JG 5 vs Soviet 15 VA in 1944

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Originally Posted by Nokose

On the 27 February 1944, the German airfield at Idritsa was attacked by several groups of Il-2 under fighter escort. II./JG 5 was stationed there and was equipped with Bf 109 Gs and IV/JG 54 was there with Fw 190s. The Soviet fighters claimed a number of Fw 190 and one Bf 109. The Il-2s claimed a Ju 87. So does anyone have the losses for II/JG 5 and IV/JG 54.

According to the Lufwaffe losses summary database, II./JG 5 suffered no loss on 27 February 1944 and IV./JG 54 lost one aicraft destroyed without enemy action on operational flight. The only ground losses reported on this date (the database, or at least my extract of it, is covering only a part of the Luftwaffe units, but JG and SG units are still supposed to be fully covered) were 3 aircraft of I./SG 5 destroyed on the ground by bombs (1) or gunfire (2). This unit was using Ju 87 D-5 and was based in Korowje Selo, 28 km S of Pskov... and 150 km of Idritsa.

By the way, two discrepencies in available sources:
_ https://www.ww2.dk/Airfields%20-%20R...%20Ukraine.pdf says one Ju 87 of I./SG 5 was destroyed when Korowje Selo was bombed on 22 February 1944. No loss for I./SG 5 on this date in the Lufwaffe losses summary database (previous loss on 18, and next ones the 3 ground losses on 27).
_ Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen for I./SG 5 (available at https://www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/schlacht/bisg5.html) show for February 1944 3 losses for I./SG 5 and 2 for 4./SG 5 (flying Fw 190 in Finland). In the Lufwaffe losses summary database, I./SG 5 (probably covering I./SG 5 and 4./SG 5) list 15 aircraft destroyed that month, 3 times more.

[Nokose]

1 February 1944
5 La-5 from 254 IAP were ordered to intercept 3 groups of up to 25 Ju 87 in the area of Peredol’skaya. The Soviet pilots reported 6 to 12 Fw 190 escorts (1944 Soviet pilots saw everything as Fw 190). Kapitan Viktor Trukhanov was hit in the rudders by Soviet AAA and had to leave. Ml. Lt. Yuriy Yershov deflected 2 “Fw 190” off Trukhanov before continuing the battle. Kapitan Vasiliy Sinchuk shot down a Fw 190 (12) and then a Ju 87 (13) the last in the area of Kchera. Yershov then shot down a Ju-87, that crashed at Kryunevo. Yershov then had to flee into the clouds on being attacked. Sinchuk then shot down a Ju 87 (I couldn’t find it on his score) in the third group. Mayor Mikhail Koltsov and Ml. Lt. Aleksandr Sergin then shot down a Ju-87 as group. Sergin was attacked by fighters and with a sharp dive and turned and fled into the clouds. He last saw a smoking La-5 crash before going into the clouds. Sinchuk and Koltsov both died.

German losses.
Gefr. Horst Ledewig 5/JG 5 KIA 20 km N of Soltsy, near Lonno Bf 109 G-6 (410 882) 100%
Ju 87s?

Oblt. Rudolf Glöckner 6/JG 5 La-5 (3) 10:50
Oblt Theodor Weissenberger 6/JG 5
La-5 (120) 10:50 09 587 at 700 m E of Soltsy
La-5 (121) 10:51 09 721 at 600 m 12 km NNW of Soltsy
La-5 (122) 10:53 at 500 m 9 km NNW of Soltsy
La-5 (123) 10:56 09 722 at 300 m 7 km N of Soltsy
La-5 (124) 10:58 at 300 m 4 km NW of Soltsy
Lt Ernst Scheufele 5/JG 5 La-5 (2) 10:53 N of Soltsy
Fw August Mors 6/JG 5 La-5 I19) 10:54 at 500 m
Fw Alfred Lehner 5/JG 5 La-5 (25) 10:54 09 722 at 30 m