Finnish air victories (LeR 3) on 1944

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20.06.44: 1 Yak-9 (29 GIAP)shot down in air combat in Sintola, jrn ltn Hvorov Semyon, POW. Shot down by Josef Guarda II./JG54.

Hvorov was escorting Pe-2s which bombed Elisenvaara. According Soviet sources after returning from Elisenvaara pair of 29 GIAP Yak's (captain Kalmykov and jr ltn Hvorov) were attacked by pair of Fw-190s. Coordinates of Guarda's claim was not very far from Sintola, Kiviniemi and time 12.55 is exactly suitable. Hvorov parachuted and was captured in Sintola, Kiviniemi.

20.06.44: 1 Yak-9 (14 GIAP)shot down in air combat in Viipurinlahti, captain Rusak Stepan POW. This case is interesting. He was shot down during late afternoon, after 16.00. There were no FiAF and II./JG54 Yak claims during late afternoon. Soviet report suggests surprise attack by FW-190. FiAF pilot Metsola claimed Airacobra as only suitable one time of case Rusak.

II./JG54 claimed just one Yak but they might have shot down two and FiAF pilots with total 9 Yak claims might have shot down just one. According Soviet sources Yak-9 was lost in air combat, time was between 9 and 10 a.m. Länsivaara and Valli of Hlelv34 likely had best suitable claims of 3rd Yak loss (Shelnikov, 14 GIAP) and especially location (Säiniö). Hans Wind's claim was as far as Seiskari suggesting air battle with VVS KBF fighters.

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C.F. Geust in book "Vaiettu Elisenvaaran pommitus : evakkohelvetti 20. kesäkuuta 1944" (Erkki Rahkola, Carl Fredrik Geust) had table of 13 VA losses during first week of offensive. Here are his numbers:

9.6-15.6.44
Air combat:
2 Il-4, 1 Tu-2, 1 Pe-2 and 3 Il-2

AA:
1 Il-4, 1 Tu-2, 1 Pe-2, 14 Il-2, 2 La-5 and 1 Jak-9

MIA:
1 Tu-2, 3 Il-2, 2 La-5, 2 Airacobra ( 2 La-5 is confirmed, lost in air combat 14 June 44, 1 Tu-2 most likely in air combat 9 June 44)

Out of repair (badly damaged & written off) :
2 Il-4 and 2 Il-2

According his study there have been
1) 1 Pe-2 shot down in aircombat not mentioned in Soviet reports
2) another La-5 shot down by AA (the other:Bogatyrev, 159 IAP, 15 June is confirmed) not mentioned in Soviet reports
3) 2 Il-4 lost more, written off + 3 confirmed
4) 2 lost (MIA) Airacobras if not collision of 2 in 15 June (Nesterenko and Vorotnikov) .

Perhaps some of "accidents" and force landings have actually been real combat losses (written offs) caused either by air combat or AA.

-12.06.44: 1 La-5 (11 GIAP,PVO) Nazarov, Nikolay (tb...KIA...plane crashed (accident) (catastrophe)?

- 15.06.44: 1 La-5 (400 IAP, PVO) Savelyev, Fedor (ml luutn)…KIA….plane crashed... (catastrophe)?

- 13.06.44 Finns captured one crew member of Pe-2 (276 BAD) while 276 BAD didn't admit any aircraft combat losses. This might have been forced landing Pe-2 which was later "silently" written off? During that day FiAF pilots claimed 7 Pe-2s.

When it comes to VVS KBF (Baltic Fleet) they had also Pe-2 loss, force landing in Sestoresk (Siesterjoki), 10 June 44. However C.F Geust gave his numbers of 13 VA losses, not VVS KBF.

In June 1944 month report 400 IAP of 2 GIAC PVO had one La-5 loss (in air combat) not mentioned in 13 VA reports. However when checking carefully daily reports there was this case:

22.06.44: 1 La-5 (400 IAP, PVO) shot down in air combat, damaged, emergency landing on near airfield

Most likely this damaged La-5 has been written off and after all 13 VA lost at least one La-5 during that day when FiAF pilots claimed 12 fighters mostly La-5.