Eduard Lavochkin La-7 of Major Ivan Kozhedub HSU in 1/72 Scale

Ivan Kozhedub was born in Obrazhievka, Ukraine in 1920.  At the time of the German invasion he was serving as a flight instructor.  He achieved his first aerial victory in July 1943, a Ju 87.  The Stuka was a favorite target for Kozhedub, he eventually downed 18 of the type.  He was also the first Soviet pilot credited with downing an Me 262.  He claimed to have downed two American P-51s in a friendly fire incident, although this is unconfirmed.  He retired in 1985 with the rank of Marshal of Aviation.

Kozhedub was the top scoring Soviet and Allied fighter pilot of WWII with 64 victories. The model represents the La-7 of Major Ivan Kozhedub HSU x 3, 176 GIAP, Germany, May 1945.