Biplane fighter aces

Soviet Union

Podpolkovnik Viktor Iosifovich Krupskiy HSU

21 December 1921 – 10 September 2000

Viktor Krupskiy was born on 21 December 1921 in Kremenchug and learned to fly in an aeroclub.

He joined the army in 1939 and attended the Chuguyevsk Military Air School from which he graduated in 1940.

In July 1941, he was served in 147 IAP on the Karelian Front, flying I-153s.

On 3 September, five I-153s from 147 IAP claimed a shared Hs 126 over Alakurtti. Pilots taking part in the claim included leitenant Aleksandr Zhgun, Vasiliy Korolev and mladshiy leitenant Krupskiy.

In January 1942, a number of pilots was posted away from 147 IAP to 760 IAP. These pilots included Aleksandr Zhgun and Krupskiy.
760 IAP was equipped with Hawker Hurricanes and also operated on the Karelian Front.

On 21 February 1942, six Hurricanes from 760 IAP claimed four shared Bf 109s over Kovda-Knasha. Pilots taking part in these claims included Aleksandr Zhgun, Vasiliy Korolev and Krupskiy.

On 24 March 1942, he was promoted to flight commander.

In December 1942, starshiy leitenant Krupskiy was transferred to 20 GIAP (this was his old 147 IAP which had become a Guards unit on 7 March 1942) where he commanded the 5th eskadrilya. This unit was equipped with Kittyhawks.

On 22 February 1943, both Vasiliy Korolev and Krupskiy were decorated with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin.

He claimed a Bf 109 over Luostari airfield on 25 March 1943 before being shot down and seriously wounded.
He was hospitalized and didn’t fly any combat missions after this.

He left 20 GIAP in August 1944.

Krupskiy ended the war with 2 biplane victories and a total of 9.
These were claimed on 330 sorties and 32 combats.

Krupskiy was demobilized in 1946 as a Podpolkovnik.

He passed away on 10 September 2000 and is buried in Orel.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
1	20/07/41		1	Bf 110	Destroyed	I-153		Murmansk	147 IAP
2	02/08/41		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	I-153		Bol'shaya Zapadnaya Litsa	147 IAP
	02/08/41		1/5	Hs 126	Shared destroyed	I-153		Alakurtti	147 IAP
	1942
3	24/01/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Hurricane		Kovda River station	760 IAP
	21/02/42		1/6	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Hurricane		Kovda-Knasha	760 IAP
	21/02/42		1/6	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Hurricane		Kovda-Knasha	760 IAP
	21/02/42		1/6	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Hurricane		Kovda-Knasha	760 IAP
	21/02/42		1/6	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Hurricane		Kovda-Knasha	760 IAP
	23/02/42		1/3	Bf 110	Shared destroyed	Hurricane		NW Artic Circle station	760 IAP
4	09/06/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Hurricane		Sig station	760 IAP
	13/06/42		1/3	Ju 88	Shared destroyed	Hurricane		Lake Pongoma	760 IAP
5	13/06/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Hurricane		Pingosalma	760 IAP
6	08/07/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Hurricane		Lake Keret	760 IAP
7	14/07/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Hurricane		W Keret	760 IAP
	1943
	20/03/43		1/8	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Kittyhawk		Murmashi-Shonguy-Taybola	5./20 GIAP
	20/03/43		1/8	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Kittyhawk		Murmashi-Shonguy-Taybola	5./20 GIAP
	20/03/43		1/8	Bf 109	Shared destroyed	Kittyhawk		Murmashi-Shonguy-Taybola	5./20 GIAP
8	20/03/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Kittyhawk		Maiatalo airfield	5./20 GIAP
9	25/03/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Kittyhawk		Luostari airfield	5./20 GIAP

Biplane victories: 2 and 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 9 and 10 shared destroyed.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936–1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov
Stalin's Eagles - Hans D. Seidl, 1998 Schiffer Publishing, ISBN 0-7643-0476-3
Stalin's Falcons - Tomas Polak and Christhoper Shores, 1999 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-01-2
Additional information kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.