The 6th Fighter Aviation Corps of Air Defence was a military formation of the Red Army Air Force Air Defense Aviation of the Soviet Armed Forces, which fought in the Great Patriotic War.
The corps had the successive names the 6th Air Defence Fighter Aviation Corps and the Moscow Air Defence Fighter Corps.
Creation of the Corps
editThe corps was formed by the order of People's Commissar of Defence, dated June 19, 1941, on the basis of the 24th Fighter Aviation Division and the 78th Fighter Aviation Divisions[1] together supervising the 11th, 16th, 24th, 27th, 34th, 120th, 176th, 177th, 178th, 233rd, and 309th Fighter Aviation Regiments.[2] The headquarters of the corps was located in Moscow on Kirov Street, house 33. Colonel Ivan Ivanovich Komarov was appointed chief of staff. In June 1941, it had 175 crew of Yak-1, MiG-3, LaGG-3 aircraft, and 212 I-16 and I-153 crews. By July 9, the corps included 21 fighter aviation regiments, by July 22, 1941 - 29, in which there were 585 aircraft, of which 170 MiG-3, 75 LaGG-3, 95 Yak-1, 200 I-16 and 45 I-153.[3]
In accordance with the order of the People's Commissar of Defence, four air defence aviation control zones were established:
- Western sector, under deputy corps commander Lieutenant Colonel P. M. Stefanovsky, controlling seven fighter aviation regiments.
- Northern sector, under deputy corps commander Colonel A. I. Mitenkov, controlling three fighter aviation regiments
- Southern sector, under deputy corps commander Colonel N. K. Trifonov, controlling six fighter aviation regiments
- Eastern sector, under deputy corps commander Major M. N. Yakushin, subordinate to two IAP
On the basis of NKO order No. 0087, issued on May 21, 1943, the corps was transformed into the 1st Fighter Air Defence Army in the first half of June 1943.[4] The 6th Corps served as part of the "Active Army" from June 22, 1941, to June 9, 1943.[5]
References
edit- ^ Order State Defense Committee of the USSR No. 0041 dated June 19, 1941
- ^ Collective 1968, p. 98.
- ^ Collective 1968, pp. 98, 100.
- ^ Michael Holm, 52nd Fighter Air Defence Army
- ^ Collective (1973). List No. 11 of formations, units and divisions of the air defence forces of the country that were part of the Army in the Field during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Vol. Directive of the General Staff of 1973 No. ДГШ-044. Moscow: Ministry of Defence of the USSR. Military Scientific Directorate of the General Staff, Voenizdat. p. 112.
- Collective (1968). Air Defence Forces of the Country. Moscow: Voenizdat.