326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division
Encyclopedia
326th Tarnopolsky Order of Kutuzov Heavy Bomber Air Division (326 TBAD) - was an Aviation Division
of the Long Range Aviation
of Russia. Most recently it was included in the 37th Air Army
of the Supreme High Command. It was originally formed as the 326th Night Bomber Aviation Division, formed at Egorevsk, Moscow Oblast
on 10 October 1943. On 23 June 1944 it was renamed the 326th Bomber Aviation Division.
bombers.
12th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment was briefly part of the division in 1959-60 at Ostrov
, Pskov Oblast
, while flying Tu-16s.
Components in 1990 according to Michael Holm:
Headquarters were located at:
As of 1991 the division was part of the 30th Air Army. In the division were:
The division's dispersal airfields included Ugolny Airport
near Anadyr
, Magadan
airport, and Tiksi
.
airbase in the Far East.
The composition of the division included:
In 2007-2009, the 444th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment was disbanded and the Vozdvizhenka air base is now abandoned. Many of the Tu-22M3s remain at the airbase, but stripped of usable parts.
Aviation Division
An Aviation Division was a type of formation of the Military Air Forces of the Red Army during the Second World War, the Military Air Forces of the Soviet Union, Forces of Anti Aircraft Defence of the Soviet Union and Aviation of the Military Naval Fleet, and since 1991 remain major formations...
of the Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation
Long Range Aviation was the branch of the Soviet Air Forces tasked with long-range bombardment of strategic targets with nuclear weapons. During the Cold War, it was the counterpart to the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force....
of Russia. Most recently it was included in the 37th Air Army
37th Air Army
The 37th Air Army of the High Supreme Command was the strategic bomber force of the Russian Air Force from 1998 to 2009...
of the Supreme High Command. It was originally formed as the 326th Night Bomber Aviation Division, formed at Egorevsk, Moscow Oblast
Moscow Oblast
Moscow Oblast , or Podmoskovye , is a federal subject of Russia . Its area, at , is relatively small compared to other federal subjects, but it is one of the most densely populated regions in the country and, with the 2010 population of 7,092,941, is the second most populous federal subject...
on 10 October 1943. On 23 June 1944 it was renamed the 326th Bomber Aviation Division.
History
In 1945 it had three regiments of Tupolev Tu-2Tupolev Tu-2
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bishop, Chris. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. New York: Sterling, 2002. ISBN 1-58663-762-2.* Ethell, Jeffrey L. Aircraft...
bombers.
12th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment was briefly part of the division in 1959-60 at Ostrov
Ostrov
Ostrov is a town and the administrative center of Ostrovsky District of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on the Velikaya River, south of Pskov. Population: 27,000 ....
, Pskov Oblast
Pskov Oblast
Pskov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Pskov Oblast borders the countries of Estonia and Latvia, as well as Belarus. It is the westernmost federal subject of contiguous Russia . Its major cities are the administrative center Pskov and Velikiye Luki . Area: 55,300 km²...
, while flying Tu-16s.
Components in 1990 according to Michael Holm:
- 132nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Tartu, Estonian SSSR) with Tu-22M3 and Tu-16K
- 402nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (BalbasovoBalbasovoBalbasovo is a long-range bomber air base in Belarus, located 11 km southwest of Orsha. It has a long runway, large tarmac area, and 30 large revetments...
, Vitebsk Oblast) with Tu-22M3 and Tu-16K - 840th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Soltsy-2Soltsy-2Soltsy-2 is an air base in Novgorod Oblast, Russia located 2 km north of Soltsy and 72 km southwest of Novgorod...
, Novgorod Oblast) with Tu-22M3
Headquarters were located at:
- TartuTartuTartu is the second largest city of Estonia. In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the intellectual and cultural hub, especially since it is home to Estonia's oldest and most renowned university. Situated 186 km southeast of Tallinn, the...
, Estonian SSSR, December 1959 - 1992 [58 24 08N, 26 49 19E] - Soltsy-2Soltsy-2Soltsy-2 is an air base in Novgorod Oblast, Russia located 2 km north of Soltsy and 72 km southwest of Novgorod...
, Novgorod Oblast, 1992 - 1998 [58 08 16N, 30 19 47E] - Ukrainka, Amur OblastAmur OblastAmur Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , situated about east of Moscow on the banks of the Amur and Zeya Rivers. It shares its border with the Sakha Republic in the north, Khabarovsk Krai and the Jewish Autonomous Oblast in the east, People's Republic of China in the south, and Zabaykalsky...
, 1998 - 2009/2010 [50 32 21N, 79 11 38E]
As of 1991 the division was part of the 30th Air Army. In the division were:
- 40th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Tu-95K planes) UkrainkaUkrainka (air base)Ukrainka is one of Russia's largest strategic Long Range Aviation bases in the Far East. Located in Amur Oblast, Russia, 28 km north of Belogorsk, it is a major nuclear bomber base, with large tarmacs and nearly 40 revetments.In 1955, Ukrainka was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling...
) - 79th Red Star Order Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (planes Tu-95km Tu-95K UkrainkaUkrainka (air base)Ukrainka is one of Russia's largest strategic Long Range Aviation bases in the Far East. Located in Amur Oblast, Russia, 28 km north of Belogorsk, it is a major nuclear bomber base, with large tarmacs and nearly 40 revetments.In 1955, Ukrainka was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling...
)
The division's dispersal airfields included Ugolny Airport
Ugolny Airport
Ugolny Airport is a mixed-use military and civil airfield in Siberia located 11 km east of Anadyr, separated from the town by the waters of Anadyrsky Liman...
near Anadyr
Anadyr
Anadyr may refer to:*Anadyr , a town and the administrative center of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia*Anadyr River, a river in Russia*Operation Anadyr*Gulf of Anadyr*Anadyr Estuary...
, Magadan
Magadan
Magadan is a port town on the Sea of Okhotsk and gateway to the Kolyma region. It is the administrative center of Magadan Oblast , in the Russian Far East. Founded in 1929 on the site of an earlier settlement from the 1920s, it was granted the status of town in 1939...
airport, and Tiksi
Tiksi
Tiksi is an urban locality and the administrative center of Bulunsky District of the Sakha Republic, Russia, situated on the Arctic Ocean coast. Population: It is one of the principal ports for accessing the Laptev Sea...
.
Composition
The command of the division was at the UkrainkaUkrainka (air base)
Ukrainka is one of Russia's largest strategic Long Range Aviation bases in the Far East. Located in Amur Oblast, Russia, 28 km north of Belogorsk, it is a major nuclear bomber base, with large tarmacs and nearly 40 revetments.In 1955, Ukrainka was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling...
airbase in the Far East.
The composition of the division included:
- 182 Guards Red Berlin-Sevastopol Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Tu-95MS planes) (UkrainkaUkrainka (air base)Ukrainka is one of Russia's largest strategic Long Range Aviation bases in the Far East. Located in Amur Oblast, Russia, 28 km north of Belogorsk, it is a major nuclear bomber base, with large tarmacs and nearly 40 revetments.In 1955, Ukrainka was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling...
) - 79th Red Star Order Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Tu-95MS aircraft) (UkrainkaUkrainka (air base)Ukrainka is one of Russia's largest strategic Long Range Aviation bases in the Far East. Located in Amur Oblast, Russia, 28 km north of Belogorsk, it is a major nuclear bomber base, with large tarmacs and nearly 40 revetments.In 1955, Ukrainka was one of only six Soviet bases capable of handling...
) - 200th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment Brest Red (Tu-22M3 planes) (BelayaBelaya (air base)Belaya is a significant strategic air base in Irkutsk Oblast, Russia located 18 km northwest of Usolye-Sibirskoye and 85 km northwest of Irkutsk...
) - 444th Berlin Order of Kutuzov III, and Alexander Nevsky Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment (Tu-22M3 aircraft) (Vozdvizhenka; see :ru:Воздвиженка (авиабаза))
In 2007-2009, the 444th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment was disbanded and the Vozdvizhenka air base is now abandoned. Many of the Tu-22M3s remain at the airbase, but stripped of usable parts.