Soviet woman pilot rammed Me-109

[Luftwaffle8]

Hello!

I'm working to determine if any JG51 Me-109 was rammed on 12 September 1941. I simply do NOT trust Soviet/Russian information. According to various Russian sources, Lt Yekaterina ZELENKO, flying a Sukhoi Su-2 with a wingman, encountered 7 Me-109s near Glinskoye of the Sumy Region (Ukraine).

Another source gets more specific and says: "SrLt Zelenko flew in a formation of three Su-2s led by Kapitan Lebedeva when they came under attack from a Schwarm of II./JG 51 Bf 109s... Zelyenko directed her crippled Su-2 right into the nearest Bf 109 and was killed in the process. Uffz. Anton Hafner of II./JG 51 returned from that engagement with claims of two "R-3s" - his eighth and ninth victories. No German losses were reported." Apparently, this info came from a book by titled Barbarossa by Christer Bergstrom.

Is this accurate? According to Russian sources, Zelenko shot down 2 Me-109s and rammed the third. The ramming victim parachuted and escaped.

Bergstrom seems to be at odds with Soviet accounts, which says there were only two Su-2s on this mission, not 3. Also, the wingman of Zelenko was Capt Lebedev, not Lebedeva (the -a indicates a female).

Quite frankly, I would believe the German account over the Soviet account. There are too many holes in the Soviet account. Zelenko's gunner was Lt Nikolai Pavlyk. In one account, Zelenko ordered him to parachute and he saw the ramming attack. In another attack, Pavlyk was killed in the plane! In another account Pavlyk made it back to base after 3 days, but in another account, Zelenko's command and her husband hoped that she was still living and lying wounded in a hospital! If Pavlyk had survived, he would have told his superiors that their plane was downed. It just doesn't make sense.

Quite often, heroics stories are attached to the KIA to justify high honors.

Yekaterina Zelenko was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on 5 May 1990 by Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. She was the only female ever to ram an enemy aircraft.

Thank you very much!

[Nokose]

No such person as Zelenko and Pavlyk is reported as as killed on that day. The 135 BBAP did report Lt. Nikolay Ivanovich Filinskiy (flight or section commander) and St. Lt. Ivan Pavlovich Sidorenya (AE Adj.) were both listed as KIA in an air battle at Romny.

[Luftwaffle8]

Originally Posted by Nokose

No such person as Zelenko and Pavlyk is reported as as killed on that day. The 135 BBAP did report Lt. Nikolay Ivanovich Filinskiy (flight or section commander) and St. Lt. Ivan Pavlovich Sidorenya (AE Adj.) were both listed as KIA in an air battle at Romny.

The more I look into the story of Yekatarina Zelenko, the more I am beginning to doubt her ramming attack.

I will keep you posted. We can all learn from this!

[VtwinVince]

I would also be highly skeptical of any Russian sources when it comes to these much publicized propaganda scenarios.

[Evgeny Velichko]

Here is her awaed order.

[Nokose]

Evgeny, on reading through the award information, I did not see the date of the 12 Sep 1941 but did see mention of August. Did see that she was shot down by a Bf 109 in the Romny area but again no date. Obviously, she did not die in this encounter as she is not mentioned in the OBD for that date.

[Evgeny Velichko]

For non-russian speakers:

Ekaterina Zelenko was soppused to be awarded with HSU.

For what action:
-40 combat missions as a squadron leaader with low loss rate.
-12 aircombats (no air victories mentioned (SIC!)
-actions during Winter War (but for it, she was arwarded earlier with Order of Red Banner)
-In air combat near Romno she was killed.

Commander of 135 bbap: "She must be awarded with HSU"
Commander of 16 AD: "She must be awarded with HSU"
Commander of 16th Army Airforses : "She must be awarded with HSU"

Resolution of General HQ of Army: She will be awarded with Order of Lenin.
On the title, there is a pencil marks:
Погибла - Was killed
Посмертно - Posthumuosly
Ленина - [Order of] Lenin.

As was usual in many cases during a war, pilots got lower awards, comparing they were promoted.

[Luftwaffle8]

Stalin's policy was not to award the HSU for MIA cases because the person could have surrendered or was captured. I am surprised that she received the Order of Lenin posthumously. When Zelenko crashed, the villagers retrieved her body and buried her quickly because the Germans were advancing on their village. Supposedly, a local school teacher took her identification book and document and kept them hidden for 3 years until the Germans retreated. No one could contact the 135 BAP. The day after Zelenko was buried, the Germans arrived in the village.

I thought German ace Anton Hafner shot her down, then this:

Originally Posted by Nokose View Post
No such person as Zelenko and Pavlyk is reported as as killed on that day. The 135 BBAP did report Lt. Nikolay Ivanovich Filinskiy (flight or section commander) and St. Lt. Ivan Pavlovich Sidorenya (AE Adj.) were both listed as KIA in an air battle at Romny.

If Pavlyk did parachute from Zelenko's Su-2 and survived as some sources say, and made it back 3 days later, then why was her commander and her husband still hoping 2 years later that she was still alive? Doesn't make sense. Villagers who supposedly saw the ramming makes no mention of Pavlyk. JG51 had no losses that day.

I found a Soviet document on her, but it is in handwriting which I cannot decipher. I will share it with all of you and will welcome your thoughts. Thank you very much!

[Evgeny Velichko]

Originally Posted by Luftwaffle8

Stalin's policy was not to award the HSU for MIA cases because the person could have surrendered or was captured. !

Sorry, but this is simply wrong.

[Luftwaffle8]

Wow, I appreciate everyone's input! I've studied Soviet Heroes for years, but obviously, there are knowledgeable people out there. If I am wrong, then I will stand corrected.

Zelenko's Hero of the Soviet Union medal is now in a private collection in Europe and I saw it 2 years ago! I was curious because the Soviets sometimes embellished stories or simply created heroes for political purposes.

When I first started checking Zelenko's story last week, things just didn't add up.

You guys are really great! I appreciate your help!!