Text: Andrey Dikov

Illustration: Marek Ryś

Cat. No. 84117

On February 11, 1943, with the help of Soviet aviation units, the Soviet 55th Army of Leningrad Front continued its offensive as a part of the “Polar Star” operation against German Army Group Nord. So the fighters of JG 54 created an “umbrella” over the German ground units to prevent  raids by groups of Soviet ground attack aircraft. The following description covers only one hour of fighting over the front.

One of the Shturmovik groups consisted of four Il-2s of 57. ShAP KBF led by St. Lt. V. Soldatov escorted by Kpt. A. Baturin’s five I-153s 71. IAP KBF approached the frontline around 11:35 and was reportedly intercepted by more than 10 Fw 190 and Bf 109 fighters. Soviet biplanes were tied in air combat and set up a defensive circle, but despite all the combat instructions demanding Il-2 leaders to keep with their fighter escort, the Shturmovik group continued its way along the route Popovka–Nikolskoye seeking for targets. As a result, all were lost.

They were attacked by several 2./JG 54 Fw 190s. Apparently the Shturmoviks, most of which were one-seaters without gunners, decided to split and try to reach Soviet lines in two pairs. Those two who turned right were attacked by Oblt. H. Götz (claims at 11:33 and 11:40) and Fw. H-J. Kroshinski (11:35), while the left pair was shot down by Lt. A. Mack (11:38) and Fw. Otto Kittel (11:42). It is supposed the first aircraft downed was a wingman’s one-seater with board number 41 piloted by young Sgt. Pavel Myakinkiy. The others were one-seaters No. 33 and No. 39 of deputy squadron commander Soldatov (credited with some 15 combat sorties) and Stn. A. Litvinov (2 sorties) and two-seater No. 35.

As it was discovered after the war, Myakinkiy managed to survive the crash-landing and made his way to the frontline. In the forest he met another Soviet pilot with a broken leg. By night they plodded to Pustyn’ka railway station and Pavel tried to find a rest in the house of locals. Unfortunately, the house he knocked to was occupied by German station guards and he was killed by a hand-grenade in the following skirmish. His wounded friend was found in a haystack nearby and beaten to death with rifle butts. Locals found Pavel’s documents as well as pilot’s wife letter addressed to “Mikhail” and buried the aviators.

Then JG 54 attacked another group of four Il-2s of 57. ShAP KBF led by Ml. Lt. P. Morozov escorted by three Yak-7s, one Yak-1 of Maj. G. Romanov and four I-16 of Lt. A. Lomakin of 21. IAP KBF. The Shturmoviks arrived on the battle scene at 11:45 and had time to make their first strafing attack against targets in Nikolskoye. On their second run they were reportedly attacked by two Fw 190s and eight Bf 109s coming from the side and at first glance Soviet pilots thought those were also Soviet aircraft. But they were obviously 1./JG 54’s Fw 190s of Lt. H. Adameit and Uffz. R. Raupach accompanied by 4./JG 54’s Bf 109s. The Yaks were involved in battle with the Bf 109s resulting in two apparently unsubstantiated claims, while Germans claimed “LaGG-3”. Yaks later joined the surviving Il-2 group north of Neva river, without losses and escorted them safely to Grazhdanka airfield. Before that the Fw 190s had managed to make several attacks, damaging two Shturmoviks and claiming three.

A Group of two Il-2s of 943. ShAP led by Maj. Mikhail Vasilyev escorted by two Yak-1s of 14. GIAP and two P-40s of 196. IAP led by St.Lt. A. Slipchenko had failed to fulfil its task and returned to base. Behind the enemy lines near Zakhozhye the wingman rammed his leader and Vasilyev went missing. Most probably, this is the unknown pilot with a broken leg killed together with Myakinkiy. On the way back home the Shturmovik fighter escort was attacked at 11:50 by lone Messerschmitt without result.

As result of the day the Luftwaffe fighters claimed 19 Soviet aircraft shot down on Leningrad front, including 8 Il-2, 4 P-40, a P-39, 4 LaGG-3, one MiG-3 and one La-5. Two Fw 190 and one Bf 109 were shot down by fighters, one Ju 87 and one Bf 110 by ground fire. On the other hand, Soviet 13th Air Army and subordinated navy units lost 4 Il-2, 1 La-5, 1 P-40 and 1 MiG-3 shot down in air combats, one more MiG-3 made a forced landing on airfield and 2 Il-2 were damaged. One Il-2 was lost due to aerial collision and another one shot by Flak. Meanwhile the Soviet pilots claimed 16 German aircraft shot down, including 6 Fw 190, 5 Bf 109, 4 Ju 87, a Ju 88 plus a Ju 87 and one Bf 109 claimed by AA units.