The great air battle over Nis, Serbia, in November 1944 should have been a significant event as World War II was still in full swing. But this air battle had something different...
Above the Serbian sky, two allies, the Americans and the Soviets, collided. The excuse was that they both passed for Germans. In the fall of 1944, Soviet forces were pressing the Germans in the northern Balkans. On November 7 a large phalanx of Red Army vehicles of the 6th Guards Rifle Corps was moving from Nis to Belgrade.
Suddenly, around 10am American P-38 Lightning fighters appeared out of nowhere and immediately dived and began mowing down the Soviet phalanx. Many vehicles were destroyed while 31 Soviets were killed and 37 wounded. Among the dead was the commander of the 6th Corps, Lieutenant General Kotof.
The Soviets immediately alerted the friendly air force. Nice airport was home to the Soviet 659th Aviation Regiment, which had YAK-3 fighters. The Soviet pilots were informed that German Focke – Wulf Fw-189s were attacking a phalanx and had to be intercepted.
The Fw-189 was indeed somewhat similar to the American P-38. Their main similarity lay in the fact that they possessed double vertical constants. However, the Americans also attacked the Soviet fighters while they were trying to take off. One of them blew up.
The P-38 flying at a height of only 500m. was ready. The Soviets were flying low, but with a sharp rise they attacked the Americans from below. A P-38 burst into flames and crashed. The Americans maneuvered and another Soviet fighter went down in flames.
Soon Soviet reinforcements arrived led by squadron ace Koldunov . The dogfight continued for another 15 minutes or so. The losses on both sides are not clear. The Americans spoke of two P-38s and four YAKs destroyed, the Soviets of four P-38s and three YAKs.
Yugoslav sources of the time claim the downing of seven American and three Soviet aircraft. Even then Tito was favored by Stalin.
The US officially apologized for the incident, a prelude, one might say, of the Cold War that would soon follow. The Americans proposed to the Soviets that a joint commission investigate, but Stalin rejected the proposal.
German close support aircraft Fw-189.
Soviet fighter Yak 3.