96. OIAE in Izamial on 22 VI 1941, Amount of planes in the unit?

Hi

96.OIAE in Izmail on 22 VI 1941



There are some different data about this unit, which was in Izmail on 22 VI 1941. On his strength unit had biplanes I-15bis and I-153. The unit commander was capitain A. Korabitzyn. I have met information, that there were 14 serviceable planes on 22 VI 1941. From other sources are known, that there were up to 17 fighters. This unit was attached to Danube Military Fleet.

These red fighters fought with Romanian bombers at 14.00. According one sources took off from the airfield 3 I-153 and 14 I-15bis (second sources: 6 I-153, 8 I-15bis) of 96. OIAE. The squadron took off to attack Romanian bombers 9 PZL P.37 Los of Esc. 77 Grupul 4 Bombardament (4. Grupa Bombowa) who attack Bulgarica airfield.
Romanian bombers were escorted by 6 Romanian Hurricanes of Esc. 53 van. Over the target one P.37 was shot down by A/A Battery.
Second bomber was claimed by Soviet fighters. First who claimed the victory over Romanian bomber was young leytanat Mihail S. Maksimov. He had hit the bomber, which next had dropped into Danube (?).

Soviet pilots had claimed 3 bombers over Izmaił and one more was credited to A/A battery after this combat.
Other Soviet sources given up to 5 victories, which were credited only to fighters

During the combat one Soviet pilot was wounded. No other losses are known.

Romanian Hurricane fighters had claimed 4 victories over Soviet fighters. Total Romanian bomber losses were 2 P.37 Los – one was no 206 (piloted by adjutant sef aviator Vasile Nanescu – bombers had smashed into the ground). The next P.37, no “214” was piloted by sublocotenent aviator de rezerva Florin Teodorescu. All 8 Romanian aircrews were KIA.
Romanian sources sustain, that 2 P.37 Los were shot down only by Soviet A/A battery, not losses were sustained by them from attacking Red fighters.

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzynski

You will be able to read the real story in a forthcoming book I co-authored, which will hopefully be published later on this year.

Gen. Dénes

P. S. As I've already written in my chapter of the recently published reference work on the P.Z.L. P.37, 96 OIAE did not clash with the ARR 'Los' bombers as it's wrongly stated in several sources. I-16s of 67 IAP, based on Bolgarijka/Bulgarica, did.

Sorry but not in this place.

"I-16s of 67 IAP, based on Bolgarijka/Bulgarica, did."

The 67. IAP, according my Soviet/Russian sources, was in Bolgrad, the area of 14 Rifles Corps, and he was an army aviation unit. It was located deeper from the Soviet-Romanina border.
Izmail was "on the border" - Danube harbour for Soviet's river navy.


Regards,
Mirek W

In "Orizont Aviatic" is an article about this event on this day at Izmail. Is in romanian language and verry nice writen by Eugen Marinescu. However the romanian atackers were IAR 37, and they lost one IAR only.


Here is the article: http://www.virtualarad.com/orizont_aviatic...2/articol_2.htm

Some parts from article english short translation:

....Cei de la Esc. 18 Bomb. Usor n-au apucat sa se dezmeticeasca bine dupa aflarea tristelor vesti ca s-a dat alarma si pentru ei: adunarea a 9 echipaje IAR-37 la cortul comandantului. (trei patrule a cate trei avioane)....

...The "Escadrila 18 bombardament" was in alert. 9 crews of IAR 37 were ready...

...Deci... atentie!:
a). Vor ataca aerodromul Izmail (iar Izmail)
Se urmarea distrugerea a ceea ce se afla in perimetrul lui, dar si neutralizarea aerodromului prin producerea de gropi cauzate de cele 54 bombe de cate 54 kg...

... They will attack Izmail airfield with 54 bombs ( 54Kg each)...

....La timpul potrivit se incepu degajarea spre stanga; in dreapta lor si putin mai in urma Marinescu mai vazu un IAR-37, (cine o fi fost in el?) Uitandu-se in jos catre inapoi, vazu praful starnit de explozii pe aerodrom, dar mai vazu direct in coada lor un alt avion biplan, tot cu tren neescamotabil si cu motor „in stea” insa ceva mai mic decat al lor. Imediat stiu ce era: un vanator inamic, un avion de tip I-15 care se apropia vizibil si-l urmari cum se balansa in sus si in jos, putin la dreapta, putin la stanga, straduinduse sa-i prinda cat mai bine in colimator...



.... Marinescu saw one of the IAR 37 attacked by a biplane fighter with fixed undercarriage and radial engine. He recognised imediatly: it was an enemy fighter I-15.

...dar in acest timp nici Iacob Ion nu sedea degeaba. Isi pusese in functie impecabila lui mitraliera englezeaza „Browning” si de cate ori ii venea bine improsca cu lovituri in rafale foarte scurte dar foarte dese pe vanatorul din coada lor. Manevrele descrise mai sus s-au repetat de doua-trei ori, pana cand la un moment dat, dupa ce Iacob trase inca o rafala scurta in vanator, acesta degaja brusc spre dreapta si picand, lasa in urma lui o dara de fum negru... N-a mai putut fi urmarit cu ochii pentru ca in dreapta lor, putin in urma si mai sus, avionul pilotat de Adj.stg.rez. Costinescu, avand observator pe Slt. Lipan Mircea, se prabusea spre baltile Dunarii. Nici foc, nici fum, dar avionul a picat pana a disparut din vedere...

..Iacob Ion ( Marinescu's gunner) hit one of this biplane falling with black smoke on his tail.. but the IAR 37 of Adj. Costinescu ( Slt.Lipan Mircea observer) was seen crashing in Danube ( probably hit by AA)...

This post has been edited by Cantacuzino on March 16, 2007 12:36 pm

Hi
thansk for the link and translation, :-)

There were at least 2 combats fought by fighters of 96. OIAE over Izmaił.
It was the second combat with these 8 IAR 37 + 8 He 112 - accordings reports not 9 (?).
The first was with P.37 against "30 enemy fighters from Izmail" - 96. OIAE.

Regards,
MirekW

BYW which time did happend these fight with IAR 37 about?

These I-15s was in fact a I-15bis (or second name - I-152). This unit had also a few I-153s.

The I-15 is a older fighter (1933-35?). He took part in Civil War in Spain - nickname Chatos in 1936-1939.
In 1941 I-15s were in VVS relagated to the training and a few of them again took part in combat in the first line unit during the battle for Crime, as a assoult plane, if right remeber.

Here is an excerpt from the manuscript under work, which contains one proof for the real version:
"Fighters of VVS ChF claimed this day five ARR bombers – identified as ‘SET-15’, similar to the Soviet R-5 biplane – intercepted by pilots of 96 OIAE (96th Independent Naval Air Squadron) over Izmail (Ismail)."
I leave it up to you to realise, which aircraft type is a closer match to the Soviet fighter pilots' identification, i.e. 'SET-15’: the twin-engine P.Z.L. P.37 or the I.A.R. 38 biplane...

Gen. Dénes

P.S. According to my co-author's primary sources, 67 IAP was based on Bolgarijka (Bulgărica) airfield.

This post has been edited by Dénes on March 16, 2007 08:09 pm

According official Romanmian reports about 22 VI 1941, (edited in Romaian Aeronautics in WW II) by Craciunoiu an Roba on the page 42 is written:

The base for 67. IAP was (Bolograd, second name is given, paraller as a Bulgarica).

So attcking PZL P.37s were fighters take off from Izmail but not from Bolograd/Bulgarica, which is far away from Izmail?. Soviet materials given this both names for 67. IAP "nest".

I also think, that SET-15 were attacked by 96. OIAE, a little later.

The 67. IAP had fought 3 combats on 22 VI,
and 96. OIAE fought two, against enemy planes (Romanian). I do not exactly remember where I have found this infor for second comabt it was a few years ago.


Regards,
MirekW

PS
1. It is also interesting, what exactly time were these SET-15 formation attacked abouts?

2. The rests of P.37 no 206 are seen on the Soviet time photos. So the Russian are well aware what did they shot down on 22 VI 1941. In many Soviet sources are for my astonishement given right name of PZL-37 (PZL P.37) - Not SET-15.

There is a huge difference between PZL P.37 and IAR-37. Only "digits" are the same.