Biplane fighter aces

Soviet Union

Leitenant Petr Pavlovich Kopeykin

1920 –

Petr Kopeykin was born in 1920.

Serzhant Kopeykin was posted to 35 IAP in January 1942 and left this unit in June 1942.

In July 1942, he was posted to 926 IAP-PVO and with this unit, he flew Polikarpov I-153s.

On 23 August, I-153s from 926 IAP-PVO intercepted Ju 87s north-west of Gumrak Station. One was claimed shot down by leitenant Ivan Chernikov and a second by Kopeykin. Five more were claimed as shot down as shared among seven pilots – four of these pilots were leytenant Chernikov, mladshiy leitenant Petr Ovsyannikov, mladshiy leitenant Aleksandr Shatskiy and Kopeykin.

On 25 August, the pilots without aircraft arrived at Srednyaya Akhtuba airfield.
12 pilots from the regiment were posted to 102 IAD on 5 September and Kopeykin was one of these, being posted to 629 IAP.
With this regiment he was to fly I-153s, I-16s, Hurricanes, Yak-1s and Kittyhawks.

Kopeykin was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class on 5 November 1942.

Kopeykin left 629 IAP in March 1943.

In May 1943, he was posted to 907 IAP, which was equipped with La-5s.

On 18 May 1944, he was decorated with the Order of the Red Banner.

Kopeykin ended the war with 3 biplane victories and a total of 4.
These had been claimed during 212 combat missions and 56 air combats.

Post-war Kopeykin was decorated ”For Combat Merit” on 30 December 1956 and with the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class on 11 March 1985.

Claims:
Kill no. Date Time Number Type Result Plane type Serial no. Locality Unit
  1942                
1 23/08/42   1 Ju 87 Destroyed I-153   NW Gumrak Station 926 IAP-PVO
  23/08/42   1/7 Ju 87 Shared destroyed I-153   NW Gumrak Station 926 IAP-PVO
  23/08/42   1/7 Ju 87 Shared destroyed I-153   NW Gumrak Station 926 IAP-PVO
  23/08/42   1/7 Ju 87 Shared destroyed I-153   NW Gumrak Station 926 IAP-PVO
  23/08/42   1/7 Ju 87 Shared destroyed I-153   NW Gumrak Station 926 IAP-PVO
  23/08/42   1/7 Ju 87 Shared destroyed I-153   NW Gumrak Station 926 IAP-PVO
2 12/09/42   1 Ju 87 Destroyed I-153   Stalingrad Front 629 IAP
3 15/09/42   1 Bf 109 Destroyed I-153   Stalingrad Front 629 IAP
  1943                
4 22/05/43   1 Ju 87 Destroyed La-5   Kursk area 907 IAP
  22/05/43   1/2 He 111 Shared destroyed La-5   Voronezh Air Defense District 907 IAP

Biplane victories: 3 and 5 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 4 and 6 shared destroyed.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936-1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov




Last modified 16 May 2021