Biplane fighter aces

Soviet Union

Leytenant Tarasov

In August 1941, Leytenant Tarasov served in the 153 IAP, which operated in the Leningrad area. This unit was equipped with I-153s and I-16s.

In the morning on 20 August, kapteeni Toivo Halonen of LLv 44 bombed with seven Blenheims, vessels outside Puutsaari and loading facilities there. Both the supply warehouses and vessels received several hits. Russian fighters patrolling the area sent down Blenheim BL-117 at 07:40, since the escort of the Brewster swarm of 1/LLv 24 was insufficient. The crew of BL-117, consisting of pilot lentomestari Väinö Helanto, observer vänrikki Poju Merikallio and gunner korprali Eino Laitila were all KIA.
The Blenheim had been shot down by two I-153s flown by Starshiy Leytenant Trubitsin and Leytenant Tarasov of 153 IAP, which claimed an enemy bomber (identified as a Ju 88) over the Karelian Isthmus.

Tarasov ended the war with 1 shared biplane victory.

Claims:
Kill no. Date Time Number Type Result Plane type Serial no. Locality Unit
  1941                
  20/08/41 07:40 ½ Blenheim (a) Shared destroyed I-153   Puutsaari 153 IAP

Biplane victories: 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 1 shared destroyed.
(a) Blenheim BL-117 of LLV 44 shot down and crew KIA.

Sources:
Suomen Ilmavoimat part III – 1941 – Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, 2007, ISBN 978-952-99743-1-3




Last modified 24 September 2007