16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division

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16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division
Active1942–1998
CountrySoviet Union
AllegianceSoviet Air Force
16th Air Army
RoleAir superiority
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQDamgarten, GDR (until 1993)

The 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division was an Aviation Division of the Soviet Air Forces, active from 1942 to 1998. Originally activated in 1942 as the 258th Fighter Aviation Division from the Air Forces of the 14th Army, then the 258th Mixed Aviation Division 27.2.43; redesignated in accordance with NKO Decree No. 264 as the 1st Guards Composite Aviation Division от 24.08.43;[1] redesignated 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division (16 GvIAD) 11 November 1944.

World War II

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Active regiments within the 16th Fighter Aviation Division during the Second World War included:[1]

From 1945 to 1949 the division included: The 19th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, 20th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, and 152nd Fighter Aviation Regiment. During this period 152 IAP disbanded and was replaced by 773 IAP. Beginning with its formation from the 258th Aviation Division, until February 1945 The 16th Fighter Aviation Division was attached to the 14th Army. After this, it was then reassigned to the Belomorsky Military District where it served until 1953. In 1953 it was rolled into the 16th Air Army as part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. The 16th Division headquarters were located at Damgarten from the unit's installation in Germany during October 1953 until the Soviet forces pulled out of the area subsequent to the Reunification of Germany which was finalized in 1993. As a frontline unit stationed in Germany during the Cold War it can be assumed that the 16th Fighter Aviation Division would have faced off against any action taken by NATO air forces in Allied Air Forces Central Europe in the event of conflict between the Soviet Union and NATO.

Organisation 1960

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  • 19th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (Wittstock, Germany) with MiG-15/17
  • 20th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (Parchim, Germany) with MiG-17
  • 773rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (Damgarten, Germany) with MiG-17

Two regiments were converted to Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiments (19th Guards and 20th Guards) in 1961, and were replaced by two Fighter Aviation Regiments (33rd and 787th), from the 125th Fighter Aviation Division.

Structure in the GDR in 1990

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The division remained as part of Group of Soviet Forces in Germany until October 1993.

Composition 1995 in the North Caucasus

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  • 19th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, at Millerovo (MiG-29)
  • 31st Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, at Zernograd (MiG-29)

It was finally disbanded after serving several years with 4th Air Army in May 1998 while at Millerovo in the North Caucasus Military District.

References

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  1. ^ a b AllAces.ru, http://www.allaces.ru/cgi-bin/s2.cgi/sssr/struct/d/sad258.dat
  2. ^ Soviet troops in Germany 1945 to 1994, memorial album, edition Moscow, published by "Jang Guard", 1994; ISBN 5-235-02221-1, page 22, The 16th Air Army (Wuensdorf).
  3. ^ Michael Holm, 773rd Fighter Aviation Regiment, accessed December 2012.
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