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Development of the Russian Air Forces

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Brockpaine

The Shadow

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Friday, January 29th 2016, 8:10pm

Development of the Russian Air Forces

So over the last week or so I've been poking at a little project to bring the Russian Air Forces (PVO and VVS) order-of-battle up to date. A dangerous thing, I know... but I wanted to see what sort of shape things were in.

I found the last OOB that AdmK did (dated January 1941), and I was pretty satisfied with the deployments in terms of quantities and geographical dispersions. What was perhaps less satisfactory was the modernity of the aircraft. So... I've done something about that. More work went into fighters and strike aircraft (Sturmoviks for everyone! ...and you, and you, and all the rest of you) and not so much in bombers. In particularly bad shape is the heavy bomber force, which as of January 1947 is still mostly equipped with relics of the early to mid 1930s. That shortcoming is being redressed now that the Myasishchev M-2 is in production, but full redress is going have to wait for Beagles and Bears. I added only one unit - another transport aviation corps, created in 1941 with Lisunov Li-2s. Everything else is staying the same, just with more modern planes arriving in the units.

I've switched over new aircraft designations from AdmK's old style (I-xx for the fighters, ANT-xx for the bombers) because I couldn't keep track of whether or not the something was a four-engine bomber or single-engine attack plane. There was already some of that before he left, since the Pe-2 / Pe-3 and the Il-2 were referred to by those designations.

Thoughts and comments:
---- As of 1947, the Russian Air Forces aren't actually ordering a lot of combat aircraft, as can be seen from the figures below - production has dropped to about 50% what it was during the 1942-1944 period. I figure during 1945 and 1946, several things are happening. First, the Russian factories are doing a lot of retooling to handle jets and turboprops. Second, the Russian Air Forces are using a large chunk of their budget on trainers and advanced trainers, which I'm not covering in the figures below. Third, the civilian market in Russia has picked up (as well as the occasional export order) as evidenced by the increased number of civilian-oriented designs.
---- As of January 1947, Russia still has no jet-equipped units. This is mostly because I'm following a very historical timeline with all purely-Russian designed jets (the partly-German I-174 / Bf329 is an aberration). I'll probably get a few MiG-9s off this year, though not many are likely.
---- My focus for 1947 is knocking out the last of the aircraft 10+ years old and older: the ANT-31 and ANT-31bis heavy bombers and the last ANT-28T transports.
---- Discussion of the AV-MF (Naval Aviation) is out of scope of this discussion, but it should be remembered that AV-MF maintains a very large quantity of land-based aircraft, far over and above its forces deployed afloat - ranging from search aircraft to land-based fleet air defense to torpedo and minelaying bomber regiments.
---- I really wonder if I left the heavy bomber force alone for too long. AdmK always maintained a very healthy force of four-engine strategic bombers, and I didn't do a single thing with it until I plugged in the Myassishchev in later 1946. I'm thinking of going back to work up a four-engine design for 1945 production in order to make the situation in 1947 less dire. Maybe something like a four-engined Mosquito - blazing fast for a heavy bomber, but a small crew, poor self-defense and a really mediocre bombload, perhaps?

Quoted

Changes between January 1941 and January 1942:
-- All I-31 fighters in the Reserves are retired.
-- All I-34 fighters in the PVO are replaced with I-41 (MiG-3) interceptors. (+1,215 I-41.)
-- 17th Bomber Aviation Corps (Far Eastern) converts to ANT-39 (Tu-2) fast bombers. (+180 Tu-2, -180 ANT-31.)
-- 1st Strike Aviation Army (Far Eastern) completely converts to Il-2 Sturmovik (+270 Il-2, -270 ANT-36.)
-- 3rd Strike Aviation Army (Western) converts to Il-2 Sturmovik. (+405 Il-2, -405 ANT-36.)
-- 6th Strike Aviation Corps (Transcaucasus) converts to Il-2 Sturmovik. (+135 Il-2, -135 ANT-36.)
-- 2nd Transport Aviation Corps (Reserve - Urals) created with +135 Lisunov Li-2s.

2340 aircraft built in 1941

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Changes between January 1942 and January 1943:
-- 1st Interceptor Aviation Corps (Petrograd) converts all Pe-2I regiments to Pe-3 night fighters (+135 Pe-3, -135 Pe-2I.)
-- 2nd Interceptor Aviation Corps (Western) converts all Pe-2I regiments to Pe-3 night fighters (+135 Pe-3, -135 Pe-2I.)
-- 1st Interceptor Aviation Army (Far Eastern) converts all Pe-2I regiments to Pe-3 night fighters (+135 Pe-3, -135 Pe-2I.)
-- 1st Bomber Aviation Army converts all ANT-32 bombers to Tu-2s. (+405 Tu-2, -405 ANT-32.)
-- 2nd Bomber Aviation Army converts all ANT-32 bombers to Tu-2s. (+405 Tu-2, -405 ANT-32.)
-- 2nd Strike Aviation Army (Far Eastern) converts all ANT-36 units to Il-2s. (+405 Il-2s, -405 ANT-36s.)
-- 6th Fighter Aviation Corps (Central Asian) converts all I-34 units to La-7. (+135 La-7s, -135 I-34s.)
-- 4th Fighter Aviation Corps (Western) converts all I-37 units to La-7. (+135 La-7s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 5th Fighter Aviation Corps (Western) converts all I-37 units to La-7. (+135 La-7s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 8th Fighter Aviation Corps (Transcaucasus) converts all I-37 units to La-7. (+135 La-7s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 1st Fighter Aviation Army converts all I-37 units to Yak-9s. (+405 Yak-9s, -405 I-37s.)

2,565 aircraft built in 1942.

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Changes between January 1943 and January 1944:
-- I-34 fighter entirely removed from service.
-- 3rd Fighter Aviation Army (Far Eastern) converts all I-37 units to Lavochkin La-7s. (+405 La-7s, -405 I-37s.)
-- 4th Fighter Aviation Army (Far Eastern) converts all I-37 units to Lavochkin La-7s. (+405 La-7s, -405 I-37s.)
-- 19th Bomber Aviation Corps (Far Eastern) converts all ANT-36 units to Il-2. (+135 Il-2, -135 ANT-36.)
-- 1st Fighter Aviation Corps (Kiev) converts all I-37 units to La-7s. (+135 La-7s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 2nd Fighter Aviation Corps (Kiev) converts all I-37 units to La-7s. (+135 La-7s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 3rd Fighter Aviation Corps (Petrograd) converts all I-37 units to La-7s. (+135 La-7s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 6th and 7th Fighter Aviation Armies (Urals) convert all reserve I-34 units to I-37s - all I-34s removed from service. (-810 I-34s.)
-- 3rd Interceptor Aviation Army (Moscow) converts all I-37 units to La-7s. (+45 La-7s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 30th Strike Aviation Corps (Siberian) converts all ANT-36 units to Il-2s. (+135 Il-2s, -135 ANT-36s.)
-- 28th Strike Aviation Corps (Central Asian) converts all ANT-36 units to Il-2s. (+135 Il-2s, -135 ANT-36s.)
-- 29th Strike Aviation Corps (Central Asian) converts all ANT-36 units to Il-2s. (+135 Il-2s, -135 ANT-36s.)
-- 59th Bomber Aviation Division (Western) converts all ANT-31 units to Tu-2s. (+45 Tu-2s, -45 ANT-31s.)
-- 3rd Interceptor Aviation Army (Far Eastern) converts all I-37 and Pe-2I units to Yak-9s. (+405 Yak-9s, -135 I-37s, -270 Pe-2Is.)
-- 2nd Fighter Aviation Army converts all I-37 units to Yak-9s. (+405 Yak-9s, -405 I-37s.)

2,655 aircraft built in 1943.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Changes between January 1944 and January 1945:
-- ANT-32 medium bomber entirely removed from service.
-- ANT-36 light bomber entirely removed from service.
-- 1st Strike Aviation Corps converts all ANT-36 units to Il-10s. (+135 Il-10s, -135 ANT-36s.)
-- 4th Strike Aviation Army (Kiev) converts all ANT-36 units to Il-10s. (+405 Il-10s, -405 ANT-36s.)
-- 4th Transport Aviation Division (Western) converts all ANT-28T transports to Ilyushin Il-12s. (+45 Il-12s, -45 ANT-28Ts.)
-- 1st Interceptor Aviation Army converts all I-41 units to Yak-3s. (+405 Yak-3s, -405 I-41s.)
-- 5th Fighter Aviation Army converts all I-37 units to Yak-3s. (+405 Yak-3s, -405 I-37s.)
-- 6th Fighter Aviation Army (Urals) converts all I-37 units to surplus I-41s. (-405 I-37s.)
-- 6th Bomber Aviation Army (Urals) converts all ANT-32 units to Ilyushin Il-2s. (+405 Il-2s, -600 ANT-32s.)
-- 1st Interceptor Aviation Army converts all I-37 units to Yak-3s. (+405 Yak-3s, -405 I-37s.)
-- 7th Fighter Aviation Army converts all I-37 units to Yak-9s. (+405 Yak-9s, -405 I-37s.)

2,610 aircraft built in 1944.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Changes between January 1945 and January 1946:
-- I-37 fighter entirely removed from service.
-- 7th Transport Aviation Division converts all ANT-28T units to Il-12s. (+45 Il-12s, -45 ANT-28Ts.)
-- 7th Fighter Aviation Corps (Siberian) converts all I-37 units to Yak-3s. (+135 Yak-3s, -135 I-37s.)
-- 3rd Fighter Aviation Army (Far Eastern) converts all La-7 units to La-9s. (+405 La-9s, -405 La-7s to surplus.)
-- 4th Fighter Aviation Army (Far Eastern) converts all La-7 units to La-9s. (+405 La-9s, -405 La-7s.)
-- 6th Fighter Aviation Army (Urals) converts all I-41 units to surplus La-7s. (-405 I-41s.)
-- 1st Interceptor Aviation Corps (Petrograd) converts all I-41 units to Yak-3s. (+135 Yak-3s, -135 I-41s.)

1,125 aircraft built in 1945.

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Changes between January 1946 and January 1947:
-- 3rd Fighter Aviation Corps (Petrograd) converts all I-41 units to La-11s. (+135 La-11s, -135 I-41s.)
-- 2nd Interceptor Aviation Corps (Western) converts all La-7 units to La-11s. (+135 La-11s, -135 La-7s.)
-- 3rd Interceptor Aviation Corps (Western) converts all La-7 units to La-11s. (+135 La-11s, -135 La-7s.)
-- 7th Interceptor Aviation Corps (Transcaucasus) converts all I-41 units to La-11s. (+135 La-11s, -135 I-41s.)
-- 57th Bomber Aviation Division (Central Asian) converts all ANT-31 units to Myasishchev M-2. (+45 M-2s, -45 ANT-31s.)
-- 6th Transport Aviation Division (Central Asian) converts all ANT-28T units to Il-12s. (+45 Il-12s, -45 ANT-28Ts.)
-- 7th Transport Aviation Division (Far Eastern) converts all ANT-28T units to Il-12s. (+45 Il-12s, -45 ANT-28Ts.)

675 aircraft built in 1946.



Quoted

Petrograd Special Military District

PVO
1st Interceptor Aviation Corps - 135 Yakovlev Yak-3s, 135 Petlyakov Pe-3s

VVS
3rd Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-11s
1st Strike Aviation Corps - 135 Ilyushin Il-10s
55th Bomber Aviation Division - 45 Tupolev Tu-2s

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Western Special Military District

PVO
2nd Interceptor Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-11s, 135 Pe-3s
3rd Interceptor Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-11s, 135 Pe-2I

VVS
4th Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-7s
5th Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-7s
3rd Strike Aviation Army - 405 Ilyushin Il-2s
13th Bomber Aviation Corps - 135 Petlyakov Pe-2s
14th Bomber Aviation Corps - 135 ANT-38s (Ilyushin Il-4s)
59th Bomber Aviation Division - 45 ANT-31s
4th Transport Aviation Division - 45 Ilyushin Il-12s
4th Reconnaissance Regiment of Special Designation - 15 Petlyakov Pe-2Rs

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Kiev Special Military District

PVO
4th Interceptor Aviation Corps - 135 I-41s (MiG-3s), 135 Pe-2I
5th Interceptor Aviation Corps - 135 I-41s (MiG-3s), 135 Pe-2I

VVS
1st Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-7s
2nd Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-7s
4th Strike Aviation Army - 405 Ilyushin Il-2s
15th Bomber Aviation Corps - 135 Pe-2
16th Bomber Aviation Corps - 135 ANT-38 (Ilyushin Il-4s)
58th Bomber Aviation Division - 45 ANT-31s
5th Transport Aviation Division - 45 ANT-28Ts
3rd Reconnaissance Regiment of Special Designation - 15 Petlyakov Pe-2Rs

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Transcaucasus Special Military District

PVO
6th Interceptor Aviation Corps - 135 Pe-2I
7th Interceptor Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-11s, 135 Petlyakov Pe-2Is

VVS
8th Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-7s
6th Strike Aviation Corps - 135 Ilyushin Il-2s
56th Bomber Aviation Division - 45 ANT-38s (Ilyushin Il-4s)

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Central Asian Military District

PVO
31st Interceptor Aviation Division - 45 Petlyakov Pe-2Is

VVS
6th Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Lavochkin La-7s
28th Strike Aviation Corps - 135 Ilyushin Il-2s
29th Strike Aviation Corps - 135 Ilyushin Il-2s
57th Bomber Aviation Division - 45 Myasishchev M-2s
6th Transport Aviation Division - 45 Ilyushin Il-12s

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Siberian Military District

PVO None

VVS
7th Fighter Aviation Corps - 135 Yakovlev Yak-3s
30th Strike Aviation Corps - 135 Ilyushin Il-2s
8th Transport Aviation Division - 45 ANT-28Ts

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Far Eastern Special Military District

PVO
1st Interceptor Aviation Army - 405 Yakovlev Yak-3s, 135 Petlyakov Pe-3s
3rd Interceptor Aviation Army - 405 Yakovlav Yak-9s

VVS
3rd Fighter Aviation Army - 405 Lavochkin La-9s
4th Fighter Aviation Army - 405 Lavochkin La-9s
1st Strike Aviation Army - 405 Ilyushin Il-2s
2nd Strike Aviation Army - 405 Ilyushin Il-2s.
4th Bomber Aviation Army - 405 Pe-2
17th Bomber Aviation Corps - 180 Tupolev Tu-2s
18th Bomber Aviation Corps - 135 Ilyushin Il-2s [1]
19th Bomber Aviation Corps - 180 ANT-38s (Il-4s)
7th Transport Aviation Division - 45 Ilyushin Il-12s
8th Transport Aviation Division - 45 Ilyushin Il-12s
2nd Reconnaissance Regiment of Special Designation - 15 Petlyakov Pe-2R

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Moscow Military District

PVO
2nd interceptor Aviation Army - 270 Pe-2I, 45 Lavochkin La-7s

VVS
1st Fighter Aviation Army - 405 Yakovlev Yak-9s
2nd Fighter Aviation Army - 405 Yakovlev Yak-9s
5th Fighter Aviation Army - 405 Yakovlev Yak-3s
1st Bomber Aviation Army - 405 Tupolev Tu-2s [1]
2nd Bomber Aviation Army - 405 Tupolev Tu-2s, 135 Petlyakov Pe-2s
1st Transport Aviation Corps - 135 Ilyushin Il-12s
1st Reconnaissance Regiment of Special Designation - 15 Petlyakov Pe-2Rs

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Urals Military District

PVO
None

VVS
3rd Bomber Aviation Army - 180 ANT-35s (Pelyakov Pe-8s), 135 ANT-38s (Ilyushin Il-4s), 135 Petlyakov Pe-2s
5th Bomber Aviation Army - 225 ANT-31, 135 ANT-31B (stored, in reserve)
6th Bomber Aviation Army - 405 Il-2s (Stored, in reserve) [1]
6th Fighter Aviation Army - 405 Lavochkin La-7s (stored, in reserve)
7th Fighter Aviation Army - 405 Yakovlev Yak-9s (stored, in reserve)
2nd Transport Aviation Corps - 135 Lisunov Li-2s

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Notes:
[1]Technically this is a heavy or medium bomber unit that was converted to Il-2s due to aircraft attrition...

Rooijen10

Mr. Valentines Day

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Friday, January 29th 2016, 8:27pm

Quoted

Sturmoviks for everyone! ...and you, and you, and all the rest of you

Hmmm... sounds to me like the Sturmovik is for the Russians what the Volkswagen is for the Germans.

In Germany, car for every citizen. In Russia, strike aircraft for every citizen. :)

Quoted

I've switched over new aircraft designations from AdmK's old style (I-xx for the fighters, ANT-xx for the bombers) because I couldn't keep track of whether or not the something was a four-engine bomber or single-engine attack plane. There was already some of that before he left, since the Pe-2 / Pe-3 and the Il-2 were referred to by those designations.

It makes sense to use something that is simpler that you can keep track of. I myself have wondered several times whether I should keep the Army Air Service and Naval Air Service designations separate as they are now or combine them to one designation system to simplify things.

Brockpaine

The Shadow

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Friday, January 29th 2016, 8:46pm

Quoted from "Rooijen10"

Quoted

Sturmoviks for everyone! ...and you, and you, and all the rest of you

Hmmm... sounds to me like the Sturmovik is for the Russians what the Volkswagen is for the Germans.

In Germany, car for every citizen. In Russia, strike aircraft for every citizen. :)

Not quite, I'm afraid; the Il-2 in Wesworld has seen maybe 10% of its historical production figures. There were 35,000+ built historically, but in Wesworld, I think Russia's built less than three thousand.

Hood

Ugly Aircraft, Inc

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Friday, January 29th 2016, 8:50pm

It all sounds pretty sound to me.
I think Strategic bomber forces generally have lost some ground since 1944 in terms of new types. I put some of this down to the Peace Dividend. I'll admit though that mid-1930s types now are a serous millstone and I can see why would want to replace them sooner rather than later.