Ivan Kozhedub.

Ivan Kozhedub, born in Sumy/Ukraine on 8 June 1920, was the top scoring fighter pilot on the Allied side during World War II.

In first-line service since March 1943, he carried out 330 sorries, was involved in 120 aerial combats and was credited with 62 confirmed victories.

The famous Aleksandr Pokryshkin and Ivan Kozhedub were the only Soviet fighter pilots to be awarded with the Golden Star (Hero of the Soviet Union) three times.

Ivan Kozhedub passed away in August 1991.

Below is a list of Ivan Kozhedub’s victories, taken directly from his personal logbook:

                              6 July 1943 1 Ju 88

                              7 July 1943 1 Ju 87

                              8 July 1943 1 Ju 88

                              9 July 1943 1 Bf 109

                              9 July 1943 1 Bf 109

                              9 Aug 1943 1 Bf 109

                             14 Aug 1943 2 Bf 109

                              16 Aug 1943 1 Ju 87

                             22 Aug 1943 1 Fw 190

                              9 Sept 1943 1 Bf 109

                              30 Sept 1943 1 Ju 87

                               1 Oct 1943 2 Ju 87

                               2 Oct 1943 3 Ju 87

                              4 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109

                              5 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109

                              5 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109

                              6 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109

                              10 Oct 1943 1 Bf 109

                          12 Oct 1943 2 Ju 87, 1 Bf 109

                          29 Oct 1943 1 He 111, 1 Ju 87

                              16 Jan 1944 1 Bf 109

                          30 Jan 1944 1 Ju 87, 1 Bf 109

                             14 March 1944 1 Ju 87

                             21 March 1944 1 Ju 87

                             11 April 1944 1 Bf 109

                             19 April 1944 1 He 111

                              28 April 1944 1 Ju 87

                             29 April 1944 2 Hs 129

                              3 May 1944 1 Ju 87

                             31 May 1944 1 Fw 190

                              1 June 1944 1 Ju 87

                              2 June 1944 1 Hs 129

                             3 June 1944 2 Fw 190

                             3 June 1944 1 Fw 190

                              7 June 1944 1 Bf 109

                             22 Sept 1944 2 Fw 190

                             25 Sept 1944 1 Fw 190

                             16 Jan 1945 1 Fw 190

                             10 Feb 1945 1 Fw 190

                             12 Feb 1945 3 Fw 190

                             19 Feb 1945 1 Me 262

                            11 March 1945 1 Fw 190

                            18 March 1945 2 Fw 190

                            22 March 1945 2 Fw 190

                            23 March 1945 1 Fw 190

                             17 April 1945 2 Fw 190

Apart from these 62 victories, Ivan Kozhedub also was forced to shoot down two U.S. P-51 Mustangs that mistakenly attacked his La-7 on one occasion. Both these P-51 losses have been verified by USAAF sources, and more details will be presented in the last volume of "Black Cross/Red Star; Air War on the Eastern Front".