Russian lose of R-5 on 15 February 1943

[Juha]

Hello Alex, not on 15 Feb 43 but in the new Keskinen's and Stenman's Suomen Ilmavoimat / Finnish Air Force 1941 on p. 140 is a following info, (date 18 Sept. 1941):
"179 IAP flying MiG-3s claimed having shot down in Karelia one reconnaissance plane by N.I. Alabin, who had to bail out himself."

Now the recon plane was most probably vänr. Toivo Ilmari PURHONEN's Gladiator GL-277, which went missing on recon mission along roads Markkila - Suollusmäki - Prääsä on Aunus / Olonets Isthmus, t/o time 10.40. The plane was last seen over Markkila at 11.30 flying East. GL-277 was the only FAF loss on that day and there is no Finnish claims on that day.

Maybe C - F. Geust or one of our Russian friends have more detailed info on circumstances of Alabin's bail-out.