Ammo hatch © Vesa Viero
1. trip to Baljakas 17.08 2005 © Kjell Sørensen
Baljakas Sør-Varanger 11.08 2006
photos 31.7 2001© Vesa Viero

Late evening 11th. August 2006, we visited Baljakas area again. This time we found the main wreck.


Left: One of the two 23 mm VYa (Volkov Yartsev) cannons in the wings. Photographed in 2001.The cannon was not there anymore when we visited the place in 2006.

Det er mulig det ligger flere deler i området, men mørket og dårlig vær hindret leting. Vi fant imidlertid mange spor, og rester etter fangeleirer og stillinger fra Lapplands armeens tilbaketrekning i området.
Landing gear
© Vesa Viero
11.08 2006 © kjell sørensen
2. trip to Baljakas 11.08 2006 © Kjell Sørensen
11.08 2006 © kjell sørensen

Ilyushin Il-2 "Shturmovik" Baljakas

VVS 46.ShAP. Serial 304565 JLt.Mikhaylov JSgt.Bulekov(POW) 17.6 1944

Six Airacobras, six Shturmoviks and four Jak were attacking Kirkenes for the third time this day.The aircraft was hit by AA-fire from 1./gem.Flakabteilung 426 and 2./gem.Flakabteilung 527.The aircraft aborted its attack and was returning to base when it was attacked again by a Bf 109. The engine stopped at low altitude and they had to make a forced landing. Both Russians survived the crashlanding in the bog, but were soon after captured by Austrian Gebirgsjäger. Pilot JLt.Aleksander M Mikhaylov. Gunner JSgt.Vladimir M Bulekov