Question of J. Prien on Rall in JFV 9/II

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

http://obd-memorial.ru/flash/

Regards,
Andrey

[Nokose]

Nick, I don't think that Helmut Lipfert was just hunting "weather" planes for his score. He seems to have been pretty good at "dogfighting". Take 02Dec43 he claimed at 06:39 a Yak-1, 06:48 a LaGG-3 and 06:55 another LaGG-3. Losses suffered by the VVS ChF were three LaGG-3 of the 25 IAP ChF (Ml.Lt. Viktor Ivanovich Verishchenko (KIA), Ml.Lt. Ivan Grigor'evich Gordievskiy (KIA), Ml.Lt. Dmitriy Andreevich Kusenko (KIA) all in air combat).

[Nick Hector]

Hi Mikhail,

I take your point. I probably chose terms that were too general when trying to express the opinion that there seem to be quite a few aircraft carrying out that mission when you look at the altitudes and locations of many of Rall's victories.

Nick

[yogybär]

Originally Posted by Nokose

Nick, I don't think that Helmut Lipfert was just hunting "weather" planes for his score. He seems to have been pretty good at "dogfighting". Take 02Dec43 he claimed at 06:39 a Yak-1, 06:48 a LaGG-3 and 06:55 another LaGG-3. Losses suffered by the VVS ChF were three LaGG-3 of the 25 IAP ChF (Ml.Lt. Viktor Ivanovich Verishchenko (KIA), Ml.Lt. Ivan Grigor'evich Gordievskiy (KIA), Ml.Lt. Dmitriy Andreevich Kusenko (KIA) all in air combat).

... also, I believe that it was not without risk to shoot down a Pe-2 with is good defensive weapons when it can see you coming from miles at these high altitudes...

[Nick Hector]

Yogy,

I'll wear that one, mate. I think you're 100% correct with that statement and it's borne out by the fact that a lot of the Luftwaffe's top-scorers victory lists ARE made up of single-seat types. Christer Bergstroem pointed that out a few years back in his Black Cross + Red Star series and I have always agreed with him.

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

Whatever I say about Hartmann don't believe the "only 80" conclusion, as we do not no much about his 1945 claims, it's impossible to reach a conclusion about these. Also his earlier ones seem sound! Hartmann though was a big daily claims merchant which is usually a pretty good indicator of overclaiming.......but not always.

Johannes