This is my skin of Ivan Kozhedub's La-5F, skinned on the La-5FN. Many profiles actually show this aircraft as an La-5FN but photos indicate it was definitely an F. Some also show it with a monotone grey camo scheme. However I think I can make out darker areas on the photos that correspond to where the darker grey would be, it is ambiguous though.
Kozhedub finished flight training in 1941 but was considered such a good pilot he was retained at the flight school to train other pilots. In 1943 his requests to join a combat unit were finally granted. He joined 240 IAP, flying La-5s in combat for the first time during the battle of Kursk. Narrowly escaping death on his first sortie he soon began racking up kills. Like many aces he had a natural ability to judge deflection shots and his extra years as an instructor in flight school had honed his flying abilities.
By May 1944 Kozhedub had shot down 37 enemy planes, been promoted to Captain and made CO of the squadron. At this time he upgraded his La-5 for the La-5F shown here. This aircraft was paid for by a farmer, Mr Konev. The slogans on the sides of the aircraft read "From the collective farmer V. Konev" and "Named in honour of the Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant Colonel G. Konev". This was the farmer's nephew, killed in action during the early days of the war. He scored a further 8 kills with this aircraft including three FW190s in one day.
In July 1944 he was posted as vice commander to the 176th Guards Fighter Regiment flying La-7s. He shot down a further 18 aircraft including an Me 262 and ended the war as the Allies' leading ace of WW2 with 62 kills.
Naturally Kozhedub was one of the Soviet Union's most decorated combatants, earning Hero of the Soviet Union three times and numerous otherawards. Post war he had a long career in the VVS, ending as Marshal of Aviation.
