P-39N-0, serial number 42-9004, board number “100”

Updated on July 10, 2015
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This is the profile of the next P-39 flown by Pokryshkin - P-39N-0, Serial No. 29004, Board no. 100.

Main features:
- propeller spinner in Olive Drab,
- propeller spinner with the 37mm cannon,
- grey propeller blades with black stencils and without yellow tips,
- no red tail tip,
- red stars with thin black outline are painted on 6 positions, over standard USAAF stars,
- blue circles under the red stars are overpainted green,
- 30 (6+24) victory marks.

This plane was delivered to 16 GIAP on 15-May-1943, only 3 weeks after P-39D-2 S/N: 138520 and month plus something after P-39K-1, S/N: 24421.
Its fate is a bit controversial. This P-39 was damaged at the end of July or beginning of August 1943 (depends on sources) and written off from 16GIAP. Then it served as a training plane in the different unit until 1944 and destroyed after the war (again depends on sources).


Finally, this I found in the Pokryshkin’s book Nebo vojny (Sky of War) about replacement his old “13” with new “100”:


I flew almost all time on the plane with board number 13 and shot down more than 20 enemy planes. But when new Airacobras with the stronger armament arrived, I decided to take one of them.  Stepanov received my “13”. He did not want to fly with “13” so they pained 0 behind 13. He was shot down during the first fight. Now I have also three-digit number on my plane and I have got order not to call with my name because German fighters already hunt me. I try to call with my new number but it was very difficult to pronounce. Boys laugh.
- Paint me hundred! I told them.
- Here hundred, here hundred. Short and clear, isn’t it?
Since that I flew plane with board number „100“.


Details are different from those in the Suchov’s book but motivation – to replace the old one with the new one with the stronger armament – is the same.
It shows again that Pokryshkin flew Airacobra with 20mm cannon at the beginning.


Although the memoirs are not very reliable, I would add another shortened part of the article from the Suchov’s (pilot in 16 GIAP since May 30, 1943) book Eskadrilja vedet boj (Squadron is fighting) about the moment when Pokryshkin's "100" was damaged:
"At noon on August 1st our squadron landed at the field not far from the village with the beautiful name of Lubimoe...
Area of operations ... the river Mius is shallow now, it is hard to see her. And front passes just along the river.
Sultry day is fading. Weather is calm, windless…
Suddenly, our five Il-2 flew at low level, and the sixth one smoking behind them. The plane is literally above us and descending. We clearly see the hole in the left hull and wing. How only did it stay in the air?
Stormovik suddenly hit the ground, makes a few jumps. And then sparking machine guns shots from the Stormovik flew in the direction of our KP, scattered over the dugout (zemlanka) and over the plane standing beside it with the tail number "100".
I hear chirping of jerky gun shots. What is he doing? People standing on the roof of the dugout and on the slope near the plane, rushed in all directions - some fled, some fell on the ground. Stormovik turned to the left, its right wing almost touches the “100”. Pokryshkin, who was on the wing, was also on the ground in a moment…
Some dark things split off from Stormovik and flew down. Bombs..."


Igor Zlobin wrote me in the mail:
P-39N-BE no. 29004 was written off on 3-Aug-1943 after accident when young pilot crashed into it with IL-2 and the aircraft was sent for repair and subsequently transferred to another unit. The fact of the young pilot accident says that Pokryshkin flew already another plane in August. And the beginning of operation is possible after 10-May.
I did not find any mention about this event in the Pokryshkin's memoirs Nebo vojny (Sky of War).

HOWEVER,
this is a shortened part of the article from Suchov’s (pilot in 16 GIAP since May 30, 1943) book Eskadrilja vedet boi (Squadron is fighting) about the moment when Pokryshkin exchanged his old „13“ with the new „100“:
In mid-July ... We stopped by a fighter with the tail number "13". It is well known commander’s plane. Actually his former plane.  "Thirteenth" already did its job…fought many fights, many forsages during hot days. It's time to change the engine...
Nearby is the aircraft... almost new one. To beat "Junkers" and "Heinkels" – it needs more powerful weapons. And here it is: a 37-millimeter cannon ...
Pokryshkin is weighing the possibility of one and the other plane. He knows "thirteenth", he likes her. Or to take a new one?
Pokryshkin strode towards a new plane.
- Comrade Captain, what number to paint?
- The “One” has to be for the regiment commander.
- He did not fly, he is "sick" all the time - Sasha Klubov says.
- All the same, is not allowed! - says Pokryshkin.
- Then the “ten"!
- It is better to "thirty", the number of kills - says Regiment Engineer Captain Kopylov.
Lieutenant Nikolai Trofimov says with a smile:
- We must look forward - to count to one hundred ...
 - Write "hundred"! – Alexander succumbed to the general mood, too, laughed, waved his hand:
- Okay, if “one hundred” then “one hundred”. Paint it!
From that day a new call sign was approved for Pokryshkin: Hundredth ...


Of course, those memories are not always very reliable source. Also dialogues looks quite artificial. However, at least Pokryshkin’s motivation to exchange planes could be true.

The profile is based on the only known photo showing both serial and board number:


Here http://www.airaces.narod.ru/all2/babak.htm are the only photos of the P-39 with the similar serial noumber I was able to find:

 

It is P-39N-0, S/N: 29033, flown by Babak and latter by Dolnikov. Unfortunately it is retouched too much.

 

The close inspection of the original photo shows details that provoke more questions than answers:

- does this photo show plane undergoing repair after the damage on July/august 1943? Note supporting construction and missing cover of the left main landing gear.
- is the tail tip of the different color than basic camo (OD) or is it only a light reflection with the dark fuzzy trim, e.g. - panel line, same as on the some photos of the original US Cobras?
- is the propeller spinner of the different color than basic camo (OD)?
- what is that regular pattern visible on the left front fuselage? Optical illusion, or victory stars or what?
- were blue circles under the red stars or not?
- was that still Pokryshkin's plane when photographed?

However, photo shows that:
- there is no white outline of the red stars and no white trim on the tail visible on this photo of P-39 S/N: 42-9004,
- white board number “100”, although white is quite apparent,
- dark propeller blades has the producer logo and bright stencils, so as standard for such new Aeriproducts proprllers, blades should be black with yellow stencils and yellow tips.


 

 

The quotations from Sukhov's book "Eskadrilja vedet boj" about Pokryshkin:
1st August 1943
Pokryshkin’s P-39 S/N: 29004 damaged by Il-2 and written off.
5th August 1943
We fly in six. Golubev in pair with Pokryshkin, 2nd pair Klubov and Samsonov, I (Sukhov) fly with Zherdev.
- Here is Hundredth, turn left 120...
I am switching radio to reply and shouting:
- Hundredth! Bombers..
13th August 1943
- We fly in six, - explains Alexander Ivanovich (Pokryshkin)... me and Golubev will be on altitude 9000...
“Hundred“ finishing turn goes towards the Junkers...

21st August 1943
we take off... I clearly see Pokryshkin’s „100“ in the front...
Zherdev clearly saw number „100“ on his plane - Commander without covering? Where is his wingman? 
Flying formation – „etazherka“, the first four planes attacking, the second four planes covering. Group is leading by Pokryshkin.
2nd September 1943
Our six took off. Me (Sukhov) with Zherdev in the second pair. Leader – Pokryshkin.
20th September 1943
we advanced to the river Molochnoy – well known line „Votan“... Several day gone. „Hundred“ taxied to the parking lot, engine stopped. Door (on the plane) opens, Alexander Ivanovich (Pokryshkin) steps on the wing...And here Tabachenko quotes from Pokryshkin’s book "Poznat seba v boju“ (Know yourself in fight):
February 1945 ... I (e.g. Pokryshkin) fly in a pair of fighter planes... Aslan below us... I communicate via radio with the front (advanced) command, I hear - Hundredth, landing strip is not suitable for landing...
Simply war cameramen filmed famous airforce colonel - division commander - in this plane (apparently they wanted to show a lot of little stars - symbols of victories)... But Alexandr Pokryshkin flew on this plane only occasionally (all planes in the unit "belongs" to division commander), and Grigorij Rechkalov as absolute master(?) of this aircraft, not only successfully fought on it, but also finished the war.


If all that is true, IMHO it shows:
1.) Pokryshkin had another P-39 "100" after his P-39 "100" S/N: 29004 was written off. But of what S/N? 42-19158?
2.) Pokryshkin had ho victory stars on his P-39.

 

UPDATE November 24, 2013


The interesting photo of Pokryshkin (as Captain) standing on the P-39 with 30 victory marks was posted at http://shot.qip.ru/00dSSY-319yBhsOL4/

Photo was originally published in the central VVS newspaper “Stalin's Falcons” on June 5, 1943. According to the http://vif2ne.ru/nvi/forum/0/0.htm Pokryshkin won his 30th victory on May 14 and the 31st victory on May 29. He was promoted to Major in June 1943.
Unfortunately (again) neither serial number nor board number is visible.– The first six victory stars on top line seems to be fully painted, outlined white or yellow, the rest seems to be only white stencils sprayed or painted over mask.
Red star without darker circle background and without white outline is visible on the left upper wing, in place of the original USAF marking - white star in blue circle, so blue repainted by green, common at that time, is apparent.
Look at coincidence with this photo - six apparent blotches are visible exactly where one would expect six red-white or yellow outlined victory stars. White stencils style stars are not so apparent, but some blotches still visible.

However, photo of the P-39 “100” with raised nose is obviously retouched, so exhaust stains could be retouched/added too. It is possible that both photos were taken during one session at the end of May 1943.

Here is Pokryshkin standing in front of P-39. Although type and serial number stenciled on the fuselage is (again) retouched, the last digit of the serial number - 4 – seems to be visible. According to Pokryshkin’s rank and medals the photo was probably taken in May ’43, so it is probably the same plane (P-39N-0 “100” 29004) and event as on the photo above.

 

 

 

 

 


Upper profile shows probably Pokryshkin's plane how it looked at the end of May 1943, while the bottom profile shows the same plane how it could look at the end of July 1943, with additional 6 victory stars.
Full discussion to this update can be found at http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/board/index.php?topic=1367.msg13074#msg13074

 

Updated on July 10th, 2015:


Based on the recent discussions at the Russian forums http://scalemodels.ru/
and http://vif2ne.ru/nvi/forum (forum at the airforce.ru site) and also on the conclusions at www.sovietwarplanes.com forum I made updated profile of Pokryshkin's "Sotka".