VVS Squadron Designations
 

Afternoon all. I am looking for some help understanding the VVS squadron designations.

Here is what I know:
IAP: Fighter Aviation Regiment
IAD: Fighter Aviation ______
IAK: Fighter Aviation _______

Don't know what D and K are. Its something to do with the unit size I am guessing?

BAP: Bomber Aviation Regiment
TBAP: Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment
BAD: Bomber Aviation _________
NBAP: Night? Bomber Aviation Regiment
LBAP: _____ Bomber Aviation Regiment
SBAP: _____ Bomber Aviation Regiment
BBAP:______ Bomber Aviation Regiment
DBAP: The D here is different from the D at the end I think. _______ Bomber Aviation Regiment.

ShAP: Assault Aviation Regiment
RAP: Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment
ORAP: Independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment

MTAP: _______ _______ Aviation Regiment
SAD: _____ Aviation _____
ZIAP: ______ ______ Aviation Regiment

So, who can help me fill in the blanks?

The first letter, or 2 letters, appears to be aircraft type
The seems to designate Aviation
The last letter seems to be something to do with the unit size.

As I remember...

D = Divizia - Division
K = Korpus - Corps

NBAP = Nochnoy - Night
LBAP = Legkiy - Light (short range, for example early bi plane bombers as R series)
SBAP = Skorostnoy - Speed (Su-2, SB, Ar-2)
BBAP = Blizhniy - Short Range (Pe-2,Su-2...)
DBAP = Dalniy - Long Range (TB-3, DB-3, Il-4, Pe-8, etc)

MTAP = Minno-Torpednyi - Mine-Torpedo (DB-3/Il-4, etc)

SAD = Smeshannaya Avia Divizia - Mixed Air Division (regiments of various types)

ZIAP = Zapasnoy Istrebitelnyi - Reserve Fighter

As I remember, since 1943 N/L/S/B/DBAP ceased to exist and were replaced by BAP and ShAP.

DBAP (long range) and NBAP (night) were not affected. Otherwise, everything is correct.

There were also a specialized escadrillas (a unit, smaller, then regiment), which wouldn't have sence to be large in size. They were designated as "otdelnaya" (separate). Usually those were reconassance ones.

The smallest unit size was Zveno (element), consisting of 3, later 4 planes.
Several element would make an Escadrilla, usually having 12 planes.
Depending on aircraft size and purpose from 4 to 6 Escadrillas wouls form a Regiment (Polk). After the beginning of war, by the end of 1941 summer, regiment size was reduced to 2 escadrillas, in 1943 - increased to 3.
From 2 to 4 regiments would form a Division. 2 Divisions would form a Corps.

Marabekm, I don't know what you are doing, but this may be of some utility to you
http://www.ww2.dk/new/vvs.htm

Thanks for info guys. I just wanted to know what all the squadrons meant for mission building purposes.

Fhechene, good info but most of it is post WW2. Still good stuff just not what I am looking for. Though hopefully soon can get a copy of black cross red star.