This information is just for another side of the story helping u not to be lost in only one side..
I want to add some more about words of Korniukhin about “Aces of Luftwaffe”
1. I found and read book "Erich Hartmann - Blond knight of Reich".
I agree with opinion of Korniukhin about this book.
For example, in this book authors wrote that Soviet ace Lavrinenkov landed and strangled in the land German pilot from crashed plane. Soviet historian asked about this Lavrinenkov in 60th years. Lavrinenkov said that is was false and that "it is good that authors of book didn't write that he gnawed throat of German pilot with help of teeth -
"
2. Only digits of combat casualties in Eastern front 49,000 German planes and 46,000 Soviet planes showed that Germans couldn't to shoot down so many planes like they speak. If Germans speak true digits so casualties of Soviet Air Forces in WWII have to be some times more than German ones in Eastern front. But digits are approximately equal...
3. And about supremacy of amount of Soviet planes in air combats... Germans constantly speak about it but digits of planes which took part in combats do not show large supremacy of Soviet aircraft in 1941-44 like Germans speak (not less than 3-5 times according their opinion)
I read books of Mike Spik “Aces of Allies” and “Aces of Luftwaffe”. And I didn’t find in these books information about Soviet aces. Only once Mike Spike said about Alexander Pokryshkin.
It looked like Germans fought in East Front against Hordes of Russian fighters with bad pilots. It looked like Russian fighter aircraft could to win only because supremacy in amount of planes.
Some time ago I read small book of Korniuhov “Soviet fighters in WWII’ and I want to write some information which will be interesting for you.
Source (in Russian) -
http://militera.lib.ru/research/kornyukhin/index.html
Part 1
1. June, 22 of 1941.
Germans destroyed most part of Soviet Aircraft in the land.
But remainders of Soviet fighters had combats with German planes.
Commonly Germans won in this battle but it was not so easy for Germans.
There are some examples.
127th Fighter Air Regiment (FAR) in Grodno region destroyed 20 German planes. Especially difficult was combat in 10:Am – two squadrons fought against 40 German planes. Germans lost 4 planes, Russians lost 5 planes. But it was good result for archaic I-153 fighters in combat against famous JG27.
123th FAR (I-153 fighters) shot down more than 20 German planes. Major Surin shot down 3 planes, I.Kalabushkin shot down 5 German planes.
12th FAR (I-153 fighters) lost 36 planes during first German bombings. Remaining I-153 of 12th FAR later shot down 11 German planes, own casualties were 3 planes.
And there is very amazing example.
On June, 22 of 1941 over Grosulovo airfield 27 Ju-88 with escort of 9 Bf109 tried to bomb Soviet bombers which were in the land. Captain A. Karmanov (4th FAR) in the MiG-3 plane accidentally was in the sky here. He alone (!!!) attacked German planes, could to shoot down one Ju-88 and broke order of German bombers. Then he had combat against 9 (!!!) German fighters. As result of combat one Bf109 crashed to the ground and Karmanov’s plane was damaged but Soviet pilot could to land in damaged plane.
2. Air Battle for Moscow
It is unknown foe West people episode of WWII, I didn’t read about this in any West sources.
In July of 1941 Hitler ordered to destroy Moscow from air. But Germans lost Air Battle for Moscow.
Most German attacks were night raids of large groups of bombers.
Air defense of Moscow had length 250 km from Moscow. It consisted in that time from 1000 flaks, 585 fighters, 680 searchlights, 303 barrage balloon, 580 air sentry posts, radar installations.
In first night (21/22 of July) raid took part 220 bombers, 22 bombers were shot down. In the next night Germans sent 200 bombers, 15 bombers were lost.
In July Germans sent 964 bombers against Moscow but only 40 could to breakthrough and 121 bombers were shot down.
Moscow was excellent protected from Air Strikes and Luftwaffe couldn't to break Air Defense of Moscow.
For July of 1941 to April of 1942 German bombers made 8000 battle flight against Moscow but only 234 planes (3%) could to reach Moscow and 952 bombers were destroyed. Moscow had no serious damages.
3. Soviet pilots of first period of war.
Even in bad conditions of 1941 and 1942 Soviet Air Forces had many good aces.
Remember, that
-Soviet pilots flew in archaic fighters,
-they often had no radio,
-they had no land guidance service,
-they flew in conditions of German Air supremacy,
-they often fought against elite Luftwaffe units,
- Commanding often sent Soviet fighters in actions against German land troops.
There are some examples.
A. Antonenko (13th FAR of Baltic Fleet, I-16) shot down 11 enemy planes for one month of combats before he crashed on July, 25 of 1941.
P. Brinko (13th FAR of Baltic Fleet, I-16) shot down 15 enemy planes for 3 months of combats before he was shot down by flak fire on September, 14 of 1941.
Boris Safonov (I-16, Hurricane) was most famous in the West ace of that time. He took part in Air Cover of Northern Convoys. He crashed in the sea on May, 30 of 1942 when he covered PQ-16 convoy. He shot down 22 planes personally and 3 in group, he had 234 battle flights.
In the time from June, 22 of 1941 to April, 8 of 1942 Luftwaffe lost 4948 planes in East front.
4. In August of 1942 heavy combats began in approaches of Stalingrad. Main task of Soviet fighters was to slow down German advance. German bombers which tried to breakthrough to bridges and troops gatherings became main target of Soviet fighters.
434th FAR f major Kleshchev destroyed 36 enemy planes for 18 days of combats.
On August, 5th pilot of 183rd FAR M. Baranov covered crossing across Don. He attacked enemy planes from sun direction as leader of 4-Yak-1 group and shot down 2 Bf109 and 1 Ju87 before thousands of Soviet infantrymen. And when his ammo became empty he made ram attack against Bf109 and parachuted after this.
Here is later example about activity of Soviet ace Golubev (39 personal and 12 group victories) but it only proves his skill. He began war in June of 1941 and flew in Leningrad region in I-16 plane even in January of 1943. In January of 1943 he shot down 2 modern excellent Fw190A-4 (JG54) in I-16 which was archaic even in June of 1941!!!!
And here are some words about women-fighter-aces.
Lidiya Litvyak was most successful woman-fighter ace of WWII.
Soviet Air Forces had some woman Air Units, most famous were women-pilots of low speed night bombers Po-2 (U-2) (archaic biplans).
But some girls were fighter-pilots.
Lidiya Litvyak firstly became fighter of 586th Women Fighter Air Regiment, it was Regiment of Air Defense System of Volga region.
In September of 1942 4 girls were transferred in "men" 437th FAR in Stalingrad. On next day after arriving Lidiya shot down Ju88.
On September, 14th Litvyak with other girl, E.Budanova, shot down BF109. Pilot of BF109 parachuted and landed near Soviet Airfield. German expert with Iron Cross was amazed when he saw Soviet fighter pilot who shot down his - young blonde girl.
Later Lidiya Litvyak fought in 9th Guardian FAR and in 73rd FAR.
Lidiya Litvyak (73rd FAR) on March, 22 of 1943 in Yak-1 plane alone attacked and shot down bomber and for next 15 minutes had combat against 6 (!!!) Bf109 of bomber’s escort. She even could to shoot down one Bf109 in this combat. She was wound in leg and shoulder but she could escape and to land damaged plane in fuselage in her airfield.
Lidiya Litvyak was killed in action on August, 1st of 1943. She had 12 personal and 4 group victories.
Other famous girl, her friend, Ekaterina Budanova was killed in action in summer of 1943. She had 10 victories in 266 combat flights.
5. Kuban Air battle
In April-June of 1943 large Air battle over Kuban region began. Germans tried to cover troops in Kuban and to destroy Soviet Fighter Units before Kursk battle. This battle finished only in June of 1943.
Germans firstly had 1000 planes (38% of East front aircraft) including 250 fighters (JG3, JG51, JG52, JG54). Soviet Air Forces firstly had 600 planes.
Battle was very heavy. Often in short part of frontline (25-30 km) there were 40 air combats with 50-80 planes from both sides in every combat.
Both sides sent reinforcements and replacements.
In this battle Alexander Pokryshkin on April, 12 of 1943 in P-39 “Aircobra” shot down 4 Bf109, on April, 28 he shot down 5 Ju87 for one combat.
Germans knew Pokryshkin, Germans warned everyone with the radio “Achtung, achtung, Pokryshkin is in air”.
Germans lost air Battle over Kuban.
From April, 17 to June,7 of 1943 Germans lost (according Soviet data) 1100 planes including 800 in the Air combats. Only JG52 lost 30% of pilots for this time. Soviet Air Forces lost 750 planes.
6. Battle in Air during Kursk battle in July of 1943
During Kursk battle over heavy Air Combats were over land troops.
On July, 6 of 1943 during Kursk battle 15 fighters La-5 of 88th Guardian FAR were returning after covering of soviet troops in region Olhovatka. Lieutenant A.Gorovets was last in fighters order. Suddenly he saw group of 20 Ju-87, which emerges from the clouds with full bomb load. Pilot’s radio was damaged and he could not to warn other pilots. Lieutenant Gorovets decided to attack formation of Ju-87 alone. Combat occurred directly over positions of Soviet infantry and wonder-struck Soviet soldiers saw 9 (!!!) German planes which were shot down by the alone Soviet fighter. Remaining Ju-87 went away without bombing of Soviet positions.
He shot down 9 planes in one combat!!! And it was directly over heads of Soviet infantry.
On July, 7 of 1943 during Kursk battle pilot of Yak-7B of 150th Guardian FAR Sh. Kiriya had combat against 6 Bf109. Firstly he shot down one German fighter from distance of 70-100 meters. Then his plane was hit but pilot continued combat. In spite of pain from burns pilot could to shot down 2 more German fighters in burning plane. After combat pilot could to land in fuselage in territory of Soviet troops.
For the time between July, 5 and July, 9 (only 4 days) every side lost more than 500 planes.
Germans lost battle in the Air over Kursk region.
According Soviet data in July-August (only 2 months) of 1943 Luftwafe lost 3700 planes in the East Front during Kursk battle (these casualties include casualties both during Soviet defensive part of battle and during counteroffensive in Orel and Kharkov-Belgorod directions which are considered one battle in USSR and Russia).
7. One later example
During covering of important bridge in Dnepr river (order was - to cover BY ANY COST) in 1943 Ivan Kozhedub stayed alone and saw that 18 German Ju-87 prepared for bombings. He attacked them, he came inside of their battle order and his manoeuvres scared German pilots. He shot down 1 Ju-87 but main result was that very important bridge was not destroyed.
8. For the time from June, 22 of 1941 to December, 31 of 1943 German Fighter Aircraft lost 15000 fighters. And only 17% of these planes were lost over West Europe and Germany.
9. Here is list of best Soviet Aces of WWII
1) I. Kozhedub - 62 personal victories in 330 battle flights.
2) A. Pokryshkin - 59 personal and 6 group victories in 650 battle flights.
3) G. Rechkalov - 56 personal and 5 group victories in 450 battle flights.
4) N. Gulaev - 53 personal and 4 group victories in 240 battle flights.
5) K. Evstigneev - 53 personal and 3 group victories in 296 battle flights.
6) A. Vorozheikin - 52 personal victories in 400 battle flights.
7) D. Glinka - 50 personal victories in 300 battle flights.
N. Skomorohov - 46 personal and 8 group victories in 605 battle flights.
9) A. Koldunov - 46 personal and 1 group victories in 412 battle flights.
10) N. Krasnov - 44 personal victories in 400 battle flights.
Most famous were Ivan Kozhedub and Alexander Pokryshkin.
I said only very small information from book of Korniuhov.
10. Here is data from other sources about using of women in Soviet Aircraft:
In autumn of 1941 famous Soviet woman-pilot M.M.Raskova offered to organize 3 women Air Regiments – fighter (586th), bomber (587th) and night bomber (588th).
586th FAR was equipped by Yak-1 planes and became to operate in April of 1942 in Air Defense System of Saratov. Women-fighter pilots covered from German bombers industrial centers and railroad stations of Saratov, Voronezh, Kastornyy. In September-November of 1942 1st squadron of regiment took part in Stalingrad battle. Regiment fought during all war and finished war in Vienna in 1945, women-fighter pilots of regiment had 125 Air Combats and shot down 38 enemy planes, Ekaterina Zelenko made first (and alone) in history “woman” air ram attack.
Most famous was “women” 588th Regiment of “Nebesnyy tihohod” (“Sky Slow-walkers”) (Russian name of night slow speed bombers, there was famous Soviet movie “Sky slow-walker” about women-pilots of such planes) – 20 crews- under command of E.D.Bershanskaya. It arrived in Southern Front in the end of May of 1942 in 218th Night Bomber Air Division of 4th Air Army. This Air regiment was equipped by U-2 planes, “modified for drop of bombs”. Firstly “modifying” meant two baskets for carrying of hand grenades and mortar shells which had to be dropped manually.
(U-2 was civil two-seater low speed biplane (completely non-armed) which was used for training of new pilots (“U” means “uchebnyy” (“training”)) and for some other purposes. Po-2 was military version of U-2 with rear machine-gun (“PO” means “Polikarpov” (name of aircraft designer))).
“Night Witches” (German name) took part in actions in Donets Basin, Caucasus, Sevastopol, Mogilev, Warsaw, Danzig. Regiment made 23,672 Combat Flights, in the end of war its name was 46th Guardian Women Air Regiment.
It is history of only one Air Regiment of “Night Witches”, may be also were other such regiments (Germans speak about such planes in Stalingrad but as I know mainly women were pilots of such planes and 588th Women Air Regiment was not in Stalingrad (according list of region of its actions))
But it is very possible that some girls were single pilots in usual "men" Air Units.