659 IAP KOLDUNOV

[Paul Thompson]

Originally Posted by HGabor

You mean IAPs? No. Unfortunately 288 IAD regiments had no similar marking systems at all. Squadrons used different colors, but regiment markings were not similar within division. The really nice feature in VVS markings is that aircraft factories rolled out La-5, la-7, Yak-3 fighter planes with factory applied tactical numbers making the frontline paintings faster and easier for the ground crews. Plane ID part of plane serial number was painted on the planes on late models, eg. Yak-3s still in the factories. Like 1711 = white 17 (of batch no.11) Therefore knowing the plane serial number is an extremely critical information in graphical reconstruction or modelling, kit painting, etc. Regiments usually did not have planes with same tactical numbers (ie two planes with no. 17 from different batches at the same time), if they did, then they usually applied a 3rd digit to make visual difference, eg. 26 and 126, where digit 1 was added on the airfield, while 26 came from the factories in both cases. Size and style of applied digits tell which factory did the plane come from. Eg. Saratov or Tbilisi 'style' numbers on the Yak-3s, etc. Older models in 1941, 1942, unfortunately did not have this practical numbering system from factories. IL-2 units also did not have this method. IL-2 regiments usually went by 1X, 2X, 3X markings in their 3 squadrons, where eg. tactical '21' was plane No.1 in the 2nd squadron, tactical '213' was plane no.13 of the 2nd squadron, etc. IL-2 regiments therefore had 3 digit markings very often, fighters only when factory applied number was the same (from different batches) on two or more planes at any given time in the same unit.

Gabor

Hello Gabor,

Thank you for all the information that you shared! May I ask a different question about Koldunov? I've recently read, through Google Translate, a Russian web source that claims Koldunov shot down a Fw 190D over Austria towards the end of the war. This sounds very dubious to me, but I wonder whether you can provide a clarification on this subject. Did Koldunov or any of his colleagues encounter 'Doras' over Hungary or Austria? Indeed, were any 'Doras' available to the Luftwaffe in that area?

Regards,

Paul Thompson