LaGG & Lavochkin Aces of World War 2

[Andy Fletcher]

LaGG & Lavochkin Aces of World War 2, by George Mellinger (Osprey)

Not really a review, just a point of note (or caution!)

VVS ace Arkadiy Sukov of 41 IAP and 254 IAP is described as having shot down 6 Luftwaffe experten from JG54 with a combined "score" of 397 and 4 ritterkreuz. The 6 experten in question were (taken directly from the text)

1. 22/5/42; Lt Otto-Bruno Lörzer; II/JG54; 47 Kills; KIA
2. 9/8/42; Olt Max-Hellmuth Ostermann; St.Kap. 7/JG54; 102 Kills; KIA
3. 18/9/42; Hptm Herbert Findeisen; Gr.Kdr. II/JG54; 67 Kills; POW
4. 11/11/42; Hans-Joachim Heyer; III/JG54; 54 Kills; MIA
5. 17/12/44; Ofw Heinrich Wefers; JG54; 52 Kills, MIA
6. 3/1/45; Lt Hans-Joachim Kroschinski; St.Kap. 3/JG54; 76 Kills; WIA

Many of these facts are incorrect

1. I can find no loss for Lt Otto-Bruno Lörzer on this date (or any other JG54 loss). Lörzer is listed in some Ace lists as having 47 kills but I always thought this was doubtful.
2. The only correct date, but Ostermann was St.Kap. 8/JG54 not 7/JG54.
3. Findeisen was Gr.Kdr. II/JG54 from Feb45-May45, before that he was an aufklärer pilot with NAGr.4 during 43-44 and wasn't a POW. No JG54 losses on 18/9/42.
4. Lt Hans-Joachim Heyer was MIA 9/11/42 (not 11/11/42) whilst flying with 8/JG54.
5. Ofw Heinrich Wefers was KIA 15/1/45 (not MIA 17/12/44) with 4/JG54, there are four JG54 losses for 17/12/44 but none listed for Wefers.
6. Hans-Joachim Kroschinski was WIA 21/12/44 (not 3/1/45) as a Fw with 3/JG54 (not a Lt and St.Kap.). No JG54 losses listed for 3/1/45.

I don't know whether the author took the details of Sukov's victims from Soviet sources but obviously no effort was made to check their accuracy. Before this I was quite enjoying the book taking for granted what the author said about the VVS pilots (having few other sources to compare), but now I wander about the accuracy as little resaerch was obviously done on Sukov's victims.

If anyone could shed any light, correct the details provided by me or maybe confirm the accuracy of the claims I would like to hear about it.

Regards

Andy Fletcher