Soviet aircraft in-service dates

[LukeFF]

I found this file on my PC which I've had since March of 2008, and I believe it was created by Tatarenko (aka Ian Boys). Anyways, it's a good guide to when and where Soviet aircraft came into use during the war:

 

FIGHTERS

 

LaGG-3 series 4 - at the very start of the war this was present only around Leningrad. There were none at all in the 5 western frontier districts. In common use from the German attack on Moscow in Nov.41

 

LaGG-3 series 66 - From Summer 1943 in the Kuban and Black Sea Fleet in 1943 and 44.

 

La-5 - one Division (IAD) at Stalingrad August 1942. In common use during Stalingrad counter-attack (Op Uranus).

 

La-5F - started Winter 42/43 counter-attacks (Uranus, Mars, Leningrad). Large-scale use at Kursk.

 

La-5FN - first v limited use at Kursk as test, production only from autumn 43.

 

La-7 - combat tests 1st Baltic Front Sept 44 (Kurland map). Widespread use from Oct/Nov 44.

 

MiG-3 - extensive in west at outbreak of war but few pilots proficient in use. From 30 June, 401 and 402 IAP's made up of test pilots established (elite). Major use during battle of Moscow. 3ud version by far most common.

 

I-16 - generally phased out by Spring 43. 4 GIAP KBF until Apr 43. In use in Pacific until summer 1945 (888 IAP). Interesting stats from Caucasus March/Apr 43 - I-16 twice as survivable as Il-2 in ground attack role and 1.5x as survivable as Yak-1, LaGG-3 and lend lease fighter in air. This was put down to high manoeuvrability and great pilot experience. Roles generally as strafers and Il-2 escort after summer 42.

 

Yak-1 - In use from war's start. From May 42 no rockets carried.

 

Yak-1B - combat tests Dec42/Jan43, Kalinin and S'Grad regions. General use spring 43 onwards.

 

Yak-7A - early summer 1942, Volkhov and Western Fronts.

 

Yak-7B M-105P ("1941") - May 42 general issue

 

Yak-7B M-105PF ("1942") - August 42 general issue.

 

Yak-7B series 41 - use Yak-9 - Winter 42/43. Common variant with lowered rear fuselage.

 

Yak-9 - first use Op Uranus (S'grad) late Dec 1942.

 

Yak-9T - combat trials Kursk June 1943. General issue Aug 43. 2748 produced - common and v effective aircraft.

 

Yak-9D - Combat test Aug/Sept 1943, generally issued Autumn 43. When not used as long range escort (for Tu-2 etc) often used with outer tanks blocked as experience showed most flights used only 40% fuel. In game use 50, it's plenty.

 

Yak-9K - used in 3 IAK, 812 IAP, from Aug 44, covered by Yak-3s from the division. Limited use southern end Kurland map.

 

Yak-9B - Dec 44 onwards, limited use,

 

Yak-9M - Summer 44 onwards.

 

Yak-9U - Aug/Sep 44 onwards.

 

Yak-9UT - over Berlin 45 only.

 

Yak-3 - from summer 1944. Lvov operation then elsewhere.

 

Yak-3P - not used.

 

BOMBERS/ATTACK

 

Il-2 series 1 - only 4 ShAP on the Smolensk map.

 

IL-2 single seater - some used until 1943.

 

IL-2 2 seater - from 30 Oct 42 (Stalingrad etc)

 

Po-2 - not just famous LBAP/NLBAP role but also as ambulance, arty observation, hack etc.

 

Su-2 - from beginning, esp. in Ukraine and southern areas/Stalingrad.

 

DB-3/IL-4 - in use entire war. Most of the snub-nosed variants shot down in 1941. No losses in first day as on rear bases.

 

Pe-2 - entire war.

 

Pe-8 - Aug 41 to Aug 44. Almost exclusively at night.

 

TB-3 - Lake Khasan, Khalkin-Gol, GPW. SPB from Crimea/Ukraine only, 1941 and a couple in 1944. Also transport and paradrop use. Often used in pocket resupply etc.

 

SB - Spain, Mongolia, 41 (day), 42/43 night only. Please note - not called SB-2!

 

Tu-2 - some available Autumn 42 onwards, wide use from mid 44. Escorted by Yak-9 and Airacobras.

 

Pe-3 - From Sep 41. Pe-3bis from April 42. Some Pe-3 field-modded to Pe-3bis type (-ish) in 1941. 95 IAP Mainly Moscow 41 (bomber intercept) and Murmansk 42 (bomber, convoy cover) and Murmansk 43 (IL-4 convoy attack escort). Also used by several BAP's and RAP's in late 41 and 1942.

 

LEND-LEASE

 

Hurricanes - First sorties by RAF Murmansk 12 Sept 41. Last 8 Oct. Russian from 14 Oct 41 (78 IAP). Moscow from early 42, Spring-early summer Karelian Front, early summer Stalingrad front, summer KBF. 120 Hurris converted to attack a/c by VVS SF Spring 42. Surviving Hurris gradually withdrawn into PVO, some used as night fighters. Frontline Hurris in 44 only in Karelia and Murmansk areas, v few (<10 each).

 

Spitfire Mk V - Kuban 57 GIAP April-July 1943. Handed to 821 IAP Kuban July-Sept. 43. Spits also 7 IAP ChF for Coastal Defence.

 

Spitfire IX - mostly to PVO for high alt interceptions. Also guarded Piryatin airbase during US shuttle bombing missions. Many used around Leningrad/Karelia in 44.

 

Tomahawk (P-40B/C) - first 126 IAP Moscow from 12 Oct 41. Leningrad 154 IAP from 26 Nov 41. Many over Lagoda Winter 41/42.

 

Kittyhawk (P-40E and later) - May 42 for SF and army units at Murmansk. From May also Tomahawk regiments at Leningrad and Moscow re-equipped with P-40E etc. Modified P-40 with M-105 engine only used around Ladoga. Gradually more use as fighter bombers and anti-ship (Murmansk 44). Kittyhawks used in Kuban in 1943 at low/mid levels covered by P-39's above. Kittyhawks still in use by ChF in 1944, mainly bomber/IL-2 escort. Many also PVO. Term Warhawk not used in Russia (too hard to write in cyrillic!)

 

P-39 - D-1 for 2 GIAP, 78 SAP and 19 GIAP (all Murmansk) May 1942, also some to Moscow PVO. Deliveries then through Iran and ALSIB from late 42 (D-2 models and later), available to first units (mainly south) early 43 and operational Kuban from Spring 1943. Later everywhere except Baltic Fleet.

 

P-63 - v limited in west. Some over Berlin, maybe elsewhere too. Several IAPs used them vs Japan in Summer 1945, both army and TOF.

 

P-47 Thunderbolt - mainly SF 255 IAP during Petsamo-Kirkenes op Oct/Nov 44 as fighter-bomber. Some 2 GIAP. Some also KBF and ChF as maritime recon.

 

Boston - SF: Apr 43. KBF: Feb 43. ChF: Jan 43, some recon Nov 42. TOF 1945. Used them in MTAP's and RAP's. Also used by ADD as heavy escort night fighters for Il-4 and B-25 and as bomber or night bomber by many VVS units.

 

B-25 - summer 1942, mainly at night from Sept 42. In addition to ADD use, also used in SF and KBF ORAP's.

 

(Quick glossary: ADD - Long Range Aviation, MTAP - Mine Torpedo Regt., RAP - Recon Regt., ChF - Black Sea Fleet, TOF - Pac Fleet, SF - Northern Fleet, KBF - Baltic Fleet, PVO - Air Def.)

 

[Cybermat47]

Bookmarked. Thanks for posting this, Luke, my knowledge of Russian aircraft has always been lacking

[Finkeren]

Good overview, thanks for that.

 

Most I knew but always nice to have put in a list together. There were two surprises though:

 

1. There were really La-5Fs in active service during BoS? Woohoo!!! I wants it!!!!

 

2. The Yak-9U was in full scale service from sig/sep 44 just a couple months after the introduction of the Yak-3? I thought it was more on an early '45 thing.

[LukeFF]

Gordon & Khazanov give a slightly later date for the Yak-9U: October 1944, with the 163rd IAP, 3rd Air Army, which put them on Baltic Front against mostly Fw 190s (both fighters & jabos). 

 

The data on the La-5F seems to be even more off. The same source as above states it did not go into service until January 1943, in the Leningrad sector with 215th Fighter Air Division.

[Finkeren]

The only detailed work I've read on this is Gordons book on VVS single engined fighters, so not surprising that I picked those 2 things out.

 

So where do the dates on the list come from?

Edited September 6, 2014 by Finkeren