Hi,
I compared statement from Sukhov's memoirs:
"Machine was new. Beautiful, impetuous, no scratches. The engine has gained only eight hours. Just yesterday we together with the mechanic painted - of course, using a stencil - a bright red star on the fuselage . And next - the number "50." I was destined to be with this plane and with this number until the end of the war."with info from Tabachenko's book:
1.) 16GIAP started on April with following P-39s (among others):
P-39D-2 S/N: 138424, 425
P-39K-1 S/N: 24445
P-39L-1 S/N: 24593, 601, 603
2.) May 15, 1943 ? six P-39N came, including Pokryshkin's 29004
May 17, 1943 ? P-39M-1 (24940) came, lost on May 29, 1943
May 27, 1943 ? P-39N (28985) flew
May 30, 1943 ? P-39N (28995) lost.
3.) Due to high loses in 16GIAP Sukhov and twelve other pilots together with six P-39 from 84IAP were transferred to 16GIAP on May 30, 1943.
Serials of transferred planes are: 138423 (P-39D-2), 24446 (P-39K-1), 24590 (P-39L-1), 24600 (P-39L-1), 24688 (P-39L-1) and 24703 (P-39L-1). Compare them with the serials above.
According to the serials and tables on
http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=1367.msg10905#msg10905 I estimated that D-2 version was produced sometimes in November 1941, e.g. on May 30 already 18 months old and those K-1 and L-1 were produced in July/August 1942, e.g. on May 30 some 10 months old. All that planes came to 16GIAP from 84IAP, not as a new planes from ZAP.
4.) Another P-39s came to 16GIAP after two weeks.
As we can see, 16GIAP used already M and N versions, when D-2, K-1 and L-1 came from 84IAP. So I am not sure whether we can consider those planes from 84IAP as new ones.
Moreover, I do not believe very much to this statement from Sukhov's memoirs:
"...yesterday we together with the mechanic painted - of course, using a stencil - a bright red star on the fuselage...I was destined to be with this plane and with this number until the end of the war".
P-39 came to SU with:
1.) either Bell transport marking (red star in white circle), e.g. there was no need to paint red stars,
2.) or standard USAF marking, then red stars were necessary to paint and blue circles kept (or overpaint with green) - but then
his (but not personal
) well known "50" with white circles should be a different plane. Or could be the same plane, but in that case Sukhov let paint white circles over former blue ones only in latter period during/after some overall repainting - see sharp contours of the white circle over sprayed two color background:
Note, red star on Sukhov's plane does not fit the white circle such preciously as on the original Bell transport marking:
Too conspirative?
regards,
66misos
