Soviet Fighter Pilots

[MikeFox]

Hello,

I am seeking some (any) data on the following 2 Soviet fighter pilots during WW2 who flew against Finland.

On 2 May 1943, Finn ace Iikka Torronen was shot down over Oranienbaum. The Soviet victor, according to my sources, was a staff sergeant flying a LaGG-3 from 10.GIAP. The name I have is Kutsherenko. I was wondering if this Soviet pilot was in fact the little known N. Y. Kutsenko? My sources have next to nothing on this reputedly high scoring ace (33 kills of which 13 were shared).

The next Soviet pilot I'm interested in is Mikhail M. Zelenov. Another high scoring ace with 34 kills he was reportedly shot down on 29 June 1944 near Viirpuri (Vyborg). My question is who brought down this renowned ace? Was it a Finn or a German from Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey?

Any light shed on these questions would be most appreciated!

Mike

[Andrey Dikov]

>On 2 May 1943, Finn ace Iikka Torronen was shot down over Oranienbaum. The Soviet victor, according to my sources, was a staff sergeant flying a LaGG-3 from 10.GIAP. The name I have is Kutsherenko.

Kucherenko piloted I-153. His claim (MS-406) - 10-12 km north-east of Lavansaari. That was a shared victory with a St.Sgt. Rozov.

In the same mission another three claims were claimed - mostly north-west of Lavansaari by LaGGs and I-16s (1 Me-109, 1 BW, 1 Fiat G.50).


> I was wondering if this Soviet pilot was in fact the little known N. Y. Kutsenko?

Who is him?

> My sources have next to nothing on this reputedly high scoring ace (33 kills of which 13 were shared).

Never heard.

[MikeFox]

Hello Andrey,

My source for N. Y. Kutsenko is "Stalin's Falcons" by Tomas Polak and I quote - "Little is known of this reputedly quite high scoring pilot, said to have claimed 33 victories (13 shared) during the Great Patriotic War." I searched the net for him and a few sites mention him but provide no good data. "Stalin's Eagles" by Seidl, my other primary source on Soviet pilots, has absolutely nothing on Kutsenko. I find it hard to believe that such a successful pilot is so little known.

Thanks for the info on the Torronen combat.

Mike

[Andrey Dikov]

Just throw away the "Stalin Falcons". Pure junk.

[Jukka Juutinen]

Andrei, how do you rate Hans Seidl´s "Stalin´s Eagles"? I´d assume it is better than the other Stalin´s birds book...