Romania in World War II

It was clear that Karol needed to receive divine sanction in the form of the patriarch heading the cabinet of ministers in order to implement radical changes. And they were not slow to follow. In February 1938, the king held a referendum to approve the new constitution. Voting took place as follows - the voter had to come to the polling station and verbally, of course, without any observance of the secrecy of the will, speak out for or against the fundamental law. The constitution is adopted by a 99.87% majority.

The new basic law radically expands the powers of the king. The existence of a parliament, it is true, is also provided for, but the essence of this institution is changing due to the fact that all parties are banned. Instead, the National Renaissance Front is being created. Very quickly, 3.5 million people join it. Young people do not have to make a choice at all - the entire population of the country who has reached the age of 17 is enrolled in the organization "Guards of the Sea". In vain, communist propaganda scolded Karol for many decades - after all, the man did so much to prepare the future citizens of socialist Romania and Soviet Moldova for their already very close communist future.

The death penalty is introduced, more than a hundred years earlier abolished by General Kiselev. But the right to vote now extends to women. Another thing is that only the youngest girls had a chance to live until the next free elections - Romania and Moldova had to wait 52 years for them.

The country meekly accepted the destruction by the king of democratic institutions that had been so long and difficult to build. Karol, in turn, did not use repressions against representatives of democratic parties, being satisfied that they were sitting quietly. But in the legionnaires, he saw serious opponents, the fifth column of the German Nazis, and, presumably, he was simply jealous of Codreanu's popularity. So mass arrests fell upon them, and then executions. Codreanu was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison, but in November 1938, by order of the king, he was killed in prison.

If at the time of the establishment of the royal dictatorship in Romania, the situation in Europe was still relatively calm, then in the following months, as if trying to justify the measures of the Romanian authorities for internal consolidation, it begins to deteriorate rapidly. The betrayal by Great Britain and France of Czechoslovakia, which led to the rejection of the Sudetenland by Hitler in October 1938, was very bad news for Romania. The country felt abandoned by its traditional allies, defenseless in the face of the USSR, Hungary and Bulgaria, who were thirsting for revenge. The ancient fear, which receded in 1856 and seemed to dissipate in 1918, begins to rise again from the depths of the Romanian soul.

In March 1939, Germany liquidates Czechoslovakia. The Small Entente, from which the strongest link has been knocked out, ceases to exist. Karol, although inspired by Italian and German examples in domestic politics, still wants to remain an ally of Great Britain and France. But the fear of Hitler is also growing. Therefore, Romania is trying to please both camps of opponents in the impending war.

The Romanians are inferior to the Nazis on the most important issue for the latter, which will run like a red thread through the entire history of Romanian-German relations during World War II - access to Romanian oil. On March 23, 1939, an economic agreement is concluded between Romania and Germany, according to which the latter becomes the priority buyer of Romanian oil, but Hitler does not want to pay in hard currency. The Germans pay off by barter, mostly with weapons. This ends the golden age of the oil boom in Romania.

On the other hand, in April 1939 Romania accepted the British and French military guarantees of its sovereignty. A project for a joint confrontation with Germany by the forces of France, Great Britain, the USSR and Eastern European countries begins to be developed. Poland's refusal to allow Soviet troops into its territory led to the failure of this first attempt at an anti-Hitler coalition, followed by the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and the outbreak of World War II. The consequences of the Polish refusal became catastrophic, but the events of 1944-1948. proved that there were good reasons for such a decision.

Having agreed with Stalin on the division of spheres of influence in Eastern Europe, Hitler agreed to the return of the USSR to the territories that had ceded to Romania in 1918, and at the same time belonged to Romania, but inhabited mainly by Ukrainians in northern Bukovina.

Romania did not know that it had already begun to be divided, but the brutal defeat of Poland by Germany and the Soviet Union could not but give rise to the most terrible forebodings about their own future. Great Britain and France, following the guarantees provided to Poland, declared war on the Nazis. The Romanian leadership, numb with horror, does not even dare to think about any attempts to join the struggle on the side of its allies in the last world war. At the Crown Council on September 6, 1939, a decision was made to strictly observe neutrality.

But the Romanians nevertheless showed a minimum of solidarity in the tragedy that befell Poland. The border with Romania was the only loophole where the Poles could hide from the German and Soviet vise that squeezed them. In September 1939, many trains passed through Romanian territory, carrying the Polish government and gold reserves, thousands of soldiers and refugees. They reached the Black Sea ports of Romania, from where they went into a long exile.

While the trains with the unfortunate Poles went through Romania from the northern border to Constanta, events broke out in the country, ugly in terms of the intensity of hatred and rampant barbarism. On September 21, 1939, Prime Minister Călinescu (who took over the government in March 1939, after the death of the patriarch) was assassinated by the Iron Guard. In response, the king, distraught with fear and hatred, ordered immediately, without trial, to kill 252 legionnaires who were in prison. The bodies of the dead were thrown into the main streets of Romanian cities and lay there for three days to intimidate the people. Romania dreamed of being like ancient Rome, and in some ways achieved its goal. If Karol I is comparable in his merits with the emperor Octavian Augustus, then in the person of Karol II the country received a ruler in the spirit of Nero or Caligula.

The Romanians might indeed have been frightened for a long time, but in their past, which was now returning, external circumstances often prevented the strengthening of the power of tyrants at home. On May 10, 1940, German troops launched a general offensive on the western front. By the end of May, the French army was defeated, the remnants of the English fled from the continent. On June 14, the Nazis entered Paris. On June 22, France surrendered. On June 17, the USSR proceeds to the occupation and annexation of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Only 20 years have passed since the West was at the height of its power. But the top is a slippery and windy thing, it is not easy to stay on it for a long time. From the turn of the 1920s to the 1930s, the economic crisis, the growth of the power of the Soviet Union and the rise of the Nazis to power in Germany undermined the strength and influence of Western civilization so that it now stood on the brink of death. Romania had shared in the triumph of the West in 1918, and now she had to share in its disasters.

The situation forces the Romanians to make decisions quickly - already on May 28, without waiting for the final fall of France, the Romanian Crown Council decides on the country's orientation towards an alliance with Germany. But in the fate of the eastern lands of Romania, already spelled out in the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, this could not change anything.

On the night of June 27, 1940, the USSR presented an ultimatum to Romania demanding the immediate transfer of the eastern provinces. English guarantees are still formally in force, but it is obvious to everyone that Great Britain cannot provide any assistance. The Romanians ask for Germany's support, but receive a recommendation from Berlin not to resist the Soviet Union. June 28 Romania accepts an ultimatum, and on the same day the Soviet army crosses the Dniester.

Parts of the Soviet army occupy Bessarabia and northern Bukovina in three days, ahead of the Romanian military units and administration trying to evacuate at least something, as well as hundreds of thousands of refugees rushing to the Prut. Bessarabian Jews, being offended by the Romanian society for anti-Semitism, and trying to curry favor with the new masters, welcome the Soviet troops and rob the property of the Romanian army and administration. On July 3, the withdrawal of Romanian troops from the provinces transferred to the Soviet Union is completed. Together with them, about 300 thousand refugees leave Bessarabia and northern Bukovina - a significant part of the representatives of the propertied and educated classes of these lands. Those who ventured to stay soon regretted it. During the year from the moment of the Soviet occupation to the offensive of the German and Romanian troops in June 1941, 90 thousand people were repressed in Eastern Moldavia and Northern Bukovina. The most severe blow to the population of the regions was the deportation of 31 thousand Bessarabians and Bukovinians in June 1941. There was also a considerable reverse flow - 150 thousand inhabitants of Eastern Moldavia who were in other regions of Romania, either hoping for a better future under socialism, or fearing the closure of the border , hurried back to their homeland.

On August 2, 1940, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. At the same time, the borders in the region have undergone a serious revision. Northern Bukovina, as well as southern Bessarabia adjacent to the Danube and the Black Sea, where the Moldavians were a minority, were transferred to Ukraine. Part of the Bulgarian and Gagauz lands went to Moldova. But there were no Germans left in these lands. By agreement between the USSR and Germany, all of them in the amount of 110 thousand were taken to German territory. The Germans traveled with greater comfort than those Bessarabians whom the Soviet authorities took to Siberia, but it is unlikely that separation from their homeland, where several generations of their ancestors lived, became much easier from this.

On the other hand, a strip of land along the eastern bank of the Dniester, on which the Moldavian autonomy previously existed, was taken from Ukraine and transferred to Moldova.

The new possessions of the communist empire were brought to the all-Soviet standard with maximum speed. Already in July, they exchanged lei for rubles, which ensured equality in poverty for the population of the new Soviet lands - only a very small amount was exchanged, and all savings in excess of it turned into nothing. On August 15, 1940, a law was followed on the nationalization of all large and medium-sized enterprises in Eastern Moldavia and Northern Bukovina. And the Soviet authorities did not have to close the free Russian-language press of Bessarabia - this work was done for them by the Romanian royal dictatorship in 1938.

Greater Romania no longer existed. The country was again defenseless, desperately looking for a ruler whose patronage would allow it to survive. Karol II demonstrates his readiness to go to any humiliation, if only Hitler would protect the unfortunate country from its neighbors.

The surviving legionnaires are amnestied, and their new leader, Horia Sima, is included in the cabinet of ministers. Jews are dismissed from state institutions, a law is passed banning marriages with representatives of the “small people”. Continuing to live with a Jewess without formalizing the relationship, Karol, presumably, shows his subjects that the ugly law he has adopted can be completely circumvented. Romania refuses British military guarantees and withdraws from the League of Nations, then asks to join it to the Berlin-Rome axis.

After leaving the eastern regions, Defense Minister Ion Antonescu demanded that the king grant him emergency powers, for which he was removed and sent into exile. Karol's power still held out, but the events that put an end to it were approaching quickly and inexorably.

Romania seems to be able to count on the understanding of Germany, given the importance of its oil sources. But Romanian fuel is not yet critical for the Nazis. Relations with the USSR are good, and Germany can buy oil there. So Karol receives from Berlin the most terrible answer he expected - Germany will condescend to an alliance with Romania only after the claims of Hungary and Bulgaria regarding compensation for the lost in 1918 and 1913 are settled.

Budapest demands to give up most of Transylvania, agreeing to leave some areas along the southern Carpathians to the Romanians. Bucharest is trying to object. Germany, as the supreme European arbiter, undertakes to make an arbitral award. On August 30, 1940, the decision of the Vienna Arbitration was announced - Transylvania is divided in half. Romania must give Hungary the northern part of the region with Cluj and the Szekely lands. Thousands of Romanians themselves flee northern Transylvania, and thousands more are deported by the Hungarian authorities to Romanian territory. In general, Romania receives another 300,000 displaced persons. In a number of places the Hungarian army massacres the Romanian population.

Finally, on September 7, 1940, an agreement was signed in Craiova with Bulgaria on the return of southern Dobruja to it. Although the Bulgarians and Romanians do not seem to be divided by fierce enmity, according to the custom of the fierce times that have come, the parties agree on mutual ethnic cleansing. Several tens of thousands of Bulgarians are being deported from Romania, several tens of thousands of Romanians are being deported from Bulgaria. In total, Romania in 1940 lost a third of its territory and a third of its population.

Cruelty, corruption and the pervasive influence of the Jewish mistress have long made Carol II unpopular in the country. For the time being, he was feared. But the endless nightmare of surrendering Romanian lands without a fight forced the Romanians to overcome fear. The finest hour of the legionnaires has come. After the decision of the Vienna Arbitration on Transylvania was announced, hundreds of thousands of people across the country, responding to the call of the leadership of the Iron Guard, took to the streets demanding the abdication of Karol from the throne. To force the army to fight against its own people, which had just given away many lands to foreign peoples without a fight, the king did not dare.

He is trying to find common ground with society by placing the disgraced Minister of Defense Antonescu at the head of the government on 4 September. But he deals the final blow to him - on behalf of the army, he joins the demand of the Iron Guards for the abdication of the king. There is nothing more to hope for, so on the morning of September 6, Carol II abdicates the throne. The day is spent collecting and loading money and valuables that will help the deposed king and his girlfriend spend the rest of their days comfortably, and in the evening Karol and Elena Lupescu board a train that takes them to the Yugoslav border.

The deposed monarch lived until 1953, settling in Portugal. Having left his homeland, which brought so much trouble and grief to this man who loved a good life, Karol finally formalized a legal marriage with Elena Lupescu.

Mihai returns to the Romanian throne. He has already reached the age of majority, but no one intends to allow the king to rule the country. The only thing he needs is to endow Prime Minister Antonescu with dictatorial powers. But the young man can meet his mother again. Queen Helena returns from exile.

A frightening-looking column of legionary militants is marching through the streets of Bucharest. Multi-million dollar royal party of 1938 disappears overnight without a trace. Romania is proclaimed a "national legionary state". As in the early days of Turkish domination, when Dracula raged in Wallachia, the people are not ready to come to terms with the loss of the country's former status. Discipline, determination and ruthlessness towards enemies should help the nation overcome a merciless fate.

The object of revenge for Romania's impotence in the face of external enemies is people of the “wrong” nationality living quietly inside the country. In the autumn of 1940, laws were passed on the nationalization of the property of Jews and Hungarians, then on their dismissal from all more or less decent jobs. The persecution of the Jews also serves to improve relations with Germany, with which hopes for revenge are associated.

And things are improving in this direction. The Nazi government says that now that Romania has shared its lands with its neighbors, it can provide it with guarantees of territorial integrity. The latter very quickly receive a material embodiment - in October, German troops are introduced into Romania. November 23, Antonescu is favorably received in Berlin, where Romania's accession to the Berlin-Rome axis is formalized.

It remains only to decide who will lead the country to revenge - Antonescu or legionnaires led by Sima. The government formed in September included several legionnaires, but the military loyal to the prime minister occupied key posts. The Iron Guards are putting more and more pressure on Antonescu, demanding that they be given control of the army and police, the entire public life and economy of the country.

Organized in November, the reburial of Codreanu and other legionnaires who were victims of the royal dictatorship sent society into a state of hysteria. The general brutality, the first victims of which were Jews and Hungarians, now fell upon the Romanians as well. On the night when the secret burial of Codreanu was opened in the courtyard of the Jilava prison, the legionnaires killed 64 officials from the time of the royal dictatorship, who were sitting there, in the following days, the economist Madzharu and the historian Iorgu. Nature, as it were, also responded to the madness of people - in November 1940, a powerful earthquake led to great destruction and casualties in the south of Moldavia and in the east of Wallachia. In Bucharest, the elite residential complex "Carlton" collapsed - a 12-story concrete brainchild of the economic boom of the second half of the thirties. Thus, the hopes of Romania to quickly and simply come to an industrial democratic society fell apart.

However, the opinions of Romanian historians as to whether the Holocaust took place in their country are divided. Because Romanians destroyed Jews, but not on Romanian territory. There was no persecution in Romania itself after the Iasi pogrom. Many were even able to keep their property, since there were enough loopholes in the laws of 1940, such as an exception for Jews "having services to the Romanian state."

Although the Moldavian peasantry, of course, bore the brunt of the war, for them the short return of the Romanians was a respite between Soviet taxes. During the three years of Romanian rule in Bessarabia, 417 thousand tons of grain were collected in the form of taxes and requisitions, while at the same time in 1940-1941, in just one year of Soviet administration, the state took 356 thousand tons of grain. And in 1944, the returned Soviet government pumped out 480 thousand tons from the war-ravaged Eastern Moldavia!

If there was no significant partisan movement in Eastern Moldavia, then 10,000 partisans settled in the huge catacombs of Odessa. The Romanian army did not make any attempt to defeat them, the partisans were also limited to minor operations. So all two and a half years of occupation in Odessa, there were two authorities side by side - from above Romania, from below - the USSR.

Meanwhile, the quagmire of war dragged Romania deeper and deeper. I had to fight not only with those who had taken the eastern provinces of the USSR, but also with those to whom the Romanians had no claims. On December 7, 1941, Romania declared war on Great Britain, on December 12, fulfilling an allied duty to Japan, the United States. In the east, the clash between the USSR and Germany reached its highest point. In the spring of 1942, after the success near Moscow, the Soviet army launched a series of counteroffensives against the Germans, but was not ready and was driven back with heavy losses, after which the Nazis launched an offensive on the southern sector of the front. The Romanian army took part in the most important of the battles of the spring campaign of 1942 - the defeat of the Soviet troops near Kharkov. In June-July 1942, the Romanians helped the Germans take Sevastopol.

By the end of the summer of 1942, the Nazis managed to ensure the greatest mobilization of their European allies. It had already become clear that it was incredibly difficult to defeat the Soviet Union, but after the German victories in the spring of 1942, Hitler's chances seemed to be preferable. Therefore, two German, one Italian and one Hungarian armies went on the offensive against Stalingrad. There were two Romanian armies, as well as German ones. In total, Romania had about 400,000 people on the eastern front in 1942 - two-thirds of the forces at its disposal. Hungary sent only one-third of its army to the eastern front. Of all the Europeans forced to fight for Hitler, the Romanians were still the most enthusiastic in selling their souls to the Nazi devil.

By the end of August, when the German troops began the assault on Stalingrad, the Romanian forces (third and fourth armies) were entrusted with the responsible task of covering the German troops fighting for Stalingrad from both flanks. The Third Army occupied the front line, which went northwest from Stalingrad along the Don and turned towards central Russia. The Fourth Army was deployed on a huge front between Stalingrad and the Caucasus, in the steppes of Kalmykia.

September, October, half of November passed. The terrible massacre in Stalingrad continued month after month, but the Soviet troops fought to the death and did not allow the Nazis to reach the lines outlined by Hitler. Romanian soldiers froze in the trenches and died in battles thousands of kilometers from their native land. And they died inefficiently. They had to fight against the Soviet army, which, despite the terrible situation in the country, received tanks, guns, and aircraft in abundance. The technical lag of the Romanian army during the Second World War was almost greater than in the First. An outstanding achievement of the interwar period was the construction of our own aircraft factory and the creation of good combat aircraft. But the artillery was poor, and the huge war exhausted its capabilities - by November 1942, the Romanian Third Army had only 20% of the necessary ammunition. The Romanians were representatives of an oil-producing country, but their army had only 30% of the required gasoline in the most important strategic direction.

And most importantly, there were negligibly few tanks. The Third Army consisted of eight infantry and two cavalry divisions, there were no tank formations, and hundreds of combat vehicles of the Soviet Fifth Tank Army were deployed on the northern bank of the Don to attack the Romanian infantry and cavalry.

So the artillery and tank hell that opened up on the Romanian positions along the Don on November 19, 1942 did not give the Romanians any chance. In the history of the Romanian wars, as we know, there were cases when the army fought to the last, but this happened only when defending the last line on their native land. There was nothing similar here, so the third Romanian army fled and was destroyed in a matter of days. The Fourth Army, on which the Soviet attack hit on November 20, withdrew with heavy losses. The lightning-fast defeat of the Romanians allowed the Soviet army very quickly, by November 23, to surround the German forces that had stormed Stalingrad. In January 1943, the withdrawal of the Nazis from the Caucasus began. At the same time, the only Hungarian army sent to the eastern front died near Voronezh.

The enemy turned out to be stronger than not only the Romanians, but also the Germans. In the early 1920s, the Russian Bolsheviks experienced great disappointment when the rest of the world, even after a terrible war, still did not make a communist revolution. But the belief in the correctness of the communist idea of ​​the Bolsheviks did not leave, so it was decided to make the world happy by force. And in creating a strong army, designed to carry the red banners and impose the power of party committees throughout the earth, the USSR succeeded. The general confiscation of property by the state from the people made it possible to create an unprecedented system of resource mobilization in terms of efficiency and cruelty. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall the 30,000 Bessarabians sent deep into the USSR to work on slave terms - for minimal food, without a penny of wages, and the scale of grain procurements in Eastern Moldavia.

And one more earlier circumstance. In 1933, Romania began to emerge from the crisis, agriculture revived, and nothing resembling a famine was observed. And beyond the Dniester, where climatic conditions could not seriously differ from Romanian ones, millions of Soviet peasants, from whom the latter was taken away for the industrialization of the communist empire, were dying of hunger. Near Stalingrad, those peasants who survived in 1933, but now died by the millions on the fronts of the bloodiest war in human history, were given moral compensation for their suffering - they became citizens of a great power. And for the Romanians, in the winter sky over the frozen Don steppes, merciless fate began to draw the first lines of a new chapter in their history - the era of communist rule.

Defeat

Nazi Germany had no truly loyal allies. Hungary, after the defeat of its army near Voronezh, curtailed participation in the struggle on the eastern front. Bulgaria, which took advantage of Hitler's victories over Yugoslavia and Greece, never sent a single soldier against the Soviet Union. Far to the west, Franco, who came to power largely thanks to the support of Germany, could have prevented the penetration of the American and British fleets into the Mediterranean, but he did not think to do so. A country whose official ideology was extreme nationalism could hardly hope for anything better. Antonescu was Hitler's best ally, but his words about his readiness to go to the end were not sincere either.

The harsh history of the country has developed among the Romanian elite an exceptionally sharp sense of smell on the subject of who is currently with strength and luck. And if in 1940 the Romanian Crown Council decided to seek an alliance with the Nazis even before the final fall of France, then Antonescu orders the withdrawal of most of the Romanian forces from the eastern front already on November 26, 1942. Complete the withdrawal of the remnants of the third and fourth armies within the Romanian possessions succeed in February 1943. On the eastern front, 40,000 Romanian troops remain, who fight in the North Caucasus, then evacuate to the Crimea, where they receive a respite until April 1944.

Antonescu's strategy is changing. He is doing everything possible to restore and strengthen the Romanian army, but is in no hurry to throw it into the hell of the eastern front again. Domestic policy is softening. There is no more talk of further extermination of the Jews. Hitler's demand to start sending them to concentration camps on the territory of the Reich is ignored by the Romanian authorities. The Jewish population of Odessa, although it suffered losses in the first months of the occupation, largely survived thanks to a change in the approach of the Romanians. At the same time, Germany's attitude towards Romania is quite loyal - Hitler knows that without Romanian oil he will end.

Rumania's hopes are pinned on the offensive of American and British troops, especially since their main theater of operations is relatively close to Romanian territory. In May 1943, the Allies defeat the Germans and Italians in Africa, and on September 8, their landing in Italy leads to the overthrow of the Nazis and the country's withdrawal from the war. This development of events gives rise to the hope in Romania that the troops of the Western members of the anti-Hitler coalition will land in the Balkans, and then it will be possible to join them in order to expel the Nazis from South-Eastern Europe and prevent the Communists from entering there. But the course of the Italian campaign may already give rise to doubts about the reality of the prospects presented by the Romanian politicians. The unwillingness of democratic governments to shed the blood of their citizens, which led to the grandiose defeats of the West in 1938-1940, is now turning into indecisive warfare. The Americans and the British allow the Germans to take over

Romania

At the beginning XXcentury, the kingdom of Romania was a backward agricultural country, with 80% of ethnic Romanians at that time living outside of it. For economic reasons, the shipbuilding program adopted in 1899 (6 coastal defense battleships, 4 large and 12 small destroyers, 8 river monitors and 12 river destroyers) could not be fulfilled (only 4 monitors and 8 river destroyers were built). In 1912, the Romanian government approved a new program that called for the construction of 6 light cruisers of 3,500 tons each, 12 destroyers of 1,500 tons each, and one submarine. However, before the start of the First World War, only 4 destroyers were actually ordered in Italy. Of these, only two were completed, which entered service with the Italian fleet as Sparviero and Nibbio. Transferred to Romania on 1/7/1920, they were renamed "Marashti" and "Marashesti". Already during the war, the Romanians ordered in Frantion 3 submarines of the "O" Byrne type, but it was not possible to get them.

In the First Balkan War, Romania remained neutral; in the Second, it opposed Bulgaria, which allowed it to expand its territory by annexing Silistria. With the outbreak of World War I, Romania supported the Entente, but officially declared war on Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria only on August 27, 1916, and soon suffered a crushing defeat on land.

The most combat-ready formation of the Romanian fleet was the Danube Flotilla, which took an active part in the battles. The ships based in the Black Sea ports had no combat value. Only the former passenger ships transferred to Russia and turned into auxiliary cruisers (Romania, Dacia, Emperor Trajan, Regele Carol) were of benefit.I»).

Armored cruiser "Elizaveta" - 1 unit.

1320 t, 73x10.21x3.66 m. PM-2, 4700 hp = 17 knots, 80/300 t ang. Armor: deck 87 - 50 mm. Ek. 190 people 4-120 mm, 4 - 76 mm, 2 - 37 mm, 4 TA 356 mm.

An old cruiser (actually a seaworthy gunboat), built in 1888 in England by Armstrong. Initially carried 164 mm guns. In 1916 he was disarmed, in 1919 he was excluded from the lists of the fleet.

Ion Bratianu type monitors - 4 units.

"Ion Bratianu", "Lazar Katargiou", "Mikhail Kogalnichenu", "Alexandru Lahovari".

680 t, 63.5x10.3x1.6 m. PM - 2, 2 PCs, 1800 hp = 13 knots. 60 tons Armor: side and towers 75 mm, deck 75 mm, wheelhouse 50 mm. Ek. 110 people 3 - 120 mm/35, 2 - 120 mm/10, 4 - 47 mm, 2 pull.

Built by order of Romania in Austria-Hungary (STT shipyard) in 1907-1908; collected from sections in Galati on the Danube. Actively participated in the battles in 1916-1917. Lived up to the Second World War; "L. Katargiu" and "M. Kogalnichenu" 24/8/1944 were sunk by Soviet aircraft; "I. Bratianu" and "A. Lahovari" in August 1944 were captured by the Red Army and renamed "Azov" and "Mariupol".

River destroyers of the type "Captain N.L. Bogdan" - 8 units.

45/51 t, 30.4x3.96x0.8 m. PM-2, 2 PCs, 550 hp = 18 knots 7.6 tons of oil. Ek. 18 people 1 - 47 mm, 1 pull., 2 hex. mines.

"Captain Nicolae Lazar Bogdan", "Major Ene Constantin", "Captain Romano Mihail", "Major Giurascu Dimitre", "Major Sontu Gheorghe", "Major Grigore Ioan", "Locotenant Calinescu Dimitre", "Captain Walter Marachinenu" .

Built by order of Romania in England at the Thames Iron Works plant in 1906-1907. They served in the Danube Flotilla. "Captain V. Marachinenu" in 1916 died from a mine explosion. The rest survived until World War II; in 1944-1945, three of them were even part of the Soviet Navy.

Destroyers of the "Naluka" type - 3 units.

"Naluka", "Sborul", "Smeul".

56 t, 36.8x3.45x0.9 m. PM - 1, 1 PC, 540 hp = 16 knots 7 tons Ek. 20 people 1 - 37 mm, 2 TA 356 mm.

Built in 1888 in France, the first two were modernized in 1907. In 1916-1917 they operated on the Danube, "Smeul" died on 16/4/1917 as a result of a mine explosion. The rest were scrapped immediately after the end of the First World War.

In the mid-20s of the 20th century, Romania decided to carry out a grandiose project: to build 20 submarines and several types of warships in order to completely re-equip its navy. A special program was developed and adopted. Significant funds were allocated, with which the Romanians re-equipped a significant part of the fleet, built a new base in Mangalia. But instead of 20 submarines, one boat was made at the Italian shipyard. She was given to the Romanians with a big scandal only five years later, when they paid their bills.

Early this morning, instead of the uniform of an officer in command of a Romanian ship, he put on an ordinary civilian suit. They had to go to England and, according to informal instructions received from their superiors, it was impossible to attract increased attention when crossing the border. Also, as a precaution, officers were forbidden to tell their relatives and friends which country they were going to: the Romanian government did not want rumors to spread about the obvious involvement of the British in the training of domestic sailors.

And there were plenty of attacks on the Romanian navy. Especially in the mid 1920s.

The Romanian press was extremely dismissive of its fleet: practically all the ships were received by Romania as "compensation" when dividing the Austro-German military property, which the victors happily divided after the end of the imperialist war. Newspapers published publications that the ships built at the Austro-German shipyards did not meet modern requirements - it was necessary to create our own, national fleet. Of course, journalists expressed the opinion of some ministers in the newspapers, who were interested not only in the revival of the navy, but also in obtaining large military appropriations from the state. Because along the way of "following" state money, it was possible to put a considerable share of them into one's pocket, hiding behind a powerful propaganda veil. And for these purposes, all means were good. Newspapers included.

However, the press had to cover both negative and positive aspects. The September naval maneuvers on the Danube, which took place in 1924, received the most flattering reviews. Journalists who visited the site of the exercises wrote many laudatory articles that the resurgent fleet brilliantly completed the task of protecting the Danube channels.

However, the real brilliance was still far away.

Therefore, the Romanians turned to their British colleagues for help, who, in turn, were interested in expanding their presence in the Black Sea and were constantly looking for allies. The First Sea Lord, Chief of the British Naval Staff, David Beatty, made frequent unofficial visits to Romania. Admiral David Beatty was called the best English flagship of the First World War. He almost unilaterally decided the main issues of maritime policy. In 1924, Beatty explored the Black Sea ports, choosing bases for an attack on the USSR "(K.A. Zalessky. Who was who in the First World War. Biographical Encyclopedic Dictionary. Moscow, 2003).

According to the agreements reached, the Romanian naval units began to train on the basis of plans developed by British officers. The educational process was complicated by the fact that for four years Romanians, Bulgarians, Hungarians, Moldovans were called up to the fleet. And all this motley composition had to be taught the intricacies of naval military affairs. The number of personnel of the Romanian Navy reached about 6.5 thousand people. Presumably, most of them had to be subjected to a fairly tough English drill. The British hoped that plans specially developed for these purposes would help to achieve a good result from the uneducated, as they believed, Romanians.

The training went according to plan.

But for special retraining, most of the Romanian officers were sent abroad.

The British also taught young sailors. The ship "Mircea" with Romanian cabin boys annually went on a foreign voyage in the Black Sea.

The first shipbuilding state programs

Romania adopted two shipbuilding programs in the late 1920s. The first program was designed for four years. And it provided for the construction of two squadron torpedo bombers, one cruiser, two submarines and four motor boats (fighters). It was also planned to carry out a complete re-equipment of two squadron torpedo bombers "Myreshti" and "Myresheshti".

In addition, it was planned to build a new naval base.

According to the second state program, within 10 years it was planned to build three cruisers, 16 squadron torpedo bombers and 18 submarines.

Thus, within 14 years, according to the programs, it was planned to build 4 cruisers, 18 squadron torpedo bombers, 20 submarines and 4 motor fighter boats.

Romania really began to implement its state programs in 1926. The Romanian Council of Ministers passed a resolution in mid-1926, according to which 850 million lei (about 105 million Italian lire) were allocated for new shipbuilding.

The order for the construction was received by different countries.

The Italian company "Pattinson" in Naples began the construction of two squadron torpedo bombers. The construction of two submarines was ordered in England. Romanian newspapers reported that shipyards in the Italian city of Trieste received an order to build a submarine and a floating base for submarines: the Romanians were negotiating the construction of several more boats in Italy.

Simultaneously with the development of the shipbuilding program, with the undoubted participation of the British, a plan was developed to create a base near the city of Mangalia (located 22 km from the naval base of Constanta). Prior to this, warships went to the base near the city of Constanta. But the city was open from the sea and was a major trading port. All this was difficult to combine with military courts. Therefore, the British recommended building a new base elsewhere. Upon completion of the construction in Mangalia, the Romanian Navy received well-equipped and comfortable moorings for its ships.

It must be admitted that Romania has not been able to fully fulfill its two state programs for the construction of the navy. For example, plans to build submarines failed miserably: by the middle of 1941, Romania had only one Delfinul boat in service, which was manufactured in Italian shipyards in 1929. The British did not fulfill the Romanian order because they did not receive from the Romanian treasury the very millions of lei that were planned to be directed to the creation of a new fleet. Where the millions of lei disappeared remains a mystery to this day. But, knowing the simple scheme of enrichment of military officials, it is safe to say that the money was stolen, as, however, it usually happens.

What was and what has become

The squadron torpedo bombers "Myreshti" and "Myresheshti" after the end of the imperialist war were bought by the Romanians from Italy. They reached a significant speed - 38 knots. The displacement of each of them, at full load, was 1,723 tons. They could go without refueling 380 miles at a speed of 35 knots and 1,700 miles at 15 knots. Each of the torpedo bombers was equipped with the following: three 150 mm (40 caliber) anti-aircraft guns, four 76 mm anti-aircraft guns, and four 45 cm torpedo tubes. According to the state program, torpedo bombers were equipped with five 120 mm artillery pieces and 533 mm torpedo tubes.

Torpedo bombers of the "Vifor" type ("Vifor", "Vartey", "Vizhele", "Sborul", "Naluka" and "Zmeul") built in 1913-1915, former Austrian. They had a small displacement - 262 tons. They were equipped with 70 mm anti-aircraft guns and three 45 cm torpedo tubes. However, in fact, the actual speed of the ships was much less than the declared one and did not exceed 21-22 knots. This significantly reduced combat capability. Despite this fact, most of the torpedo bombers went on combat missions. Moreover, some of them - "Sborul", "Naluka", "Zmeul" - were used as watchdogs even during the Second World War.

In 1920, Romania purchased four French seagoing gunboats Lokotenent Lepri Remus, Lokotenent-commandor Stihi Eugen (Locotenent-commandor Stihi Eugen), Subotenent Giculescu, Captain Dumitrescu, belonging to the aviso class: their displacement - 355 tons (according to other sources - 430 tons), speed - 15 knots, engines - two diesel engines, armament - 102 mm guns. I also used them, which is called "until I lost my pulse." Moreover, the Romanian command was well aware that "these gunboats were clearly weaker than not only the Soviet patrol boats of the Uragan type, but also the minesweepers of the Tral type" (A.V. Platonov "The Black Sea Fleet in the Great Patriotic War"). , all available gunboats were sent on combat navigation during World War II. In fairness, it should be noted that "already during the war, their weapons were replaced with an 88-mm gun, 37-mm and 20-mm anti-aircraft guns."

Naval aviation was small: there was a reconnaissance group of six aircraft based in Mangalia, as well as Savoy-type seaplanes.

Also, the Romanian military river forces included river monitors, Bogdan-type torpedo bombers, three river gunboats and several auxiliary vessels (armed steamers, boats, barges, floating batteries).

Romanian river monitors became Soviet

"Despite their venerable age (the monitors were built at the Austro-Hungarian shipyards), they clearly surpassed the ships of the Soviet Danube flotilla in terms of firepower" (A.V. Platonov "The Black Sea Fleet in the Great Patriotic War").

The most powerful of them were "Bassarabia" and "Bukovina": displacement - 540-580 tons; travel - 12-13 knots, two 120 mm guns, three 120 mm howitzers, two 70 mm anti-aircraft guns, from 6 to 12 machine guns. The crew consisted of 86 to 106 people.

Four other monitors - "Ion C. Bratianu", "Mikhail Kogelniceanu", "Alexandru Lahovari", and "Laskar Katargiu" had a displacement of 680 tons, a stroke of 13 knots, two 120 mm howitzers, two 47 mm anti-aircraft guns, two machine guns. Crew - one hundred people.

Another Ardeal monitor - 440 tons displacement, 13 knots - was equipped with 120 mm guns, two 120 mm howitzers, one 75 mm anti-aircraft gun and three machine guns.

The monitors had powerful armored hulls: some monitors had belt armor up to 75 mm thick.
Closer to the Second World War, monitors received new types of weapons. But initially, all monitors were equipped with just such the above.

It is curious that the Romanian monitors had a happy military fate: they all survived. True, the crews became Russian. After the capitulation of Romania, "since November 10, 1944, captured river monitors became part of the Danube military flotilla under the names:" Azov "(" Ion K. Bratianu ")," Mariupol "(" Alexander Lahovari ")," Berdyansk "(" Ardeal " ), "Izmail" ("Bukovina") and "Kerch" ("Bessarabia")" (I.I. Chernikov, "Encyclopedia of monitors. Defenders of the river borders of Russia. Danube military river flotilla of the Soviet Union").

"Wind... returning to where it started blowing"

Today, two naval bases - Mangalia and Constanta are the main bases of the Romanian fleet. But the fleet is again recognized as obsolete. "The composition of the Navy: 1 submarine, 4 frigates, 4 corvettes, 6 missile boats, 5 mine ships, 5 artillery boats on the Danube. Marine battalion and 1 coastal defense division. Condition, like in Bulgaria, old weapons, hope only for NATO help (Alexander Samsonov, "", "Military Review").

Well, everything is back to normal. In the encyclopedia, this expression "means" the return of something or someone, the return to its usual place, to its original position. In this phraseological expression (going back to the Bible) ... it means the wind blowing first to the south, then to the north and then again returning to the place from which it began to blow.

In the first photo: The Romanian monitor "Ardeal", which became Soviet and received a new name "Berdyansk".

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The main goal of Romania's foreign policy was the return of territories transferred in 1940 to the Soviet Union, Hungary and Bulgaria. Despite the tense relations with the last two states, in reality, Romania, under the auspices of Germany, could only claim the return of the lands (Northern Bukovina and Bessarabia) occupied by the USSR. In addition, she had the opportunity to increase her territory at the expense of the southwestern regions of the Soviet Union that were not previously Romanian. Until 1940, Romanian military thought and military practice were guided by the French military school. However, after the defeat of France in June 1940, the Romanian military began to give preference to the German school. In October of the same year, a permanent German mission arrived in Romania. Its main goal was to prepare the Romanian army for war, with the greatest attention being paid to the fight against tanks and the training of junior officers. The modernization program was only partially successful. The Czech-made 7.92-mm rifle replaced the old 6.5-mm Mannlicher system, and the cavalry received the light Czech ZB 30 assault rifle. At the same time, there were still many obsolete weapons in the army. Anti-tank artillery was weak, although the Germans supplied the Romanians with captured 47-mm guns. Only the mountain rifle corps received modern Skoda artillery pieces. Most of the field guns have been in service since the beginning of the First World War, although the army also received captured French and Polish 75-mm guns. Most of the artillery was still horse-drawn. On September 1, 1939, the Romanian army consisted of 1 guard and 21 infantry divisions. In 1940, the intensive formation of new compounds began. By June 22, 1941, the number of armed forces of Romania was brought to 703 thousand people. The general management of military construction was carried out by the Supreme Defense Council, chaired by the Prime Minister. With the outbreak of war, this post was taken by the leader (conductor) Ion Victor Antonescu (Ion Victor Antonescu). The military ministry directly led the armed forces (through the general staff). The armed forces of Romania consisted of the ground forces, air force and navy, as well as the border guard corps, the gendarmerie and the construction corps. The ground forces included 3 combined arms armies (21 infantry divisions and 14 brigades). They were armed with 3850 guns, up to 4 thousand. mortars, 236 tanks. The infantry division of Romania in the state of 1941 included 3 infantry regiments, 1 artillery brigade (2 regiments), a battery of anti-aircraft guns, a company of anti-tank guns and machine guns, a reconnaissance squadron, a communications battalion, an engineering battalion and service units. In total, the division had 17,715 people, it had 13,833 rifles, 572 machine guns, 186 guns and mortars (75 mm field guns, 100 mm howitzers, 37 mm and 47 mm anti-tank guns). The regiments of the regular army wore numbers from the 1st to the 33rd and from the 81st to the 96th, and the regiments of the first group were traditionally called "grenadiers" - "dorobants" (Dorobanti). Some divisions had Vanatori regiments, i.e. riflemen, who wore numbers from 1 to 10. After the First World War, elite mountain units, like the "Alpine Riflemen", were formed according to the Italian model. Each of these 4 brigades had 1 artillery and 2 rifle regiments, as well as a reconnaissance squadron. The Romanian cavalry was considered especially strong. In addition to the horse guards for the summer of 1941, there were 25 more linear cavalry regiments. In 1941, the only separate tank regiment (which existed since 1939) was merged with a motorized rifle regiment into an armored brigade. Basically, the Romanian army was armed with Skoda LTvz 35 tanks at the beginning of the war, and for reconnaissance in parts there were a number of light CKD tanks. Most of the Skodas were lost in the battles near Stalingrad (some later converted to self-propelled 76 mm guns), and they were replaced by the German PzKpfw 38 (t) and T-IV. The Romanian Air Force included 11 air fleets: fighter - 3, bomber - 3, reconnaissance - 3, seaplanes - 1, balloons - 1. In total, there were 1050 aircraft in the Air Force, of which about 700 were combat: fighters - 301, bombers - 122, others - 276. The naval forces of Romania consisted of the Black Sea Fleet and the Danube Flotilla. By the beginning of the war, the Romanian Black Sea Fleet had 2 auxiliary cruisers, 4 destroyers, 3 destroyers, a submarine, 3 gunboats, 3 torpedo boats, 13 minesweepers and minelayers. The Danube river flotilla included 7 monitors, 3 floating batteries, 15 armored boats, 20 river boats and auxiliary vessels. In the summer of 1941, to attack the Soviet Union, Romania allocated 2 field armies (3rd and 4th), which included 13 infantry divisions, 5 infantry, 1 motorized and 3 cavalry brigades, about 3 thousand people. guns and mortars, 60 tanks. The offensive of the ground forces was supposed to be supported by 623 combat aircraft. In total, 360,000 troops were involved in the war against the Soviet Union. Romanian military uniform. 1st stage of the war against the USSR To wage war against the Soviet Union, the Romanian army used mainly infantry weapons of its own production. In 1941, 2.5 thousand light machine guns, 4 thousand machine guns, 2250 60-mm and 81.4-mm mortars, 428 75-mm artillery pieces, 160 47-mm anti-tank guns, 106 37-mm mm and 75 mm anti-aircraft guns, over 2.7 million mines and shells. The German command entrusted the Romanian troops with the task of ensuring the deployment of the 11th German Army in Romania and its offensive in Right-Bank Ukraine. 4 infantry divisions, 3 mountain rifle and 3 cavalry brigades were reassigned to the headquarters of the 11th Army from the 3rd Romanian Army. The rest of the Romanian troops, reduced to the 4th Army, were deployed on the extreme right wing of the Soviet-German front. For combat operations in the Black Sea, Germany, not having its own warships there, used the Romanian navy. The 3rd Romanian Army included mountain rifle (1st, 2nd and 4th mountain rifle brigades) and cavalry (partially motorized 5th, 6th and 8th cavalry brigades) corps. The 4th army included the first three of the divisions trained by German instructors (5th, 6th and 13th) and other selected formations (guards division, border and armored brigades). During the siege of Odessa (August 5 - October 16, 1941), the Romanian troops received significant reinforcements and eventually began to include the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th -th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 18th and 21st infantry and 35th reserve divisions, 1st, 7th and 9th cavalry brigades; in addition, separate German units were attached to the armies. Near Odessa, due to poor training and lack of weapons, the Romanian units suffered heavy losses - on September 22, 2 infantry divisions were defeated. After the Odessa garrison was evacuated from October 1 to October 16, 1941, the 4th Romanian Army had to be sent for reorganization. Military units from the 3rd Army (as well as the 1st, 2nd, 10th and 18th Infantry Divisions) remained at the front, although they came under the command of German generals. The mountain rifle corps fought in the Crimea as part of the 11th German army, and the cavalry corps as part of the 1st tank army. Smaller units, such as the Romanian Mechanized Regiment and Ski Squads, also operated in conjunction with the German units during the winter campaign. 2nd stage of the war against the USSR In the summer of 1942, there was an increase in the Romanian forces on the Eastern Front. The mountain rifle corps (later the 18th infantry and 1st mountain rifle divisions) was involved in the offensive against Sevastopol. In 1942, the brigade was reorganized according to the standards of the Wehrmacht and created the 1st armored division (later called "Greater Romania"). In August, a strong Romanian corps (which included the 18th and 19th infantry, 8th cavalry and 3rd mountain rifle divisions) fought across the Kerch Strait. At the same time, the 2nd mountain rifle division, which had been on vacation since the end of 1941, was transferred to the North Caucasus, where it became part of the 3rd German tank corps. The 3rd army of General Dumitrescu reappeared at the front (5th, 6th, 9th, 13th, 14th and 15th infantry, 1st and 7th cavalry, 1st armored divisions ) and in October occupied the area north of Stalingrad. Meanwhile, the Romanian corps reached the front lines on the southern flank. In November 1942, it was replenished with other units, and then transferred to the 4th German tank army (6 Romanian divisions in total: 1st, 2nd, 4th and 18th infantry, 5th and 8th cavalry ). Hitler suggested that most of the units of the 4th German Panzer Army should be transferred to the 4th army of General Constantinescu, and then, together with the 3rd Romanian and 6th German armies, form a new army group "Don" under the command of Marshal Antonescu. The 4th Army moved forward and began to deploy just at the moment when the Soviet troops began the operation to encircle the Stalingrad group. Most of the Romanian divisions were defeated, and two (20th Infantry and 1st Cavalry) ended up inside the Stalingrad Cauldron. The remnants of the units were assembled into hastily organized army groups "Goth" (1st, 2nd, 4th and 18th infantry, 5th and 8th cavalry divisions) and "Hollyd" (7th, 9th I, 1 1st and 14th Infantry, 7th Cavalry and 1st Armored Divisions), but they suffered such heavy losses that by February 1943 they were taken to reform. The morale of the Romanian military dropped significantly. This allowed the Soviet command to start in the fall of 1943 the creation of former prisoners of Romanian formations as part of the Soviet army. 3rd stage of the war against the USSR The counteroffensive of the Soviet troops led to the fact that many Romanian divisions were under the threat of encirclement in the Kuban bridgehead and in the Crimea (10th and 19th infantry, 6th and 9th cavalry, 1st , 2nd, 3rd and 4th mountain rifle divisions). The Germans sought to remove them from the front line and throughout 1943. Romanians were used mainly to protect the coastline and in the fight against partisans. In April 1944, the 10th Infantry and 6th Cavalry Divisions, which were considered "persistent", were defeated in the Crimea. Most of the units were withdrawn from the fighting and returned to Romania for reorganization. The troops withdrawn to Romania were used to defend Bessarabia. 4th stage of the war against the USSR By May 1944, the 3rd and 4th armies went to the front. Now the Romanians managed to insist on the establishment of a certain parity in the distribution of command quarters in the German-Romanian group. On the right flank, as part of the Dumitrescu army group, were the 3rd Romanian and 6th German armies (the 2nd, 14th and 21st infantry, 4th mountain rifle and 1st cavalry Romanian divisions fought here). The 4th Romanian army, together with the 8th German army, formed the Weller army group (it included the following Romanian formations: guards, 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 11 1st, 13th and 20th Infantry, 5th Cavalry and 1st Armored Divisions). With the beginning of the offensive of the Soviet troops in August 1944, this front collapsed. Romania in the war against Germany and Hungary (1944-1945) King Mihai arrested Antonescu, and Romania joined the anti-Hitler coalition. Her participation in the war on the side of Germany ended. At the same time, a number of convinced Romanian fascists voluntarily joined the SS troops. After some hesitation, the Soviet command decided to use the Romanian formations at the front. The 1st Army (created on the basis of divisions and training units withdrawn from the Crimea) and the new 4th Army (almost entirely made up of training units) again began hostilities in Transylvania. In the fighting against the German-Hungarian troops, the Romanian Air Force actively showed itself. In total, Romania lost 350 thousand people in battles with Soviet troops, and at the end of the war another 170 thousand in battles with German and Hungarian troops.

Hour 0. The Air Force Headquarters issues Combat Order No. 1001: all aviation formations must comply with Operational Directives Nos. 33, 34 and 35, developed during the period April-June 1941: reconnaissance and bomber aircraft will cross the eastern border of Romania, the river. Prut, at 4 o'clock in the morning! All aviation units read the Appeal to the troops, signed by General Ion Antonescu, the supreme commander ("Fighters, I order you to cross the Prut!") and Order No. 1 for the Air Force, signed by squadron general aviator Gheorghe Zhienescu: "Flyers, you have the honor to carry to victory on three-colored cross in the sky of Romanianism! The task for today is this: if the crew has used up all the ammunition, but could not win the battle, it sends its car to the enemy aircraft! (I find it difficult to literally translate, but the meaning is this: not shot down - ram the enemy plane!) Young flyers, the Motherland expects from you complete self-sacrifice ... "

GAL completed 12 combat missions: 5 for bombing, 4 for long-range reconnaissance and 3 for short-range. 124 aircraft were involved (56 bombers, 64 fighters and 4 reconnaissance aircraft).

At 03.50, a Bristol Blenheim aircraft (tail number "36") set off for long-range reconnaissance. Crew: crew commander, lieutenant commander Corneliu Batacuy, commander of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron; junior lieutenant Nicolae Urytu - letnab; and junior military specialist Vasile Caruntu - radiotelegrapher. The aircraft did not carry defensive weapons and did not have fighter cover. He bombed the airfields in Ungheni and Belgorod-Dnestrovsk and discovered and transmitted by radio the coordinates of the airfields in Kulevcha and Bolgrad. In the Bolgrad area, the reconnaissance aircraft was intercepted by Soviet fighters and shot down. The pilots of this crew became the first losses of the Romanian aviation in the Second World War.

In the future, bomber sorties, from 03.50 to 13.15, were covered by fighters.

Results of the first day of the war: 48 enemy aircraft destroyed (8 - in air battles, 3 shot down by anti-aircraft artillery and 37 destroyed on the ground). Own losses: 11 aircraft destroyed, 37 crew members killed, wounded or missing.

Squadron General Aviator Gheorghe Zhienescu said later: "Small but determined, our Air Force rushed into the sky, starting a life-and-death battle with the enemy air spike."

On June 22, 1941, units of the Romanian army and the German Wehrmacht were on alert on the eastern border of Romania, on the river. Rod. In the north, in Bukovina, the 3rd Romanian Army was located (commander: General Petre Dumitrescu). The following combat mission was entrusted to it: the liberation of the city of Chernivtsi, the development of an offensive towards the Dniester and the Bug, bypassing the enemy grouping in the direction of Odessa-Crimea.

In the east, on the Prut, the 11th Army of the Wehrmacht was located (commander: General R. von Schobert). Task: advance in the direction of Chisinau-Tiraspol-Nikolaev, with the support of the forces of the 4th German Air Corps and the 1st Romanian Armored Division. The 4th Romanian Army (commander: General Nicolae Chuperca) was also located on the same sector with the task of advancing in a southerly direction towards Bolgrad-Belgorod-Dnestrovsk-Odessa. The Combat Air Group (GAL) was tasked to support the actions of the 4th Romanian Army, mainly in the areas of crossing the river. Rod. The development of the offensive of the 3rd Romanian Army led to the liberation of the city of Chernivtsi on July 5, 1941. Chisinau was liberated on July 16, 1941. The Dniester was completed by July 26, 1941, when the Romanian troops entered Belgorod-Dnestrovsk.

But the fighting continued. GAL continued to make sorties over the river. Dniester and r. Bug against the retreating enemy.

The most fierce battles unfolded in the area of ​​​​the bridgehead at n. n. Falciu, Tsiganka-Stoenesti-Kania region, where the Romanian troops tried to gain a foothold on the left bank of the river. Rod. Ground forces from the 5th Romanian Army Corps were supposed to secure the right flank of the front and advance on Chisinau in the region of the hilly-forested Korneshti. The operation to force the river. Prut, launched on July 4, 1941, was provided with bomber and fighter aircraft from the GAL. By July 12, 1941, the situation of the 5th Romanian Army Corps became critical. Bridgehead at N. p. Falciu was under threat. The GAL intervention was swift and effective: 9 bombing sorties by 113 aircraft (59 bombers and 54 fighters) between 0850-1940. This made it possible to cancel the retreat scheduled for the night of July 12-13 across the river. Prut of the 5th Romanian Army Corps. Romanian pilots showed their best side, performing heroic deeds. So, junior lieutenant aviator Vasile Claru from the 2nd Fighter Flotilla, in an air duel with six enemy aircraft, having used up all the ammunition, rammed an enemy fighter with his IAR-80. The feat of the pilot was duly appreciated - he was posthumously awarded the highest award of the Romanian army - the Military Order "Mihai Vityaz". On the same day, July 12, 1941, lieutenant aviator reserve engineer Ioan Lascu died a heroic death. He was shot down on He.112 in the Tsiganka area. Returning from a combat mission against ground forces, he refused to be replaced, and was shot down in a dogfight on his next sortie. He was also awarded the Military Order "Mihai Vityaz".

During the campaign in Bessarabia, Romanian aviation shot down 242 enemy aircraft (83 in air battles, 108 destroyed on the ground and 51 shot down by anti-aircraft artillery). Their losses amounted to 43 vehicles (7 - in air battles, 13 destroyed on the ground, 4 shot down by anti-aircraft artillery and 18 - not installed). Losses in the crews - 117 people, of which 46 officers, 25 non-commissioned officers, 9 military specialists and 37 privates. In total, the losses of the personnel of the Romanian aviation were as follows: 252 people, of which 57 were killed, 108 were wounded and 87 were missing.

Battle for Odessa

The capture of the city of Odessa was one of the priorities of the Romanian army. Odessa was a powerful naval base and a constant threat to Romania, as it was located 150 km from Sulina and the mouth of the Danube, about 300 km from Constanta and the bridge over the Danube at Cernavod, and 200 km from Bucharest and the Ployesti oil region. Valya Prakhovey. The offensive of the 4th Romanian Army against Odessa lasted 70 days, from August 8 to October 16, 1941. In total, in 1941, the Romanian troops fought for 118 days. Only from the 4th Romanian Army, 340,223 military personnel (12,049 officers, 9,845 non-commissioned officers and 318,329 soldiers) were involved in the offensive against Odessa. Of these, 90,000 were lost killed, wounded and missing (officers - 28.5%, non-commissioned officers - 14.6% and soldiers - 28.7%).

The performance of the GAL combat aviation in this operation was impressive: 5594 aircraft were involved; 1733 sorties were completed (163 reconnaissance, 344 bomber, 714 fighter and 512 communications). 1249 tons of bombs were dropped on the enemy; 151 enemy aircraft were shot down. Their losses amounted to 20 destroyed aircraft.

The landing of Soviet troops at Chebanki-Grigorievka, east of Odessa, on the night of September 21-22, 1941, created a real threat to the Romanian troops. The 5th Romanian Army Corps and the 13th Infantry Division were forced to retreat. GAL for ten hours (07.55-18.10) involved 94 aircraft (32 bombers and 62 fighters), of which 71 operated directly in the landing zone. At n.p. Dalnik, east of Odessa, on the night of October 1-2, 1941, Soviet troops managed to encircle units of the 4th Romanian Army, the situation of which became critical. And only the active intervention of GAL aviation (40-60 aircraft were involved daily) saved the situation, and even then, only by October 4th.

During the offensive operation on Odessa, on August 21, 1941, near the settlement. Vasilyevskaya, the commander of the 7th Fighter Group, captain-commander (posthumously) Alexandru Popishtyanu, holder of the Order of Mihai Vityazu, died in an air battle.

On October 16, 1941, Romanian troops entered Odessa, and thus the 1941 campaign was practically over. Parts of the GAL returned to their homeland to make up for losses. Various aviation units remained in the combat zone, subordinate to the 3rd Romanian Army, as well as military units located in Tiraspol, Nikolaev and Odessa. The result of the GAL activity in the 1941 campaign was impressive: 7857 aircraft flew on missions; 2405 sorties were completed; 266 enemy aircraft were destroyed; 1974.86 tons of bombs were dropped. Their losses amounted to 40 aircraft.

Restoration of aviation units. Air Force equipment plan for the 1942-1943 campaign.

Restoration of aviation units in the winter of 1941-1942. was a difficult and complex process that involved the psychological and physical recovery of the crews, the repair of equipment, the replacement of losses and the replacement of equipment. For 1942-1943 A plan was adopted to equip the Air Force by importing equipment from Germany and the local aviation industry. A major role in this was assigned to the IAR Brasov plant, which covered 50% of the Air Force's requests (IAR-80, 81, 37, 38, 39 aircraft, aircraft engines and other equipment) and was one of the largest aircraft factories in Southeast Europe (about 5,000 workers). ).

Also, he provided for the creation of the required number of anti-aircraft batteries for:

a) air defense of the territory of the country,

b) air defense of ground units at the front,

c) support of aviation units.

This plan was only partially implemented, the rapid development of events did not allow suppliers to fulfill their obligations.

At the beginning of 1942, there were only units on the Eastern Front, aviation and anti-aircraft, subordinate to the 3rd and 4th Romanian Armies, since the enemy's aviation units were not active.

Romanian aviation on the Stalingrad front and at the bend of the Don (1942)

1) GAL (commander: squadron general aviator Ermil Georgiou) with 17 squadrons (2 - reconnaissance, 4 - heavy bombers, 3 - light bombers, 6 - fighter, 2 - fighter-bomber / assault);

2) Air Force of the 3rd Army with 3 reconnaissance squadrons and an anti-aircraft artillery regiment (8 batteries: 2 - 75mm, 5 - 37mm and 1 - 13.2mm);

3) Air Force of the 4th Army with 3 reconnaissance squadrons and an anti-aircraft artillery group (6 batteries: 2 - 75mm, 3 - 37mm and 1 - 13.2mm);

4) 4th Air Defense Brigade with 21 batteries (8 - 75mm, 11 - 37mm, 1 - 13.2mm and 1 - radar); and

5) Advanced Aviation Zone with 2 regional technical bases, 5 mobile workshops, 1 ambulance aircraft, 1 air transport group and 3 motor transport columns.

Aviation units, operationally subordinate to the 4th German Air Fleet, were located at two base airfields, Tatsinskaya and Morozovskaya, located between the Don and Donets, and four advanced airfields, Karpovka, Shutov, Bukovskaya, Pereyaslovskiy. The actions of the Romanian aviation were aimed at supporting the 6th German Army in the Stalingrad region and the 3rd Romanian Army at the bend of the Don. In the battle for Stalingrad, the Romanian fighter aircraft accompanied the German bomber aircraft during all its sorties. Basically, bombs were dropped on the northern part of the city, on fuel depots and railway tracks. At the same time, Romanian aviation operates in the northern direction of the offensive of the 6th German Army in the Kotluban area. It bombs concentrations of infantry, armored and motorcades, railway tracks and buildings at the Kotluban, Katlinino, Ilovinskaya and Frolov stations. In September-October 1942 alone, 46 enemy aircraft were reported shot down in air battles (38 were confirmed). Until November 19, 1942, Romanian reconnaissance aviation informed the command about the accumulation of enemy troops in the Kletskaya and Serafimovichi sectors and at the Chebotarev bridgehead, directly in front of the positions of the 3rd Romanian Army.

The Soviet counteroffensive on November 19-25, 1942 in the zone of the 3rd Romanian Army forced it to retreat and in March 1944 reach the northeastern borders of Romania. The German 6th Army was surrounded and capitulated at Stalingrad, as were most of the Romanian ground units around the Don bend. Due to adverse weather conditions, the actions of the Romanian and German aviation were very limited.

The encircled group of General Mikhail Lasker was supplied with aviation as far as possible. On the morning of November 22, Captain Valentin Stanescu flew around the encircled troops on the Fieseler Storch and landed near the village. Golovsky, which housed the headquarters of the 6th Romanian Infantry Division. He brought to General Petre Dumitrescu, commander of the 3rd Romanian Army, the last message of the encircled, signed by Generals Lascar, Mazarin and Sian:

"1. The situation is very difficult. This morning (November 22) a very powerful tank attack began, with the support of the Katyushas on the left of the D.5I sector, on the right of the D.6I sector and on the left of the D.15I sector. The ring is shrinking every hour.

2. Only 40 artillery shells left. Most mortar mines have been used up. The infantry has very little ammo. Anti-tank artillery of all calibers is ineffective against enemy tanks. Infantry perishes under the tracks of tanks.

3. A very large number of wounded, but very few medicines.

4. We can hold out until tomorrow at most. People haven't eaten for three days. On the night of November 22 to November 23, a breakthrough is planned in the direction of Chernyshevskaya.

7 IAG located at the Karpovka airfield, on November 22 and 23, was forced, using the guns of the Bf.109G aircraft, to repel enemy attacks and evacuate under fire to the West, to the Morozovskaya airfield.

1st Romanian Royal Air Corps

In the period April-June 1943, at the Kirovograd airfield, with the support of the Luftwaffe, the 1st Romanian Royal Air Corps was created. The German side provided aircraft for all types of aviation (fighter, bomber, assault, reconnaissance), which were bought by the Romanians; training of crews and ground personnel; provision (repair, fuel, etc.). In operational terms, the Corps was subordinate to the 4th German Air Fleet. On June 16, 1943, the 1st Romanian Royal Air Corps (commander: Squadron General Aviator Emanoil Ionescu, nicknamed "Pipitsu") entered the battle. He carried out both independent operations and in support of the Romanian-German troops operating on the Eastern Front, in the areas of Mius-Izyum-Donets, the bend of the Dnieper-Dnieper, Bessarabia, Moldova, covering their retreat to the West.

On June 15, 1943, the combat component of the 1st Romanian Royal Air Corps included: 1 reconnaissance squadron with 12 Ju.88D-1 aircraft; 1 fighter air group (3 squadrons) with 40 Bf.109G aircraft; 1 air group of heavy bombers (3 squadrons) with 25 aircraft (12 less than required by the state) Ju.88А; 1 air group of dive bombers (3 squadrons) with 29 aircraft (12 less than required by the state) Ju.87; 1 transport squadron with 4 Ju.52 aircraft; 1 liaison squadron with 10 Fieseler Fleet and IAR-38 aircraft; 1 anti-aircraft artillery regiment (3 divisions) with 78 anti-aircraft guns to provide air defense of airfields. In August 1943, the 8th Assault Air Group (3 squadrons) arrived at the front with 34 Hs.129 aircraft. Thus, in the 1st Romanian Royal Air Corps, there were 140 combat and 14 auxiliary aircraft, and 78 anti-aircraft guns.

Intensive use of equipment (5-6 and even 8 sorties / day / attack aircraft and 4-6 sorties / day / fighter) led from the very first months of the fighting to a strong deterioration of equipment (less than 52% of combat-ready aircraft). For the period 06/16/43-06/16/44, fighter aviation had the largest number of days with sorties (256) and sorties (6006); next were attack aircraft (185, 3869), dive bombers (160, 3644), and heavy bombers (161, 2579). Heavy bombers dropped 3,742.5 tons of bombs on the enemy.

According to archival data, the fighter aviation of the 1st Romanian Royal Air Corps during this period won 299 confirmed air victories with the loss of 109 of its aircraft (of all types). In total, the Air Force won 401 victories, of which: anti-aircraft artillery - 62, heavy bombers - 13, dive bombers - 12, etc. The highest losses were among attack aircraft - 40, followed by fighters - 25, heavy bombers - 21, dive bombers - 15 and reconnaissance aircraft - 7. (I know that the sum of these numbers is not 109, but so in my source) Of the total number of losses , 86 were operational and 23 were lost in various accidents. Another 391 aircraft of the 1st Romanian Royal Air Corps were damaged in various accidents, but needed to be repaired in the field or at the factory. Thus, 500 aircraft were put out of action.

Human losses for the above mentioned period amounted to 84 people. The greatest losses were among officers (pilots) and non-commissioned officers (pilots) in bomber (12; 4) and assault (4; 9) aviation ...>

Large aviation losses are explained by the complexity of the tasks being performed (low flight altitude, density of anti-aircraft fire, etc.) and the enemy's numerical superiority (1:3, and even 1:5 for fighter aircraft).

In 1944, the 1st Romanian Royal Air Corps was stationed in the south of Bessarabia and in Moldova. In March 1944, the eastern and northeastern parts of Romania again became a theater of operations. Until August 20, 1944, the front stabilized at the line of the Carpathians-Pashkany (or more correctly Pashkany)-Iasi-Chisinau.

In the period April-August 1944, the following events took place: the retreat of the German-Romanian troops from the Crimea and the American-British bombing of the Romanian territory, in particular the oil region of Ploiesti-Prahova.

Evacuation of the German-Romanian troops from the Crimea

The evacuation of the German-Romanian troops from the Crimea was carried out in two stages, and each time only with the personal permission of Hitler, who did not want to cede the Crimea, adhering to the geopolitical principle: "who owns the Crimea controls the Black Sea."

On April 9, 1944, from the Romanian troops in the Crimea were: 65083 people (2433 officers, 2423 non-commissioned officers and 60227 privates); 27472 horses; 7650 wagons; 1811 motor vehicles, including motorcycles; 206 guns; 293 anti-tank guns; 12 tanks, etc.

The results of the first phase of the evacuation of the German-Romanian troops from the Crimea (April 14-27, 1944): 72,358 people were evacuated by sea, 25 convoys were escorted by warships and partially by aircraft. Of the total number of evacuees, only 20,779 were Romanians, of which 2,296 were wounded. By air, by Romanian and German military transport aircraft, 6365 people were evacuated, of which 1199 Romanians (384 wounded).

The second phase of the evacuation (May 9-12, 1944) took place with heavy losses, since sea convoys, deprived of air cover, were constantly attacked by Soviet aircraft. Losses amounted to: 9 sunk and 5 damaged ships, and about 9,000 people were killed, of which 3,000 were Romanians.

Against the Germans

On August 23, 1944, a revolution took place in Bucharest and King Mihai officially announced the start of the war with Germany and its allies.

This development of events was a complete surprise for both the Romanian and German pilots. The seizure of aircraft and property of the Luftwaffe began. The Romanians got only 228 aircraft, but most of the airworthy machines were transferred to the new allies - the Red Army Air Force. Here is what the famous Soviet ace Skomorokhov recalled about this: "... German aircraft - Me-109 and FV-190 were captured at Romanian airfields. We had the opportunity to fly on them, to better study their strengths and weaknesses. And we immediately took advantage of this so suitable occasion. We quickly got used to the cockpit equipment of captured vehicles and began to try it in flights. Then we conducted a whole series of training air battles: "Messers" and "Fokkers" against "Lavochkins". We managed to identify many curious features in enemy vehicles, which later brought us invaluable benefit."

The cars that escaped confiscation received the identification marks of the new Romanian Air Force - red-yellow-blue cockades.

The first sortie of the Romanian Air Force was an attack by a pair of IAR-81Cs on a small post in Tanderey. As a captured German officer later claimed, only 27 of the 80 soldiers of the garrison remained alive after the raid.

Almost immediately, the Germans began to bombard Bucharest. The fighters of the 7th and 9th fighter groups were raised to defend the capital, transferred to the Popesti-Leordeni airfield. They didn't have to be bored. So, already on August 25, Captain Cantacuzino (the best Romanian ace of World War II) led six Bf-109Gs to intercept 11 He-111s heading towards the city. The bombers went without cover, and as a result, the Luftwaffe missed six cars (three cars were shot down and three more were damaged). On the way back, the Romanian pilots found a group of Ju.87s, also marching without cover. It was not a sin to take advantage of this, and soon one "piece" was already burning out on the ground. Only a small remnant of fuel and ammunition from the attackers saved the "laptezhniki" from complete defeat. The next day, the Messers shot down three more German planes and destroyed two Ju-52s on the ground.

In total, until August 31, only the 9th IAG completed 41 sorties. The pilots scored 7 confirmed victories, three more were recorded as hypothetical and two machines were destroyed on the ground. After the “battle for the capital”, the 7th IAG was disbanded (due to the presence of literally several airworthy vehicles) and merged into the 9th IAG (Captain Lucian Toma was appointed the new commander).

On September 1, the creation of the 1st Romanian Air Corps (Corpul 1 Aerian Roman) was announced to support the Soviet offensive in Transylvania and Slovakia. Almost all available cars were transferred to air bases in southern Transylvania. New conditions dictated new rules - there was a radical reorganization of the air forces. And at the beginning of September, the Corps was:

Fighter Command

2nd Fighter Group (IAG): 65th and 66th Fighter Squadrons (IAE) (IAR-81C)

6th IAG: 59th, 61st and 62nd IAE (IAR-81C)

9th IAG: 47th, 48th and 56th IAE (Bf-109G)

Bomber Command

3rd Dive Bomber Group: 74th and 81st Dive Bomber Squadrons (Ju-87D5)

5th bomber group: 77th and 78th bomber squadrons (Ju-88A4)

8th Assault Group: 41st and 42nd Assault Squadrons (Hs-129B2)

11th and 12th Reconnaissance Squadrons (IAR-39)

2nd Long Range Reconnaissance Squadron (Ju-88D1)

transport squadron (Ju-52 and IAR-39, DFS-230 glider tugs)

A total of 210 aircraft, half of which were German-made, which created simply enormous difficulties in operation.

44th IAE (IAR-80B, IAR-81A and Bf-109G)

85th Dive Bomber Air Force (Ju-87D5)

60th assault aero (Hs-129B2)

14th and 15th reconnaissance aero (IAR-39)

Transylvania

In Transylvania, the IAR-81Cs were the first to appear, which on September 7 were relocated to the Tournizor airfield. Two days later, the pilots completed their first sortie. The most unpleasant surprise of the first day of combat for the pilots was the fact of shelling by Soviet anti-aircraft gunners, who damaged one aircraft. The anti-aircraft gunners, who managed to study well the silhouettes of Henschels and other German-made aircraft, opened fire without bothering to study the identification marks. Most could not even think that the Hs-129 or Ju-87 could fight on the side of the Red Army.

The departure of the eight Hs-129B-2 to the German positions in the area of ​​​​the town of Turda near Koloshvar on September 14, 1944 ended even more tragically. Two Romanian aircraft shot down German Bf.109s from the 52nd Fighter Squadron and two - Soviet anti-aircraft artillery. However, the most severe were the losses of the flight crew - one pilot was killed, and another was seriously wounded in the hospital.

On the same day, the IAR pilots, after attacking the airfield in Someseni, recorded for themselves one Gota transport glider destroyed on the ground. On September 15, the same airfield (near Cluj) was "visited" by the Messerschmitts. The pilots approached from the north (from where they were not expected) and how at the training ground they shot all the equipment that was on the runway. The Re-2000, Fw-58 and three transport gliders of the Hungarian Air Force were brought into the number of those destroyed.

On September 16, IAR pilots first encountered German fighters. While covering the He-111H group, six IAR-81Cs were attacked by a pair of Bf-109Gs. By that time, the Romanian fighters were morally and physically obsolete, and therefore the "Messers", despite the numerical advantage of the enemy, shot down one aircraft - adjutant Iosif Ciuhulescu (adj. av. Iosif Ciuhulescu). On the same day, during a similar sortie, one bomber was shot down and one fighter damaged.

September 18 was marked by the first battle between the Romanian "Messers" and their German counterparts. The score was in favor of the latter - one Romanian fighter was shot down, and the pilot of the second made an emergency landing. After that, the "Messers" were transferred mainly to the escort of attack aircraft and bombers.

On September 23, eight IARs collided with a group of Bf-109Gs of the same size. In the ensuing skirmish (more like a beating), the 2nd Fighter Group lost 3 IAR-81Cs and two pilots. However, adjutant Andone Stavar (adj. av. Andone Stavar) managed to shoot down one of the attacking fighters, but this is more an accident than a pattern.

On the same day, IAR-81C (but from another group - the 6th IAG) also fought one more battle. Over Turda, during the cover of the Hs-129B2 raid, eight fighters were intercepted by eight Fw-190Fs. Soon, the ubiquitous "Messers" JG 52 pulled up to the area. In the battle, the Romanians lost two aircraft and one pilot. On their return, they recorded four downed Germans (but only two victories were confirmed). This was the last battle of the pilots of the group in the IARs - they soon began to master the "Messers" (it is worth noting that they could not master the new machines and the group could not take practically any part in further battles).

On September 25, the Air Corps lost 4 aircraft and 3 pilots at once (all IAR-81Cs). Four days later, another aircraft was lost (and again the pilot died). So in a short time, the 2nd Fighter Group lost 12 aircraft and 8 pilots killed and two wounded. Such catastrophic losses (such a level was not even near Stalingrad in 1942!) led to a complete decline in morale. The pilots began to actively express dissatisfaction, and in the end, the old IARs were transferred to ground attack work.

But the "Messers" distinguished themselves - Captain Toma shot down a Ju-188, but he himself was forced to land in the field (the gunners of the German bomber tried hard). The command of the group was again taken over by Captain Constantin Cantacuzino. In total, Romanian Bf.109s made 314 sorties in September.

In October and November the weather was very bad and the number of flights was minimal. In early November, the remaining IAR-81Cs were transferred to the Turkev airfield in Hungary. However, the Romanians managed to make the first sortie only on the 17th. The task was to attack the German column, very little is known about the results, only Lieutenant Gheorghe Mociornita (Lt. av. Gheorghe Mociornita) recorded a truck destroyed for himself (apparently, this was the only loss of the enemy). Five days later, the same pilot was able to destroy two more trucks, and adjutant Mihai Mormarla (adj. av. Mihai Momarla) destroyed an anti-aircraft battery. However, the losses were quite large: three aircraft were damaged during such attacks (two aircraft were able to make emergency landings on "friendly" territory). These were one of the last sorties in Transylvania, in December the group was transferred to the Miskolc airfield.

On November 17, a lone Ju-87D flew out to attack enemy positions south of Budapest (by the way, it’s completely incomprehensible why one). Naturally, he was attacked by German fighters. The damage was very large, and the pilot Adjutan Nicolae Stan (adj. sef av. Nicolae Stan) was seriously wounded (it is strange that there is no information about the gunner). Fortunately, Romanian fighters appeared in the area and the Germans abandoned the bomber, considering it shot down.

However, despite the unfavorable development of events, Nicolae was still alive and, after two unsuccessful attempts, was able to land on a Soviet airfield. He only had the strength to open the lantern. The pilot was immediately sent to a field hospital, where he met the end of the war.

The fighting in Transylvania continued until October 25, when the Romanian troops reached the modern Hungarian border. During the seven weeks of fighting, the Romanian aviation suffered heavy losses.

Slovakia

The first sorties over Czechoslovakia were carried out by Romanian aviation as part of the 5th Air Army of the Red Army Air Force. Attack aircraft worked in the interests of the 27th and 40th Soviet combined arms armies. In the second half of December, when the fighting moved to the territory of Slovakia, the Romanian aviation corps had 161 combat aircraft. In reality, the number of aircraft fit for flight was much smaller: due to the lack of spare parts, combat readiness did not exceed 30-40%. The largest group that the Romanians sent to combat missions was the six, but more often they flew in fours. The critical situation with spare parts for German-made equipment forced several serviceable aircraft to be cannibalized. Several serviceable and damaged captured aircraft were handed over to the Romanians by the Soviet command.

Despite all the efforts of the Romanian pilots, they were unable to satisfy the requirements of the Soviet command that were far from reality. Two - three sorties a day to attack the positions of the German-Hungarian troops seemed an impossible task. Nevertheless, the constant strikes that the Henschels and Junkers inflicted on fortified defense points, railway stations, and reconnaissance brought tangible benefits to the Red Army troops. The importance of the actions of the Romanian pilots was repeatedly noted by thanks in the orders, some pilots received Soviet military orders and medals.

On December 19, ten Hs-129Bs hit the Rimavska Sobota railway station in two waves, and then attacked a column of German troops on the highway leading out of the city. According to the reports of the pilots, one echelon was burned at the station, and four trucks were destroyed on the highway. Most likely, this was the first sortie of the Romanian aviation over Slovakia.

With the first success came the first loss. Already on the same day (December 19), five Romanian Henschels were intercepted by eight German Bf.109s, one attack aircraft was shot down. The pilot, who was slightly wounded, managed to make an emergency landing in the Miskolc area, during which the aircraft received minor damage.

On December 20, Romanian aircraft again appeared over the Rimavska Sobota station, they attacked the columns of German troops retreating to the west. Another object of the raid that day was the Filakovo railway station and the bridge located not far from it. On December 21, units of the 27th and 40th Soviet combined arms armies struck in the general direction of Luchenets. With the improvement of weather conditions, aviation activity increased. 19 aircraft from Grupul 8 Asalt/Picaj attacked targets located in southern Slovakia and reappeared over Filakovo station. On December 22, three Henschels attacked a column of troops on the street of the village of Zelena. First, the planes dropped bombs, and then they fired at the column with cannon-machine-gun fire.

The commander of the 27th Combined Arms Army, Colonel General Trofimenko, expressed gratitude in an order to the Romanian pilots for their actions from December 20 to 22, 1944. Romanian aviation continued to carry out combat sorties on December 23. "Henschels" bombed a column of German troops numbering 150 vehicles near the village of Kälna. 15 cars were set on fire. On the same day, the Filakovo station was subjected to another raid. On the same day, while escorting several Ju-87Ds, German pilots from JG.52 intercepted a lone Messer, in the cockpit of which sat Adj. av. Ioan Marinciu. At first he fought with two opponents, but soon there were four of them. It is clear that he had very little chance of surviving. The Romanian plane was practically torn to pieces, the pilot was injured in the face, arms and legs. But despite the huge blood loss, he was able to crash-land his Bf-109G6 near Zelok. Thanks to Soviet soldiers, the pilot was immediately sent to a field hospital and survived. By the way, an interesting detail - Ioan is still sure that Erich Hartmann shot him down.

On December 24, only one airworthy attack aircraft remained in the Henschel group, so only Ju-87 dive bombers flew on combat missions. Moreover, when returning, three "pieces" were intercepted by four "Messers". The German pilots mistook them for their own and, waving their wings, to the delight of the Romanian pilots, went home.

On the day of Catholic Christmas, December 25, the Romanian Air Force suffered another loss. A trio of IARs of the 2nd Fighter Group flew out for armed reconnaissance in the Lutsenek area. After they attacked the ground units, a pair of Bf-109Gs took off to intercept them. The battle could not be avoided in the battle of Adj. av. Dumitru Niculescu died, and adj. av. Nicolae Pelin made an emergency landing.

The first day of the last year of World War II turned out to be overcast. Thanks to bad weather, the pilots and technicians of both warring parties were able to quietly celebrate the New Year. January 2 froze, the fog cleared, and the war again came into its own. Romanian "Henschels" that day stormed convoys on the roads near the Tomaszow railway station and on the Luchinets-Poltar highway. The 41st Squadron continued active combat operations on January 3 and 5, 1945. The objects of the Hs-129 attacks with Romanian cockades on the wings and fuselages were the railway stations of Kalnia and Luchinets, the retreating columns of German troops in the areas of Tomasovets, Breznichki, Poltar. On January 5, the plane of adjutant Konstinu Bogyan was hit by an anti-aircraft shell, but the pilot was able to bring the damaged car home, to the Miskolc airfield. In all sorties, attack aircraft covered Bf. 109G from Grupul 9 Vinatoare (9th Fighter Group). There was practically no German aviation in the air, so the Romanian "Messerschmitts" joined the attack aircraft and attacked ground targets. For three days in January, Romanian aviation made 107 sorties and dropped 36 tons of bombs.

On January 12, 8 IAR-81s were transferred to Debrecen to strengthen the city's air defense, although the benefits from them were minimal. Although they did distinguish themselves once: on February 9, a pair of such "fighters" intercepted Hs.129, whose pilot tried to desert to the German side. It is clear that the attack aircraft simply did not have a chance. The reality of the war was such that all three pilots knew each other very well, since during the Eastern campaign they served in the same unit!

The next day (that is, January 13th), the commander of the 74th dive bomber squadron lt. av. Badulescu led 7 Ju-87D5s to Budapest. The goal was the Elisabeth Bridge - the main transport artery connecting Buda and Pest and therefore well covered by air defense systems. Soviet bombers made several attempts to destroy it, and now it was the turn of new allies. Having gained a height of 4000 meters, when approaching the city, they received cover - Yaks. The Romanian and Soviet pilots attacked the bridge from a dive. The blow was successful - four bombs hit the bridge, and the losses amounted to only one aircraft, the pilot of which was able to land the car at the nearest airfield. However, the bridge continued to function and the four remaining Ju-88A-4s were raised to bombard it. They were led by lt. av. Gheorghe Georgescu (very experienced pilot - 200 sorties throughout the war). Even before approaching the target, one "Junkers" turned back home - the worn-out engine failed. Therefore, the bridge was attacked only by three aircraft from a height of 5000 meters. From a height of 1500 meters they dropped their deadly cargo and at least two 250-kg bombs hit the bridge. Despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, all the vehicles returned home.

On January 19, the traditional winter offensive of the Soviet troops began. The blow was delivered from the border of the western and northern spurs of the Carpathians in the direction of the Vistula and Oder rivers. The right flank of the 2nd Ukrainian Front also took part in the winter offensive. The troops of the 2nd Ukrainian were advancing on the territory of Czechoslovakia. On the first day of the operation, aviation activity was held back by low cloud cover and a snowstorm.

The next day, the weather improved, the command of the 1st Romanian Air Corps threw into battle all the aircraft fit for flight. "Henschels" and "Junkers" of the Romanian Air Force worked directly on the battlefield and struck at the enemy's near rear. At about 16:00, several Ju.87s set off to attack the Banske Bistrich railway station. When approaching the target, the pilot of one machine (adjutant Ion Radu), board. No. 2, was forced to crash land due to engine shutdown. Unfortunately, it happened on the other side of the front. Fieseler Fi.156C was sent to help the crew, but it got stuck in deep snow. Then the Romanian command sent a Fleet F.10G (it is not clear what caused such a decision - after all, the plane was a two-seater !!), but there was no one at the landing site. The German mountain shooters captured Ion Radu, his gunner - Sergeant Constantin Peridzhesku and the Fizler pilot - Lieutenant of the reserve Emil Moga. But this was not known and the pilots were recorded as missing. In reality, they were taken to Banska Bistrich. But after the retreat on March 23, the Germans simply forgot them ... The Romanians were without water and food for three days, until the Red Army entered the city. But their adventures didn't end there. The pilots were in German flight uniforms, without documents, and SMERSH officers "just in case" arrested them. The investigation dragged on for a long time and only on June 12, 1945 did they return to their homeland.

Interestingly, the damaged "thing" was sent to the nearest aircraft repair shop, but they did not have time to repair it.

During the day, Henschels twice attacked the positions of German heavy artillery near Tomashevets and the Lovinobanya railway station. The strongest explosion indicated that the bombs dropped from the Hs-129 hit the ammunition train. According to Romanian data, nine attack aircraft were in the air for 10 hours and 40 minutes and dropped 2,700 kg of bombs on the enemy. However, only seven cars returned home. Two sub-tenants, Alexandra Nicolai and Constantin Dumitru, have been declared missing. The exact cause of the death of the pilots (the fire of the German anti-aircraft artillery or the attack of fighters) remained unknown.

On February 14, the air war took on an even more violent character. Five Hs-129s destroyed four trucks and several wagons in the vicinity of Podrichany. Then the Henschels, together with Ju-87 dive bombers, attacked the Lovinobanya railway station. This day was also not without losses: one Henschel crashed in Miskolc during a flyby after engine repairs, the adjutant pilot Vasile Skripchar died. The violinist was known in Romania not only as a pilot, but also as a talented reporter and artist.

On January 15, the first goal of the offensive operation was achieved - the Soviet troops liberated Luchinets. During the offensive, Romanian aviation carried out 510 sorties, flying 610 hours and dropping about 200 tons of bombs. The pilots bombed nine prefabricated trains, three fuel trains, three important bridges and a large number of pieces of equipment. The reports of the Romanian pilots were reflected in the operational reports of the command of the Soviet 27th combined arms and 5th air armies.

After a few days of respite, the Romanian aviation resumed combat work, now combat missions were carried out in the area of ​​​​the city of Rozhnava. Soviet troops entered Rozhnava on the night of January 22, a garrison of 1,700 Hungarian and German soldiers surrendered. The weather did not allow the use of aviation until 15 February. The Romanians used three weeks of "vacation" to relocate from Miskolc to Luchinets, closer to the front. On February 15, the commander of the 41st squadron, Lazar Muntyatnu, performed two weather reconnaissance flights (on Hs-129 with tail numbers 336 and 331). Later on the same day, 26 aircraft attacked the railway stations of Zvolen, Brezhno and Khayanachka, which dropped 8 tons of bombs. Adjutant Stefan Puskacz destroyed a locomotive and four wagons with cannon fire. His "Henschel" was damaged by anti-aircraft fire, but Pushkach reached the Luchinets airfield, after landing in the attack aircraft, 14 holes were counted. In total, Pushkach had to make five forced landings during the war, and once behind the front line, while the pilot was lucky every time! After the war, Puskacs remained in socialist Romania, and made an excellent political career.

The next day, Hs-129 attack aircraft and Ju-87 dive bombers attacked the railway stations of Kremnica, Khronska Brezhnitsa and Khayanachka. The Soviet command ordered the 40th combined-arms and 4th Romanian armies to go on the offensive and decisively press the German troops to the eastern bank of the Gron River, the start date of the operation was set on February 24th. At 19.00 on February 20, the commander of the 5th air army, General Yermachenko, and the chief of staff of the 40th army, General Sharapov, arrived at the command post of the 1st Romanian air corps. The generals discussed with the Romanian officers a plan for future actions. On the morning of February 21, the guidance officers of the 1st Air Corps of the Romanian Air Force moved to forward observation posts to study the terrain in detail and prepare the data necessary for planning air strikes. In a speech to the Romanian pilots and technicians, the Soviet general, in particular, said an interesting phrase: "... we hope that our Romanian comrades will not let us down."

Direct air support for the advancing troops was assigned exclusively to the Romanian Air Force. Bad weather delayed the start of aviation combat work by one day. On February 25, the sky cleared of clouds, the planes were able to take off. This day is marked in the history of the Romanian Air Force with unusually high activity, victories and losses. In 148 sorties, Romanian pilots dropped 35 tons of bombs on the positions of German troops in the Ochova-Detva-Zvolesnka Slatina triangle. The pilots reported about three destroyed half-tracked armored vehicles, one self-propelled artillery mount, two cars, five horse-drawn carts and eight machine-gun nests, and many enemy soldiers and officers destroyed. When attacking ground targets, the Henschel of adjutant Viktor Dumbrava received a direct hit from an anti-aircraft gun projectile, the pilot hardly pulled it over the front line and plopped down on an emergency landing near Detva.

The 25th was also a busy day for the fighters. On the fifth sortie that day, Captain Cantacuzino and his wingman adj took off. Traian Dbrjan. Above the front line, they found eight Fw-190Fs storming the Soviet troops. Without hesitation, they rushed into battle, and one by one. It was not difficult for Cantacuzino to shoot down one attack aircraft, but the Messers from I./JG 53 took advantage of the carelessness of the Romanians. The squadron commander Hauptmann Helmut Lipfert shot down Trajan, and the rest took up the captain. Drayan apparently died while still in the air (the irony of fate lies in the fact that it was Lipfert who "put" Trajan "on the wing" - he was his instructor while the squadron was based at the Tiraspol airfield). Cantacuzino fell not far from the Romanian positions and the next day returned to his airfield by car. He told about what happened, but he did not actually see the shooting down of his wingman and stated: "Trajan must be shot down."

The second victory of the day (and the last in World War II) was won by Romanian fighters during a fight with Bf-109K. Its author was adj. Constantine Nicoara. No aircraft were lost, but two were damaged.

The intensity of air strikes by Romanian aircraft on the next day decreased slightly. By evening it began to rain, and visibility decreased to 100 meters. In the last days of February, the air temperature reached +4 degrees, constant rains and melting snow turned the airfields into a sea of ​​water and mud, aviation could not operate until March 4. On March 4, sorties resumed. Grupul 8 Asalt/Picaj aircraft took to the air eight times (15 sorties). The targets of the Henschel strikes were the positions of the Germans in the Zvolen-Lishkovets-Zholna triangle. In the same area, the "Junkers" also operated, which suffered a loss. In the Ivanka area at 20:45 (Moscow time), Lieutenant Sereda from the 178th IAP shot down a "thing", which, according to his report, was German. In reality, he shot down a Romanian plane, fortunately, the crew managed to use parachutes.

On March 6, the object of the raids was the Zvolen railway station, columns of troops, artillery positions 2 km from Zvolen. The Romanians finally suppressed the German artillery batteries on March 7 with two air raids from Grupul 8 Asalt / Picaj ("Henschels" flew on combat missions in threes that day). In the third raid, three Hs-129s defeated a convoy on the street of the village of Slyach.

The morning of March 8 for the Romanian pilots began with the ringing of faceted glasses raised in honor of International Women's Day, into which a clear liquid with a pungent odor was poured. The holiday did not last long, a few minutes after the toast was pronounced, the pilots took their seats in the cockpits of their aircraft. The targets have not changed: Zvolen, Zholna, five machine gun nests on Hill 391 near Zholna.

On March 10, due to bad weather, there were no flights. On March 11, Henschels made 21 sorties (five group sorties). Lieutenant Munteanu made four sorties that day (all on Hs-129 tail number 228), Munteanu flew to Zvolen, Montova, Zholna and again to Zvolen.

On March 13, weather conditions deteriorated again, the weather did not allow aviation to operate for ten days.

On March 22, General Traian Bardulu took command of the 1st Romanian Air Corps, replacing General Emmanuel Ionescu, who became Minister of Aviation in the government of Petru Grozu. The change of the corps commander had almost no effect on the daily life and combat work of the personnel. On the day of the change of command, eight Hs-129s stormed the highway west of Zvolen. Romanian aviation bombed the car park in Kovachov, ten horse-drawn carts were destroyed on the streets of Zvolen.

On 23, 24 and 25 March the weather kept the Henschel to the ground. On March 26, only two sorties were made. But on this day, two Romanian pilots on the Bf-109G deserted to the nearest German air base.

It was on March 26 that the city of Zvolen was liberated by the Soviet-Romanian troops. The total retreat of the Germans from Slovakia began. After forcing the Gron River, the offensive of the Soviet troops successfully developed in a westerly direction. The improvement of the weather allowed the Romanian aviation to resume combat work. The iron shock fist of the command of the 1st Romanian air corps was made up of attack aircraft and dive bombers of the 8th group. Accurate air strikes on the enemy cleared the way for the ground forces.

On April 1, the Henschel four attacked the retreating German columns twice on the highway leading from Levine to the west, the planes destroyed 11 horse-drawn carts and five trucks. On April 2, the Romanians made 19 sorties to attack the military echelon at the Nemanka station and an artillery battery located near the station. IAR-81Cs attacked two trains north of Kremnitz and damaged one of the locomotives.

On April 3, the only sortie was made by a trio of Hs-129s, the planes attacked cars near the village of Yalovets. During the raid, Lieutenant Antonescu's plane was hit in the right engine. A plume of smoke trailed behind the engine, flames appeared. Antonescu immediately made an emergency landing. The plane had to be written off after landing, but the pilot escaped with bruises and bumps - a strong armored capsule withstood a collision with the ground.

On April 4, two Henschel squadrons attacked the concentration of German vehicles and military equipment in the Brezhno area, destroying six pieces of equipment. Toward evening, eight Hs-129s attacked the Brezhno railway station, the pilots reported that a locomotive and four wagons had been destroyed as a result of the impact.

On April 5, twin-engine attack aircraft appeared over Bodorova. The planes left behind 15 burning wagons and the same number of wrecked vehicles.

On April 6, the planes of the 1st Romanian Air Corps moved to the Zvolen airfield. The flight time in the area of ​​the White Carpathians and the Lower Tatras has been reduced. The first sorties from Zvolen were made on Kosice, Belusha, Nozdrovitsa. On April 7, Pukhov, Belusha and Kosice were subjected to air strikes.

On April 11-13, Romanian aviation operated in the areas of Nemtsov, Radzhets, Zilina, Poluvsi, over the Slovak-Moravian border. The next day the planes did not fly due to bad weather.

At dawn on April 15, the weather improved and air attacks resumed. Three waves of Henschels (18 aircraft) bombed and stormed the highway leading to Makov, the railway stations of Nizhna and Shumitsa. Five and a half tons of bombs were dropped, the pilots reported 30 broken cars, two trains and one locomotive. Adjutant Vasile Pescu sustained injuries to internal organs as a result of exceeding the permissible G-force at the exit from a dive. Pescu managed to return to base. Friends pulled the injured pilot out of the cockpit and immediately sent to the hospital. The 20-year-old guy, who had made 225 sorties by that time, remained disabled for life.

On Monday, April 16, the Minister of Defense of Romania, General Vasile Rasceanu, arrived at the front for a visit, personally presenting awards to those who distinguished themselves. Before the eyes of the minister, two Hs-129 troikas left for a combat mission, led by squadron commander Lazar Munteanu. Over Banov, his plane was hit in the right wing plane, as a result, the fuel tank exploded and the engine failed. On one motor, Munteanu was dragged across the Vash River and landed at the Trenchin airfield, just abandoned by the retreating Germans. During a rough landing, the car received additional damage, and Munteanu himself was injured. The aircraft and the pilot immediately came under fire from small arms and mortars from the right bank of the Vash. The life of the Romanian pilot was saved by the commander of the Soviet artillery battery, Lieutenant Tunev, who, on his orders, opened heavy fire on the borders of the airfield, preventing the Germans from approaching the aircraft. The lieutenant personally pulled Munteanu to a safe place, from where the commander of the Romanian assault squadron was sent to the hospital. Munteanu's wounds were not dangerous - on April 21 he returned to his unit.

On April 17, the pilots of the 41st Squadron flew four times into battle without their commander. 16 "Henschels" with bombs and shells struck at the concentration of enemy infantry and equipment, first in the area of ​​​​Dritomna, then - the Hungarian Brod, Prakshytsi and Korytne. Under Korytnaya, attack aircraft dispersed a column of 60 horse-drawn carts and 30 cars.

The restoration of the Trencin airfield, the Romanian ground services began directly under enemy fire, but bad weather prevented the relocation of aircraft here. For several days, aviation made only reconnaissance flights. Only on April 20, five Hs-129Bs were able to strike at Korytna, the planes suppressed a mortar battery located on the edge of the forest southwest of the village.

On April 21, a trio of Henschels in one sortie first struck at German positions in the Dolne Nemchi area, then at Slavkov. In the next three, the weather worsened again, only once the four Hs-129В managed to bombard Dolnya Nemchi. On the same day, the IAR-81C pilots again distinguished themselves - thanks to improved weather, they completed 31 sorties. During the day, 11 trucks and many infantry were recorded destroyed. But this success was paid for by the death of av. Gheorghe Mociornita (IAR-81C no. 426), whose plane was shot down by air defense. Two and a half weeks remained until the end of the war ...

The statistics of the Henschel combat work in the period from March 25 to April 24, 1945 is as follows: 160 sorties (34 group sorties) with a total duration of 177 hours and 20 minutes were completed; 48.9 tons of bombs were dropped, 122 cars, 91 horse-drawn carts, 4 trains, 3 artillery positions, 1 tank and 1 bridge were destroyed. Romanian aviation did not take part in air battles due to the complete absence of enemy aircraft in the air. Losses amounted to two Hs-129B.

With the advent of spring, it became clear to everyone - the end of the war is not far off, but the finale has not yet arrived. On April 26, the Hungarian Brod became the area of ​​active operations for the aircraft of the 8th group. Three Henschels bombed and stormed the city eight times. In all sorties, the group was led by Lieutenant Munteanu, who on that day flew an aircraft with tail number 222B. Eight raids on the Hungarian Ford were carried out by dive-bombers from the fraternal Escadrile 74 Picaj. The first time on April 26, the planes took off at 7 am, the target of the strike was a bridge near the village of Sucha Lodge. Attack aircraft covered the IAR-81 fighters, but since there was no enemy aircraft in the sky, they joined the Henschels, which attacked the bridge. The bridge was seriously damaged. During the day, attack aircraft attacked enemy positions in the areas of settlements Sucha Lodge, Hungarian Brod, Dolne Nemchi, three times Hs-129 stormed artillery positions near Nivinitsa. During the day, the Henschels dropped 72 tons of bombs and completed 57 sorties. The pilots of the 2nd Fighter Group flew 68 sorties, firing 23,100 bullets and 4,140 shells. As usual, there were some losses - Adj died on the IAR-81C. av. Constantin Prisacaru. The German anti-aircraft gunners distinguished themselves again, having rich combat experience by the end of the war.

On April 27, in the order on the occasion of the liberation of the Hungarian Brod, the Soviet command noted: "The capture of the city became possible only thanks to the actions of aviation."

On the same day, ten Henschels attacked Tishnov in three waves. On April 28, aircraft did not fly; on April 29, the Romanians bombed and stormed enemy columns on the roads in the vicinity of Dobikovtsy. On April 30, Romanian planes dropped 2,100 kg of bombs on the villages of Nidachlebitsy and Bojkovitsa.

On April 27, the last Junkers in the war was also shot down. In the Dobikovice area, the plane was shot by German anti-aircraft gunners. Pilot - adjutant Paul Lazaroiu was able to use a parachute and was captured, and his gunner (Sergeant George Popescu) died.

In April, according to official data, the "Messers" of the 9th IAG carried out 225 sorties.

On the first day of May 1945, the aircraft flew despite the heavy rain. During one of the raids, the Henschel four dispersed an infantry column southwest of Olomouc. On May 2, the attention of the Romanian pilots was attracted by the Holishov railway station. The raids on the station and the city continued on 4 and 5 May.

May 6 began the last offensive operation of the war in Europe - a breakthrough to Prague. Romanian aviation supported the ground forces advancing on Proteev. On May 7, Romanian pilots managed to destroy 15 vehicles northwest of Proteev.

On May 8, pilots stormed columns of enemy troops and equipment on the roads in the vicinity of Urchitsa and Vyshovitsa. The 2nd Fighter Group lost its last pilot in the war - it was slt. av. Remus Vasilescu.

On May 9, 1945, only IAR-39 biplanes took off under the escort of Messerschmitts, who scattered leaflets. The Germans surrendered without offering resistance.

However, the war for the Romanian aviators ended a little later. On May 11, the Romanians carried out strikes on parts of the Russian Liberation Army under General Vlasov. The Vlasovites had nothing to lose, and they desperately resisted in the forests under the Hungarian Ford. On the evening of May 11, 1945, the planes (several bombers under cover of four Bf-109Gs) returned from the last sortie of the Romanian Air Force in World War II. Over the territory of Czechoslovakia, Romanian pilots fought for 144 days.

In total, until the end of the war (on May 12, 1945), the 1st Corps accounted for 8542 sorties and the destruction of 101 enemy aircraft (together with anti-aircraft gunners). Losses amounted to 176 aircraft shot down by fighters, air defense and destroyed in numerous accidents in bad weather conditions in the winter and spring of 1945.

There is concrete data only on the participation of Henschels, on the rest - fragmentary data. So, in five months of hostilities, from December 19, 1944 to May 11, 1945, the pilots of the 41st assault squadron ("Henschels") completed 422 sorties, flying 370 hours and dropping 130 tons of bombs. As a result of the squadron's actions, 66 columns of enemy troops were dispersed, 185 cars and 66 horse-drawn carts were destroyed, Henschel pilots smashed 13 trains at railway stations, among other destroyed enemy property - artillery pieces, mortars, machine guns. The squadron lost eight HS-129B attack aircraft. Pilots "pieces" only in Slovakia made 107 sorties, flying 374 hours. They dropped 210 tons of bombs on 37 railway stations and 36 enemy positions. 3 tanks, 61 trucks and 6 anti-aircraft batteries were recorded as destroyed.

During the entire war, the Romanian Air Force lost 4172 people, of which 2977 fought for Germany (972 dead, 1167 wounded and 838 missing) and 1195 fought against Germany (respectively 356, 371 and 468).

The Royal Romanian Air Force met the end of the war in even worse condition than on June 22, 1941. In fact, the aviators were left alone with their problems in the face of a complete cessation of the supply of spare parts for aircraft. The future was hazy...

2. Magazines "Modelism" (Romania) for different years

3. Dénes Bernád, "Rumanian Air Force, the prime decade 1938-1947", Squadron/Signal Publications, 1999