9 December 1943 - YAK 1 loss (Lipfert's 74th victory)

[Nick Hector]

Hi Adriano,

With thanks to HGabor, Evgeniy Velichko, Andrey Dikov and Nokose....

Here are some more of Lipfert's victories to compare against the war diary:

Helmut Lipfert

1 30.1.43/1247 La-5 1km N of Malaya-Balabinka (PQ 08693) @ 1200m 437 IAP

4 & 5 7.3.43/0820 and 0823 U-2s (claimed as "R-5s") Popochevskaya (PQ 86481) and Ivanovskaya (PQ 86731) @ low altitude 46 GNBAP (The Famous Night Witches), 218 NBAD. Only 2 losses: Serzhants Belyakova and Serebryakova's crews both safe. Transfer flight from Novodzhereliyevskaya to Pashkovskaya, managed to land and were sent to PARM (Barnickel claimed another, making this slight overclaiming between them)

6 14.3.43/0656 IL-2 Sturmovik Novorossisk (PQ 75731) @ 400m Probably claimed against 47 ShAP, gunner Serzhant Nikolai Viktorovich Borisenko was a casualty this area, this date

7 and 8 30.3.43/0625 LaGG-3s Slavyanskaya – Anastasyevskaya sector. Believe one or both of these were from 249 IAP

9 20.4.43/0630 "MiG-1" Abinskaya (PQ 85114) @ low altitude 7 IAP? Pilot possibly survived. Was this actually pilot Barabanov of 15 IAP, forcelanded near the front line with a holed radiator after combat with Bf109s?

16 23.7.43/0554 P-39L-1 Airacobra Kievskoye (PQ 76894) @ 500m 16 GIAP. Ml.Lt. Czikmariew KIA 6km NW of Marianskaja village (Soviet sources dated the loss as having occurred the following day)

17 23.7.43/1733 IL-2 Sturmovik Krimskaya (PQ 75264) @ 50m Possibly 618 ShAP. Crews of Ml.Lt. Nikolay Romanovich Shapovalov and Serzhant Stepan Nikolaevich Bazhenov plus Alexey Alexeyevich Beregovskii and Nikolay Rodionovich Vynychenko all KIA (Several claims by the Gruppe in the morning and several in the late afternoon, like this one)

45 5.11.43/1020 Yak-1 Kerch (PQ 66734) @ 1000m Was this from 9 IAP ChF? They had one Yak from the escort of 8 GShAP hit and forcelanded in Soviet territory (appears to have also been claimed by Foennekold)

66-68 2.12.43/0639, 0648 and 0655 LaGG-3s (the first was mistaken for a Yak-1) Kay Takyl-Feodosia sector 25 IAP-ChF. All appear to be legitimate victories: Ml.Lt. Viktor Ivanovich Verishchenko, Ml.Lt. Ivan Grigor'evich Gordievskiy and Ml.Lt. Dmitriy Andreevich Kusenko all KIA

80 29.12.43/1005 Li-2 ("Boston" or "Douglas") SW of Mayak @ close to ground level Misidentification: this was actually an Li-2 of 1 esc. 9.AP GVF. Kpt. Kurepin and one other badly WIA, 1 man KIA

96 9.4.44/1558 Pe-2 German airfield at Grammatikovo (PQ 46634) @ 5300m 366 ORAP, 4 VA. Legitimate victory. Ml.Lt V.I.Nesvetayev taken POW after bellylanding, Ml.Lt I.I.Sopelchenko and St.Serzh Sila both KIA. 4 VA's only Pe-2 loss this date

108 4.5.44/0644 Yak-7 Soki (PQ 36761 or 36763) @ close to water's surface Very likely Lt. Shamil Munasipovich Abrashitov of 402 IAP, (17 kills) KIA (There was a claim by Waldmann at around the same time that is also a contender for his loss)

110 and 111 5.5.44/1038 and 1050 Yak-7s Balaklava/Lapsi Bay One of these may have been Leytenant Ivanov of 402 IAP, 265 IAD. KIA this date, attributed to Lipfert or Hartmann

114 6.5.44/0740 U-2 Belobek (PQ 35441) @ close to water's surface 402 IAP. Lt. Anatoliy Filonov and Semen Denisov both KIA (looking for another pilot of their unit who had been downed earlier)

120 31.5.44/0804 Pe-2 Busila (PQ 78661) @ 600m Possibly 511 ORAP, 5 VA. Crew of pilot Dyadov HSU



125 5.6.44/1135 Yak-7 Carpiti (PQ 78673) @ 1000m 178 IAP. Legitimate victory. Pilot POW and known to have died in captivity (awaiting further details…)

129 27.6.44/1034 IL-2 Sturmovik Jassy (PQ 07372) @ 50m 5 VA or 17 VA. Overclaiming, no
IL-2s lost this date

145 31.8.44/1020 P-51 Mustang (plus one unconfirmed) Loewes (PQ 47257) @ 400m 52nd FG. Four definite losses: serial of one of the Mustangs was P-51 D-5-NA, 44-13295. Personnel losses were 2/Lt. Paul D Frazier of 4th FS (POW), 42-103395 of 1/Lt. Frank Edward Tomlinson of 2nd FS (POW), 2/Lt. Robert L Davis (of 2nd FS, KIA) and QP-X of Lt. Roy (?) Carlson also of 2nd FS (KIA). All of these were definitely lost to JG 52 Bf109s. A fifth Mustang crashlanded at Madna airfield, Italy upon return

146 17.10.44/1038 Yak-1B ("Yak-11") Hosszu-Palyj (PQ 18655) @ 3000m 73 GIAP, 6 GIAD, 5 VA. Lt. Malyavin KIA

147 21.10.44/1052 La-5F Oecfoed (PQ 07166) @ 700m 192 IAP, 279 IAD, 5 VA. Ml.Lt. Sukovyants safe
148 23.10.44/1531 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Solnok (PQ 08752) @ 1000m 131 GShAP, 7 GShAD, 5 VA. Crew of Kralkin and Babailov both KIA. Serials of Lipfert's victims were 10620 (factory No.1, Kuybishev) and 302820 (factory No.30, Moscow)

149 23.10.44/1531 IL-2 Sturmovik mH 131 GShAP, 7 GShAD, 5 VA. Pilot Lapinski POW, gunner Filippov MIA. Serials of Lipfert's victims were 10620 (factory No.1, Kuybishev) and 302820 (factory No.30, Moscow)

150 24.10.44/0922 Yak-9T ("Yak-7") Feherto (PQ 18272) @ low altitude 150 GIAP, 13 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Sisko POW

151 27.10.44/1217 IL-2 KR? ("IL-2 Sturmovik mH") Bued Sz.Mihaily (PQ 18129) @ 1200m Was this from 207 ORAP?

152 27.10.44/1221 Yak-7 Bued Sz.Mihaily (PQ 18156) @ 800m Believed to be from 122 IAP. Certainly no permanent losses this date. Overclaiming

153 13.11.44/1245 Yak-1 ("Yak-3") SE of Jaszbereny (PQ 98639) @ 4000m No. 42178 or 42188 of 149 GIAP. Ml.Lt. Stepanov safe, hit at this time and place. Made a one-wheel landing and sent off for repairs

154 16.11.44/1239 Yak-1B ("Yak-11") Tura (PQ 98446) @ 1500m 122 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Kapt. Artemev KIA

155 17.11.44/1105 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Jaszbereny (PQ 98634) @ 600m 90 GShAP, 4 GShAD, 5 VA. Pilot Kurilov KIA, gunner Ananev fate not mentioned

156 17.11.44/1110 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Jaszbereny (PQ 98498) @ 400m 90 GShAP, 4 GShAD, 5 VA. Crew of Ivlev and Petrunin both WIA

157 17.11.44/1320 Yak-1B ("Yak-7") Hort (PQ 98426) @ 600m 151 GIAP, 13 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Noskov MIA

158 23.11.44/1040 Yak-1B ("Yak-9") Atkar (PQ 98435) @ 800m 513 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Pilot Kuyanov. (The unit also lost pilot Goichenko, underclaiming? Serials were 29156 and 45168

159 5.12.44/1030 Yak-9T Hatran (PQ 98411) @ 1500m 122 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Ml.Lt. Erko MIA

160 9.12.44/1505 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Csajag (PQ 88784) @ 1200m 989 ShAP, 136 ShAD, 17 VA. Pilot Ml.Lt. Veretelnikov MIA, Ml.Serzh Bezroukov fate not mentioned

161 11.12.44/1453 Pe-2 Balatonkenese (PQ 88779) @ 4500m 39 ORAP, 17 VA. Crew of Elohov, Uhvatov and Tisenko all KIA

162 22.12.44/0937 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Stuhlweissenburg 189 ShAD, 17 VA. Too many losses to be able to match up (likely a legitimate victory though)

163 23.12.44/1048 Yak-9D Enying Probably 659 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. St.Lt. Salamatov crashlanded after dogfight with Bf109s

164 24.12.44/1425 IL-2 Sturmovik mH Seregelyes Possibly 189 ShAD, 17 VA

165 and 166 25.12.44/1208 and 1215 Yak-9T and Yak-1B (both claimed as"Yak-9s") 611 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Legitimate victorird. Some losses not yet matched to claims but known to include Capt. Konstantin Leontievich Chernogor KIA in Yak-1B 26170 near Zamoly. Lt. Nikolai Nikolaevich Kutsenko bailed out from his burning Yak-1B, S/N: 41184 also near Zamoly. Ml.lts Dmitrii Gavrilovich Kirichenko, Ivan Ivanovich Aleshkin, Aleksei Timofeevich Fadeev, Boris Aleksandrovich Yablyukhin were also downed

167 2.1.45/1115 La-5 E of Bodmer area 116 IAP, 295 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Roi safe

168 2.1.45/1145 Yak-9T 4km E of Vereb 611 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Dimov KIA

169 and 170 4.1.45/0826 and 0828 IL-2 Sturmoviks Tarjan Legitimate victories: 210 ShAP, 136 ShAD, 17 VA lost 8 IL-2s this date, including No.10967, 10987, 304836, 18853106. 17 VA lost a grand total of 17 IL-2s this date

171 4.1.45/1041 Yak-9D Bieske 897 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Konovalov WIA

172 4.1.45/1112 La-5FN Tardos 539211399/"99" of 30 IAP, 194 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt. Suhorukhov KIA
173 8.1.45/1413 A-20B-DL Havoc ("Boston") Stuhlweissenburg 41-2937 of 449 BAP, 244 BAD, 17 VA. Crew of Vetlov, Ionov, Tolmatski and Burtsev all KIA

174 8.1.45/1418 A-20G-40-DO Havoc ("Boston") Stuhlweissenburg 43-21588 of 449 BAP, 244 BAD, 17 VA. Crew of Kruglov, Kudryavtsev, Sikov and Shestakov all KIA

175 14.1.45/1211 Yak-9D ("Yak-3") Muzsla 31 GIAP, 6 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Bezuglii KIA

176 14.1.45/1436 Yak-9D ("Yak-3") Muzsla Unknown, no match to timing. Previous research stated that one of Lipfert's victories this date may have been 1615342 of 31 GIAP, 6 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Alexei Yefimovich Stadnichenko KIA

177 16.1.45/1217 La-5 Budaoers This one likely only damaged. 2 La-5s lost this date, both in late afternoon so this does not match. Overclaim.

178 22.1.45/1324 La-5 Stuhlweissenburg 116 or 164 IAP, 295 IAD, 17 VA. Legitimate victory but hard to match up. 116 IAP lost St.Lt. Georgii Konstantinovich Zolotarskii and Ivan Danilovich Plankevich both MIA this date

179 27.1.45/1445 IL-2 Sturmovik 7km NW of Adorny or Adorzy 951 ShAP, 306 ShAD, 17 VA. Pilot Lt. Filonovich KIA, gunner Abrosimov MIA

180 22.2.45/1400 La-7 ("La-5") Bart 179 GIAP, 14 GIAD, 5 VA. Gv.Ml.Lt. Pinko WIA

181 22.2.45/1625 Yak-3 Bina Believed to be an overclaim, no matchable loss

182 25.2.45/1053 Bf109 (claimed as a "Yak-9") Altsohl/Zvolen This was most likely W.Nr. 166248/"Yellow 9" of Grupul 9. Adj. Stag Av. Traian Darjan KIA. If genuinely a Yak: likely 513 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA, several losses this date

183 8.3.45/1410 IL-2 Sturmovik Sapolce 136 ShAD or 189 ShAD. Several losses this date, attributed to Flak but this could possibly be one of them

184 11.3.45/1035 Yak-9M ("Yak-3") Suborgarol/Siofok 611 IAP, 288 IAP, 17 VA. Lt. Kutsenko KIA

185 11.3.45/1405 Yak-3 Siofok Overclaiming? No such permanent loss, - probably damaged, or crashlanded on airfield

186 13.3.45/1013 Yak-9M ("Yak-7") Pakozol 866 IAP, 288 IAD, 17 VA. Lt. Kamenetskii safe

187 14.3.45/1207 La-5FN Stuhlweissenburg 39211637/"37" of 164 IAP, 295 IAD, 17 VA. Ml.Lt Iozhitskii POW

188 14.3.45/1211 IL-2 Sturmovik Pakozol 672 ShAP, 306 ShAD, 17 VA. Lt. Mamontov KIA and Serzhant Kovalev both KIA

189 17.3.45/1615 IL-2 Sturmovik Lake Velencze 615 ShAP, 189 ShAD, 17 VA. Crew of Kapt. Nikitin and Gv.Serzhant Apalkov both OK. Was this IL-2 No.1873298 with engine No.257858, downed this date?

190 and 191 20.3.45/1533 and 1541 IL-2 Sturmoviks Stuhlweissenburg and Varpalota 210 ShAP, 136 ShAD, 17 VA. Losses were 11082/"White 8" of Ml.Lt. Petr Alekseevich Taranovich and St.Serzh Victor Konstantinovich Ogarkov both WIA (crashed NW of Guttamasi) and 1871797/"White 23" of Aleksei Dmitrievich Belyashin and Serzh. Phillip Fomich Verbitski both KIA (crashed at Oesku). These are the two victories that he achieved while drunk

192 21.3.45/1158 La-5FN Eastern end of Lake Balaton 848 IAP, 194 IAD, 17 VA. St.Lt. Vasilev KIA

193 21.3.45/1530 Yak-9M (“Yak-5”) Felstgalla No. 4515340 of 179 IAP, 331 IAD, 5 VA. Lt. Viktor Yakovlevich Ragulin MIA

[HGabor]

Hi Nick,

It's probably just a typo in your list, but La-5FN pilot мл.л-т Сухоруков Алексей Степанович (№4235, +) on January 4, 1945 over Tardos-Tarján, Hungary belonged to 17th Air Army (3rd Ukrainian Front), 194 IAD, 530 IAP. He was killed in La-5FN, S/N.: 39211399, engine S/N.: 82111418. (His flight of 6 La-5s escorted 14 IL-2 Sturmoviks of 17 VA, 189 ShAD, 639 ShAP. Suhorukhov had 16 combat missions and 2 dogfights on his record.)

Soviet records say he was downed by flak, but it's a common mistake and his time of crash almost completely matches Lipfert's claim in the same area.

Gabor

PS: Thank you, but let me pass on your thanks and gratitude to our Russian friends and researcher partners, especially Boris Davidov, who helped our Museum with incredible soviet documents and information on the actions and losses of the Soviet AF over Hungary in 1942-45.

[Nick Hector]

Originally Posted by HGabor

Hi Hick,

It's probably just a typo in your list, but La-5FN pilot мл.л-т Сухоруков Алексей Степанович (№4235, +) on January 4, 1945 over Tardos-Tarján, Hungary belonged to 17th Air Army (3rd Ukrainian Front), 194 IAD, 530 IAP. He was killed in La-5FN, S/N.: 39211399, Engine No.: 82111418. (His flight of 6 La-5s escorted 14 IL-2 Sturmoviks of 17 VA, 189 ShAD, 639 ShAP. He had 16 combat missions and 2 dogfights on his record.)

Soviet records say he was downed by flak, but it's a common mistake and his time of crash almost completely matches Lipfert's claim in the same area.

Gabor

Cheers Gabor,

Much appreciate the correction.

For Gabor AND Adriano:

One last point. An author friend of mine has compiled information on the air war over Slovakia, including Lipfert's remaining victims. He has asked me to withhold from sharing the details, at least for now, sorry.

But at the very least, let it be said:

Lipfert's astonishing accuracy/honesty/correctness (....whatever you want to call it....) continued right up until his final claims. A truly outstanding fighter pilot by any measure.

Nick

[HGabor]

Nick, I agree. Here is the famous, and well decorated 17 VA, 244 BAD, 449 BAP, 3rd Squadron A-20B Boston S/N: 41-2937 still in 1944 in Bulgaria, as well as her graphic. Nickname: "Za Pobedu!" or: "For Victory!" Tactical number on rudder is unknown, but probably white ~ 9. (1st Squadron numbers were red.) This particular plane was Lipfert's 173rd victory over the Börgönd airfield on January 8, 1945 in Hungary at Székesfehérvár-S. (In German: Stuhlweißenburg) This was the leading plane of their formation and by waving the wings they tried to pick up the soviet Yak fighter escort from Börgönd, when Lipfert caught her. Their group took off from Madocsa airfield. The killed crew:

л-т Ветлов Виктор Михайлович pilot (№104164, +)
л-т Ионов Виктор Матвеевич navigator/bombardier (№104174, +)
с-а Толмацкий Иосиф Исаевич radioman (+)
с-т Бурцев Василий Федорович gunner (+)

Gabor

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by HGabor

Nick, I agree. Here is the famous, and well decorated 17 VA, 244 BAD, 449 BAP, 3rd Squadron A-20B Boston S/N: 41-2937 still in 1944 in Bulgaria, as well as her graphic. Nickname: "Za Pobedu!" or: "For Victory!" Tactical number on rudder is unknown, but probably white ~ 9. (1st Squadron numbers were red.) This particular plane was Lipfert's 173rd victory over the Börgönd airfield on January 8, 1945 in Hungary at Székesfehérvár-S. (In German: Stuhlweißenburg) This was the leading plane of their formation and by waving the wings they tried to pick up the soviet Yak fighter escort from Börgönd, when Lipfert caught her. Their group took off from Madocsa airfield. The killed crew:

л-т Ветлов Виктор Михайлович pilot (№104164, +)
л-т Ионов Виктор Матвеевич navigator/bombardier (№104174, +)
с-а Толмацкий Иосиф Исаевич radioman (+)
с-т Бурцев Василий Федорович gunner (+)

Gabor

Gabor
May I ask what all the digits shown in the picture means? We can see 267 and 46-78. Since it is s/n 41-2937 they can have nothing to do with that and I don't believe they have anything to do with any Douglas c/n either, they are listed as in the 5001-5999 range.

B Rgds
Stig

[HGabor]

Hi Stig,

No, '267' and '41-2937' DO belong to each other as '267 'is the end part (last 3 digits) of Douglas C/n: 5267 painted on the nose, still in the Santa Monica, Calif. aircraft factory and 12937 on the tail is the corresponding Army A. F. Serial Number (41-2937) for it. There is a strict link between the white Douglas nose numbers and the Army tail No.s. for the Bostons that you can calculate easily based on production chart.

So the big, 3 digit long white nose numbers on the A-20B Bostons were the last 3 digits of the 4 digit Douglas Construction numbers.

Not sure about the small 46-78.

Cheers,
Gabor

[Stig Jarlevik]

Ha, ha Gabor

I should have made a list of the serial numbers vs the c/n.
Thanks for setting the situation right.

Good to have friends doing the hard work. I should have done it myself really....

Thanks again
Cheers
Stig

[HGabor]

Hi folks,

If you would like to locate in the map the crash sites of Lipfert's victims in Hungary, here is the list of the CORRECT location names for Nick's previous victory list. The German records were full of typos and errors, so here are the names for his victories, you can find by copy-paste in Google:

146: Hosszúpályi
147: Öcsöd (-E,-SE)
150: Újfehértó
151, 152: Büdszentmihály (New name since 1952: Tiszavasvári)
153, 155, 156: Jászberény
158: Atkár
159: Hatvan
160: Csajág
162, 173, 174: Börgönd (Székesfehérvár-S, German city name: Stuhlweißenburg)
164: Seregélyes
167: Bodmér
169: Tarján
171: Bicske
177: Budaörs
179: Adony
183: Soponya
185: Siófok
186: Pákozd
187: Székesfehérvár (German city name: Stuhlweißenburg)
188: Pákozd
189: Lake Velencei (Velencei-tó)
190-191: Székesfehérvár, Várpalota, Gúttamási, Öskü
193: Felsőgalla

Gabor

[Nick Hector]

Thanks Gabor, that's outstanding!

...And if anyone can fill more gaps in the listing that would be amazing too