Erich Hartmann - several questions

[Nikita Egorov]

Michael,

Well, I have not yet researched this day in details, too many fault claims. First of all St. Bezbabnov was shot down on P-40 and evidently by Waldemar Eyrich of II/JG3. Valery, in his book, it was one of the first books with an attempt to match some two sided info, apparantly omitted damaged Aircobras. In general 216 IAD suffered the following losses: 16 GIAP two were shot up and belly landed, including Maj. Kryukov chief navigator of the regiment, 45 IAP two Aircobras were shot down of S/L Petrov and St. Sapyan and two more made emergency landings due to battle damage, by S/L Dmitry Glinka and St. Popov plus P-40 of Bezbabnov was shot down. From that List Petrov's P-39 was attaked twice, first it was damaged and left the combat, then finished off by another Me-109...So, we have 7 lost Aircobras (2 irrevocably+5 damaged to different extent) and 9 German claims on them. I will check if 298 IAP had any more losses that day.