Russo-Ukrainian War: The ZSh-7 Flight Helmet

Source: Reddit

     A pilot belonging to the 39th. Tactical Aviation Brigade, wearing a ZSh-7 flight helmet. The helmet entered service in 1987 and is designed for pilots of the Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum). In 1990, the ZSh-7AP helmet appeared for both MiG-29 pilots and pilots of the Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name Flanker). The 39th. was initially equipped with the MiG-29 until December 2008 when it transitioned to the Su-27 which the unit still flies to this day.

     The main difference between the ZSh-7 and the ZSh-7AP is the latter features a front bracket “out of the box” to which NVE (Night Vision Equipment) can be mounted or the Shchel-3UM-1 target designator. The Shchel-3UM-1, which entered service in 1981, is used with the Vympel R-73 AAM (Air-to-Air Missile; NATO reporting name AA-11 Archer) permits the pilot to simply look at the intended target and the R-73 will be guided towards it. This keeps the pilot's head out of the cockpit and allows for “off-boresight” attacks. The Shchel-3UM-1 is also backwards compatible with the older Vympel R-60 AAM (NATO reporting name AA-8 Aphid).

     That this helmet is a ZSh-7 is because the bracket seen is affixed to his helmet using an adhesive or is secured using screws on the inside of the helmet. An issued ZSh-7AP uses a bracket that is mounted higher up on the shell and is secured using screws.

     The hose resting on his shoulder and running up into the back of his helmet connects to a occipital bladder. The hose connects to the port coming out of the left side of his KM-34 oxygen mask. This port can swivel and usually is pointed to face to the rear to allow for easier connection of the hose. When the pilot pulls high “G” maneuvers, the oxygen system will automatically inflate the bladder which pushes the pilot's head forward, pressing the oxygen mask to his face. This ensures the mask is fully sealed and tight against the face to maintain maximum oxygen flow to the pilot. This is vital as such maneuvers can shift a mask around, letting oxygen leak out. Without adequate oxygen, G-LOC (G-induced Loss Of Consciousness) can occur as the blood supply is pushed away from the head by the G-forces. The result is cerebral hypoxia which is essentially oxygen starvation. The bladder inflation makes sure the mask is tightly secured to the face and the rubber portion of the KM-34 mask forms a complete seal. Thus, there is no loss of oxygen to the pilot and this prevents a blackout.

Oberleutnant Rudi Wolfmüller: A Post-War Fraud?

     Luftwaffe Oberleutnant Rudi Wolfmüller is a man who has been cause for some debate amongst amateur historians. Certainly the images show someone highly decorated and in so doing, some feel he is too decorated and that Wolfmüller was never in the Luftwaffe, let alone World War II and is, in fact, a post-war fraud. Amongst the forums, evidence for and against Wolfmüller have been put forth, to include the sample of his soldbuch showing his decorations and another photograph of Wolfmüller. The latter two have been discredited by some, pointing out that the soldbuch is a forgery as evidenced by the fact the handwriting is identical despite spanning years and that the photograph was retouched. At least one detractor felt he shouldn’t be wearing all of the cuff titles on his sleeves. However, the forum poster was mostly incorrect (see below) as three of the four cuff titles are campaign cuff titles with the fourth being his actual unit cuff title. All in all, it appears that the consensus is that Rudi Wolfmüller is a post-war fraud. You can be your own judge. 

     So, what are all the decorations? Starting with the left breast pocket, the medals are: Frontflugspange (Front Flying Clasp) (possibly for Zerstörer (destroyers)) then another Frontflugspange for Jäger (fighters) with three pennants for missions flown, the African Campaign Medal, Wound Badge in Black, Iron Cross First Class, Pilot’s Badge, and the civil Gliding Proficiency Badge (“A” Achievement). The ribbon bar has the Iron Cross Second Class, what appears like the Austrian Annexation Badge (which would be odd to have crossed swords on it), Sudetenland Medal with plaque, two I am not sure about, and the last being the ribbon for the African Campaign Medal. Moving to the right breast pocket, the medals are: German Cross in Gold, the Spanienkreuz (Spanish Cross), possibly the Luftwaffe long service medal, and two other medals I am not able to make out. The ribbon through his button hole is the Iron Cross Second Class ribbon while around his neck is the Knight’s Cross. The campaign cuff titles are Afrika, Kreta, and Afrika Korps. The Afrika Korps cuff title was not a campaign title per se but was worn by troops who were fighting in the African Theater as a means of unit recognition. Curiously, the Heer (Army) version is being worn here rather than the official Luftwaffe one which only read “Afrika”. Once the fighting ceased in Africa and the DAK (Deutsche Afrika Korps) disbanded, ex-Afrika Korps soldiers continued to wear the cuff title against regulations. To make it official, the Afrika campaign cuff title was created and thus soldiers should have removed the Afrika Korps cuff title. The Kreta cuff title was awarded to those who took part in the Battle of Crete. The unit cuff title reads Geschwader Horst Wessel and was worn by those flying with Fliegergeschwader Dortmund (later Zerstörergeschwader 26).

Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak: The White Lily of Stalingrad

     Striking a pose on the wing of her Yakovlev Yak-1 single-engine fighter, Mládshiy Leytenánt (Junior Lieutenant) Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak, the “White Lily of Stalingrad”, held an interest in aviation early in life. Born in Moscow on August 18, 1921, at the age of 14, she became involved with the Kirovsky District Flying Club of Moscow and by age 15, Litvyak had achieved her first solo flight. Soon, she was attending flight school at the Kherson Aviation School in Kherson, Ukraine and upon graduation, Litvyak became an instructor at the Kalinin Aero Club. By the time of the June 22, 1941 German invasion of Russia, Litvyak had trained and graduated 45 pilots.

     Seeking to do her part for Mother Russia, Litvyak sought to enlist in the military as an aviator but despite her credentials as a pilot and instructor, she was turned down because it was said she lacked the experience and did not have enough flight hours. Not to be denied, Litvyak went to the Moscow Komintern RVK in October 1941 and lied about her pre-war flight hours by increasing the amount by some 100 hours. Her flight hours, apparently, were not validated and so her purposeful exaggeration saw her admitted into the military and she was assigned to the all-female 586th. Fighter Aviation Regiment under the command of Stárshiy Leytenánt (Senior Lieutenant) Yevgeniya Filippovna Prokhorova. Litvyak commenced training in flying the Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter and in short order, she achieved mastery of the aircraft. Her first combat sorties occurred in the summer of 1942, flying over Saratov, a major port city along the Volga River, and around the region. While her flights encountered the enemy, Litvyak did not achieve any kills or assists.

     In September 1942, Litvyak (along with other female pilots) was transferred to the 437th. Fighter Regiment which was regular aviation unit flying Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters. The 437th. Fighter Regiment flew sorties in and around the Stalingrad combat theater and it was here that Litvyak would finally draw blood and earned her “White Lily of Stalingrad” moniker in the Soviet press. Her Yak-1 emblazoned with the number “White 02”, on September 13, 1942, Litvyak was flying her third sortie over the Stalingrad area when her group attacked a flight of Ju 88 bombers escorted by Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. In the melee, Litvyak claimed one Ju 88 and shot down a Bf 109G-2 flown by Unterfeldwebel Erwin Meier of 2./Jagdgeschwader 53. Some sources claim Litvyak shot down another Bf 109G-2 on September 14 with the pilot thought to have been German ace Leutnant Hans Fuss of II.Stab/Jagdgeschwader 3. However, there remains some debate on if any of these victories belonged to Litvyak as some sources claim that a Junkers Ju 88 from 2./Kampfgeschwader 3 and flown by Oberleutnant Johann Wiesniewski which was downed by Litvyak on September 27, 1942 was her first kill.

     Because the 437th. Fighter Regiment flew LaGG-3 fighters, the ability of the unit to service the Yak-1 was diminished even though Litvyak and the other female pilots had brought mechanics with them. Thus, in very short order, the women were transferred to the 9th. Guards Fighter Regiment which also flew the Yak-1. From October 1942 to January 1943, Litvyak flew numerous missions but did not add to her kill tally. However, the 9th. Guards Fighter Regiment was converted to Lend-Lease Bell P-39 Airacobras and so once again, Litvyak was transferred, this time to the 296th. Fighter Regiment. Her Yak-1 renumbered to “Red 32” and later “Yellow 44”. Litvyak added four more kills to her score, including a Junkers Ju 87D-3 from 5./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 and a Bf 109G-4 flown by Leutnant Franz Müller of 9./Jagdgeschwader 3. During this time, in February 1943, Litvyak was promoted to Mládshiy Leytenánt and awarded the Order of the Red Star. On March 22, she was wounded in combat for the first time. Litvyak had a romantic interest in ace pilot Kapitán Aleksey Solomatin with whom she often flew with as a wingman. However, she only realized this after his death in a crash on May 21. In the summer of 1943, the 296th. Fighter Regiment was re-designated to the 73rd. Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment and on June 13, 1943, Litvyak was appointed flight commander of the 3rd. Aviation Squadron. Her Yak-1 would be renumbered for the last time to “White 23” and while flying under the 73rd. Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, she would rack up another 9 kills. On July 22, 1943, Litvyak was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and she would also earn the Order of Lenin.

     On August 1, 1943, Litvyak took her Yak-1 up for the fourth time that day, meeting up with a flight of Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft to act as air cover. The sortie completed, the aircraft were returning to their bases when near the city of Orel, the flight of Yak-1 fighters spotted a group of German bombers and took them under attack with Litvyak in the lead. Litvyak was bounced by two escorting Bf 109 fighters which had been flying above the bombers. Initially, Litvyak had not seen the fighters but was able to turn in time to face the Bf 109s diving on her. Another Yak-1 pilot involved in the melee, Ivan Borisenko, was the last to see Litvyak, her Yak-1 trailing smoke and hounded by up to eight German fighters. Borisenko, once able to, dropped his altitude to see if he could find her but he found nothing, not even a plume of smoke from a crash. Sources claim that one of two German pilots downed Litvyak: Feldwebel Hans-Jörg Merkle of 1./Jagdgeschwader 52 or Leutnant Hans Schleef of 7./Jagdgeschwader 3. The debate remains as Merkle claimed a Yak-1 near Dmitryevka where Litvyak was last seen while Schleef, who claimed a LaGG-3 on the same day, may have mistaken Litvyak's Yak-1 for a LaGG-3 (which was not uncommon) as, many decades later, the wreck of Litvyak's aircraft was finally located in 1979 near where Schleef had made his claim.

     Litvyak's death is listed as August 1, 1943 at the age of 21. Today, some refute that she died in the crash and Litvyak had managed to crash land her Yak-1 and was taken prisoner by German troops. There was a female fighter pilot buried in the village of Dmitryevka and some reports stated the body was exhumed, examined, and determined that death came from a massive head wound and that the body was, indeed, that of Litvyak. Such a wound would make sense in a crash in that her head struck the dashboard on impact. However, at least one source refuted this autopsy ever took place. Just as her death is a point of controversy, so is her kill tally. With totals ranging from 5 to 14 solo kills, it was not at all unheard of for Russian aviators' kill counts to be inflated. In-depth research has confirmed that Litvyak achieved five kills on her own with two shared kills. While certainly less than the higher tallies, it still made her an ace.

     Posthumously, Litvyak was promoted to Stárshiy Leytenánt, received the Order of the Patriotic War 1st. Class on September 10, 1943, and was decorated with the Hero of the Soviet Union title on May 5, 1990 by President Mikhail Gorbachev. The reason for the long delay was because at the time of her death, the commander of the 73rd. Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment had wanted to award Litvyak with the Hero of the Soviet Union but this was declined and the award changed to the Order of the Patriotic War and it was not until November 1971 that Litvyak's death was officially recorded as dying while performing a combat mission. This, then, paved the way for her to receive the 11,616th. Hero of the Soviet Union title and decoration.

Kapteeni Jorma Karhunen: Finnish Brewster Ace

Taken in June 1943, Karhunen poses with his Brewster B-239E (serial BW-366) with 31 kill marks on the tail.

    Sitting on the horizontal stabilizer of his Brewster B-239E (serial BW-366) is Kapteeni (Captain) Jorma Karhunen of the Ilmavoimat (FAF; Finnish Air Force). Upon the vertical stabilizer are the markings for his 31 confirmed kills against the Soviet Air Force (Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily; VVS). The photograph was taken in June 1943 when Karhunen was made the commander of Lentolaivue 24 (Fighter Squadron 24; LLv 24) under Lentorykmentti 2 (Flight Regiment 2). The location of the photograph was Suulajärvi on the Karelian Isthmus.

    Karhunen was born in Pyhäjärvi, Finland on March 17, 1913 and after he graduated from secondary school (equivalent to high school in the United States) in 1933, he turned around and enlisted into military service, seeking to be an aviator. He was sent to the Ilmasotakoulu (Air Force Academy) and in 1936, he successfully completed the training and graduated as a Vänrikki which was the most junior rank of flying officer. Flight training had been done at the Lentosotakoulu (Training Air Wing) which was located in Kauhava, Finland. His first posting was to Lentoasema 1 (Air Station 1) but by January 1, 1938, the unit designation changed to Lentorykmentti 2.

    On November 30, 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland in what became the Winter War. Karhunen, at this time, had the rank of Yliluutnantti (equivalent to a 1st. Lieutenant) and was the deputy commander of 1. Lentue (1st. Flight) of LLv 24. The flight was equipped with six Fokker D.XXI, a Dutch built monoplane fighter which first flew in March 1936. Karhunen’s personal Fokker carried the serial FR-112 and in this plane, he scored 4 confirmed kills through January 30, 1940. On this date, he assumed command of 2. Lentue (2nd. Flight) of LLv 24 but he would not fly in combat for the remainder of the Winter War, which ended on March 13, 1940. Although the Soviets gained some territory from Finland after the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty, Finland was able to give the Soviets a very bloody nose which went far to stinging the pride of the Soviet Union in the eyes of the world.

    Returning to Karhunen, he had been sent to Trollhättan, Sweden where representatives from the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation had arrived with the first six of 44 Brewster B-239E fighters. These were de-navalized U.S. Navy Brewster F2A-1 fighters which had the tail hooks, life raft containers, and other navy specific equipment taken out. The B-239E also did not have cockpit armor nor self-sealing fuel tanks. The aircraft did, however, have a more powerful motor, the 950hp Wright R-1820-G5 radial engine, and had the ability to carry up to four machine-guns rather than the F2A-1’s two machine-guns. Karhunen flight tested the first example completed in February 1940 but unfortunately, being unfamiliar with the aircraft, managed to burn out the engine during a low altitude, high speed run. He belly landed the Brewster into a snow covered field, damaging the propeller and crumpling numerous belly panels. Despite this inauspicious start, as the Finnish pilots became more aware of the capabilities of the Brewster, they grew to appreciate the aircraft and used it to great effect against the VVS. The Finnish gave the portly plane nicknames such as the ”Lentävä Kaljapullo” (”Flying Beer Bottle”) and ”Taivaan Helmi” (“Sky Pearl”) among others.

    When Germany invaded Russia on June 24, 1941, Finland joined in on the invasion the following day. Called the Continuation War, many justifications have been given for Finland’s actions which included seeking to take back the territory it lost to the Soviet Union following the Winter War and even to take Karelia. While Finland was on the Axis side, it did not sign the Tripartite Pact and thus was not officially a part of the Axis which included Germany, Italy, and Japan. It did, however, sign the Antikominternpakt (Anti-Comintern Pact) in 1941. Karhunen returned to LLv 24 and was put in command of 3. Lentue (3rd. Flight). He was now flying his Brewster (BW-366) and on July 4, 1941, he earned his fifth kill by downing a Soviet SB bomber. This made Karhunen an ace and saw him promoted to Kapteeni (Captain). Karhunen continued to lead his flight through the remainder of 1941 and 1942. On September 8, 1942, Karhunen was awarded the 92nd. presentation of the prestigious Mannerheim-Risti (Mannerheim Cross) to recognize both his leadership and his tally of 25 confirmed kills. As the Continuation War moved into 1943, the pilots flying the Brewster were encountering improved Soviet aircraft such as the Yakovlev Yak-1, Lavochkin La-5, and even Lend-Lease Supermarine Spitfires. In addition, Soviet pilots had gained in experience and ability. In many cases, the obsolete Brewsters came out on top due to the superior skill of the Finnish pilots who understood both their own aircraft and that of their enemy in order to maintain superiority. For Karhunen, he achieved his 31st. kill by downing a Polikarpov I-153 on May 4, 1943. On June 1, 1943, Karhunen was made the commander of LLv 24 and in September 1943, he was promoted to Majuri (Major) and in so doing, his frontline flying career was over after having flown 350 combat sorties. In addition to the Mannerheim Cross, Karhunen also received the Vapaudenristin Ritarikunta (Order of the Cross of Liberty) 2nd. Class with Swords and the German Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class). On September 19, 1944, the Continuation War came to a close. LLv 24, in total, had 763 confirmed kills for the loss of only 30 aircraft (of which 26 was due to enemy action) which meant an astounding kill ratio of 29 enemy kills for every one loss.

    Karhunen remained commander of LLv 24 until December 4, 1944 when, following a reorganization, LLv 24 became Lentolaivue 31 (LLv 31). After World War Two ended, Karhunen became the deputy commander of the Ilmavarasto (Air Depot) from 1946 to 1949. During that time, Karhunen returned to the Ilmasotakoulu from 1948 to 1949 and was soon promoted to Everstiluutnantti (Lieutenant-Colonel) and given command of a flight regiment. In 1952, Karhunen became the commander of 2. Lennosto (2nd. Air Force) until his retirement in 1955.

    During his retirement, Karhunen became a prolific author, writing on the topics of the air war during the Winter War and Continuation War. In 1967, he was made a Eversti (Colonel) and in 1994, his writings earned him the Harmon-Patsas (Harmon Statue) which was presented to him by the Suomen Ilmailuliiton (Finnish Civil Aviation Association). Karhunen would pass away on January 18, 2002 at the age of 88 in Tampere, Finland.

    As for LLv 31, it remains in operation to this day, currently flying McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighters. It is commanded by Everstiluutnantti Inka Johanna Niskanen who was the first Finnish female fighter pilot and the first woman to achieve the rank of Everstiluutnantti. The unit flies out of Siilinjärvi Rissala.