FlyPast 12.2018

December 2018 FLYPAST 25

device rather than the internal
PBP-1 sight, which was deemed
unsatisfactory.
Power came from the standard
Mikulin AM-38 V-12 engine
producing around 1,700hp
(1,268kW). This powerplant was
most likely to have been built at
Zavod 24 at Kuiybyshev.
Camouflage was still black/green,
but in the newer hues of AMT-4
green, AMT-6 black and
AMT-7 light blue. The
red stars on the fuselage,
fin/rudder and lower
wing surfaces had a thin
white outline and this is
consistent with airframes
leaving Zavod 18 in 1942.

It is unclear where 1870930

first operated as there seems to

be at least six months between

manufacture and its transfer to the

Arctic North.

This Shturmovik was issued to

the 46th Shtourmovoi Aviatsionny

Polk (46th ShAP Shturmovik

Assault Regiment), which was the

only Soviet Navy unit to operate

the type in the region. The 46th

ShAP was formed in the Black Sea

area in 1942, flying the UTI-16 as

a night bomber unit before being

re-equipped and transferring to the

north in spring 1943.

Little is currently known about our

subject’s service history. As she was

flown by the squadron leader of the

3rd Squadron, and the first allocated

number was 21, it has been decided

to paint it to represent ‘Red 21’.

SOVIET RECORDS

More is now known about the

eventual fate of the aircraft, thanks

to newly sourced German and

Russian wartime records. In the

third week of August 1943, Soviet

Air Froce units in the Arctic

Circle began preparing for a

major attack on Luftwaffe

airfields in Finland.

Left centre

The Shturmovik supported

by infl ation bags. The

sloped back of the single

seater is clear, as is the

VV-1 external aiming

device on top of the

engine cowling.

Left

The timber frame, on

which the Shturmovik

rested to be pulled

ashore, during

construction.

Below

Time capsule: Although

covered in silt and rust,

the cockpit was complete.