P-39K-1, serial number 42-4421, board number "130"
Updated on November 23, 2013
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This is profile of Pokryshkin's first plane, P-39K-1, S/N: 24421, board no. "130" .
This plane was in 16GIAP together with the first P-39s. According to Romanenko, Pokrishkin flew this P-39K-1 from April 02 to June 20. It was then re-numbered to "130" and passed to Samsonov who flew on it till October 1943. Pokryshkin get reward 5000 rubels for 100 combat flights without aircraft damage, crash and without lost of orientation in the plane P-39 serial no. 24421 during time period from 9-Apr to 20-Jun 1943 (no board no. mentioned). Tt is quite safe to consider plane P-39K-1 serial no. 24421 had board no. 130 and was flown by Pokryshkin regularly.
According to the Tabachenko's book P-39K-1, 42-4421 (24421) was delivered to 16th GIAP on 8-Apr-1943. That day group of 22 P-39s under command of Isaev flew to the front. Pokryshkin was part of this group. It means that Isaev, commander od 16th GIAP, already had his own plane. Pokryshkin flew different plane. No. 138520 had still 2 weeks to come a part of 16th GIAP.
10-Apr-1943 (p.40), 07:48, 6 P-39 (Teterin-Starchikov, Bereznoy-Sapunov, Naumenko-Sutyrin),
                            08:55, 6 P-39 (Pokryshkin-Paskeev, Shagov-Ostrovskij, Kozlov-Golubev),
                            09:55, 5 P-39 (Iskrin, Naumenko, Bereznoj, Sutyrin, Savin)
                            totally used 12 shells 20mm, no 37mm shell.
                            14:30, 12 P-39 (Kryukov, Pokryshkin, Rechkalov, Stepanov, Shagov, Iskrin, Naumenko, Bereznoy, Starchikov, Sapunov, Nikitin, Savin)
                            neither 20mm nor 37mm cannon shell spent,
                            14:50, 4 P-39 (Tabachenko-Mametov, Ostrovskij-Paskeev) - no fight,
                            16:20, 8 P-39 (Fadeyev, Fedorov, Trud, Erchov, Chesnokov, Moiseenko, Gorochov, Efimov) - no fight,
                            16:55, 9 P-39 (Teterin, Iskrin, Naumenko, Rechkalov, Savin, Sapunov, Bereznoy, Nikitin, Starchikov),
                            17:35, 10 P-39 (Pokryshkin, Shulga, Shagov, Isaev, Kryukov, Paskaev, Ostrovskiy, Mametov, Tabachenko, Stepanov)
17-Apr-1943 (p.61), 10:05, 11 P-39 (Pokryshkin-Paskeev, Rechkalov, Tabachenko, Bereznoy, Sapunov, Iskrin, Sutyrin, Fadeev, Trud, Ershov). According to the combat diary of the 16 GIAP, Pokryshkin flew “130” on 17-Apr-1943:

15:32, 2x6 P-39 (Fadeev-Trud, Mochalov-Savin, Iskrin-Sutyrin and Bereznoy-Sapunov, Rechkalov-Tabachenko, Paskayev-Shagov).


As the same plane “130” was most probably flown also on 10-Apr-1943, repainting "13" to "130" does not look very probably on this plane. Question is what plane had board no. "13".The profile, focused more on the camouflage and marking for modeler purpose than on the construction details, shows:
- propeller spinner in Olive Drab,
- propeller spinner with the 37mm cannon,
- black propeller blades with yellow stencils and yellow tips,
- no red tail tip,
- red stars with thin black outline are painted over standard USAAF stars on 6 positions,
- blue circles under the red stars are overpainted,
- no victory marks:

According to the Pokryshkin's memoirs evolution of the board number was following:

 

As there is not known photo of this plane with visible serial and board number I used following photos as references from the same time period:

1.) planes with the very similar serial no. showing:
     - red star on the fuselage without any (visible) circle bellow it,
     - propeller spinner of the same color as fuselage,

Russian text: "On 24415 ... red star is poorly distinguishable on the dark green... (enhanced by retouch)."

 


2.) plane showing:
     - red star on the right upperwing without any (visible) circle bellow it,
     - yellow tips in the propeller blades:

 

3.) Planes (on b&w photos #2,3,4,5) with no visible or very subtle visible darker circle bellow red star on the fuselage:

None of these planes shows red tail tip.