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lesofprimus said:As a side bar, why is it that the VVS had many more pilots with 30 or more kills???? It wasnt because of better machinery, that much is obvious... Targets of opportunity??? #'s of sorties??? Time in the cockpit??? Quality of the opposition????
mosquitoman said:The Tu-2 and Pe-2 could probably converted into nightfighters but I don't know how good Russian in-plane radar was
lesofprimus said:I really dont doubt that Kozhedub and Rechkalov and Pokryskin were the leading Aces for the VVS, but the #'s for just about every country are always slightly questionable, with the Soviets slightly more critiqued...
OK maybe alittle more than slightly...
But, a kill that is confirmed by a wingman is a kill.... If the propoganda machine was in full effect, the #'s of kills would have been similar to the German claims, not in the 50's and 60's...
And Propoganda aside, these guys were some of the greatest fighter pilots to EVER squeeze the trigger........ They fought against some of the greatest machines to ever fly with pieces of shiit for planes, and tactics that they practically made up as the fought for their lives....
We have discussed and posted so much info on the VVS and its plight against the Luftwaffe..... Makes for some great reading....
Kozhedub was one hell of a pilot dude.....
And Propoganda aside, these guys were some of the greatest fighter pilots to EVER squeeze the trigger........
They fought against some of the greatest machines to ever fly with pieces of shiit for planes, and tactics that they practically made up as the fought for their lives...
cheddar cheese said:I agree that most Soviet information is iffy. However I belive the Pokryshkin and Kozhedub's scores are probably true. There are even some theories that Pokryshkin actually got MORE that 59 kills he was credited with. (Some believe he achieved around 70)