Aviation Regiment
Encyclopedia
An Aviation Regiment {aviaciónnyj polk) was a type of unit employed to organise aircraft and their crews in air combat in the Military Air Forces of the Red Army during the Second World War, the Military Air Forces of the Soviet Union
, Forces of Anti Aircraft Defence of the Soviet Union (PVO) and Aviation of the Military Naval Fleet
, and since 1991 remain major formations within the Military Air Forces of the Russian Federation
and the Military Air Forces of the Fleets of the Russian Federation
.
The aviation regiments were constituent units of the aviation divisions
and aviation Corps, and, the separate aviation regiments, as part of the Air Armies
. The aviation regiments were homogeneously equipped with aircraft designed for specific types of combat, bombardment, assault, fighter and reconnaissance for the most part.
Fighter and assault air regiments organisationally consisted of 4 aviation squadrons of 15 aircraft each, for a total of 63 aircraft on their flight log. In the fighter regiment there were 78 pilots, in the assault regiment - 82.
In the high-speed bomber and light bomber regiments there were 5 squadrons of 12 aircraft each, which in all accounted for 61 aircraft and 77 crews. The long-range bombardment air regiment were approximately same in composition, and the heavy (bombardment) regiments had 40 aircraft.
The reconnaissance aviation regiment was organised into 4 squadrons of 12 aircraft, 49 in all, while the signals squadron that were integral to aviation division
had 12 aircraft and one aircraft in the regiment HQ. The reconnaissance regiments had an establishment of 74 crews.
For some specialised long-term operations mixed aviation regiments were created with the organisation of two bombardment or assault aviation squadrons and one or two fighter aviation squadrons. Night bombardment squadrons were also formed from the summer of 1941 using the training Po-2
aircraft exemplified by the Night Witches
, and night reconnaissance squadrons using the Polikarpov R-5
aircraft.
The Rifle
and Tank Corps
air squadron had 12 reconnaissance aircraft with 18 crews. The squadrons of Front aviation consisted of flights, while those of the long-range bombers from detachments of 3 aircraft each. The number of crews in the air regiments and the Corps squadrons take into account reserve aircraft, which exceeded the number of aircraft in them by 25-50%, which made it possible in the course of combat to produce with the same number of aircraft more aircraft sorties on combat missions and to compensate the loss of crews because of the combat losses.
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
, Forces of Anti Aircraft Defence of the Soviet Union (PVO) and Aviation of the Military Naval Fleet
Soviet Naval Aviation
Soviet Naval Aviation was a part of the Soviet Navy.- Origins :...
, and since 1991 remain major formations within the Military Air Forces of the Russian Federation
Russian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
and the Military Air Forces of the Fleets of the Russian Federation
Russian Naval Aviation
The Russian Naval Aviation , is the air arm of the Russian Navy...
.
The aviation regiments were constituent units of the aviation divisions
Aviation Division
An Aviation Division was a type of formation of the Military Air Forces of the Red Army during the Second World War, the Military Air Forces of the Soviet Union, Forces of Anti Aircraft Defence of the Soviet Union and Aviation of the Military Naval Fleet, and since 1991 remain major formations...
and aviation Corps, and, the separate aviation regiments, as part of the Air Armies
Air Army (Soviet Union)
An air army was a type of formation of the Soviet Air Forces from 1936 until its dissolution in 1991. Air armies continued to be used in the successor Russian Air Force until 2009....
. The aviation regiments were homogeneously equipped with aircraft designed for specific types of combat, bombardment, assault, fighter and reconnaissance for the most part.
Fighter and assault air regiments organisationally consisted of 4 aviation squadrons of 15 aircraft each, for a total of 63 aircraft on their flight log. In the fighter regiment there were 78 pilots, in the assault regiment - 82.
In the high-speed bomber and light bomber regiments there were 5 squadrons of 12 aircraft each, which in all accounted for 61 aircraft and 77 crews. The long-range bombardment air regiment were approximately same in composition, and the heavy (bombardment) regiments had 40 aircraft.
The reconnaissance aviation regiment was organised into 4 squadrons of 12 aircraft, 49 in all, while the signals squadron that were integral to aviation division
Aviation Division
An Aviation Division was a type of formation of the Military Air Forces of the Red Army during the Second World War, the Military Air Forces of the Soviet Union, Forces of Anti Aircraft Defence of the Soviet Union and Aviation of the Military Naval Fleet, and since 1991 remain major formations...
had 12 aircraft and one aircraft in the regiment HQ. The reconnaissance regiments had an establishment of 74 crews.
For some specialised long-term operations mixed aviation regiments were created with the organisation of two bombardment or assault aviation squadrons and one or two fighter aviation squadrons. Night bombardment squadrons were also formed from the summer of 1941 using the training Po-2
Polikarpov Po-2
The Polikarpov Po-2 served as a general-purpose Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik for maize; thus, 'maize duster' or 'crop duster'), NATO reporting name "Mule"...
aircraft exemplified by the Night Witches
Night Witches
"Night Witches" is the English translation of Nachthexen, a World War II German nickname , for the female military aviators of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, known later as the 46th "Taman" Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, of the Soviet Air Forces...
, and night reconnaissance squadrons using the Polikarpov R-5
Polikarpov R-5
The Polikarpov R-5 was a Soviet reconnaissance bomber aircraft of the 1930s. It was the standard light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft with the Soviet Air Force for much of the 1930s, while also being used heavily as a civilian light transport, in the order of 7,000 being built in...
aircraft.
The Rifle
Rifle corps (Soviet)
A rifle corps was a Soviet military organization of the mid-twentieth century. Rifle corps were made up of a varying number of rifle divisions, although the allocation of three rifle divisions to a rifle corps was common during the latter part of World War II.Unlike army corps formed by Germany...
and Tank Corps
Tank Corps (Soviet)
-Pre-War Development of Soviet Mechanised Forces:In Soviet Russia, the so called armored forces preceded the Tank Corps. They consisted of the motorised armored units made of armored vehicles and armored trains...
air squadron had 12 reconnaissance aircraft with 18 crews. The squadrons of Front aviation consisted of flights, while those of the long-range bombers from detachments of 3 aircraft each. The number of crews in the air regiments and the Corps squadrons take into account reserve aircraft, which exceeded the number of aircraft in them by 25-50%, which made it possible in the course of combat to produce with the same number of aircraft more aircraft sorties on combat missions and to compensate the loss of crews because of the combat losses.
Sources
- Kozlov, M.M., (ed.), Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 (Russian), encyclopaedia, Moscow, Soviet Encyclopaedia (pub.), 1985
- Svischev, V.N. Gen.Maj. Aviation, Preparation of USSR for war (Russian) http://gm-vicsv.narod.ru/ww2/vvska41.htm, 2002
- Wagner, R. (ed.), Fetzer, L., (trans.), The Soviet Air Force in World War II: The official history, Wren Publishing Pty.Ltd., Melbourne, 1973