Russian Bostons lost 1945

[HGabor]

I know :-)))) Brief story of 449 BAP A-20B, S/N: 41-3643:

"18:42 (Moscow time!) 15 самолетов с Н-4000 м в районе Секешфехервар, после бомбометания атакованы 7 Ме-109 и 2 ФВ-190. Сбито 3 Ме-109. Подожжен мотор, тяжело ранен стрелок. Горящий самолет перетянул Дунай и сел в районе Сабадсалаш. Стрелок-радист выпрыгнул с парашютом, стрелок скончался в госпитале, самолет сгорел. 2 КБ 12,7, 2 КБ 7,62, 2 БС 12,7."


15 (14) A-20 Bostons in Székesfehérvár (Seregélyes) area at 4000 m, when the fighters attacked them. Plane was finally downed by 3 Bf 109s. Gunner injured, one of the installed engines (either: №57124, or №57359) out. Plane crossed the Danube with one engine and (belly) landed at Szabadszállás(-SW, 12 km). Radioman bailed out with parachute, gunner died? in hospital, plane burned, then the list of the installed weapons in mm. Crew:

ст.л-т Павлов Апполон Петрович pilot OK
л-т Строев Иван Николаевич navigator OK
c-a Болотов Василий Михайлович radioman bailed out
с-т Сытников Александр Андреевич gunner died? in hospital.

Gabor

[HGabor]

Some pics:

1. Remain of the white edged Soviet Red Star from Bahvalov's A-20G Boston, S/N: 43-21519 at Pálinkaházpuszta.
2. Portrait of Lt. Gapanovich (KIA) pilot of A-20G Boston, S/N: 43-21264.
3. Lt. Gapanovich's grave, currently in Pécs, military cemetery (Hungary).

Gabor

[keith A]

Nick: top right hand of message,icon looks like the justice scales.

[Dénes Bernád]

Great info, excellent research. Well done, Gabor!

[Juha]

Hello Gabor
I surely agree with Dénes, excellent work as always!

Juha

[HGabor]

Thank you all.

[researcher111]

Gabor

Few wierd things about this crew , pilot name and rank was Gapanovitch Konstantin Matveevitch and he was Lt., on the grave however the name Gaponovitch and instead of rank just officer . However on the Navigator's grave the correct rank Lt.and name Kushnarenko Vladimir Petrovitch are engraved . Also if I am not mistaken that specific A-20 was a Jassi Chisinau vet with numerous mishaps which he survived up to that January day '45 in Hungaria . Right to left Kushnarenko (Nav),Gapanovitch (Pilot ) Buldak Nikolay( G/RO ) Kortchagin ( G)

[researcher111]

Some of the 449 crews in question , could not identify all .

[HGabor]

Yeah, post-war cemeteries (their graves have been relocated!) often had typos on tombstones, probably this is not an exception either. When they were marked, the names had already been copied several times with full of mistakes. (His name was Gapanovich, but I also saw papers with Gaponovich. Both version is used.)

Your attached Boston pic "3" shows a 449 BAP A-20B on the airfield of Röjtökmuzsaj in Hungary in 1945, flown by commander Tyushevskii.

Gapanovich's A-20G Boston S/N: 43-21264 (C/n.: 20911) had a colorful (and finally tragic) story. During the Lend-lease delivery she had a landing accident in the village of Teslin (Yukon Territory, Canada) on March 30, 1944. The weather suddenly turned icy and dark so the plane - piloted by 1Lt. George C. Davis (O-502420, 3. OTU. HQ. Sq.) - ran off the runway with high speed along with 3 other P-39 fighters, which landed safely. (I have 16 photos of this plane and accident, as well as the official, 7 pages long A.A.F. accident report.) After repair, she continued her journey to Alaska and the CCCP across Siberia. Probably went to Moldavia, then to Hungary where she was lost on January 20, 1945 with the Gapanovich crew. According to the soviet mechanical documents, she was officially removed from the inventory of the 449 BAP by January 29, 1945.

Gabor

[researcher111]

Gabor

Indeed so were the events and anything which unfolded as into the aircraft and crew.The A-20 shot posted was not event related but just as reference and indeed was taken sometimes in 1945 at Röjtökmuzsaj. Also the aircraft had a minor take off incident at Balti in 1944 whereby the nose gear was damaged then returned to line flying . I am not aware if Gapanovitch and crew were Iasi / Chisnau offensive vets nor if they were a stable crew on this aircraft.