Yak-1B in BoS ? Russian ace Eryomin - 31 GIAP

[sevenless]

Hi,

 

just came across the soviet ace Eryomin while reading another book. Here is the quote and the scheme of his plane. Can we integrate 31 GIAP in BoS or generally make available the YaK-1B in BoS career?

 

Mellinger, George. Yakovlev Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (Kindle-Positionen 372-402). Bloomsbury Publishing. Kindle-Version.

 

Quote:  "But before returning to combat, Eryomin was transferred to 31 GIAP as its CO to replace the unit’s commander, who had just been killed. This unit had been selected as 8 Air Army’s tactical reconnaissance regiment. Its pilots flew mainly in pairs, occasionally in fours, and very rarely in greater numbers, although they also flew regular fighter missions. They also had less occasion for scoring victories. Combat was permitted only when necessary to enable them to return with vital information. When Eryomin arrived, he found the regiment’s morale shaken and its pilots disorganised. Each man flew and fought according to his own ideas, which obviously impaired discipline.

 

Eryomin received valuable reinforcements in the form of a group of experienced pilots from a recently-disbanded regiment, several of whom were destined to be made HSUs. On 1 December, in addition to other duties, Eryomin was also ordered to help with the interdiction of Luftwaffe transport aircraft that were attempting to supply Stalingrad.

 

Later that month Eryomin received a disturbing order from Gen Khryukin – fly back to Saratov to pick up a fighter. This instruction came in the middle of the great Soviet offensive, when every pilot and commander was needed at the front. To make matters worse, he was still new to his regiment. None of this mattered to Khryukin, as this was a special presentation aircraft. As the intended recipient, Eryomin had to attend the ceremony. The Yak had been donated by Ferapont Petrovich Golovatyi, and it was one of two fighters donated during the war by this collective farmer from the Saratov region. He had specified that his gift should go to the Stalingrad Front, and Eryomin was chosen to receive it because of his combat successes, and his fame in the well-publicised ‘Seven against 25 battle’ on 9 March. In addition, he came from the same district as the donor.

 

In January 1943 Eryomin’s regiment flew intensified reconnaissance missions over German forces beyond Stalingrad. It also provided the fighter escort for Il-2s and Pe-2s, resulting in more air combat and increased opportunities for victories. In mid February, Eryomin shot down a Ju 87 over Manych, noting that it was the third kill he had scored with Golovatyi’s Yak. Later in the month he downed a Ju 88 south of Bataisk. From March, 31 GIAP supported offensives launched at the Mius River and near Taganrog, on the north coast of the Sea of Azov. It then helped in the fight to liberate southern Ukraine and the Donbass region."

 

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by sevenless

[LukeFF]

The Yak-1B we have is a post-Stalingrad model.

[sevenless]

6 hours ago, LukeFF said:

The Yak-1B we have is a post-Stalingrad model.

 

Thanks, I already assumed something like that. What exactly is the difference and would it be possible to reuse the current model to stand in for the early model used in the Stalingrad timeframe?

[LukeFF]

2 hours ago, sevenless said:

 

Thanks, I already assumed something like that. What exactly is the difference and would it be possible to reuse the current model to stand in for the early model used in the Stalingrad timeframe?

 

I'm not sure exactly, but it probably has to do with aerodynamic improvements. 

[sevenless]

Very mysterious and not comprehensibly without further details.