| Russian Air Arms - A short history |
Military aviation in Russia started in 1910 when the first training was started in Sevastopol and St. Petersburg. The first exercise was in the fall of 1911, when five Farmans and five Bleriots were used during military manoeuvres in the Warsaw area. In 1912 a special Air Service was created within the Russian Army. In the same year the expertise was brought into practice when the first squadron was deployed to Bulgaria during the Balkan War, where they conducted reconnaissance missions against the Turks, although most aviators were civilian for political reasons.
From then on the Air Service gradually expanded, so by the time the World War I broke out, it was the largest Air Service in terms of the number of aircraft (244 aircraft in 39 squadrons, mostly French aircraft build in Russia).
In the initial stages most sorties were for aerial photography, but this evolved more in to bombardment sorties and later air battles, although this stayed rare until he first machine guns were introduced during the summer of 1915 and in 1916 the first special Combat Air Group was created. Despite heavy losses the Air Service had grown to approximately 720 aircraft at the end of 1916. But this did not match the forces of Germany and Austria, which had grown faster, and above all were much more advanced.
During the summer of 1917, combat activity of the Air Service became virtually to a standstill, as a result of fuel and spares shortages, but especially of desertion of the crews. And when the peace treaty was signed, only an estimated 140 aircraft survived (out of over 4700 build during the war).
But the new Bolshevist government soon started to pay attention to expanding the air force, which resulted in a growth to circa 400 aircraft in 1922, although most were imported (Junkers, Fokkers, de Havillands etcetera). But during the late twenties and the thirties domestic development and production started to grow.And in 1936 the first strategic air formation was created, at the time within the air force proper.
When war broke out in 1939, the number of aircraft in active service had risen to an estimated 5400 of which about half was used during the Winter War against Finland. But as the aerial campaign was considered a complete failure (even though the Soviets had 30 times more aircraft at their disposal, they couldn't reach their objectives) several reform programs were introduced afterwards, which also consisted of disposing of the heavy bombers (a wrong decision as later was found out). These programs were only halfway when the Germans attacked in June 1941, so the Air Force was totally unprepared.
During the war the Soviet Union received considerable aid in the form of Lend-Lease aircraft, mainly P-39 Airacobras, P-40 Tomahawks, Spitfires and Hurricanes, but also managed to start a huge production of own aircraft, primarily the La-5, Yak-9, Pe-2 and the most numerous build military aircraft to date, the IL-2 (36,163 are said to be build!). But even as the war progressed, still the main task of al aircraft (including the "strategic aircraft") was direct support of army units.
This was only reconsidered after the war, when the Soviet Union found itself one of the two leading super powers, with only the USA ahead. As a result, the USSR started its own strategic program with the Tu-4 (an illegally copied B-29), but followed rapidly by the Tu-95. By that time a special independent command within the air force had been created for these strategic tasks; Long Range Aviation (DA or Дальняя Авиация). And when the first strategic missiles were introduced, they were also assigned to the DA, but in 1959 they became a independent branch within the armed forces.
To be concluded....
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Photo: Erik Sleutelberg
Photo: Mike Kell
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You can find more about the Russian Air Arms on these pages. On the Order of Battle page we show you where the
main bases in Russia are. A country map of Russia is available. Click on an airbase to see what's there to be found. Also we present links to
Expediamaps services: with each airbase you can find a link to a map of the airbases' neighbourhood.
It is also possible to send updates to us!
And of course we present you some links to other Russian Aviation Pages.
Order of Battle
Links to Related Websites
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