P-39K flown by Dimitry Glinka of 45 IAP in March 1943. Glinka had scored 11 victories in Yak-1's over the course of 1942 and in the winter of 1942-43, his regiment transitioned to Lend-Lease fighters, 2 squadrons of P-39's and one with P-40's. 45 IAP returned to combat operations in early March 1943 for the Soviet push out from Stalingrad into the Kuban basin. Glinka scored his first victory with an Airacobra on March 10th and would add three more by the end of the month, earning his first Hero of the Soviet Union award. 21's were wild on April 21st when Glinka scored his 21st victory in this plane. It was noted in the Soviet press at the time the coincidence of the pilot of plane "21" gaining his 21st kill on the 21st of a month while also remarking that Dimitry's brother, Boris Glinka, had achieved 10 of his own while flying in the same unit. But Dimitry was the more successful pilot of the Glinka brothers. He scored 8 more victories by August 24 for a total of 29 and another HSU award. It is also notable that Dimitry Glinka's 18 victories since he transitioned to the P-39 made him the highest scoring pilot of the Kuban campaign.
This aircraft was painted in standard U.S. OD green over neutral gray camouflage. U.S. roundels were over-painted with Soviet standard paints with Red stars with thin black outlines being applied in six positions. The Bell applied serial number remained untouched on the tail. 11 victory stars are painted on the left weapons hatch, indicating that the reference photo was taken sometime before March 10th.
