Ivan Kozhedub. |
Ivan Kozhedub, born in Sumy/Ukraine on 8 June 1920, was the top scoring fighter pilot on the Allied side during World War II.
In first-line service since March 1943, he carried out 330 sorries, was involved in 120 aerial combats and was credited with 62 confirmed victories.
The famous Aleksandr Pokryshkin and Ivan Kozhedub were the only Soviet fighter pilots to be awarded with the Golden Star (Hero of the Soviet Union) three times.
Ivan Kozhedub passed away in August 1991.
Below is a list of Ivan Kozhedub’s victories, taken directly from his personal logbook:
6 July 1943 1 Ju 88
7 July 1943 1 Ju 87
8 July 1943 1 Ju 88
9 July 1943 1 Bf 109
9 July 1943 1 Bf 109
9 Aug 1943 1 Bf 109
14 Aug 1943 2 Bf 109
16 Aug 1943 1 Ju 87
22 Aug 1943 1 Fw 190
9 Sept 1943 1 Bf 109
30 Sept 1943 1 Ju 87
1 Oct 1943 2 Ju 87
2 Oct 1943 3 Ju 87
4 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109
5 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109
5 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109
6 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109
10 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109
12 Oct 1943 2 Ju 87, 1 Bf 109
29 Oct 1943 1 He 111, 1 Ju 87
16 Jan 1944 1 Bf 109
30 Jan 1944 1 Ju 87, 1 Bf 109
14 March 1944 1 Ju 87
21 March 1944 1 Ju 87
11 April 1944 1 Bf 109
19 April 1944 1 He 111
28 April 1944 1 Ju 87
29 April 1944 2 Hs 129
3 May 1944 1 Ju 87
31 May 1944 1 Fw 190
1 June 1944 1 Ju 87
2 June 1944 1 Hs 129
3 June 1944 2 Fw 190
3 June 1944 1 Fw 190
7 June 1944 1 Bf 109
22 Sept 1944 2 Fw 190
25 Sept 1944 1 Fw 190
16 Jan 1945 1 Fw 190
10 Feb 1945 1 Fw 190
12 Feb 1945 3 Fw 190
19 Feb 1945 1 Me 262
11 March 1945 1 Fw 190
18 March 1945 2 Fw 190
22 March 1945 2 Fw 190
23 March 1945 1 Fw 190
17 April 1945 2 Fw 190
Apart from these 62 victories, Ivan Kozhedub also was forced to shoot down two U.S. P-51 Mustangs that mistakenly attacked his La-7 on one occasion. Both these P-51 losses have been verified by USAAF sources, and more details will be presented in the last volume of "Black Cross/Red Star; Air War on the Eastern Front".