Erich Hartmann's individual victories researched

[Christer Bergström]

Erich Hartmann’s victories 1942-1943

Nick Hector:
No.1, IL-2 on 5.11.42/1205 over PQ 44793, Digora (Caucasus) @ 400m: 7 GShAP, 4 VA. No further details known.
No.3, LaGG-3 on 9.2.43/0655-0750 over Slawjanskaja (PQ 86722) @ 1000m: 66 IAP lost St.Lt. Ilya Vladimirovich Khludenev KIA this date (was this him?)
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Bergström, Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4:
February 9, 1943:
4 VA prepared to attack the German airfields in the
Kuban. The first mission of the day was flown by seven
I-16s of 41 GIAP to reconnoiter the intended targets, the
airdromes at Slavyanskaya and Timoshevskaya.32 At the
former airfield, Leutnant Erich Hartmann scrambled in
his Bf 109 “White 3,”33 but was forced down on the airfield
by the I-16s after only ten minutes. It is possible that
his Bf 109 was the one claimed shot down by 166 IAP’s
Leyenant Vladimir Levitan, who flew a LaGG-3 against
Slavyansk. But Hartmann was unhurt, and his aircraft had
not sustained
any damage. As soon as the Soviet aircraft
had disappeared, he took off in the same machine again,
together with Feldwebel Günther Toll, and pursued
the
I-16s and LaGG-3s toward the southwest. When they
returned to base after over an hour, Hartmann could report
one LaGG-3 shot down.34 This might be the LaGG-3
piloted by 166 IAP’s Leytenant Leonid Rubtsov, which was
reported damaged by ground fire near Slavyanskaya.

Nick Hector:
No.4, Boston on 10.2.43/0615 over Slawjanskaja (PQ 86671) @ 3200m: 63 BAP, 132 BAD, 5 VA.Crew of St. Serzhant Isatov, navigator of the crew, Andrei Yakovlevich Smolyar baled out POW, returned 1945.

Bergström, Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 4:
March 19, 1943 was filled with action for Airacobra-equipped
298 IAP, which flew four combat missions between 0915 and
1635 hrs, each leading to heavy engagements with JG 52’s Bf
109 pilots. This cost a loss of three Airacobras26—recorded
by the Germans as Willi Nemitz’s 79th, Oberstleutnant
Dietrich Hrabak’s 75th, and Feldwebel Viktor Petermann’s
14th victories. 298 IAP claimed to have shot down three Bf
109s, one of which might have been “White 10,” piloted by
Erich Hartmann, who carried out a force-landing due to
unspecified reasons.

Nick Hector:

No. 7, P-39 on 15.4.43/1533 over Taman: 45 IAP, either 41-38451 of Starishiy Leytenant M Petrov or 42-4606 of Serzhant Bezbabnov (but see Waldemar Eyrich's claim). Both KIA.
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Bergström, Black Cross/Red Star, Vol. 5 (not yet published) :
Pilots of JG 3 also clashed with 16 GIAP during another mission by that regiment in the afternoon of this April 15, 1943. Even though the Soviet fliers were credited with four victories, two Airacobras were shot down (Leytenant Nikolay Naumenko was listed as missing) and two others were damaged without, in fact, any German losses. With one of these Airacobras, Leutnant Erich Hartmann of 7./JG 52 scored his seventh victory.
(Also April 15, 1943: Having attacked 16 GIAP, Wolf Ettel and his Schwarm returned to the battle zone, where they were bounced by four Airacobras and three Kittyhawks of 45 IAP who had been alerted by the Soviet vectoring station. But they evaded the attack and blew two of the former and one of the latter out of the sky. Having claimed his twentieth victory (unsubstantiated), Dmitriy Glinka had to take to the parachute and bailed out wounded. His wingman, Starshiy Serzhant Mikhail Petrov, suffered the same fate, and Starshiy Serzhant Venyamin Bezbabnov’s Kittyhawk fell in flames. Wolf Ettel returned from that engagement with his seventy-fourth and seventy-fifth victories, claimed against LaGG-3s, although a misidentification is not excluded.)

Nick Hector:
No.16, U-2 on 15.5.43/1210 over Titarovskaya station (Taman) (PQ 86544) @ low altitude: HQ 278 IAD. Leytenant Vladimir Ivanovich Ershov (senior pilot)[KIA] 274 IAP (3 IAK) and passenger Ml.Lt. Evgeniy Ivanovich Kryukov [MIA] 43 IAP (3 IAK)
No.20, IL-2 on 5.7.43/0340 over Ugrim. 241 ShAP, no further details known
No. 22, IL-2 on 7.7.43/0350: 1 ShAK. Losses in this mission include Kpt. Stepan Poshivalnikov of 800 ShAP, already damaged by flak, belly-landed in German territory but rescued by a mate (may have been the only loss in this engagement)
No. 23, IL-2 on 7.7.43/0352: 1 ShAK. Losses in this mission include Kpt. Stepan Poshivalnikov of 800 ShAP, already damaged by flak, belly-landed in German territory but rescued by a mate (may have been the only loss in this engagement)
No. 29, LaGG on 8.7.43/0905 over Ugrim (PQ 61223) @ 2500m: 40 GIAP, 8 GIAD. Overclaiming, only one loss: Mayor Moisey Tokarev KIA
No. 30: LaGG on 8.7.43/0910 over Ugrim (PQ 61221) @ 2500m: 40 GIAP, 8 GIAD. Overclaiming, only one loss: Mayor Moisey Tokarev KIA
No. 31, Yak-1 on 8.7.43/1805 over Ugrim (PQ 62872) @ 2500m: Soviet report mentions the loss of three Yak-1s to fighters around this time (very likely legitimate victory therefore)
No. 32, Yak-1 on 8.7.43/1825 over Ugrim (PQ 61134) @ 1000m: Soviet report mentions the loss of three Yak-1s to fighters around this time (very likely legitimate victory therefore)
No. 39, "LaGG" on 16.7.43/1415 over PQ 54661 @ 1500m: 18 GIAP and Normandie Niemen Eskadrilya. 18 GIAP lost Serzhant Ivan Stolyarov while Normandie Niemen lost Kpt. Albert Littolff (possibly by Hartmann), Lt. Noel Castelain and M.Lt. Adrien Bernavon. All KIA
No. 52, Yak-7B on 4.8.43/1019 over Warwarowka/Tomarowka (PQ 35 Ost 61391) @ 3500m: 728 IAP, 265 IAD. At least one loss: Ml. Lt. Ivan Emelyanovich Marya KIA
No. 53, Yak-7B on 4.8.43/1030 over Warwarowka/Tomarowka (PQ 35 Ost 61331) @ 2000m: 728 IAP, 265 IAD. At least one loss: Ml. Lt. Ivan Emelyanovich Marya KIA
No. 78: La-5 on 15.8.43/1810 La-5 over Peretschepino (PQ 70762) (Sukhaya Kamenka) @ 3000m. No.3810123 of 5 GIAP, 207 IAD, 17 VA, Lt. Samoilenko safe. Plane damaged in combat with Bf109s, crashed due to lack of fuel and written off
No. 89: IL-2 on 20.8.43/0607 over Kutelnikowo (PQ 88263) @ 50m: Apparently from 232 ShAP, 7 ShAK. Overclaiming, no losses but two were damaged
No. 90: IL-2 on 20.8.43/0608 over Kutelnikowo (PQ 88263) @ 50m: Apparently from 232 ShAP, 7 ShAK. Overclaiming, no losses but two were damaged
No. 94, "LaGG" on 18.9.43/1355 over Zaporozhe (PQ 68392) @ 5000m: Were these the three out of four Yaks from 812 IAP lost in one engagement? Ml.Lt. Petr Ivanovich Kondyakov, Ml.Lt. Anatoliy Sergeevich Rusakov and Serzhant Mikhail Vasilievich Belous all failed to return
No. 95, "LaGG" on 18.9.43/1355 over Zaporozhe (PQ 68392) @ 4000m: Were these the three out of four Yaks from 812 IAP lost in one engagement? Ml.Lt. Petr Ivanovich Kondyakov, Ml.Lt. Anatoliy Sergeevich Rusakov and Serzhant Mikhail Vasilievich Belous all failed to return
No. 96, "LaGG" on 19.9.43/1440 over PQ 58614 @ 1200m: Likely a Yak of 812 IAP. Lt Georgiy Pavlovich Churakov KIA (came down Andreyevka, landed safely but found dead in his aircraft by Soviet troops the following day. Best match by location, timing a little out)
Nos. 98-100, 2 LaGGs and a P-39 on 20.9.43: 288 IAD, 17 VA lost at least one Yak-7 this date
Nos. 106 & 107, P-39s on 26.9.43: 9 GIAD (16, 100 and 104 GIAPs), 8 VA. Misidentification or overclaiming, no losses this day
No. 112, P-39 on 29.9.43/0855 over Zaporozhe (PQ 58682) @ 4000m: Probably Maj. Vladimir Grigorievich Semenishin HSU, 2 x OL, ORB and OPW 1st Class of 104 GIAP KIA
No. 120, P-39 on 2.10.43/1140 over Novo Zaporozhe (PQ 58 581) @ 5000m: possibly Podpolkovnik (?) Arkadiy F Kovachevich of 9 GIAP. Baled out near Melitopol and survived
Nos. 145 and 146. P-39s on 26.10.43, Novo Zaporozhe sector. 9 GIAP. Overclaiming, Kapitan Ivan Korolev returned safely with damage.
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