG126, 5 crewmen MIA, incl.1 officer. The NVM probably contains the names of the crew members, possibly the WNr and other details.

17.Nov.44 (Episode 2):
Claim: Ar95 [undoubtedly Ar196] shot down in the Užava area (Courland) at 16:15 msk = 14:15 MEZ
German data: According to a report from XXXXIII AK AOK16, at 14:30 MEZ two Russian fighters shot down a German seaplane in Qu. ET1c (corresponds to the location of the Soviet claim).
This loss is recorded in Summarische Verlustmeldungen (RL2-III/816, /846): SAG126, "durch Bordwaffenbeschuss, total, mit Feindbeobachtung", 2 crewmen KIA , incl.1 officer. The NVM probably contains the names of the crew members, possibly the WNr and other details.

9.Feb.45
Claim: During the mission 16:45-18:22 msk (14:45-16:22 MEZ), two Yak-9s engaged in the air combat with two FW190. One of the FW190s was shot down and crashed into the water.
German data: ???

The rest will be in the next post.

Best regards,
Andrey