List of Romanian Air Force units

Romanian Air Force
History
Aircraft
Structure
Personnel

This is a list of Romanian Air Force and Romanian Air Corps units, past and present.

Squadrons

Active

WW1

1916

  • Grupul 1 Escadrile (1st Squadron Group) - commanded by Cpt. Sturdza, assigned to the Romanian 1st Army. The group had 2 squadrons.
  • Grupul 2 Escadrile - commanded by Lt. Pașcanu (replaced by Lt. Negerscu), assigned to the Romanian 2nd Army.
  • Grupul 3 Escadrile - commanded by Cpt. Beroniade [ro], assigned to the Romanian 3rd Army. The group had 3 squadrons:
    • Escadrila "București"
    • Escadrila "Alexandria"
    • Escadrila "Budești"
  • Grupul 4 Escadrile - commanded by Lt. Giossanu, assigned to the Northern Army.

1917

Organization in the summer of 1917 - Order No. 1247/1917

  • Grupul 1 Aeronautic Bacău, with its headquarters at Bacău and commanded by Maj. Alexandru Sturdza, assigned to the 2nd Romanian Army:
    • Escadrila F.2 - commanded by Cpt. Gheorghe Negrescu [ro] (until March), then by Captain Panait Cholet
    • Escadrila F.6 - commanded by Cpt. Scarlat Ștefănescu
    • Escadrila N.1 - commanded by Cpt. René Chambe [fr]
  • Grupul 2 Aeronautic Tecuci, with its headquarters at Tecuci and commanded by Maj. Andrei Popovici, assigned to the 4th Russian Army (will be re-assigned to the 1st Romanian Army):
    • Escadrila F.4 - commanded by Cpt. Haralambie Giossanu
    • Escadrila F.7 - commanded by Cpt. André Goulin
    • Escadrila N.3 - commanded by Cpt. Maurice Gond
    • Escadrila F.9 - commanded by Cpt. Bertrand de Fraguier
    • Escadrila N.11 - commanded by Cpt. Ștefan Protopopescu
    • Escadrila C.12
  • Grupul 3 Aeronautic Galați, with its headquarters at Galați and commanded by Cpt. Nicolae Capșa, assigned to the 1st Romanian Army (will be re-assigned to the 6th Russian Army):
    • Escadrila F.5 - commanded by Cpt. Radu Irimescu
    • Escadrila N.10 - commanded by Cpt. Paul Bléry
    • Escadrila B.M.8 - commanded by Cpt. Armand Délas

1918

From January 1918:

  • Grupul 1 Aeronautic Bacău, commanded by Maj. Athanase Enescu:
    • Escadrila F.6 - renamed to Escadrila S.6 after receiving Sopwith 1½ Strutters
    • Escadrila F.2
    • Escadrila N.1
    All squadrons of this group were based at Bacău.
  • Grupul 2 Aeronautic Tecuci, commanded by Maj. Sever Pleniceanu:
    • Escadrila F.5 - with the aerodrome at Bârlad
    • Escadrila S.8 - ex-B.M.8
    • Escadrila N.11 - at Adjud
    • Escadrila N.3 - at Tecuci
  • Grupul 3 Aeronautic Roman, with the headquarters at Roman and commanded by Maj. Haralambie Giossanu:
    • Escadrila F.9 - aerodrome at Fălticeni
    • Escadrila S.12 - ex-C.12, with the aerodrome at Dorohoi
    • Escadrila N.10 - at Botoșani

From February 1918, a new group was formed in Bessarabia:

  • Grupul Aeronautic basarabean
    • Escadrila F.4
    • Escadrila N.3bis

Hungarian-Romanian War of 1919

  • Grupul 5 Aviație ("5th Aviation Group"), with the headquarters at Sibiu and commanded by Major Athanase Enescu:
    • Escadrila S.2 - renamed to Escadrila B.2 after receiving Bréguet 14 aircraft. It was led by Lt. Emanoil Ionescu
    • Escadrila N.7 - commanded by Lt. Iosif Răcășanu
    • Escadrila S.12 - based at Gherla, commanded by Cpt. Gheorghe Racoveanu

Interwar

Organization on 20 March 1920

In 1929, the Groups were converted to Aviation Flotillas. Grupul 4 was converted to the Aviation Training Center.

WW2

Fighter units

  • 1st Fighter Flotilla
    • 5th Fighter Group (Grupul 5 Vânătoare)
      • 10th Fighter Squadron - 51st Fighter Squadron from October 1939
      • 11th Fighter Squadron - 52nd Fighter Squadron from October 1939
      • 53rd Fighter Squadron
    • 7th Fighter Group (Grupul 7 Vânătoare)
      • 56th Fighter Squadron
      • 57th Fighter Squadron
      • 58th Fighter Squadron
    • 9th Fighter Group (Grupul 9 Vânătoare)
  • 2nd Fighter Flotilla
    • 1st Fighter Group (Grupul 1 Vânătoare)
      • 43rd Fighter Squadron
      • 63rd Fighter Squadron
      • 64th Fighter Squadron
    • 6th Fighter Group (Grupul 6 Vânătoare)
      • 59th Fighter Squadron
      • 60th Fighter Squadron
      • 61st Fighter Squadron
      • 62nd Fighter Squadron
    • 8th Fighter Group (Grupul 8 Vânătoare) - 8th Assault Group (Grupul 8 Asalt) from May 1943
      • 41st Fighter Squadron
      • 42nd Fighter Squadron
      • 59th Fighter Squadron (moved to Grupul 6)
  • 3rd Fighter Flotilla
    • 2nd Fighter Group (Grupul 2 Vânătoare)
      • 65th Fighter Squadron
      • 66th Fighter Squadron
      • 67th Fighter Squadron
      • 50th Fighter Squadron
    • 3rd Fighter Group
      • 41st Fighter Squadron
      • 44th Fighter Squadron
      • 49th Fighter Squadron
    • 4th Fighter Group
      • 45th Fighter Squadron
      • 46th Fighter Squadron
  • 1st Night Fighter Squadron (Escadrila 1 Vânătoare de Noapte)

Bomber units

  • 1st Bomber Flotilla
    • 1st Bomber Group (Grupul 1 Bombardament)
      • 71st Bomber Squadron
      • 72nd Bomber Squadron
    • 4th Bomber Group (Grupul 4 Bombardament)
      • 76th Bomber Squadron
      • 78th Bomber Squadron
    • 8th Assault Group (Grupul 8 Asalt)
      • 41st Assault Squadron - ex-41st Fighter Squadron
      • 42nd Assault Squadron - ex-42nd Fighter Squadron
      • 60th Assault Squadron - ex-60th Fighter Squadron
  • 2nd Bomber Flotilla
    • 2nd Bomber Group (Grupul 2 Bombardament)
      • 82nd Bomber Squadron
      • 83rd Bomber Squadron
    • 7th Bomber Group (Grupul 7 Bombardament)
      • 17th Light Bomber Squadron
      • 18th Light Bomber Squadron
  • 3rd Bomber Flotilla
    • 3rd Bomber/Dive Bomber Group (Grupul 3 Bombardament/picaj)
      • 73rd Bomber/Dive Squadron
      • 81st Bomber/Dive Squadron
      • 85th Bomber/Dive Squadron
    • 5th Bomber Group (Grupul 5 Bombardament)
      • 77th Bomber Squadron
      • 79th Bomber Squadron
      • 80th Bomber Squadron
    • 6th Bomber/Dive Bomber Group (Grupul 6 Bombardament/picaj)
      • 74th Bomber/Dive Squadron
      • 86st Bomber/Dive Squadron
      • 87th Bomber/Dive Squadron

Reconnaissance Units

  • 1st Long Range Recon Group (Grupul 1 Recunoaștere Îndepărtată)
    • 1st Long Range Recon Squadron
    • 2nd Long Range Recon Squadron
    • 3rd Long Range Recon Squadron
    • 4th Long Range Recon Squadron
  • 2nd Guard Aviation Flotilla
    • 1st Guard Group (Grupul 1 Gardă)
      • 11th Observation Squadron
      • 12th Observation Squadron
    • 2nd Guard Group (Grupul 2 Gardă)
      • 13th Observation Squadron
      • 14th Observation Squadron

Transport Units

  • Air Transport Group (Grupul de Aero-Transport)
    • 105th Transport Squadron
    • 106th Transport Squadron
    • 108th Light Transport Squadron - known as Escadrila Albă ("White Squadron")
    • 109th Glider Transport Squadron

Liaison Units

  • 111th, 112th, 113th, 115th, 116th Liaison Squadrons (Escadrile de Legătură)

Cold War

Organization on 12 September 1956 - Order No. CL 00430

  • Territorial Antiaircraft Defense Command (Comandamentul Apararii Antiaeriene a Teritoriului)
    • 23rd Fighter Aviation Division (Divizia 23 Aviație Vânătoare) – Otopeni
      • 206th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Regimentul 206 Aviație Vânătoare) – Otopeni Airdrome; 86th Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
      • 125th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Siliștea Gumești Airdrome; 49th Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
      • 172nd Fighter Aviation Regiment – Mihail Kogălniceanu Airdrome; 57th Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
    • 66th Fighter Aviation Division – Craiova
      • 158th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Craiova Airdrome; 67th Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
      • 226th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Deveselu Airdrome; 91st Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
      • 227th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Craiova Airdrome; 34th Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
    • 97th Fighter Aviation Division – Giarmata
      • 294th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Giarmata Airdrome; 93rd Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
      • 135th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Caransebeș Airdrome; 37th Fighter Aviation Regiment from January 1959
    • 68th Assault Aviation Division (Divizia 68 Aviație Asalt)
    • 239th Bombardment Aviation Regiment (Regimentul 239 Aviație Bombardament) – Otopeni Airdrome
    • 282nd Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (Regimentul 282 Aviație Cercetare) – Târgșoru Nou Airdrome

On 27 February 1960, several regiments and the Aviation Divisions were disbanded. The following fighter units remained:

  • 49th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment – Alexeni Airdrome; moved to the Ianca Airdrome in 1965
  • 57th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Mihail Kogălniceanu Airdrome
  • 67th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment – Craiova Airdrome
  • 86th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Cocargeaua Airdrome
  • 91st Fighter Aviation Regiment – Deveselu Airdrome
  • 93rd Fighter Aviation Regiment – Giarmata Airdrome

Other units

Aerostation Units

WW1

  • 1st Aerostation Company (Compania 1 Aerostație)
  • 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Aerostation Companies

Interwar

  • Grupul de Aerostație București
  • Regimentul 1 Aerostație București-Pantelimon

Ground units

Bibliography

  • Antoniu, Dan (2019). "Emanoil Ionescu "Pipițu" (1893-1949)". Aviația clujeană (PDF) (in Romanian). Cluj-Napoca: Casa Cărții de Știință. ISBN 9786061715053.
  • Avram, Valeriu; Armă, Alexandru (2018). Aeronautica română în Războiul de Întregire națională 1916-1919 (in Romanian). Editura Vremea. ISBN 978-973-645-853-8.
  • Avram, Valeriu (2008). "Campania din Basarabia (ianuarie – iulie 1918)" (PDF). Buletinul Arhivelor Militare Române (in Romanian). No. 40/2008. pp. 47–50. ISSN 1454-0924.
  • Axworthy, Mark (1995). Third Axis, Fourth Ally: Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941–1945. London: Arms and Armour.
  • Pană, Viorel (December 2019). "Aeronautica Română în apărarea frontierelor Marii Uniri - 1919" (PDF). Străjer în calea furtunilor (in Romanian). No. 26. Buzău: EditGraph. p. 40. ISSN 1843-4045.
  • Sandachi, Paul (2001). Aviația de luptă reactivă în România: 1951 - 2001. Muzeul Aviației.
  • "Romanian Royal Aeronautics | Units". Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  • "Unitați de luptă dotate cu IAR 80/81". iar80flyagain.org (in Romanian). 2022-05-29.