Re: Number of Luftwaffe sorties flown 22 June 1941
 

Quite detailed as on 1.06.1941, all front's OdB are well know including amount of planes on the begining June 1941. Less know is informaion about small flights of reccon units which were attached to corps level. Many times thses units were on the sam airfiled like fighter or assoult regiments. Such small units are often ommited from general OdB structure, but there were tens of such flights (about 10-15 planes) on the border.

Between 1.06 - 22.06 had come new planes to western borders and fronts (fighters, bombers, assolut, this is not so exactly know i was movements). Second many planes from army'regiments were withdrawn (old SB, I-153, I-15bis, I-16 ect. and were replaced by Pe-2, Su-2, Jak-1, MiG-3, Jak-2, Jak-4, Ił-2). These old planes were send to form new regiments on the back, for examole 74. SzAP had given some of its old planes (I-15 bis, I-153) to next one. It was waiting for supply of Ił-2, (had got 3 or 2 before 22.06.41). Such fact anyway are also known. Depends what you are looking for and in which area, and period?
The same was with part of crews send for training on modern planes. Many crews were send for training before 22.0641, some others were waiting for planes.

Anyway, general data for amount of combat planes are available (VVS RKKA, civil aviaton attached to VVS RKKA as a transport, Fleet's aviation, NKVD's aviation).

If right remeber Smushkievicz had given then own impression after Chalchin-Gol or other high commander. In fact, Soviet aviation had inflicted small losses on JAAF on land, most were done in air combats.
Yes, I know his material, Stiepanov had edited several years ago very good book about development of Soviet aviation/power in 1939-1941. It was small run edition (twice edited book), very good indeed.
Effectivnes of LW over France over air bases were not so high, but after they introduced small bobs SD-2, SD-10, which were better agians such targets but were not so devastating as was written in Cajus Bekker's book or other Wester material - much overpromoted effects then fact.

Regards,
mrwekw

Re: Number of Luftwaffe sorties flown 22 June 1941
 

There were 36 Otdelnaya Korps Aviatsii Escadrilles (OKAE) in the five western military districts 22.6.41 with a stated strength of 430 aircraft. Here is some of the information. This source has many flaws, but it is something to work with.
Leningrad MD

OKAE 42 Korpusnom (?);
OKAE 50 ?;
OKAE 19 ?;

Baltic MD

OKAE 29 Ukmerge 2 Gladiator Mk 1, 12 ANBO-41, 9 ANBO 51 ;
OKAE 24 Gulbene 10 SV-5, ? KOD-1 ;
OKAE 22 Yulemiste (Tallin) 1 Avro, 5 Henshel-126, 2 PTO, 3 PTO-4, 1 Mayls ;
OKAE 10 ?;
OKAE 11 ?;
OKAE 16 ?;


Western MD

OKAE 206 Mezovetsk (with 124 IAP) 14 R-Zet, 6 USB, 1 SSS-1;
OKAE 1 Dobrinevka 13 R-Zet, 5 USB, 1 S-2;
OKAE 5 Rutka 13 R-Zet, 5 USB, 1 S-2;
OKAE 28 Minkovichi 13 R-Zet, 5 USB, 1 S-2;
OKAE 106 Kvater 13 R-Zet, 5 USB, 2 S-2;
OKAE 4 Poshitsa 14 R-Zet, 5 USB, 1 S-2;
OKAE 21 Dretun 14 R-Zet, 5 USB, 1 S-2;
OKAE 47 Bobruisk 14 R-Zet, 5 USB, 1 S-2;
OKAE 105 Pruzhany?; 14 MK
Also there was the 10 OAE of the NKVD based at Karolina (Grodno)

Kiev Special MD

OKAE 17 Sadagur 13 R-Zet, 1 S-2 ;
OKAE 13 Stry 13 R-Zet, 1 S-2 ;
OKAE 205 Lvov ?;
OKAE 15 ?;
OKAE 27 ?;
OKAE 37 ? 33(?) R-Zet, R-5, U-2;
OKAE 8 ?;
OKAE 15 ?;
OKAE 27 ?;
OKAE 6 ?;
OKAE 36 ?;
OKAE 37 ?;
OKAE 31 ?;
OKAE 49 ?;
OKAE 55 ?;

Odessa MD

OKAE 35 ?;
OKAE 48 ?;
OKAE 14 ?;

Also the 184th IAP which was not in the 1.6.41 order of battle for Wesrern MD became operatonal at Machulischi with 42 I-16s by 22.6.41.

Regards
Oquaig

Re: Number of Luftwaffe sorties flown 22 June 1941
 

Hello Andreas
IMHO a good easy introduction to some Soviet documentation is Antipov's and Utkin's Dragons on Bird Wings, a unit history of 812. IAP, there are scanned examples on double pages of pilots logbooks, on one double pages of a Regiments journal (ORB/KTB), on a loss report and an intelligence report etc with translations to English, so one sees the level of info there is in those VVS docs. IMHO it is a good book on one of the most successful IAPs on its own right but those scans are a very valuable extra.

Juha

Re: Number of Luftwaffe sorties flown 22 June 1941
 

Western MD



Something wrong with name of planes? USB it is a training version of SB, in such units there were not such big //two engined traing planes?
There are to much 13-14 R-Zet in each units. According official structure from 1940 should be about 7 R-Zet plus 6 U-2

Second there were many variants in KAE of R-5like: R-5, next R-5 SSS (assoult version of R-5) and also R-Zet (bomber version of R-5). There are too many R-Zet in my opinion in these units.
Next, there were many U-2 (Po-2) there too, should be an average 6-7 in each such KAE.

10. OAE of NKWD had about 12-13 Neman R-10 plus a few next U-2/Po-2 in Karolin (Polish name and airfield)) west of Grodno about 10 km. On 22.06.41 there were next 2 I-153 of 127. IAP, which were send to find German intruders, which crosssed border earlier). Both had fought first air battles versus Me 109 about 4-5 a.m. German had claimed one of the fist victories over there (2 I-153s), but only one was in fact lost, second retured to the unit.

There were 3 next NKWD flights - 1 in North-Western Front on SB and MBR-2 - 11. OAE and 2 more in South Front (Odessa Military Ditrict) - 6., 7. OAE NKVD.

OKAE 106 Kvater - Polish name is Kwatery, place which had came 3 regiment from 9. SAD on 22-23.06.41.

OKAE 206 Mezovetsk - Wysoki Mazowieck, there were ony 2 flights (escadrilas) of 124. IAP, the next two were in Łomża. I have information, maybe wrong, that 206. KAE was in Łomża not in Wysokie Mazowieck?

OKAE 105 Pruzhany? - Prużany - maybe it was the same place where were plans of 33. IAP and 74. SzAP? And it is quite possible according claims of German pilots over there?

BTW 1., according plans all reccon regiments (RAP, like 311. RAP and next one too, which had SB, Jak-2, Jak-4) - there were 1-3 in each fronts - should be slpit/divided on small independent reccon flights (ORAE) after the begining of war.

BTW 2. Not only Smuszkiewicz was in this meeting held in Decemer 1940, alo was gen G. Krawczenko (2 HSU), which also underline small impact of air assoult attack done by his unit on JAAF during Chalchin-Gol.

Regards
mirekw

Re: Number of Luftwaffe sorties flown 22 June 1941
 

It shows “УСБ” but come to think of it, it does not make sense. As I said, this source has many flaws. They include units from the VVS VMF that did not exist in June 1941. I keep the list as a reference and consult it with a pinch of salt. It makes more sense that OKAE 105 would be at Kobrin or Strigovo (main bases of 33 IAP) as it is associated with 14 Mechanized Korps ( headquartered in Kobrin ).
Can you tell me your source for the official structure of OKAE from 1940 ?

Also you may already know but the account of the December 1940 meeting with Smuszkiewicz and the others can be found here:


http://militera.lib.ru/docs/da/sov-new-1940/index.html

regards
Oquaig

Re: Number of Luftwaffe sorties flown 22 June 1941
 

A few years ago I have senn it on Russian www.side, there was given, I do not remember which one.

USBs, it is immpossible to be in OKAE's units? Something wrong with this information. SB were in long reccon flights too, there should be there one USB as a training plane, it is possible, as in many independent fighter flights and regiment were training UTI-4s.

Imienin and Strzygowa were the air bases for 123. IAP/10. SAD, as for 33. IAP/10.SAD such a main air base was Prużany-Kuplin.

Regards
mirekw