La-7 White 27, 176th GvIAP, 302ns IAD, Byelorussian front, Germany, April-May 1945, flown by Deputy C/O Deputy C/O Ivan Nikotovich Kozhedub.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub (June 8, 1920 – August 8, 1991) was of Ukrainian descent, born in Obrazhiyevka, Shostka Raion, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine during the Russian Civil War, the youngest of 5 children. Having learned to fly at the Shostkinsk aeroclub, he joined the Soviet Army in 1940, and graduated from the Chuguev Military Air School in 1941 during the begining of the German invasion. He remained at the school, retained as an instructor for two years, before his request for transfer to an operational unit was granted in March of 1943.

He was assigned to 240th IAP, one of the first units to receive the new Lavochkin La-5 fighters, as a Starshii Serzhant (Senior Sergeant). His first victory came on July 6th 1943 when he shot down a Ju.87 Stuka during the Battle of Kursk. By August 16th he had claimed an additional eight victories and was promoted to Mladshii Leitenant (Junior Lieutenant). He then served in several operstional areas (Steppe Front, 2nd Ukrainian Front, 1st Belorussian Front) and at different ranks, starting from senior airman up to the deputy commander of the 176th Guards Air Regiment. He claimed his 61st and 62nd victories, his final victories, over Berlin on April 16th 1945 while flying La-7 White 27, depicted by this skin.

Ivan Nikitovich 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 and is regarded as the best Soviet flying ace of the war. His World War II record consists of:

330 combat missions

120 aerial engagements

62 enemy aircraft shot down, including one Me 262 jet fighter (believed to have been flown by Uffz Kurt Lange of 1./KG(J)54).

He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin three times (4 February 1944; 19 August 1944; 18 August 1945), seven Orders of the Red Banner, two Order of Alexander Nevsky, two Orders of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War First Class, and numerous medals.

In April 1951, he was promoted to Polkovnik (colonel), and given command of the 324th IAD (Fighter Air Division) and dispatched to Antung airfield on the China-North Korea border during the Korean War, supporting the North Korean forces. He was not given permission to participate in combat missions, but under his leadership the 324th IAD claimed 239 victories, including 12 Boeing B-29 Superfortresses for the loss of 27 MiG-15s and 9 pilots.

He was promoted to his final rank of Marshal shortly before retirement in 1985.

<<<<White 27>>>>

This aircraft is currently on display at the Moscow Museum of the Soviet Armed Forces with it's final markings from late 1945. I choose to paint the plane not as it appears at the museum but hopw it looked at the end of WWII. There is some controversy on how the plane looked when the war ended, with both two-tone gray and solid gray camouflage being possible.

You can down load it now from Hawkeye's Hangar