VVS operations 6-8 may & 8-10 june 1943, claims and losses.

[Evgeny Velichko]

8 june 1943.

2 air raids of 15 VA and 1 VA.
15 VA: to Orel-Central, Mezenka, Kuliki, Lezhenka (Prokurovka) at 20:00 - 20:05;
1 VA : Sescha 20:20 - 20:25.

I'll describe 15 VA raid, the most bloodly.

6 x Il-2 (leader Kap. Smirnov, 614 shap), 6 x Il-2 (leader Kap. Kovgan, 614 shap) with close escort of 9 x La-5 of 50 iap;

Fighter sweep:

6 x Yak-1 (leader St.Lt. Golovin, 65 giap) to block and strafe attack airfield Mezenka;
8 x La-5 (Podp. Ivanov, 63 giap) to block airfield Kuliki;
8 x Yak-7B (leader St.Lt. Manoshin, 64 giap) to block airfield Lezhenka (Prokurovka);

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Road to target:

Group of 63 giap was intercepted by 10-12 Fw190 + Bf109 in area of Kuliki airfield.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by La-5 (Serj. Sudoshkin, 63 giap), crashed in area of Kuliki airfield;
Losses:
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Kudryanov, 63 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission;
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Valentey, 63 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission;

Group of 65 giap was intercepted by group of 4 Fw190 and 2 Bf109 in area of Orel-GVF.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by Yak-1 (Kap. Kubarev, 65 giap), crashed in 10 km West from airfield Orel-GVF;
Fw190 shot down by Yak-1 (Ml.Lt. Popov, 65 giap), crashed near of Yuzhnaya Sloboda, area of Orel;
Losses:
Yak-1 (Ml.Lt. Lapshenkov, 65 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Orel area;
Yak-1 (Lt. Zhukov, 65 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Orel area;

Group of 64 giap was intercepted by group of 4 Fw190 and 4 Bf109 in area of Lezhenki.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by Yak-7B (Ml.Lt. Alekseyev, 64 giap), crashed in area of Selivanovo;
Bf109 shot down by Yak-7B (St.Lt. Manoshin, 64 giap), crashed in area of airfield Lezhenki;
Losses:
Yak-7B (Ml.Lt. Matzina, 64 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Lezhenki airfield;
Yak-7B (Lt. Zaikin, 64 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Lezhenki airfield;
Yak-7B (Ml.Lt. Drozd, 64 giap) shot down by enemy fighters, did not return from combat mission to Lezhenki airfield;

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Over the target:

Lezhenka airfield (65 giap): 5 aircrafts destroyed on earth.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by Yak-1 (St.Lt. Koventzov, 65 giap), crashed in South-East from Mtzensk;

Orel-GVF: result of strike is not recognised, in case of full group of 12 Il-2 did not returned from combat mission. Escort fighters saw 7 - 10 explosions on airfield after Il-2 strike.

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Road from target to home bases:
Because of heaviest AAA fire escort of 50 iap climbed up and lost group of Il-2, then were intercepted by group of Fw190.
Claims:
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Fw190 shot down by La-5 of 50 iap, crashed in Orel area;
Losses:
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Korotkikh, 50 iap) shot down by Fw190, crashed in area Orel-Mtzensk;
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Mikhailov, 50 iap) shot down by Fw190, crashed in area Orel-Mtzensk;
La-5 (Serj. Zhuravlev, 50 iap) shot down by Fw190, crashed in area Orel-Mtzensk;
La-5 (Ml.Lt. Zhuchkov, 50 iap) heavy damaged by Fw190, crashed on landing on his airfield;

In that moment group of Il-2 came under attack of large group of Fw190.
Losses:
Il-2 (Kap. A.Smirnov, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Kap. P.Astapenko, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. P.Varapayev, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. A.Gamynin, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Kap. A.Kovgan, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Lt. I.Kosmachev, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. V.Kramar, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. N.Chebotaryov, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (St.Serj. E.Saburov, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Serj. G.Sorokin, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. G.Maltzev, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;
Il-2 (Ml.Lt. A.Rezinkin, 614 shap) shot down by enemy fighters, Orel-Mtzensk area;