Fighting way 663rd light-bomber air regiment (1942)

The winter of 1941–1942 was the period of acute shortage of aircraft in the RKKA air force and therefore of complete domination of German aviation in the airspace. At that moment new Soviet air regiments formed from overused light training aircraft proved to be indispensable in the military operations. Though they were of little use in the combat and strike, the U-2 planes turned out to be quite effective as a means of psychological pressure, of reconnaissance, of communication and evacuation. Sometimes it showed quite good fighting features. The present article outlines the fighting way of one of the night light–bomber air regiments created in late 1941. Its formation, gaining experience and the results of its combat work in the air force of the 3rd Strike Army of the Kalinin front are investigated and analyzed for the first time in the historical science