Soviet Union
Leytenant P. Ivanov
Soviet Union
Leytenant P. Ivanov
In October 1942, Leytenant P. Ivanov served in the 7 IAP-KBF.
On 4 October 1942, luutnantti Paltila led a patrol of three I-153s on a reconnaissance flight to Lavansaari when it became involved in a dogfight with five Soviet I-153s. Early in the engagement, IT-17 was shot down and the pilot 28-years-old vääpeli Kaarlo Olavi Salminen drowned. Vänrikki Olavi Puro of 3/LeLv 6 reported:
“Mission time 08:10-09:25.They had been in combat with I-153s from 71 IAP-KBF, which reported that at 08:47-09:15 two I-153s took off from Lavansaari for interception, piloted by Starshiy Leytenant N. Kutsheryaviy and Leytenant Ivanov. South of the island, they encountered at 300 metres altitude three Finnish I-153s and attacked them by launching the rockets and continuing with machinegun fire to 50 metres. In the next opposite direction firing, one Finn was hit and came down south-west of Lavansaari. The I-153s of Starshiy Leytenant I. Goslov and Leytenant Georgiy Belyakov arrived as reinforcements, damaging one of the Finns with rockets to such extent that it could not make it to the coast on the return flight and went in the sea. There were no own losses.
We were on a regular reconnaissance mission with three aircraft, luutnantti Paltila leading the patrol. When going around Lavansaari we went down to the deck due to strong flak. On the west side of the island three Russian Chaikas attacked us from above and after a while two more arrived on the scene. A fierce curving battle turned out and the Russians favoured shooting from opposite directions. Early in the combat I observed vääpeli Salminen’s plane IT-17 turn on its back at about 150 m altitude and then go in a vertical dive into the sea 2-3 km south of the island. I fired at several aircraft from straight ahead and in a turn without any significant results. Finally I got rid of the carousel and was able to climb 300-400 metres altitude, from where I could begin diving and hitting the Russians. Now I could surprise one Chaika approaching from the sun and shot a burst to its engine from 50 metres. A strong black-grey cloud of smoke puffed from the plane and it headed in a shallow dive towards Lavansaari airfield, turning on its back and going into the sea about 1.5 km from the shore. I fired at a few planes still, but then one took me by surprise from the sun hitting my aileron, which was damaged to such an extent that I was forced to break off.
My plane IT-18, which had 7 hits.
Ammunition spent 1,500 rounds.”
Ivanov ended the war with 1 shared biplane victory.
Claims:
| Kill no. | Date | Time | Number | Type | Result | Plane type | Serial no. | Locality | Unit |
| 1942 | |||||||||
| 04/10/42 | 08:47-09:15 | ½ | I-153 (a) | Shared destroyed | I-153 | Lavansaari | 7 IAP-KBF |
Biplane victories: 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 1 shared destroyed.
(a) Claimed in combat with I-153s from 3/LeLv 6, which claimed one Russian I-153 while suffering one I-153 lost. 71 IAP-KBF claimed two Finnish I-153s without losses.
Sources:
Suomen Ilmavoimat part IV – 1942 – Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, 2007, ISBN 978-952-99743-2-0
