P-39Q-30 of S.I. Korobov, 28 giap, 5 giad by Michal Sekula
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This is P-39Q-30 profile of S.I. Korobov, leader of the 2nd pair of Mukhin’s flight from 28 giap, 5 giad:
This profile is based on photo and info from interview at http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/articles/ovsyannikov/index.htm
HSU Anatoliy Vasilevich Kislyakov. He did not wear
his Hero star for personal reasons.
81 is the aircraft of Korobov, leader of 2nd pair of Mukhin’s flight.
28 giap together with 68 giap and 72 giap belonged to the same
5 giad. Regimental marking of 28 giap was white propeller spinner and (at least)
in this time period white band on the rear fuselage.
This plane is interesting with regimental marking. Although it is from the same
unit as Baranov’s “28” or Ovsyannikov’s “42“
– 28 giap of 5 giad, it does not have the white band painted on the tail
but on the rear fuselage. Note tree-blades propeller and loop antenna under
the rear fuselage.
The appearance of Korobov’s plane is based on the analysis of the high
resolution photo kindly provided by Oleg Korytov:
There is dark vertical band visible on the rudder - it looks like repainted original white band, similar to the plane "28" from the same unit, see http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/board/index.php?topic=1714.msg13987#msg13987
Serial no. is apparently painted on the tail. It is long one, e.g. 6 digits
starting with “4”, the last 3 digits seems to be “461”,
e.g. could be 44-xy461, where “x” is fully repainted and “y”
is partially repainted, its right side is visible and seems to be solid, something
like 1, 3, 8, 9, 0.
The only possibilities for S/N: 44-xy461 are:
1.) P-39Q-25 44-32167 to 44-32666
2.) P-39Q-25 44-70905 to 44-71104, but “461”
does not fit here,
3.) P-39Q-30 44-71105 to 44-71504
P-39Q-25 was fitted with a four-blades propeller, P-39Q-30 returned to three-blades
propeller, so SN for Q-25 is not an option. From this perspective the digit
to the left from “461” could be only “1”, so serial
number could be 44-71461, painted on the P-39Q-30 tail as 471461.
Actually, P-39Q-30 44-71461 was one of the last produced Cobras, they finished
at 44-71504, only after next 43 planes.
Full discussion is at http://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/board/index.php?PHPSESSID=5ceegbtocp1f2jfo4fn7sdn5i3&topic=1714.msg14396#msg14396