Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub
Encyclopedia
Marshal of Aviation
Ivan Mykytovych Kozhedub was a Soviet
Ukrainian
military aviator and a World War II
fighter ace
. Arguably Kozhedub, as he revealed in his memoires, took a part in the Korean War
as fighter pilot, whilst being a commander of Soviet aviation Corps. in Korea
. He is credited with 64 +2 (P-51) individual air victories, most of them flying the Lavochkin La-5
. He is one of the few Soviet pilots to shoot down a Messerschmitt Me 262
jet. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union
on three occasions (4 February 1944; 19 August 1944; 18 August 1945).
He was born in the village of Obrazhievka, a settlement in the Sumy
region, Ukrainian SSR
, the youngest of five children. Kozhedub learned to fly aircraft in the Shostkinsk aeroclub and joined the Soviet army in 1940. He graduated from the Chuguyevsk Military Air School in 1941 at the start of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, but he was retained as an instructor. Kozhedub remained at the school for two years where he trained many young Soviet pilots.
Feeling his talents would be better used in combat, he requested a transfer to an operational unit and in March 1943 was posted, as a Starshii Serzhant (Senior Sergeant), to 240th IAP, one of the first units to receive the new Lavochkin La-5
. He operated on the Voronezh Front
and, in July, over the Kursk
battlefields. His first kill was a Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, shot down over Pokrova on 6 July 1943. By 16 July, he had claimed eight air victories. He was promoted to Mladshii Leitenant (Junior Lieutenant). Then his unit moved towards Kharkov. At this time, he usually flew escort for Petlyakov Pe-2
twin-engine bombers. During World War II, he then served as a fighter pilot in several areas (Steppe Front
, 2nd Ukrainian Front, 1st Belorussian Front
) and at different ranks, starting from senior airman up to the deputy commander of the air regiment. He claimed his 61st and 62nd victories – his final claims – over Berlin on 16 April 1945.
Kozhedub holds the record for the highest number of confirmed air combat victories of any Soviet or Allied pilot (effectively the Allied "Ace of Aces") during World War II. He is regarded as the best Soviet flying ace
of the war, and is associated with flying the Lavochkin La-7
. He was also reputed to have a natural gift for 'deflection shooting', i.e. the rare ability to hit targets from very oblique angles.
Kozhedub's World War II record consists of:
In 1949, Kozhedub graduated from the Air Force Academy
.
In April 1951, promoted to Polkovnik
(colonel), he commanded the 324th IAD (Fighter Air Division), dispatched to Antung, on the China
-North Korea
border, to fly the MiG 15 during the Korean War
on the North Korean side. He was not given permission to participate in combat missions. His division however,trained North Korean pilot LT No Kum-Sok
, who in 1953, defected to South Korea
with a prized MiG-15bis, which is associated with Operation Moolah
.
Kozhedub was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union
with the Order of Lenin
three times (1944, 1944, 1945), seven Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky
, two Orders of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War
First Class, Order of Alexander Nevsky
, and numerous medal
s.
As with other famous figures, some myths have sprung up around Kozhedub's life. One story is that once he encountered a group of American B-17 Flying Fortresses under attack by Luftwaffe aircraft. The story goes on to suggest that his aircraft was mistaken by American escort fighters for the enemy and attacked. Kozhedub, having no other option, defended himself by shooting down two of the P-51 Mustang
s. So far, this story is not confirmed completely. Film footage exists that had been touted as Kozhedub's actual gun camera film from the event. However, it is highly suspect, as the footage was shot using Zeiss equipment, which was used primarily by the Luftwaffe, and the aircraft shown in the footage are shown with drop tank
s attached. This would seem to contradict the story that Kozhedub was jumped by the P-51s, as the attacking fighters would normally drop these tanks before entering combat. A more likely story is that the gun camera footage was from a Luftwaffe aircraft which attacked American aircraft in an unrelated incident. However, another aircraft was shown without drop tanks, which can mean that the first pilot was unable or forgot to release his tanks, or perhaps even decided not to do so.
Chief Marshal
The ranks of Marshal of a branch and Chief Marshal of a branch were senior military ranks of the Soviet Armed Forces. Immediately above the rank "Marshal of a branch" is the rank "Chief Marshal of a branch". Both ranks are immediately above the rank "Colonel General" and equal to Soviet General...
Ivan Mykytovych Kozhedub was a Soviet
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
military aviator and a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
. Arguably Kozhedub, as he revealed in his memoires, took a part in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
as fighter pilot, whilst being a commander of Soviet aviation Corps. in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. He is credited with 64 +2 (P-51) individual air victories, most of them flying the Lavochkin La-5
Lavochkin La-5
|- See also :- References :NotesBibliography* Abanshin, Michael E. and Nina Gut. Fighting Lavochkin, Eagles of the East No.1. Lynnwood, WA: Aviation International, 1993. ISBN unknown....
. He is one of the few Soviet pilots to shoot down a Messerschmitt Me 262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
jet. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
on three occasions (4 February 1944; 19 August 1944; 18 August 1945).
He was born in the village of Obrazhievka, a settlement in the Sumy
Sumy
* 1897 - 70.53% Ukrainians, 24.1% Russians, 2.6% Jewish, 2.67% others* 1926 - 80.7% Ukrainians, 11.8% Russians, 5.5% Jewish, 2% others* 1959 - 79% Ukrainians, 20% Russians, 1% others...
region, Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
, the youngest of five children. Kozhedub learned to fly aircraft in the Shostkinsk aeroclub and joined the Soviet army in 1940. He graduated from the Chuguyevsk Military Air School in 1941 at the start of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, but he was retained as an instructor. Kozhedub remained at the school for two years where he trained many young Soviet pilots.
Feeling his talents would be better used in combat, he requested a transfer to an operational unit and in March 1943 was posted, as a Starshii Serzhant (Senior Sergeant), to 240th IAP, one of the first units to receive the new Lavochkin La-5
Lavochkin La-5
|- See also :- References :NotesBibliography* Abanshin, Michael E. and Nina Gut. Fighting Lavochkin, Eagles of the East No.1. Lynnwood, WA: Aviation International, 1993. ISBN unknown....
. He operated on the Voronezh Front
Voronezh Front
The Voronezh Front was a front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War. The name indicated the primary geographical region in which the Front first fought, based on the town of Voronezh on the Don River....
and, in July, over the Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
battlefields. His first kill was a Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, shot down over Pokrova on 6 July 1943. By 16 July, he had claimed eight air victories. He was promoted to Mladshii Leitenant (Junior Lieutenant). Then his unit moved towards Kharkov. At this time, he usually flew escort for Petlyakov Pe-2
Petlyakov Pe-2
The Petlyakov Pe-2 was a Soviet dive bomber aircraft used during World War II. It was regarded as one of the best ground attack aircraft of the war and it was extremely successful in the roles of heavy fighter, reconnaissance and night fighter...
twin-engine bombers. During World War II, he then served as a fighter pilot in several areas (Steppe Front
Steppe Front
The Steppe Front and later the 2nd Ukrainian Front was a Front , effectively an Army group sized formation, of the Soviet Army during the Second World War...
, 2nd Ukrainian Front, 1st Belorussian Front
1st Belorussian Front
The 1st Belorussian Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during World War II...
) and at different ranks, starting from senior airman up to the deputy commander of the air regiment. He claimed his 61st and 62nd victories – his final claims – over Berlin on 16 April 1945.
Kozhedub holds the record for the highest number of confirmed air combat victories of any Soviet or Allied pilot (effectively the Allied "Ace of Aces") during World War II. He is regarded as the best Soviet flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of the war, and is associated with flying the Lavochkin La-7
Lavochkin La-7
The Lavochkin La-7 was a piston-engined Soviet fighter developed during World War II by the Lavochkin Design Bureau . It was a development and refinement of the Lavochkin La-5, and the last in a family of aircraft that had begun with the LaGG-1 in 1938. Its first flight was in early 1944 and it...
. He was also reputed to have a natural gift for 'deflection shooting', i.e. the rare ability to hit targets from very oblique angles.
Kozhedub's World War II record consists of:
- 330 combat missions
- 120 aerial engagements
- 62 enemy aircraft shot down, including one Me 262 jet fighter.
In 1949, Kozhedub graduated from the Air Force Academy
Gagarin Air Force Academy
Gagarin Air Force Academy is the name of a Russian military aviation academy located in Monino , Moscow Region.Gagarin Air Force Academy is one of the leading military educational institutions preparing high ranking military personnel for the Russian Air Force.Among the academy alumni are around...
.
In April 1951, promoted to Polkovnik
Polkovnik
Polkovnik is often a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a colonel in English-speaking states. However, in the Ukraine, polkovnyk was an administrative rank similar to a governor...
(colonel), he commanded the 324th IAD (Fighter Air Division), dispatched to Antung, on the China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
-North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
border, to fly the MiG 15 during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
on the North Korean side. He was not given permission to participate in combat missions. His division however,trained North Korean pilot LT No Kum-Sok
No Kum-Sok
No Kum-Sok is a former lieutenant of the North Korean Air Force during the Korean War who defected to South Korea...
, who in 1953, defected to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
with a prized MiG-15bis, which is associated with Operation Moolah
Operation Moolah
Operation Moolah was a United States Air Force effort during the Korean War to obtain through defection a fully capable Soviet MiG-15 jet fighter. The MiG-15 was introduced by Communist forces on November 1, 1950 over the skies of Korea...
.
Kozhedub was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
with the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
three times (1944, 1944, 1945), seven Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky
Order of Alexander Nevsky
The Order of Alexander Nevsky is an order of merit bestowed by the Russian Federation. It is named in honour ofAlexander Nevsky's struggle with the Teutonic Knights....
, two Orders of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War
Order of the Patriotic War
The Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisans for heroic deeds during the German-Soviet War, known by the former-Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War.- History :The Order was...
First Class, Order of Alexander Nevsky
Order of Alexander Nevsky
The Order of Alexander Nevsky is an order of merit bestowed by the Russian Federation. It is named in honour ofAlexander Nevsky's struggle with the Teutonic Knights....
, and numerous medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
s.
List of aerial victories
According to «Soviet aces 1941—1945. The victories of Stalin's Falcons» by Mikhail Bykov.| ## | Date | A/c type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 06.07.1943 | Ju 87 | west of Zavidovka |
| 2 | 07.07.1943 | Ju 87 | station Gostishchevo |
| 3 | 09.07.1943 | Bf 109 | Krasnaya Polyana |
| 4 | 09.07.1943 | Bf 109 | east of Pokrovka |
| 5 | 09.08.1943 | Bf 109 | Prelestny |
| 6 | 14.08.1943 | Bf 109 | Iskrovka |
| 7 | 14.08.1943 | Bf 109 | Kolomna |
| 8 | 16.08.1943 | Ju 87 | Rogan |
| 9 | 22.08.1943 | Fw 190 | Lyubotin |
| 10 | 09.09.1943 | Bf 109 | north of Iskrovka |
| 11 | 30.09.1943 | Ju 87 | south-west of Borodayevka |
| 12 | 01.10.1943 | Ju 87 | west of Borodayevka |
| 13 | 01.10.1943 | Ju 87 | west of Borodayevka |
| 14 | 02.10.1943 | Bf 109 | Ploskoye |
| 15 | 02.10.1943 | Ju 87 | Petrovka |
| 16 | 02.10.1943 | Ju 87 | south-west of Andreyevka |
| 17 | 02.10.1943 | Ju 87 | south-west of Andreyevka |
| 18 | 04.10.1943 | Bf 109 | north-west of Borodayevka |
| 19 | 05.10.1943 | Bf 109 | south-west of Krasny Kut |
| 20 | 05.10.1943 | Bf 109 | west of Kutsevalovka |
| 21 | 06.10.1943 | Bf 109 | Borodayevka |
| 22 | 10.10.1943 | Bf 109 | Dneprovo-Kamenka |
| 23 | 12.10.1943 | Ju 87 | north of Ploskoye |
| 24 | 12.10.1943 | Bf 109 | south of Petrovka |
| 25 | 12.10.1943 | Ju 87 | south of Domotkan |
| 26 | 29.10.1943 | Ju 87 | Krivoy Rog |
| 27 | 29.10.1943 | He 111 | west of Budovka |
| 28 | 16.01.1944 | Bf 109 | Novo-Zlynka |
| 29 | 30.01.1944 | Bf 109 | east of Nechayevka |
| 30 | 30.01.1944 | Ju 87 | west of Lipovka |
| 31 | 14.03.1944 | Ju 87 | Osiyevka |
| 32 | 21.03.1944 | Ju 87 | Lyebyedin — Shpola |
| 33 | 11.04.1944 | PZL P.24 PZL P.24 |-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Axworthy, Mark. Third Axis, Fourth Ally. London: Arms and Armour, 1995. ISBN 1-85409-267-7.* Bernád, Dénes. Rumanian Air Force: The Prime Decade 1938-1947. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc, 1999. ISBN 0-89747-402-3.* Cynk, Jerzy B. Polish... |
Syrka |
| 34 | 19.04.1944 | He 111 | north of Iaşi |
| 35 | 28.04.1944 | Ju 87 | south-east of Vulturu |
| 36 | 29.04.1944 | Hs 129 | Horleşti |
| 37 | 29.04.1944 | Hs 129 | Horleşti |
| 38 | 03.05.1944 | Ju 87 | Târgu Frumos — Dumbrăviţa |
| 39 | 31.05.1944 | Fw 190 | east of Vulturu |
| 40 | 01.06.1944 | Ju 87 | Cuza Vodă |
| 41 | 02.06.1944 | Hs 129 | west of Stânca |
| 42 | 03.06.1944 | Fw 190 | Rediu Ului — Tătăr |
| 43 | 03.06.1944 | Fw 190 | Rediu Ului — Tătăr |
| 44 | 03.06.1944 | Fw 190 | north-west of Iaşi |
| 45 | 07.06.1944 | Bf 109 | Pârliţa |
| 46 | 08.06.1944 | Bf 109 | Cârpiţi |
| 47 | 22.09.1944 | Fw 190 | north-west of Strenči |
| 48 | 22.09.1944 | Fw 190 | south-west of Ramnieki — Daksty |
| 49 | 25.09.1944 | Fw 190 | north-west of Valmiera |
| 50 | 16.01.1945 | Fw 190 | south of Studziana |
| 51 | 10.02.1945 | Fw 190 | north-west of Mohrin airfield |
| 52 | 12.02.1945 | Fw 190 | west of Kinitz |
| 53 | 12.02.1945 | Fw 190 | west of Kinitz |
| 54 | 12.02.1945 | Fw 190 | lake Kitzer-See |
| 55 | 17.02.1945 | Me 262 | east of Alt Friedland |
| 56 | 19.02.1945 | Bf 109 | north of Fürstenfelde |
| 57 | 11.03.1945 | Fw 190 | north of Brünchen |
| 58 | 18.03.1945 | Fw 190 | north of Küstrin |
| 59 | 18.03.1945 | Fw 190 | north-west of Küstrin |
| 60 | 22.03.1945 | Fw 190 | north of Zeelow |
| 61 | 22.03.1945 | Fw 190 | east of Gusow |
| 62 | 23.03.1945 | Fw 190 | station Werbig |
| 63 | 17.04.1945 | Fw 190 | Wriezen |
| 64 | 17.04.1945 | Fw 190 | Kinitz |
Controversy
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
s. So far, this story is not confirmed completely. Film footage exists that had been touted as Kozhedub's actual gun camera film from the event. However, it is highly suspect, as the footage was shot using Zeiss equipment, which was used primarily by the Luftwaffe, and the aircraft shown in the footage are shown with drop tank
Drop tank
In aeronautics, a drop tank is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often jettisonable...
s attached. This would seem to contradict the story that Kozhedub was jumped by the P-51s, as the attacking fighters would normally drop these tanks before entering combat. A more likely story is that the gun camera footage was from a Luftwaffe aircraft which attacked American aircraft in an unrelated incident. However, another aircraft was shown without drop tanks, which can mean that the first pilot was unable or forgot to release his tanks, or perhaps even decided not to do so.