[oquaig]

Hi Mirek,

As I am sure you know by now up to 1938 all VVS and VMF fighter squadrons were organized with 34 aircraft in 3 groups and 12 replacement aircraft. Although the VVS and VMF changed over to a new organization after 1938 (squadrons of five flights of 3 aircraft each or 15 fighters per squadron) the VMF was slowest to change. While the VVS changed over from aviation brigades to aviation divisions the VMF did not. The VMF did convert to regimental organization but it retained a large number of independent squadrons. There were 14 such squadrons in the Black Sea Fleet. All of these squadrons were converted to a new TO&E of 5 flights of 3 aircraft and one squadron leader, a total of 16 aircraft, for recon (ORAE/MRAE), 4 flights of 3 aircraft and one squadron leader, a total of 13 aircraft, for torpedo/bomber (OBAE/MTAE) and TO&E of 5 flights of 3 aircraft and one squadron leader, a total of 16 aircraft, for fighters (OIAE). Of the three OIAE with VMF BSF (87, 93, 94, 96 and 98 OIAE) only the 94 OIAE (as of 1 June 1941) had been converted to the new TO&E. (I thought at first the rest of the regiment might be based at another airfield but I never found an alternate base, unless the extra aircraft with 93rd OIAE might belong also to the 94th) The 87th had 45 aircraft, 93rd had 70 (!), 96th had 40 and the 98th was known to still have the old TO&E but its exact strength is not known to me. But then again only the TsAMO knows for sure.