Soviet Spitfires

[darren]

Can anyone tell me where I can find information on Soviet marked Spitfire Vs and IXs please?

[is it windy yet?]

I can only recall the soviets getting mk Vb's. They were from what I remember, very plain, no serial numbers, big soviet stars, and numbers, the sky spinners, and fuseledge strip were also removed. This is just from memory though.

Ron

[Jason C-C]

From Wings of Fame vol.9:

"The Soviet Union took delivery of 1,188 Spitfire Mk IXs, 143 Mk Vs and two PR. Mk IVs from early 1943, most of them through Iran. Many were rebuilt and reserialled ex-RAF aircraft. A number were converted in Russia into two-seat trainers with a locally-designed rear canopy. It is possible that a small number were transferred to China."

The accompanying photo shows a Mk V "delivered in April 1943". Aircraft has a two-tone scheme with white-outlined red stars on fuselage and fin. White number 65 behind the fuselage star.

regards,

Jason

[edit] You might also check out the VVS modelling site:

http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/

Edited January 28, 2006 by Jason C-C

[Chasevans]

Here are some colour Profiles of MK IV,MK Vb, and MK IX Russian Spits.

Regards Chas

[scottfraser]

I did extensive research on Soviet Spitfires some years ago, drawing from Soviet periodical and anecdotal sources. In fact. the first drawing of EP210 on the site that Chasevans pointed out is mine.

I don't have numbers or exact dates to hand, but briefly:

The USSR inherited a few PR IV from RAF photoreconaissance flights that were rotated into Murmansk from 1942, but they never had more than two or three serviceable at any time. BTW, the correct designation for these aircraft was "Spitfire PR IV", not "Mk.IV"

From February 1943 Spitfires began to arrive through Persia. These were Spitfire Mk.Vc, refurbished RAF aircraft (not rebuilt), and were not well-liked by Soviet pilots. They were used by the 57 GvIAP during the pivotal fighting over the Kuban Peninsula in the spring of 1943, their only use in combat in Soviet service. In May they were withdrawn and assigned to PVO units in the rear.

In the latter part of 1944 the USSR began to receive new Spitfire Mk.IXe. These had much better high-altitude performance than contemporary Soviet fighters, which were optimized for low-level combat typical of the Eastern front, so the Spitfires were all assigned to the VVS-PVO. None saw combat, as far as I know.

There has been some controversy from time to time about claims made by Finnish pilots, notably Hans Wind, of Spitfire being shot down. Other than the PR Spitfires, none of which were lost to enemy action, there were no Spitfires assigned anywhere near Finland until after the end of the Continuation War, in September 1944. After that time, the Spitfire Mk.IXe equipped the 26 GvIAP, VVS-PVO in the Leningrad Defensive Zone.

A word about the VVS-PVO. The term "Red Air Force" is a bit of a misnomer. Soviet airpower was split into a myriad of different air forces and units, known collectively as the VVS. From April 1942, under A.A.Novikov, there was a wholesale reorganization of these, and from then until after the war the most important arms were:

VVS-FA (Frontal Aviation), the tactical fighter, bomber and ground-attack arm;

VVS-VMF (Naval Aviation), which operated seaplanes, torpedo bombers and land-based fighters in the Baltic, Black Sea and White Sea areas, as well as the Far East;

VVS-ADD (long-range force), which was the strategic arm of the Soviet bomber force, mainly equipped with Il-4 and B25;

VVS-GVF (Civil Aviation), which included the transport arm of the VVS, AEROFLOT passenger service in rear areas, DOSAAF, Osoaviakhim and other miscellaneous formations;

VVS-PVO (Anti-Aircraft Defense) which included point-defense interceptors and anti-aircraft forces.

Other task-specific formations, including courier and liason, training, and special duties units were lumped in with VVS-GVF and controlled directly by GKO (Supreme Command).

Lumping all these forces under the umbrella term "Red Air Force" or even "VVS" (Voenno-vozdushniye Sily, Военно-воздушные силы, literally Military Air Forces) is not accurate. It's akin to saying all aircraft operated by the USAF, USANG, USN, USMC, USCG, etc. are the "Air Force".

Cheers

Scott Fraser

Calgary

Edited January 29, 2006 by scottfraser

[Flankerman]

Just an amusing little anecdote to go with Scott's excellent explanation of the Soviet VVS....

The Russians sent a Tu-95MS Bear to the RIAT Fairford airshow in the UK in 1993.

Raymond Baxter, a reporter from the BBC was in the cockpit - and swapping badges with the crew.

He handed over his BBC badge - and they gave him a VVS badge.

Why is it amusing ?? because VVS in Cyrillic is BBC !!!

Ken

PS - By this time it was VVS-DA - for Dalniya Aviatsiya - Long Range Aviation - the Russian bomber arm.

PPS - I just remembered - Raymond Baxter was a WWII Spitfire pilot! - so at least my story is not totally OT!!

Edited January 30, 2006 by Flankerman

[Henrik B]

There has been some controversy from time to time about claims made by Finnish pilots, notably Hans Wind, of Spitfire being shot down. Other than the PR Spitfires, none of which were lost to enemy action, there were no Spitfires assigned anywhere near Finland until after the end of the Continuation War, in September 1944. After that time, the Spitfire Mk.IXe equipped the 26 GvIAP, VVS-PVO in the Leningrad Defensive Zone.

The theory is that those "Spitfires" were misidentified Yak:s.