Soviet Union
Polkovnik Dimitrii Vasilyevich Yermakov HSU
Dimitrii Yermakov was born on 2 November 1920 in Kuvshinovo in the Kalinin area.
He entered military service in 1940 and graduated from Batai Army Air School in 1942.
Between May 1942 and April 1943, he served with 286 IAP, which equipment included Polikarpov I-153s.
On 22 October 1942, he claimed a Bf 109 while flying an I-153.
He claimed his second victory with the I-153 on 14 January 1943.
In April 1943, he transferred to the 159 IAP, which was an elite regiment on the Leningrad front. With this unit he flew P-40s but later switched to the La-5, which he continued to do until the end of the war.
He was promoted to Starshiy Leytenant and flight leader.
On 9 June, the Russians launched a major assault on the Finnish on the Karelian Isthmus. during the fighting of the day, the 159 IAP claimed four victories over the area when Starshiy Leytenant Yermakov claimed one Fiat and one Fokker while Starshiy Serzhant Vasily Mikhailovich Semenov claimed one Fiat and one Bf109.
These claims can't be verified with Finnish losses.
On 11 June 1944, Starshiy Leytenant Yermakov flew as Starshiy Leytenant Valentin Vedeneyev’s wingman when they encountered six Finnish Fiats over the Karelian Isthmus. Vedeneyev shot down one of them while Yermakov claimed two more of them.
These claims can't be verified with Finnish losses.
Starshiy Leytenant Yermakov claimed a Bf109 over the Karelian Isthmus on 12 June.
This claim can't be verified with Finnish losses.
Taking off at 06:20 on 17 June, the commander of 1/HLeLv 24, luutnantti Lauri Nissinen (MT-229), led ten Bf109s to intercept ten bombers, assault planes and fighters attacking from 2000 meters the Finnish positions at the Kaukjärvi-Perkjärvi area. A La-5 of 159 IAP shot the wing off of top division's leader luutnantti Urho Sarjamo’s aircraft (MT-227) over Perkjärvi and the wreck fell on Nissinen’s Messerschmitt killing both pilots instantly. In spite of this, the Finnish pilots shot down three fighters and four Il-2s. These were claimed by luutantti Olavi Puro (MT-246) who claimed one La-5 and a shared Il-2 over Hämeenkyla between 06:20-07:10. The Il-2 was shared with lentomestari Viktor Pyötsiä (MT-244) who also claimed another Il-2 from 448 ShAP over Kaukjärvi between 06:25-07:25. Luutnantti Lasse Kilpinen (MT-206) claimed an Il-2 from 448 ShAP over Suulajärvi between 06:20-07:15. Luutantti Eero Riihikallio (MT-213) claimed a La-5 over Vammeljärvi between 06:20-07:20. Luutantti Kai Metsola (MT-231) claimed an Il-2 from 448 ShAP over Hämeenkylä between 06:25-07:25. Vänrikki Heimo Lampi (MT-235) claimed a La-5 over Vammeljärvi between 06:30-07:40.
It seems that luutnantti Sarjamo was shot down by Starshiy Leytenant Yermakov of 159 IAP, who claimed a Bf109 over Summa.
Luutnantti Joel Savonen took command of 1/HLeLv 24 after the loss of luutnantti Nissinen.
On 22 June, Starshiy Leytenant Yermakov claimed a Bf 109 over the Karelian Isthmus.
On 28 June, Sub Lieutenant Yermakov attacked a group of Ju 87s over Viborg and shot down 2 of them.
It is believed that he claimed a total of 8 victories over the Karelian Isthmus in June 1944.
On 10 July, he attacked a group of Ju 88s. Bf 109s escorted this group and he claimed one Ju 88 and one Bf 109.
In November 1944, he was promoted to Leytenant.
He was decorated with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin on 23 February 1945 after having claimed 25 victories in 322 sorties and 54 air combats as of November 1944.
During the war he was also decorated with the Order of the Red Banner (three times), The Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class and the Order of the Red Star (three times).
Yermakov ended the war with 2 biplane victories and a total of 25.
After the war he remained in the VVS and took part in the Korean War.
During his service in Korea, he served in the 224 IAP of the 32 IAD.
At 16:10 on 7 April 1953, six MiG-15s of the 224 IAP (led by Starshy Leytenant Anisimov) battled with four F-86s in the area of Kizjo at an altitude of 13,000 meters. At 16:40 upon approach to Dapu airfield, Mayor Yermakov together with his wingman Starshy Leytenant Grigorii N. Berelidze’s attacked one F-86, which was pursuing Starshy Leytenant Ugryumov at an altitude of 1,000-1,500 meters. Starshy Leytenant Berelidze shot down one F-86 from a distance of 400 meters at a 14 quartering angle. The pilot was Captain Harold E. Fischer (10 victories) (service number A02204126), Flight Commander in the 39th Air Squadron, 51st Wing, who was taken prisoner. Before he was shot down Fischer managed to shot down Ugryumov.
It seems that Yermakov also fired on Fischer’s aircraft but officially the victory was credited to Berelidze.
On 10 June, Yermakov claimed an F-86. That day MiG-15s of the 224 and 913 IAPs scrambled to face a group of attacking F-86s, which approached to attack Dapu airbase in Manchuria, and four kills were credited without Soviet losses; Semen A. Fedorets, Aleksandr K. Popov (both 913 IAP), Yermakov and Starshy Leytenant Vasilievsky (both 224 IAP).
It is possible the one of the F-86s was flown by Robert Coury from the 12th FBS, who was reportedly shot down by AA fire “barely” north of the 38th Parallel and taken POW. If he was shot down by fighters he was most likely shot down by Fedorets. A second aircraft was reported lost the next day when Floyd W. Salze (25th FIS) was killed in action due to ‘engine failure’ on his F-86F (BuNo 51-2938). It is possible that this is the F-86 claimed by Yerkamov the previous day.
On 14 June, Yermakov claimed a second F-86. This was probably a F-86F (BuNo 51-2923) of 334th FIS flown by Richard W. Frailey, who was killed.
Yermakov retired in 1958 as a Polkovnik with a total of 27 victories.
He then moved back with his family to Kuvshinovo.
Claims:
| Kill no. | Date | Time | Number | Type | Result | Plane type | Serial no. | Locality | Unit |
| 1942 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22/10/42 | 1 | Bf 109 | Destroyed | I-153 | 286 IAP | |||
| 1943 | |||||||||
| 2 | 14/01/43 | 1 | Bf 109 | Destroyed | I-153 | 286 IAP | |||
| 1944 | |||||||||
| 3 | 02/04/44 | 1 | Ju 87 | Destroyed | 159 IAP | ||||
| 4 | 20/04/44 | 1 | Fw 190 | Destroyed | 159 IAP | ||||
| 5 | 21/04/44 | 1 | Ju 87 | Destroyed | 159 IAP | ||||
| 6 | 09/06/44 | 1 | Fiat (a) | Destroyed | La-5 | Karelian Isthmus | 159 IAP | ||
| 7 | 09/06/44 | 1 | Fokker (a) | Destroyed | La-5 | Karelian Isthmus | 159 IAP | ||
| 8 | 11/06/44 | 1 | Fiat (b) | Destroyed | La-5 | Karelian Isthmus | 159 IAP | ||
| 9 | 11/06/44 | 1 | Fiat (b) | Destroyed | La-5 | Karelian Isthmus | 159 IAP | ||
| 10 | 12/06/44 | 1 | Bf 109 (c) | Destroyed | La-5 | Karelian Isthmus | 159 IAP | ||
| 11 | 17/06/44 | 06:25 | 1 | Bf 109 (d) | Destroyed | La-5 | Perkjärvi | 159 IAP | |
| 12 | 19/06/44 | 1 | Bf 109 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 13 | 22/06/44 | 1 | Bf 109 | Destroyed | La-5 | Karelian Isthmus | 159 IAP | ||
| 14 | 28/06/44 | 1 | Ju 87 | Destroyed | La-5 | Viborg area | 159 IAP | ||
| 15 | 28/06/44 | 1 | Ju 87 | Destroyed | La-5 | Viborg area | 159 IAP | ||
| 16 | 09/07/44 | 1 | Bf 109 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 17 | 10/07/44 | 1 | Bf 109 | Destroyed | La-5 | Viborg area | 159 IAP | ||
| 18 | 10/07/44 | 1 | Ju 88 | Destroyed | La-5 | Viborg area | 159 IAP | ||
| 19 | 25/07/44 | 1 | Fw 190 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 20 | 28/07/44 | 1 | Fw 190 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 21 | 30/07/44 | 1 | Fw 190 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 22 | 07/08/44 | 1 | Fw 190 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 23 | 19/09/44 | 1 | Fw 190 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 24 | 22/09/44 | 1 | Fw 190 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 25 | 02/10/44 | 1 | Ju 88 | Destroyed | La-5 | 159 IAP | |||
| 1953 | |||||||||
| 26 | 10/06/53 | 1 | F-86 (e) | Destroyed | MiG-15bis | Dapu area | 224 IAP | ||
| 27 | 14/06/53 | 1 | F-86 (f) | Destroyed | MiG-15bis | Korea | 224 IAP |
Biplane victories: 1 destroyed.
TOTAL: 27 destroyed.
(a) These claims can’t be verified with Finnish records.
(b) These claims can't be verified with Finnish losses.
(c) This claim can't be verified with Finnish losses.
(d) Possibly luutnantti Urho Sarjamo (MT-227) of HLeLv 24 KIA.
(e) Possibly F-86F BuNo 51-2938. Floyd W. Salze of 25th FIS KIA.
(f) Possibly F-86F BuNo 51-2923. Richard W. Frailey of 334th FIS KIA.
Sources:
# Быков, Михаил Юрьевич: Асы Великой Отечественной. Самые результативные летчики 1941-1945 гг., Яуза, Эксмо, 2007 г., ISBN: 978-5-699-20526-4 kindly provided by Jan Safarik.
# Быков, Михаил Юрьевич: Советские асы 1941-1945. Победы Сталинских соколов, Яуза, Эксмо, 2008 г., ISBN 978-5-699-30919-1 kindly provided by Jan Safarik.
# Сейдов, И.: Красные дьяволы в небе Кореи. Советская авиация в войне 1950-1953 гг. Хроника воздушных сражений, Яуза - Эксмо 2007, ISBN: 978-5-699-19160-4 kindly provided by Jan Safarik.
Sovetskiye asy - Nikolay Bodrikhin, 1998 kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.
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
Stars & Bars - Frank Olynyk, 1995 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-17-5
Suomen Ilmavoimat part VI – 1944 – Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, 2008, ISBN 978-952-99743-5-1
Additional info kindly provided by Kari Lumppio, Jan Safarik and Diego Fernando Zampini.