Kapt Olli Puhakka's claim 26.06.1944

[VARYAG-2]

Also in documents can be found information about Trontti.

Quote from related topic:

…Lt. Trontti has not returned from mission. Last seen at 1115-1120 hours at Juustila canal…

Quote from operational report of 275 IAD on 22.00 26.06.1944:

…In period 11.37 – 12.34 4 Jak-9 (leading gu. sr. lt. Sklyarenko) covered the battlefield around Juustila and conducted air battle with 4 Me-109 on H=100-150 m. In group was shot down 1 Me-109, crashed near Juustila…

Here award list of Sklyarenko I.G. for Order of the Red Star.

With respect, Roman.

[peeved]

Hi Roman,

And thanks for the Soviet sortie info. Belated congrats also for proving that Tashlykov crashed into Repolanjärvi and not nearby Lyykylänjärvi as Finnish combat reports would suggest. Happen to know where Serov crashed?

Here's my impression of FAF fighter (including obsolete types) combat missions on 26.06.1944. Apparently no flights of obsolete types to the Karelian Isthmus so concentrated on Messerschmitt sorties. Mostly from FAF HQ report from http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=4893480 on pp. 319, 322-325, 329-331. Additional info and sources in brackets. Possible correlations to Serov case in bold.

Flying Regiment 3:

[28 MT combat ready in the morning; 16 HLeLv 34, 12 HLeLv 24, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915054]

06.55-07.55 8 MT, interception mission to Tali
[HLeLV 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747102 ]

07.35-08.35 8 MT, interception mission in Vyborg and Tali regions.
Shot down 2 observation balloons Southeast from Vyborg.
[HLeLv 24, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915054 ; Capt. Wind & Sergeant Helava 1 balloon each.]

09.34-10.30 2 MT, reconnaissance mission Kääntymä-Heinjoki-Tali.
[HLeLv 24, from 09.45 according to http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915054 ]

09.35-10.40 2 MT, interception mission in Vyborg region.
Shot down 1 observation balloon between Alasommee and Nuoraa.
[HLeLV 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747103 ; W/O Juutilainen downed the balloon; According to the HLeLV 34 war diary a reconnaissance mission]

10.30-10.55 4 MT, interception mission Vyborg-Tali.
Air combat in Tali station region 4 MT/8 IL-2 and 2 fighters.
Shot down 5 Il-2.
[HLeLV 24, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista : Sergeant Halonen 2 IL-2; Staff Sergeant Järvi 2 IL-2; Lieutenant Lumme 1 IL-2; 10.30-11.20 according to http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915056 ]

10.50-12.00 4 MT, interception mission Vyborg-Tali.
Air combat East of Tali 4 MT/6 IL-2 and 10 Yak-9.
Shot down 1 Yak-9.
MT-443, piloted by lieutenant Trontti, has not returned from mission, South of Tali.
[HLeLV 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747103 ]

11.15-12.35 5 MT, interception mission in Tali region.
Air combat in Tali region 5 MT/several LA-5 and AC.
Shot down 1 LA-5 and 1 AC severely damaged.
[HLeLV 24, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista : Staff Sergeant Vahvelainen 1 Mustang; Lieutenant Suhonen 1 LA-5]

11.40-12.55 returning from interception mission MT-444, piloted by lieutenant Valli, somersaulted on landing due to a wheel sinking into the field.
Cockpit canopy, rudder and tailplane damaged. Pilot injured.
[HLeLV 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747103 : 6 MT interception mission Tali region. Also MT-430 (2nd Lieutenant Palm) forced landing in Immola]

12.05-13.15 4 MT, interception mission Tali.
Air combat in Tali region 4 MT/15-20 AC and LA-5 aircraft.
1 AC damaged.
[ HLeLV 24 : 2nd Lieutenant Lampi, conflicting information:
1 AC + 1 LA-5 damaged; http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915058
2 unknown fighters damaged; http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=5274085
2 Yak-9 damaged; Keskinen & Stenman: Suomen ilmavoimien historia 26: Ilmavoitot, Osa 1]

12.55-14.10 6 MT, interception mission Tali.
[Missing at http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915056: Appears mathematically possible for HLeLv 34 although somewhat improbable.
Should probably be the 11.40-12.55 6 MT HLeLv 34 interception mission which isn't mentioned in the FAF HQ report except for the MT-444 mishap. 11.40-12.55 & 12.55-14.10 even have the same numbers but in different order. Moreover the flight size, a/c and mission type + target area are a match.]

12.55-14.10 8 MT, bomber escort mission to Tali.
Air combat by Tali 8 MT/several IL-2, AC and Mustang aircraft.
Shot down 3 IL-2, 1 AC, 1 LA-5 and 1 Mustang.
[HLeLV 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747103 : Capt. Puhakka 1 La-5; Ltn. Salomies 1 Il-2; W/0 Juutilainen 1 IL-2, 1 AC, 1 Mustang; Master Sergeant Paronen 1 Il-2]

13.05-13.55 6 MT, bomber escort mission to Tali.
Air combat by Tali 6 MT/15-20 IL-2, AC and Mustang aircraft.
Shot down 4 IL-2.
[HLeLV 24, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista : Ltn. Saarinen 2 IL-2, Master Sergeant Katajainen 2 IL-2, 1 LA-5]

14.40-15.35 4 MT, bomber escort mission to Tali.
[HLeLV 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747103 : one German Ju-187 [sic.] seen shot down, two men parachuted]

14.45-15.45 6 MT, bomber escort mission to Tali.
Air combat by Tali 6 MT/12 Yak-9 and LA-5.
Shot down 3 Yak-9 and 1 LA-5.
[HLeLV 24, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista : Capt. Puhakka 3 YAK-9. Ltn. Puro 1 LA-5
According to http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915058 14.47 5 MT escort mission (Ltn. Riihikallio)]

16.00-17.00 3 MT, reconnaissance mission Metsäpirtti-Pölläkkälä.
[HLeLv 24, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915060 ]

16.10-17.11 2 MT, reconnaissance mission Leipäsuo-Tipuna-Vammelsuu.
[HLeLV 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747103 : MT-430 (2nd Lieutenant Palm) somersault landing]

16.30-17.40 6 MT, lorry [or car] transport protection mission Lake Ihantala-Kavantsaari-Nohkuanjärvi [sic.]
Air combat Kavantsaari-Noskuanjärvi 6 MT/8-10 Yak-9.
Shot down 3 Yak-9.
[HLeLV 24, http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luettelo_L ... tappioista : Capt. Puhakka 2 YAK-9; Sergeant Keskinummi 1 Mustang]

18.30-19.10 7 MT, interception mission Tali-Kääntymä.
7 MT met in Tali region 1 LA-5 which was damaged.
[HLeLv 24, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=2915060 ]

19.25-20.10 2 MT, reconnaissance mission Vilaniemi-Uuras-Koivisto.

20.15-21.00 4 MT, reconnaissance mission Vyborg-Sorvali-Kääntymä.

19 (20) MT missions, 91 (97) MT sorties, [3,3 (3,5) sorties per aircraft based on morning figures]

Flying Regiment 1:

04.15-05.15 2 CU. reconnaissance mission mouth of River Tuulos.

12.50-13.40 2 CU, reconnaissance mission in sea area Lunkulansaari-mouth of River Aunus.

16.00-16.40 2 CU, reconnaissance mission in sea area Lunkulansaari-mouth of River Aunus.

18.50-19.50 2 CU, reconnaissance mission on Ladoga.

18.50-19.50 2 CU, reconnaissance mission Säntämä-Nurmoila Kotkatjärvi.

20.10-21.10 3 FRm, reconnaissance mission Latva-Pajusuo.

21.30-23.40 2 CU, reconnaissance mission Säntämä-Nurmoila-Mäkrätjärvi-Kotkatjärvi.

23.00-00.30 2 CU, reconnaissance mission Nurmoila-Kuujärvi-Kaskana.


Flying Regiment 2:

00.30-02.30 1 MS, reconnaissance mission Shoksu-Cape Andoma-mouth of River Vodla-Rimskaja-Limosaari

14.50-16.10 2 MS, escort mission of two FK.

14.50-15.10 2 MS, interception mission to Kumsa.

15.30-16.10 1 MS, interception mission to Porajärvi.

16.45-17.50 2 MS, escort mission of two FK.

17.40-18.20 2 MS, interception mission Ahvenjärvi

Reconnaissance Flying Squadron 14:

02.45-03.35 4 MS, interception mission Ontajärvi.

06.00-18.00 No flying operations.

23.45-00.25 3 MS, interception mission on the front line.

Regards,
Markus

[peeved]

Unit info addenda to previous post

Flying Regiment 3:

19.25-20.10 2 MT, reconnaissance mission Vilaniemi-Uuras-Koivisto.
[HLeLv 34, http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3747103]

20.15-21.00 4 MT, reconnaissance mission Vyborg-Sorvali-Kääntymä.
[Presumably HLeLv 24 since not mentioned in HLeLv 34 war diary]

Markus

[tramonte]

It's also useful to have II./JG 54 claims of that day 26 June 1944:

Pilot.....................unit........claim......location.......................time (Helsinki)
Ltn. Heinz Wernicke 5./JG 54 La-5 ......3 km. S. Vupuri: at 800 m. 13.42
Ltn. Heinz Wernicke 5./JG 54 La-5 ..... Location: 50 m...............13.47
Uffz. Josef Quarda 4./JG 54 La-5 ..... 81 209: at 800 m.............13.48 (must be mistake on location, should not be zero in numbers?)
Uffz. Josef Quarda 4./JG 54 Il-2........81 423: at 20 m. .............13.12 (just 2-3 km norteast from Vyborg)
Ltn. Heinz Wernicke 5./JG 54 Yak-9 4 km. ostw. Vupuri: at 400 m. 18.15…

[tramonte]

Personal losses of 281 ShAD, 26 June 44...

Zaitsev, Yuri (sgnt)….KIA…..872 ShAP...26.06.44
Gromov,Anatoly (private) 872 ShAP...26.06.44
Lonchakov, Nikolay (sgnt) ...872 ShAP….26.06.44
Yukov, Victor (ltn)….872 ShAP….26.06.44

[tramonte]

13 VA loss report didn't mention Golovachev's La-5 as lost one, perhaps badly damaged and later 159 IAP wrote if off. Their official loss report had:

26.06.44: 2 La-5 (159 IAP, Tashlykov, Nikolay and Serov, Vladimir KIA)
26.06.44: 1 Yak-9 ( couldn't find data of lost pilot, so perhaps he was unharmed?)
26.06.44: 1 Il-2 (277 ShAD) shot down by AA (plane burned down, crew pilot Garmaš (????) and gunner Amakayev KIA)
26.06.44: 1 Il-2 (277 ShAD) shot down in air combat (plane broken, crew unharmed?)
26.06.44: 1 Il-2 (277 ShAD) shot down in air combat (plane broken, crew pilot Stepanov, gunner (?) injured)
26.06.44: 1 Il- 2 (872 ShAP) shot down in aircombat (bf-109) (crew killed)

I compared loss report of 13 VA and those of Il-2 units and that 277 ShAD and 281 ShAD had little bit more losses reported than 13 VA mentioned of lost Il-2s.

[tramonte]

All available evidence is suggesting that it was either Nils Katajainen or Olli Puhakka who shot down La-5 of Nikolai Tashlykov above Lake Lyykylä. It means also they both claimed the same aircraft, which also means they didn't claim Golovachev and Serov. On the other hand whole group of Serov (Serov himself, Golovachev and Soshin) was split. After Tashlykov's La-5 was shot down Fw-190 pair - Heinz Wernicke and Josef Guarda - of II./JG54 flew from south of Vyborg to north. Wernicke claimed 2 La-5 and Guarda one. Wernicke's first claim (13.42, height 800 m) was perhaps targeting Soshin, the only one of the 4 managed to reach Jäppilä airbase with non-damaged La-5. Wernicke's second claim (13.47) was at very low 50 m altitude matching quite well with low flying La-5 of Golovachev (after air battle started Golovachev turned left and dived down). Then the only possible pilot shooting down Serov was Josef Guarda. His claim (13.48, height 800 m) was one minute after Wernicke's 2nd.

Serov - after all available evidence - was shot down after Tashlykov was shot down. In fact his aircraft most likely was the last victim of enemy pilots. FiAF pilots had nothing to do with Serov- Golovachev- Soshin trio after shooting down La-5 of Tashlykov.

Tashlykov: shot down by Puhakka or Katajainen
La-5 of Golovachev badly damaged and La-5 of Serov shot down by Wernicke and Guarda.