What do we really know from primary sources about Russian-manned air units in the Luftwaffe?

[Sid Guttridge]

There clearly were some minor air units manned by technically Soviet citizens for the Luftwaffe.

However, what do we actually know about the composition of Russian-manned air units?

I can only find internet references to such units, most apparently going back to something entitled, "Luftwaffe der Streitkräfte der Völker Rußlands ROA", which claims a mini airforce of some eight squadrons embracing all arms of service including fighters, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and transports and even a single Me262 jet fighter! Yet it appears to entirely lack sourcing.

Is this largely urban myth?

What do we actually know from primary sources about such claimed Russian-manned units, if anything?

Many thanks,

Sid

[ju55dk]

From Bundesarchiv.
Junker

[ChristianK]

Not my thread, but thanks Junker!

Is there any reason why the flying units of the ROA are so "randomly" numbered (5,8,11,14)?

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Not my thread too, but I learned something today...For me ROA units were only Whermacht related...never thought or heard that there were LW units and flying Russians as well!

Congratulations for JU55DK and for the thread's starter.

A.

[Larry deZeng]

This study will tell you everything you always wanted to know about Vlasov's ROA Air Force but were afraid to ask:

Hoffmann, Joachim. Die Geschichte der Wlassow-Armee, Freiburg, 1984.

Very detailed and mostly from primary documentation. At least 34 pages on the Vlasov/ROA Air Force. Joachim Hoffmann was an archivist at BA-MA Freiburg, fluent in Russian, and the author of a number of books on volunteers from the USSR who served in units under the Third Reich, 1941-45.

Also see:
Neulen, Hans Werner. In the Skies of Europe: Air Forces Allied to the Luftwaffe 1939-1945. Ramsbury (Wiltshire): The Crowwood Press, 2000. ISBN: 1 86126 326 0. Pages 313-320.

L.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

LARRY,

Although not my main area of interest, it is fantastic to see that a vast number of amazing books are being published; and that there is indeed a reference book about the ROA Air Force!

Thank you for sharing this with us. Your work have been reference and helpful to many of us during the years, by the way.

A.

[Carl-Fredrik Geust]

I recommend everyone in this chain to carefully read Die Geschichte der Wlassow-Armee by Joachim Hoffmann, referred to by Larry de Zeng above. On page 107 the planned organisation of Luftwaffe der ROA im Rahmen der Russischen Befreiungsarme as signed 19 December 1944 by Hermann Göring, Reichsmarschall des Grossdeutschen Reiches und Oberbefehlhaber der Luftwaffe is as follows:

- 1 Jagdstaffel mit 15 Jagdflugzeugen Me 109 G 10 vorgesehende

Ausserdem sollen... so schnell wie möglich gebildet werden:

- 1 Schlachtstaffel mit 12 Ju 87,
- 1 Kampfstaffel mit 5 He 111,
- 1 Kurierstaffel mit 2 Fi 156 und 2 (sowj. Beuteflugzeuge) U-2
- 1 Ergänzungsstaffel mit 2 He 111, 2 Ju 87, 2 Bf 109, 2 Me 108, 3 U-2.

Die kriegsstärke der Luftwaffe der ROA sollte sich zunächst auf rund 4500 Offiziere, Unteroffiziere und Mannschaften belauften.
Reference: GenStGeQu 2.Abt (P1/I), Nr.15231/44gKdos, 19.12.1944, BA-MA RL 2 III/460.

There are however no details how the organisation really grew, and it apparently never reached planned volume.

Nevertheless Hoffmann writes on page 120:
... Flugzeuge der Nachtschlachtstaffel haben am 13. April 1945 den Angriff der 1. Division der ROA auf den sowjetischen Brückenkopf Erlenhof südlich von Fürstenberg durch Bombenangriff unterstützt.

Following references are mentioned: Artem´ev: Istorija Pervoj Russkoj Divizii (1962), S. 17, Pozdnjakov: Andrej Andreeviĉ Vlasov (1973), S. 348 and Hoffmann´s personal archive.

Thus at least this operation was performed by VVS KONR.

[Dan O'Connell]

This is an interesting subject to me although I don't know much about it. It appears Vlasov and KGJ 6 were having a private war against the Soviets.

[Nick Beale]

The original question was "What do we really know from primary sources about Russian-manned air units in the Luftwaffe?"

My answer: "A whole lot more than I did before this thread started", so thanks everyone.

[richdlc]

thanks, this greatly interests me too.