SAF PROCEDURES DURING THE RE-EQUIPMENT OF A UNIT WITH NEW AIRCRAFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040254-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 20, 2011
• Sequence Number: 254
• Publication Date: July 23, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION SECRET
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFOR1 M-T1DPJ REPORT,
SUBJECT SAF Procedures During the Re-equipment of a
Unit with New Aircraft
.......
.:';: .~;
::.........
DATE DISTR. A3 July 53
NO. OF PAGES 4
NO. OF ENCLS.
(USTEO BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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1. By order of the Commander-in-Chief of the WS, the 175th Fighter Air Division was subject
to retraining and re-equipping (to MIG-15 aircraft) in the early part of 1949. Prior to
this t- e the t`..ision 'Was equipped with YAK-9P aircraft. The total number of aircraft
in the 175th Fighter Air Division at this time was:
-9V
-1,1
PO-2
S-2
178
1
8 This includes both serviceable
- T_Ceauir aircraft.
10
In May of 1949 the pilots and some of the enlisted men of the division were sent for
retraining to an Educational Training Center near Leningrad. Technical officers of the
Division were sent for further technical training to the factories producing 141G-15
aircraft, such as #1 at KUIBYSHEV. In the later half of Septomher r -4..4
_1__
completes its retraining but had not yet received new aircraft-.-
CLASSIFICATION SECRET
-- --j }-- ' f o;sTR;auTiON I --~-T---~~
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3. In June of 1949, the division received instructions from the Air Army to prepare to give
ur 130 aircraft.. This order indicated what had to be done with the aircraft prior to
giving them up. The division was to paint all aircraft designated for surrender and to
paint-over all recognition marks on them, as well as to check carefully their engines
and make all necessary repairs.
4. In July, instructions to ferry 79 YAK-9P aircraft to Khechkemet Airfield (Kecskemet) in
Hungary were received. These aircraft were ferried by pilots of the 347th Fighter Air
Regiment of the 175th Fighter Air Division. The course floe was across Poland.
In Septcccter 1949, the division received additional instructions to ferry another 51
YAK-We to Poland (Liegnitz Airfield). In December, the division received instructions
to transfer 12 YAK-9P's (without painting-over the recognition marks) to the 931sT,
separate Artillery Spotting Reconnaissance Air 2egiment which was based at Keten (Kothen)
airfield in C-ermany,
In October 1949, in accordance with a 24th Air Army order, the 175th Fighter Air Division
was to provide two groups to receive and dispatch aircraft to the intermediary airfields
designated as landing points for BRIG-15's being flown in from Kuibyshev. One group was
to be located at Orsha (Balbasovo) airfield and the second at Ybbrin airfield.
7. The functions of each group were; to receive the aircraft being flown in for the 175th
Fighter Air Division,#to supervise their landing, to check the aircraft after the
landing and prior to the take-off, and to make any n%essary repairs); to provide the
group of ferrying pilots with food and quarters; to refuel the aircraft; to organize an
effective watch or guard over the aircraft; and, to provide the lead groups and crews
with necessary radio-data for the remainder of the flight
In order t
f
.
o per
orm the
above functions, the 175th Fighter Air Division's group included the following spe,~ialists.
a) Officers in the position of Assistant Commanders of Air Regiments
for Aerial Combat Tactics and Aerial Gunnery
b) Officers of the communcations service
c) Officers c.i the technical service
i) Mechanics in the various specialties
8. Thus, each group included fou fur five officers and ten sergeants. These ;coups were
transported to the interme7.?sy airfields on transport aircraft of the 24;h Air Arm
However, due to poor weather :onditlons prevailing in the fall, the MIG-15 aircraft,
designated for the 175th Fighter Air Division were not ferried in, and so these groups
were ordered back to their unit b ommand of WS Main Headquarters, after having been
at the intermediary '.irfields fo out two months.
9. The latter headquarters decided to send the aircraft designated for the 71st Fighter Air
Corns of the 24th Air Army by rail The aircraft arriving in the 175th Fighter Air Division
were packed in special crates. The first train carrying MIG-15' aircraft arrived at Oranien-
burg airfield on the 14th December 1949. This train contained 25 MN-15's. The second
train transporting IiIG-15'.s arrived at the abovr--ientiened point on the 10th day of January
1950. It contained 25 - '
and t third train which contained IM-1 j ' arrived at
this point in February. Further-
more, the 175th Fighter Air Division - craft from the 61st Guards
Fighter Air Corps at Teerbat (Zerbet) airfield.
10. Oraalenburg airfield was the unloading and assembly point for aircraft being sent to the
1 75th Fighter Air Division. Upon arrival at Oranlenburg the aircraft vor:
out e their protective oil wrappings and wooden crates) assembled, flown
(for a period of five hours as a shakedown), and then, ferried to Finow airfield for the
247th and 86eth Fighter Air Regiments.
il. During the above period, the 175th Fighter Air Division received 69 aircraft - 65 MIG-15b
and 4 YAK-17's. These aircraft were distributed among the regiments in the following
manner;
According to the TO, these
units should have:
MIG-15 YAK-17
MIG-15 YAK-17
147th Fighter Air Fpm is ,
4liv L:r "
24 1
52
~. 1
2
Fighter Air Div Command
2 1
5
3
L 1
CO IIALa
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12. In addition to the above jet aircraft, the division had thef?.)llowing.reciprccating engine
^
aircraft: 36 YAX-9P's. one YAK-9M_ eigh+ YAK
1.111
-
s
13. The division was supposed to be completely re-equipped with new aircraft by June of 1950;
this, however, was the second specified date. The first specified date was set for 1949,
and according to this plan, the division was supposed to have been completely re-equipped
by the end of '49. However, due to the poor autumn weather, this plan was not carried
out and a second date for re-equipment was set for 1950.
14. After the 175th Fighter Air Division received its new aircraft by means of railroad
transportation, the 61st Guards Fighter Air Corps received 68 or 78 MIG-15's simul-
taneously by means of ferrying. All of the MIG-15's which were ferried in for the 61st
Guard Fighter Air Corps landed at Zerbat airfield in Germany.
15. A well-defined system for realuipping a unit with new aircraft does not exist. New air-
craft may be received by Vv8 units in two ways: the aircraft may be ferrie' or, they
may be transported by rail or water transportation. All of this depends on time and
weather factors. .In the majority of cases, new aircraft are received during the spring
and winter seasons since the summer season is heavily scheduled with combat training;
during the summer all leaves for flight personnel are forbidden as are any interruptions
of their combat training. Thus, the flight personnel cannot be utilized to ferry new
aircraft.
16. During the spring and autumn seasons, in most cases, the unfavorable weather conditions
which interfere with the ferrying of aircraft make it imposoibie to carry out such a
proposed plan since the aircraft being ferried may be detained at intermediary airfields
for months due to the weather. Needless,to say, this causes great inconveniences since,
in addition to the aircraft, flight personnel are detained at intermediary airfields
for a considerable length of time; they are deprived of combat training and also lose
the .Level of combat training already attained:
17. Furthermore, ferrying aircraft involves a large loss in engine-resource time (TN a
specified period of time an engine is supposed to function before it has to be overhauled)
and shortens the combat-life of the aircraft. Therefore, on the basis of the above
factors, VV8 Main Headquarters chooses one method or another to use during re-equipment,
ie, in transporting the new aircraft to a unit.
18. It is necessary to remember that if a unit which is to be re-equipped is based no
farther than the range of the given type aircraft from the factory producing them, these
aircraft will invariably be ferried to the units. In the case of units which are located
at a considerable distance front the producing factory, new aircraft were transported by
one of the two methods indicated above. Transportiig aircraft to units by rail or water
transportation results in larger losses. of time but safeguards the engine-resource of
the aircraft and extends its life-span.
19. Aircraft which are detained at intermediary airfields because of weather conditions are
parked out in the open and are poorly cared for; consequently, when they reach their
destination they have defects. Furthermore, if a defect is discovered along the route,
the aircraft remains at an intermediary field until the defect is repaired. It is quite
possible that the unit based at the particular intermediary airfield is equipped with a
different type of aircraft from the one that is forced down by a defect and will not be
able to render any assistance, especially it the repair involves replacing even the
simplest, most insignificant part. It takes a eert.a T ( of time to obtain the
necessary part and, in the meantime if the weather has been normal the main
group on while the pilot and his unserviceable aircraft remain sitting at the intermediaryies
airfield, waiting for the defect to be repaired.
20. Another possibility is that while landing at an intermediary airfield, a pilot may
damage his landing gear, necessitating a repair Job which takes several days; In the
meantime, the weather may be good and the flight may continue while this aircraft is
detained until repairs are completed.
at late ary - --- "-" ???, ?"?LL au~raiti yag oenind the grormedi airfields and arrive ^t their d _o I ;tio ., m ;, ly a,ter an e up
gala due to the r r"~ sdew Qd
arn....~.,-...e _ eason& given above. Powever, the 175tu Fighter Air 1Nviatwn as_a
. - ._ V ~(lw (Z1~ J J.(_( T?~ ~~ riiGn it wa - rerLyll9 aircraft to Hungary and Poland. "
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22. All conventional type aircraft of the 24th Air Army were turned over to the Soviet
union's European Satellites (!bland Hungary, amasiniu,
and Albania) and, Bulgaria, Possibly to China and 1ba?clia. Apart, of the aircraft from
other Air Armies were also turned over to the Satellite countries, while the rest
were given to DOSAV's Aeroclubs and these YS;unitswhich were scheduled to be the
laste Aped with new aircraft.
conventional
aircraft ircraft wex~
sow gicavan we to oe air iven to air sow i
in for the i s~eandr othera of were rees stripped for
spare parts (~ Satellite countries,
VVS units, DOSAV's aeroclubs, and air institutes).
23. All of the above organizations used these spare parts in repairing their aircraft
of a sieilar type.
24. Some of the old conventional aircraft which were unsuitable even for utilization
as spare parts were sent to be smelted down as junk.
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