22.10.2009, 11:00
What are your sources? I recommend checking with Black Cross, Red Star, an excellent series of books, although a little encyclopedic at times, that deals with the air war over the Eastern Front. If you have any questions after that, I recommend you contact the person who runs this website:
http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/index.htm
Also, keep in mind that all data is relative. Combat reports by themselves are completely unreliable and have to be corroborated with more definitive sources, like loss reports, weather data, etc... in order to be accepted as true. That said, squadrons took different losses and therefore just because one group is supposed to operate one way doesn't necessarily mean they had the capability to do so. For example, as far as my own sources have told me, the 255 IAP, operating with a mix of different P-47D types in the Gulf of Leningrad after November, 1944, didn't fly according to VVS doctrine, but in groups of four against shipping targets. I believe they had 14 P-47's in total, a mix of D-22's and D-27's. They hated the plane, by the way.
http://lend-lease.airforce.ru/english/index.htm
Also, keep in mind that all data is relative. Combat reports by themselves are completely unreliable and have to be corroborated with more definitive sources, like loss reports, weather data, etc... in order to be accepted as true. That said, squadrons took different losses and therefore just because one group is supposed to operate one way doesn't necessarily mean they had the capability to do so. For example, as far as my own sources have told me, the 255 IAP, operating with a mix of different P-47D types in the Gulf of Leningrad after November, 1944, didn't fly according to VVS doctrine, but in groups of four against shipping targets. I believe they had 14 P-47's in total, a mix of D-22's and D-27's. They hated the plane, by the way.