HSU Kovalov & Medvetjev

[MikeFox]

Hello,

I am currently re-reading the book "Double Fighter Knight" written by the top Finnish fighter ace Ilmari Juutilainen. In the book Juutilainen makes mention of the 10th Guards Fighter Regiment of the Baltic Fleet being commanded by a man named Kovalov (2 HSU) and one of his squadron commanders was a HSU named Medvetjev. None of my sources support these names (granted, the spelling is probably wrong). Can anyone help with identifying who Juutilainen was talking about in his book?

Thank you,
MFox

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The 10th Guards Fighter Regiment was the former 71st IAP-KBF and became 10th GuIAP-KBF on 31 May 1943. It operated in Leningrad area.

Another Guard naval unit in the same area was the 4th GuIAP-KBF. This one has an ace called Kovalev (with e rather than o), Konstantin Fedorovitch, but he was only a Starshii Leitenant and an eskadrilya commander (in 1943) and ended the war as a Naval Kapitan with 34 victories (13 shared). He received only one HSU.

[Andrey Dikov]

2 Laurent:

There were three pilots with the last name Kovalyov among VVS KBF pilots, who achieved vicories. You tell about the most famous one, but he didn't serve in 4 GIAP KBF. Initially he served in 21 IAP KBF, then transferred to 13 IAP KBF, wich later was renamed as 14 GIAP KBF.

Also there was another Kovalyov in the same 14 GIAP KBF, and another one - in 9 IAP KBF.


2 MFox:

"Medvetjev" is probably real St.Lt. Medvedev. He started in 11 IAP KBF early in 1943 and then also was transferred to 13 IAP KBF (14 GIAP KBF). His tally was 8+5 and last victory was achieved on 8.5.45.

I also read Illu's memoirs - he is good and very interesting story-teller, but, analyzing his encounters with VVS KBF, I can say his view is not too reliable.

[MikeFox]

Thanks for all who responded!
I have continued my search and I believe I have identified "Medvetjev". I think this person actually is Lieutenant Colonel Aleksandr Andreyevich MATVEYEV of 154 IAP. All I know about him is that he served over Mongolia against the Japanese pre-war and scored two individual and five shared victories while serving there. During WW II he scored six individual and nine shared victories. Can anyone else provide more on Matveyev?
Thanks,
Mike

[Andrey Dikov]

>I have continued my search and I believe I have identified "Medvetjev". I think this person actually is Lieutenant Colonel Aleksandr Andreyevich MATVEYEV of 154 IAP. All I know about him is that he served over Mongolia against the Japanese pre-war and scored two individual and five shared victories while serving there. During WW II he scored six individual and nine shared victories. Can anyone else provide more on Matveyev?

No, obviously, you mistaken. A.A.Matveyev was a C.O. of 154 IAP and then C.O. of 275 IAD. He was an army's pilot and commander and had no chance to cross with Finnish pilots before Summer Offensive.

I think I'm right that Medvetjev = Medvedev from 13 KIAP KBF (navy pilot). It seems Illu used data of Finnish radio intelligence, which watched for VVS KBF actions over Gulf of Finnland.

[MikeFox]

Thank you Andrey,

I will take your suggestion as being correct instead of my own.

Mike