Biplane fighter aces

Soviet Union

Kapitan Yevgeniy Dmitriyevich Petrov

1919 –

Yevgeniy Petrov was born in 1919.

He graduated from flight school in 1938.

Mladshiy leitenant Petrov took part in the Khalkhin Gol Incident from July 1939, flying Poliarpov I-153s in 70 IAP.

On 25 August 1939, 70 IAP was in combat with Ki-27s and mladshiy leitenant Petrov (I-153) claimed one during the day as did major Aleksey Slutskov (I-153). Starshiy leitenant Filipp Sergeyev (I-16) claimed one shared with another pilot between Dzhinzhin and Sume. This was possibly shared with leitenant Ivan Rodionov (I-16), who is known to have claimed one shared with another pilot at an unknown place during the day.

Petrov claimed one victory during the Khalkhin Gol Incident.

On 8 February 1940, the 5./7 IAP (15 pilot led by kapitan A. Ye. Mol’bin) arrived from 18 IAP of Far East Army Corps (DVK) after a departure on 26 January to take part in the Finnish-Soviet Winter War. Later also personnel of 70 IAP and 22 IAP (which both had fought in the Khalkhin Gol Incident in August 1939) arrived.
Kapitan Mol’bin was shot down by AA-fire at Tikkola and killed on 14 February, when escorting SB-bombers. Starshiy leitenant Iosef Geibo took over 5./7 IAP, which received I-153s from 17 February.

On 8 March, Finnish Blenheims from LeR 4 kept hammering the Soviet troops at the Gulf of Vyborg on 14 bombing missions while the fighters of LLv 24 flew 19 strafing missions. No Finnish aircraft were lost during the day.
It seems that the fighters from 7 IAP continued to intercept the Finnish aircraft and they claimed four Blenheims during the day.
Komissar Nikolay Antonov, major Iosef Khotelev and Pavlov (I-16s) claimed one Blenheim.
Georgiy Glotov and mladshiy leitenant Nikolay Ivanov of 3./7 IAP (I-153) claimed one Blenheim each.
Il’ya Kaynov, Petrov and leitenant Romanov of 5./7 IAP (I-153) claimed a shared Blenheim.

On 22 February 1941, he was decorated with the Order of the Red Banner.

When Germany invaded te Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, leitenant Petrov served in 92 IAP, flying Polikarpov I-153s.

He left 92 IAP in September 1941 and was posted to 172 IAP in October the same year. With this unit he flew LaGG-3s.

172 IAP became 172 SAP on 20 May 1942, when they became a mixed regiment.

He left 172 SAP in August 1942.

Between April and October 1943, he served in 178 IAP, which was equipped with La-5s.

On 1 May 1943, he was decorated with a second Order of the Red Banner.

Petrov ended the war with 1 biplane victory and a total of 3.
These were claimed during 308 combat missions (as of 1 April 1943).

Post-war he was decorated with the Order of the Red Star in 1954 and 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
  1939                
1 25/08/39   1 Ki-27 Destroyed I-153   Nomonhan 70 IAP
  1940                
  08/03/40   1/3 Blenheim (a) Shared destroyed I-153   Gulf of Vyborg 5./7 IAP
  1941                
  17/12/41   1/? Ju 87 Shared destroyed LaGG-3   LaGG-3 172 IAP
  17/12/41   1/? Ju 87 Shared destroyed LaGG-3     172 IAP
  17/12/41   1/? Ju 87 Shared destroyed LaGG-3     172 IAP
  17/12/41   1/? Ju 87 Shared destroyed LaGG-3     172 IAP
2 19/12/41   1 Ju 87 Destroyed LaGG-3     172 IAP
  1942                
3 18/03/42   1 Bf 109 Destroyed LaGG-3     172 IAP

Biplane victories: 1 and 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 3 and 5 shared destroyed.
(a) 7 IAP claimed 4 Blenheims during the day. These claims can’t be verified with Finnish records.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936–1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Red Stars 7 - Talvisota Ilmassa - The Winter War In the Air - Carl-Fredrik Geust, 2011 Apali Oy, Tampere, ISBN 978-952-5877-04-5
Suomen Ilmavoimat part II – 1928-40 – Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, 2006, ISBN 952-99743-0-2




Last modified 04 December 2021