VVS Top pilots: some tables from M.Bykov's book

[Evgeny Velichko]

Hi all!
Looking through a tables of "Top Killers" on Petr Kacha's Luftwaffe web page, I got an idea to make simular tables for VVS pilots, using perfect Mikhail Bykov's book.
I scored only personal kills (shared kills not count in tables, they are just listed in "total score").
This tables are show only Army and PVO fighter pilots. Fleet pilots are not included, because they will be listed in next Mikhail's book, and now I have no info about them.

Example:
Mjr. Kozhedub I.N.: 19 (63) - means:
Major (last WW II rank of pilot) Kozhedub (last name) I. (first name) N. (second name) : 19 (score of Bf109 or other plane listed) (63) (total score)

(10+5) means 10 personal + 5 shared kills.
----------------------------
Ranks;
Polk.- Polkovnik
Podp. - Podpolkovnik;
Mjr.- Major;
Kap. - Kapitan;
St.L. - Starshy Leytenant;
Ltn. - Leytenant
Ml.L. - Mladshy Leytenant
Ryad. – Ryadovoy (Private)
-----------------------------
Bf 109 killers (15 or more)
1. Mjr. Rechkalov G.A. : 30 (61+4)
2. Podp. Glinka D.B. : 24 (50)
3. Mjr. Krasnov N.F.: 24 (41+1)
4. Polk. Pokryshkin A.I. : 22 (46+6)
5. Mjr. Koldunov A.I.: 21 (46+1)
6. Mjr. Churilin A.P.: 21 (24)
7. Kap. Babak I.I.: 20 (35+5)
8. Mjr. Luganskiy S.D.: 20 (37+5)
9. Mjr. Kozhedub I.N.: 19 (63)
10. Mjr. Gulayev N.D.: 18 (57+5)
11. Kap. Merenkov V.A.: 18 (22)
12. Ltn. Tyutin A.D.: 18 (27+1)
13. Mjr. Glinka B.B.: 17 (27+2)
14. Mjr. Kamozin P.M.: 17 (35+13)
15. Podp. Merkushev V.A.: 17 (24)
16. Kap. Popkov V.I.: 17 (41+1)
17. Mjr. Skomorokhov N.M.: 17 (46+8)
18. Ryad. Dyachkov A.A.: 16 (30+1)
19. Kap. Yevstigneyev K.A.: 16 (52+3)
20. Kap. Babajlov P.K.: 15 (24+7)
21. Kap. Barchenkov D.G.: 15(21)
22. Mjr. Pecheny N.N.: 15 (20+3)
23. St. L. Trud A.I.: 15 (25+1)

No need to introduce Rechkalov – he is one of the best VVS fighter pilots. In march 1945 he, top VVS scorer at moment, was withdrawn from combat because of direct order of Pokryshkin. His combat action is well known. I can add only this: his final score include:
30 x Bf109, 5 x Fw190, 2 x Bf110, 11 x Ju87, 5 x Ju88, 2 x He111, 3 x Ju52, 2 x Fi156, 1 x Hs126 (+ 1 x Bf109, 1 x Fw189, 2 x He111 shared). He flew more than 450 combat missions, during it he participated in 122 air combats.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Fw190 killers (15 or more):

1. Kap. Pivovarov M.E.: 22 (40+1)
2. Mjr. Kozhedub I.N.: 21 (63)
3. St.L. Serov V.G.: 20 (39+6)
4. Mjr. Zelenkin M.M.: 19 (26+3)
5. Mjr. Likhobabin I.D.: 19 (32+5)
6. Mjr. Kuliyev A.G.: 18 (20)
7. Mjr. Skomorokhov N.M.: 18 (46+8)
8. St.L. Kuznetzov I.G.: 17 (26+5)
9. Kap. Nekrasov V.P.: 17 (19+1)
10. Kap. Semenov V.F.: 17 (20)
11. Mjr. Gudkov D.V.: 16 (19)
12. St.L. Yarotzkiy G.A.: 16 (18)
13. Kap. Yashin V.N.: 16 (26+1)
14. Kap. Borovykh A.E.: 15 (32+14)
15. St.L. Brodinskiy V.I.: 15 (16+1)
16. Ltn. Bychkov A.F.: 15 (15)
17. Mjr. Vitkovskiy I.P.: 15 (21)
18. Kap. Ziborov V.M.: 15 (20+1)
19. Kap. Mazurin F.M.: 15 (20+2)
20. Kap. Miroshnichenko D.G.: 15 (18)
21. Kap. Morgunov S.N.: 15 (41)
22. Kap. Peresumkin P.P.: 15 (18)
23. St.L. Rudenko N.S.: 15 (26+2)
24. Mjr. Smirnov A.S.: 15 (35)
25. Kap. Fyodorov I.V.: 15 (35)
26. Kap. Chernousov N.F.: 15 (17)

Kapitan Mikhail Yevdokimovich Pivovarov is not so well known as other great aces.
He was born in 1919, and only in september 1943 he joined to 402 iap as Leytenant. With this regiment he fought until the end of war. His total score includes: 22 Fw190, 12 x Bf109, 1 x Bf110, 2 x Ju52, 2 x Ju87, 1 x He111 (+ 1 x He111 shared). He flew more than 350 combat missions in Yak-1, Yak-9, Yak-3. Participated in ~80 air combats.
Awards: HSU (15.15.46), Order of Lenin, 3 x Order of Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevskiy, Order of Red Star, medals.
Died 15.05.49.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Ju 87 killers (10 or more):

1. Podp. Vorozhejkin A.V.: 18 (45+1)
2. Mjr. Kozhedub I.N.: 18 (63)
3. Mjr. Gulayev N.D.: 14 (57+5)
4. Kap. Yevstigneyev K.A.: 13 (52+3)
5. Mjr. Mikhalyov V.N.: 12 (23+6)
6. Mjr. Arkhipenko F.F.: 11 (30+14)
7. Mjr. Mikhalin M.F.: 11 (14+2)
8. Mjr. Rechkalov G.A. : 11 (61+4)
9. Kap. Chepinoga P.I.: 11 (26+2)
10. Kap. Artamonov N.S.: 10 (28+9)
11. St.L. Zyuzin P.D.: 10 (16)
12. Polk. Pokryshkin A.I. : 10 (46+6)
13. Mjr. Sachkov M.I.: 10 (29)

Podp. Vorozhejkin and Mjr. Kozhedub counts each other. Ju87 was first victory for both of them. Kozhedub has larger claimlist, but Vorozhejkin have more “multyple Ju87” claims.
Podpolkovnik Arseniy Vasilyevich Vorozhejkin is well known ace of War. Participated in conflict over Khalkhin-Gol river in 1939 (claimed 6 personal + 13 shared).
I can only add his multyple claims: 14.07.43 – 2 x Ju87 + 1 x Bf109 + 1 x Hs126 (shared), 04.08.43 – 3 x Ju87 + 1 x He111, 11.10.43 – 2 x Ju87 + 1 x Fw190, 17.03.44 – 2 x Ju87, 18.04.44 – 3 x Ju87.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Bomber killers (10 or more):

1. Kap. Zalevskiy V.N.: 12 (17+22) – 1 x Do215, 11 x Ju88 (+1xDo215, 19 x Ju88 shared)
2. Kap. Grigoryev G.A.: 12 (12+5) – 1 x Do215, 3 x He111, 8 x Ju88 (+ 3 x Ju88 shared)
3. Mjr. Lavrinenkov V.D. : 12 (35+11) – 5 x He111, 7 x Ju88 (+ 2 x Ju88 shared).
4. Kap. Afanasyev V.I.: 11 (11+5) – 11 x Ju88 (+ 3 x Ju88 shared)
5. Podp. Kozlov N.A.: 11 (16+7) – 1 x Do217, 10 x Ju88 (+ 1 x Ju88, 1 x Fw200 shared).
6. Mjr. Bulayev A.D.: 10 (17+5) – 1 x He111, 9 x Ju88 (+ 1 x He111 shared)
7. Kap. Zelenov N.A.: 10 (31+10) – 10 x Ju88 (+2 x Ju88 shared)

Kapitan Vladimir Nikolayevich Zalevskiy is not well known pilot, but his total score is awesome. In this table he tooks first place because of his total personal+shared score.
He was born in 1918, and saw war on 22.06.41 in 157 iap as Mladshy Leytenant. He flew I-16, Hurricane Mk.II, Yak-7 (other sourses say Yak-1). Soon he became one of the most scilled bomber killer of VVS. Very brave, he always attacked bombers (especially pulk-leaders), trying break the formation and push them to drop bombs before target.
On 5 july 1943 in first few hours of Citadel begins, he flew his last mission. 18 Yaks ordered to patrol, and over target they meet large group of Ju88 (probably from KG 1) with escort of Fw190’s from III./JG 51. 10 Yaks leaded by kommander of 157 iap engajed Fw190, and 8 Yaks leaded by Zalevskiy tried to pass trough Fw190’s and attack Ju88. Only 4 Yaks could do it. Whitnesses sayd, that they saw that Kap. Zalevskiy shot down 2 Ju88. More 2 Ju88 were damaged by his wingmen. Unfortunatly, shortly after flight of Yaks breaked away from Ju88’s pulk, they came under attack of some Fw190. Kap. Zalevskiy and his wingman were shot down, both could bail from theyr burning aircrafts. Kap. Zalevskiy was heavily wounded in a leg, and died in hospital. In that air combat Soviet fighters claimed 3 x Ju88 and 2 x Fw190 and lost 2 x Yak + 4 x Yaks were damaged but could return to base. German fighters claimed 5 victories (as usual, missidentified as “MiG-3” and “LaGG”). Losses are not fully known (may be anybody could clear this). Vitaliy Gorbach, author of exellent book “Nad Ognennoy Dugoy”, sayd that Kap. Zalevskiy and his wingman were almost sure shot down by Hubert Strassl from III./JG 51.
Kapitan Zalevskiy flew near 300 combat missions. His total score includes: 11 x Ju88, 2 x Bf110, 2 x Bf109, 1 x Hs126, 1 x Do215 (+1xDo215, 19 x Ju88, 2 x Hs126 shared).
Awaqrds: HSU (30.01.43), 2 x Order of Lenin, Order of Red Banner, medals.

[Juha]

Very interesting!
Many thanks, Eugen!

Juha

[Nokose]

Evgeniy, Do you have the information on Lt Colonel Petr Konstantinovich Kozachenko of the 163 GIAP? I know that he was killed over Danzig on 18Mar45 in a Yak-9D but what was his final score.

[Fairlop]

Hi Eugen,

Very interesting. Are you preparing some web with these list ?

Regards,
Michal

[Jim Oxley]

Fascinating breakdown on claim types. Many thanks.

[Michal]

LtCol Petr Konstantinovich Kozachenko

(*1914 - + 18.3.1945 shot down by AAA)

Participated in Chinese-Japanes War 1938-1940 (several victories in cooperation) and in Winter War (4 victories)

June 1941 - March 1945 served in 249th iap (later 163rd giap)

Victories:

16.07.1941 He 111 Samgorodok
01.11.1942 Me 109 W Kirovo
08.01.1943 Me 109 West Mineralnyje Vody
28.02.1943 Ju 52 NE Chankov
28.02.1943 Ju 52 E Prikubanskij
12.11.1943 Me 109 Bulganak
12.11.1943 Me 109 Katerlez
16.11.1943 Ju 87 Hill 114,2 (Krym)
19.11.1943 Ju 87 Adzhimushkai
25.11.1943 He 111 Enikale-Baksy
04.12.1943 He 111 Lake Cherkasskoe

Confirmed victories 11
Missions 227

HSU 01.05.1943

Source:
Асы Великой Отечественной. Самые результативные летчики 1941-1945 гг., page 292.

[Pilot]

Fantastic topic! I would like to ask you for one info. Long time ago I have talk with someone who claim that Soviet never confirm who is actually top ace in a reasoin that this pilot was not politicaly competent and in this reasin never mentioned in documents. Is this just rumors or could be true?

Best regards