Ivan Kozhedub, three times Hero of the Soviet Union, shot down 64 enemy aircraft. Alexander Pokryshkin shot down 59 enemy aircraft. Even if we assume that the accounts of downed cars by Soviet aces are an exaggeration of the domestic propaganda in order to raise morale, they still do not compare with the score of the German pilots. According to the Luftwaffe, there were at least 104 pilots in Germany, with more than a hundred aircraft shot down. At the same time, Erich Hartmann shot down 352 cars... How is this even possible and why is there such a gap between the aces of the USSR and the Reich?
Of course, there will be people who, in response to the question posed, adhere to the already boring thesis: "Do not spare the soldiers - women give birth to new ones." Well, you know, human waves are the main tactics of any Russian state, starting from the Livonian War of 1558-1583! Including when it comes to aviation. People who are skeptical about everything they hear will suspect deception or a trick here as well. And they will be right.
Deception is still a loud and not entirely correct word, even in relation to state propaganda. Did the latter exaggerate the achievements of its military? Undoubtedly. However, this is typical in general for any propaganda machine: Soviet, German, American, British - any. However, this never means that all the aces of war are fictional. As in any other business, there were professionals and craftsmen here. Therefore, it is rather more correct to speak about the "catch", and even better about the "specifics".
First of all, the difference in the counts of downed cars between German and Soviet pilots is dictated by the difference in scoring. In the USSR Air Force, there were separate concepts of individual and group victory. They were counted separately. But in the German Luftwaffe, individual victories and group victories were not divided and simply went into the overall standings. So, if the Nazi wing of the "masters" of five planes shot down one Soviet Il-2, then it was counted towards each participant in the air battle. At the same time, if the Soviet wing of some La-5 shot down one German Focke-Wulf, then each pilot received a risk for a group battle, but only one of the participants in the battle received a star for the downed one. To whom was the victory counted? This was decided by the military collective. The one who did it directly received a star for the shot down, and in unobvious situations - the most productive pilot in the opinion of his comrades.
The second important point is the principle of counting "collected heads". In the Soviet Union, they tried to account for the guaranteed downed enemy vehicles. Moreover, not all Germans were counted, since the command most often demanded an iron confirmation of the destruction of the German aircraft. But this could be a problem, especially if the plane fell on the other side of the front. In Germany, not only the downed cars, but also aerial victories were counted. If any Soviet Il came out of the battle with a haze and an engine, this was already considered a victory and an increase in the score. This was, on the one hand, its own reason - the machine was put out of action. However, there was also a "scam", because such an aircraft could well return to its home airfield for repairs.
The third moment is the moment when the counting of victories begins. In the Soviet Air Force, "head count" was conducted from the beginning of a particular war and ended after its end. In the Luftwaffe, the pilot's air victories were counted throughout his career. So many German aces began the Great Patriotic War with an already open account. Some have fought it since the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1938.
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Finally, the most interesting fourth point about the counting method. In the USSR, the heads of enemies were counted. If such an expression seems too barbaric to someone, let them not have heads, but sides. In Germany, the system was different. The pilots counted not just downed planes, but downed engines. Those. the downed Soviet La-2 is one victory, the downed Tu-2 is already two victories, and if the Reich fighters were lucky to send the Pe-8 crew to the next world, then it was four victories at once. However, the latter flew too high to be reached by fighters in the vast majority of cases. And before the German aces are finally branded in the eyes of the reader as swindlers, a few words must be said to justify such a system of counting downed enemy vehicles.
Counting on motors also had its own logic. After all, it was generally more difficult to shoot down a multi-engine aircraft, not only because of its increased survivability, but also due to the fact that such conventional aircraft were guarded by single-engine fighters. So the Germans believed that the victory over the bomber was worthy of special encouragement. At the same time, in the USSR, it was believed that downed vehicles in themselves mean extremely little and that the death or capture of enemy pilots is much more important. This also had its own meaning, because as you know, "cadres decide everything."
In the end, the real difference between Soviet aces and German aces will not be so frighteningly different. Moreover, if we count the actual number of downed planes - by planes, then this difference may not remain at all.
If you want to know even more interesting things, then you should read about why the Luftwaffe needed a strange plane with a cabin on the side.
Write in the comments what do you think about this?
Source: https://novate.ru/blogs/091220/57037/
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