Niobe sinking on 16 VII 1944

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

German A/A shipt (Flak-Kreuzer) had been sunk on 16 VII 1944 near Kotka by massive air attack done by about 130 (131 or 132) Soviet bombers (A-20G, Pe-2), assault planes (Ił-2) and fighter covers (La-5, Jak-9, ŁaGG-3) of VVS Baltic Fleet. Soviet crews used there a skip bombing method of attack (only these crews, who were flying on 4 Douglas A-20 of 51. MTAP).

I wonder, why there were no any air cover over Kotka during this particular attack (Finns had Me 109)?
In the harbour was 2-ed warship - Finnish "small battelship" - Vainamoinen. He was the traget of this attack.

There were no any air comabts during this attack too?

The a/a ship had radar.
Finns had very good observing air system - very effective too. THye were well informed about Soviet air movments

And there no any air cover over the harbour? Strange?

According Soviet, there was sunk in the harbour next ship (transport or cargo). Maybe someone has any confirmation about this second Soviet victory? Waht about Finnish losses in Kotka after this attack?

Regards
Mirek Wawrzynski

[Darius]

Hello Mirek,

some info:

http://rafiger.de/Homepage/Artgallery/Historic02.htm

Greetings

Darius

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Thanks for this link, :-)
In fact Soviet lost only 1 A-20 G Do no more losses
Regards
Mirek W

[Monaco]

According to an old book I have "N.A. Piterskij: Die Sowjetflotte im Zweiten Weltkrieg" Lt.Col. V.I.Rakov hit NIOBE with 3 bombs and in consequence she was set on fire and got a list; some minutes later Lt.Col. I.N. Ponomarew´s Pe-2s of 12 GBAP attacked and hit NIOBE with 6 x 1,000kg bombs from just 30m altitude which sank. The transport (that couldn´t be found in axis records) was credited to Kapitan Tichomirow. Piterskij mentioned only 28 "divebombers" under command of HSU Rakow, certainly referring to the Pe-2s only.

regards

monaco