Air engineers

The Air Engineer Regiment (created in 1938) had at three battalions the beginning of 1941. The 1st Battalion was assigned to the 1st Air Region (Sibiu), the 2nd Battalion to the 2nd Air Region (Bacau) and the 3rd Battalion to the 3rd Air Region (Bucharest). It had also mobilized the 11th Caterpillar Company (tractors, bulldozers, scrapers etc.), the Communications Company, the 14th Hutting Company, the 21st Company (Air Force Command), 22nd Communications Company and a meteorological company. The last three were assigned to the General Headquarters.

After military operations started, the regiment supported the Combat Air Grouping with a company of an air engineer battalion, 2 airfield companies, 3 communication companies, one radio company, 2 beacon sections, 5 meteorological sections.

On 1st November 1941 two mixed detachments were organized: Tiraspol and Odessa. Each had a caterpillar section and beacon sections.

In September 1942, when the Romanian Royal Aeronautics were again on the front line, the Regiment assigned to the Air Corps the following forces: 2 communication battalions, 3 communications-operations companies, 2 line-building companies, 2 airfield companies, one beacon company and one meteorological company.

In November 1942, the Air Engineer Regiment had 6 battalions and 24 companies. It was split into two units: the Air Pioneer Regiment and the Air communications Regiment. The Air Communications Training Center was also created.

The Air Pioneer Regiment (2200 men) was made up of the 1st Air Engineer Battalion (one pioneer company, three airfield-building companies), the 2nd Beacon-Lighting Battalion (one beacon company and one lighting company) and the 3rd Battalion (four mechanic companies and one workshop company).

The Air Communications Regiment (3581 men) consisted in the 1st Wire Communication Battalion (one line-building company, two telephone companies and one telegraphy company), the 2nd Wire Communication Battalion (two line-building companies, one telephone company and one telegraphy company) and the 3rd Radio Battalion (three radio companies and one electrician company).

On 1st January 1943, the 1st Air Communication was transformed into the 1st Air Engineer Battalion and the 2nd Air Communication Battalion was brought back to the country. In March, the 1st Battalion was also retreated from the front. The Air Communication Regiment was split into the 1st and 3rd Air Communication Regiment and the Air Pioneer Regiment was renamed the 2nd Air Pioneer Regiment.

On 25 September 1944, the 1st Airfield Battalion (2nd Air Pioneer Regiment) was assigned to the 1st Air Corps. The 1st and 3rd Air Communication Regiment provided special detachments for the front.

Sources:
Scafes C., Serbanescu H., Scafes I., Andonie C., Danila I., Avram R. Armata romana 1941-1945, Editura R.A.I., 1996
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