326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division explained

Unit Name:326th Night Bomber Aviation Division (1943–1944)
326th Bomber Aviation Division (1944–1951)
326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division (1951–present)
Dates:1943–present
Country: (1943–1991)
(1992–present)
Branch:Soviet Air Force (1943–1991)
Russian Air Force (1992–2015)
Russian Aerospace Forces (2015-present)
Battle Honours:Tarnopol
Type:Bomber Aviation division
Role:Strategic bombing
Decorations:Order of Kutuzov 2nd class
Battles:World War II
Garrison:Ukrainka

326th Tarnopolsky Order of Kutuzov Heavy Bomber Air Division (326 TBAD) is an Aviation Division of the Long Range Aviation of Russia. It was previously part of the 37th Air Army of the Supreme High Command. It was originally formed as the 326th Night Bomber Aviation Division, formed at Yegoryevsk in Moscow Oblast on 10 October 1943.[1] On 23 June 1944, it was renamed the 326th Bomber Aviation Division.

History

In 1945, it had three regiments of Tupolev Tu-2 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:

From 1987 to 1991, Dzhokhar Dudayev, who later became president of the self-proclaimed Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, was the commander of the division.

The division's dispersal airfields included Ugolny Airport near Anadyr, Magadan Airport, and Tiksi.[2]

Composition

The command of the division was at the Ukrainka airbase in the Far East.

The composition of the division included:

In 2007–2009, the 444th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment was disbanded.

As of 2020, the division was reported based at Ukrainka with one element reportedly operating Tu-22M3 bombers from the Belaya air base as part of Russian Long Range Aviation.[3]

Notes

  1. Michael Holm, 326th Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, accessed October 2011
  2. http://airbase.ru/squad/russia/da Long-Range Aviation of the USSR in 1991
  3. Web site: Russian Military Forces: Interactive Map.

External links