659 IAP KOLDUNOV

[HGabor]

Hi Paul,

I think it is just another common ferry tale... Soviet reports usualy mentioned only core AC type without subtypes, especially in 17 VA: ФВ-190, Me-109, or Ю-52, etc. Also, their reports are FULL of mistakes even at the main AC type! (Not to mention serious overclaims by flak and air units, claiming the very same plane.)

Several times when they reported 'ФВ-190', their real opponents were in fact Hungarian Bf 109s. (usually G-10 & G-14s) Do not forget, in early 1945, the winter, or March visibility in the smoky clouds was Xtremely poor!!! They were not todays' museum-visitors, walking around the planes, - checking air-intakes, etc... Usually they just saw a dark silouette in a distance for a few seconds in the hazy air, (usually from the back or the front side). And they had to make decisions in a few seconds. Maybe the Hungarian spinner spirals and unusual grey-white crosses made them think it was a Fw 190, or 'close to it'. So even the AC types in official victory lists are seriousely questionable, not to mention the subtypes: F, G, or D. That sounds totally unrealistic. Otherwise in 17 VA op. area only Fw 190F-8s, F-9s were flown by SG.2 and 10. Hungarians used only F-8s. The rest was Bf 109G-6, 10, 14. So I think Doras never met Koldunov's flight. Cheers,

Gabor