A-20 "Za Stalina " loss 30.1.1944 Evpatoria

[researcher111]

I am not sure if the subject was already discussed before
therefore I would welcome any feedback from those
who read Russian publications as into the grounds which
led to the loss of a DB-7 flown by Maj.Gen. Tokarev
commander of 1st MTAD of the Black Sea Fleet Air Fleet on
30.1.44 near Evpatoria , Crimea .

From WWII German and Romanian reports the Boston got hit at
about 12:30 hrs during a second pass by UJ-301 AA guns
which was on anchor just shortly after the DB-7 fired a torpedo
from an altitude of 3000 ft, torpedo which missed the target
causing the aircraft left wing serious damages forcing the
crew to perform an emergency landing during which
Tokarev was killed. After the landing German , Russian
and Romanian reports are conflicting as into the
Tokarev's crew fate and their actions in the aftermath
of the crash including Tokarev's burial .

Of a specific interest would be a photo of the A-20 "Za Stalina " .

Cheers
Alex K

PS : 36th MTAP Boston DB-7 which departed Gelenjik field

[kirche]

Good afternoon, photo A-20 with the inscription " Za Stalina!" it was discussed several years ago on Russian-language aviation forums (in Ukraine and in Russia) - at that time it was put up for sale on eBay. In General, there was an opinion that this photo "with a high degree of probability" does not apply to the case of the death of General Tokarev. The photo shows several indirect facts that contradict the version about the loss of the aircraft 1 MTAD 30.01.1944.
Best regards,
Kirill

[researcher111]

Hello ,

I posted the message and photo on the Naval Forum
for Miroslav Morozov . The A-20 photo from Ebay is a 100%
match of Tokarev's plane crash site ,the photo was taken
on Dec 30,1944 North of Evapatoria . The deceased body laying
on the broken dome of the aircraft is Tokarev's body left there by
his crew members who fled ,discovered later on by a German
patrol and on the same evening buried by villagers . If you
saw the photo , it shows the A-20 with inscription "Za Stalina "
as mentioned on the German reports the badly damaged left wing
and stabilizer are clearly visible. Beyond any doubt is Tokaraev's plane .

PS : some of the his crew members fell captive and were in hospital
in Sevastopol until city's liberation but all committed suicide in Nov 44
prior NKVD arrival to the base as part of an inquiry into Tokarev's death

Cheers
Alex K

[Stig Jarlevik]

Aleks

First of all is it possible to see the photo in question?
Also does the A-20 have any ID, ie serial number?

Secondly we have initially a date 30 Jan 1944 stated by you twice and also given by Kirill in his answer (post 2)
All of a sudden you are now talking about a date 30 Dec 1944 (post 3). While I suppose it is possible for an aircraft wreck to stay put in 11 month I find it hard to be believe that the body of the General would have been left out for that long.
Since you also mentions some crew member's suicide in November (presumably 1944), I take it that the month December is wrong?

B Rgds
Stig

[kirche]

I've seen a copy of this photo on several forums. There were opinions of some experts that the photo shows the plane in the A-20B modification. This modification had a weak reservation, weapons, there were no protected fuel tanks and the aircraft was not adapted for mounting large bombs and torpedoes (it required a lot of refinement). This modification was very outdated by the beginning of 1944 in General and in particular was practically not used in the VVS of Fleet (only rarely in as a scout). It is very strange that such an aircraft was flown by a division commander in 1944, when the entire division was armed with upgraded a-20C and A-20G aircraft. There are also questions - why did the major General of the fleet in 1944 wear the uniform of the red army, which is not typical for the fleet? This refers to the "trousers-breeches" ("sharovary", "galife"), which can be seen on the body of the deceased pilot. In Naval aviation, this element of clothing was canceled in the fall of 1941 and generally fell out of use by naval pilots by the end of 1942. Did the Navy General dislike regular uniforms? Also a question - why was the pilot's body lying in the Navigator's cabin? Pulled out of the cockpit (it's open) and put the body in the Navigator's cabin? The photo also shows a snow-covered landscape and very warm clothes of soldiers, which is not typical for Yevpatoria in January-February (in those years the average temperature there was about 0 degrees Celsius). In General, the photo raised a lot of questions during the discussion, so that we can't definitely talk about the version of the loss of 30.01.1944.

[kirche]

From eBay (2016)
http://scalemodels.ru/images/2016/03/1456784102__57.jpg

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Kirche

Cheers
Stig

[kirche]

Major Markin Nikolay Andreevich, 19.12.1907-10.12.1944.

The Navigator of the aircraft of General Tokarev. He died of poisoning with a methyl mixture on a/f Vaenga-1 (Murmansk region) as part of a group of people (according to memoirs, up to 20 people were poisoned, according to documents, at least three senior officers died in addition to Markin and one chauffeur sailor). Apparently his "suicide under the threat of the NKVD" was mentioned in some sources?

N. A. Markin was released from captivity 14.04.1944 and continued to serve in his regiment, was awarded the medal "for military merit" 03.11.1944. Apparently the threat of his arrest from the category of a legend (or most likely it is the wishes of individual colleagues who blamed him for the death of their commander)

air gunner-radio operator senior sailor Goncharov Vasily Trofimovich, 1923
He was awarded the order of the Red Star on 27.08.1945 by order of the 2nd Gw. MTAD named after General Tokarev.

released from captivity on 03.05.1944 and tested in OKR "SMERSh" VVS ChF (if he continued to serve in the same division and was awarded later, then apparently there could not be serious charges and harassment from the NKVD)

[researcher111]

Stig

Dec 30 , is a typing error

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by researcher111

Stig

Dec 30 , is a typing error

OK Aleks

So 30 Jan 1944 it is then!
No serial number for the A-20?

Cheers
Stig