VVS Squadron Designations

[dimlee]

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.

[SaQSoN]

Originally Posted by dimlee

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.