Soviet Union
Leitenant A. Chistev
In 1943, leitenant Chistev served in the 611 IAP. This unit was still equipped with Polikarpov I-153s.
In the morning on 5 March 1943, the I-153 Chaikas from the 611 IAP, covered by some LaGGs, attacked two enemy airfields, and destroyed some aircraft on the ground. Near Blagodatniy airfield, 3 Eskadrilya under command of leitenant Vladimir Minayev attacked some Ju 52/3ms in the air and Minayev destroyed one of them north of Zaporozhskiy by using RS-82 rockets. Another pilot from this group, serzhant A. Povitskiy attacked two other Ju 52/3ms and hit the engine on one of them causing the engine to start burning. He finished it off with RS-82 rockets; the wreck fell near the village of Plavenskiy. The third pilot, leitenant Chistev, destroyed the last Ju 52/3m near Melekhovskiy.
The I-153s didn’t suffer any losses but one aircraft was damaged by Flak.
Chistev ended the war with 1 biplane victory.
Claims:
Kill no. | Date | Time | Number | Type | Result | Plane type | Serial no. | Locality | Unit |
1943 | |||||||||
1 | 05/03/43 | morning | 1 | Ju 52/3m | Destroyed | I-153 | near Melekhovskiy | 611 IAP |
Biplane victories: 1 destroyed.
TOTAL: 1 destroyed.
Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936-1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Le Chaika et l’attaque au sol (Les I-153 dans le Caucaseet au Kouban en 1942-43) – Dmitriy Karlenko, 2003 Air Magazine No.17 dec 2003/jan 2004, kindly provided by Ondrej Repka
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov
Additional information kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.