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Member
I've cut and posted my answer into a new topic post as I would like to know if someone has anything to add or comment on my comments to "Darkhorizon11" post "Skin request/idea" on this forum.
Perhaps a violation of forum codex
, but I would like to attract attention from anyone who might know about ROA front line activities and aircraft photos, markings and colours.
Thank you "Darkhorizon11" for starting the topic!
I have not found any supporting photographs to the a/c profiles published at internet. See posting by "Darkhorizon11".
Any advice on sources?
Seems like the websites have info in Czech and Russian, but I am not particularly good at either of them.
Perhaps some of our forum mates from Central or Eastern Europe and Russia can help out here?
Reposted stuff from me below:
Hi, I do not have much on the operational flying, but I added some info on another forum earlier on the ROA air force, based on a book I have. I am posting an updated version here.
In the book "In the Skies of Europe. Air forces allied to the Luftwaffe 1939-1945" by Hans Werner Neulen, there is a chapter on Russian pilots fighting on the German side in WW2. ISBN 1 86126 326 0
The first attempt on a Russian unit described here is the establishment of "1.Ostfliegerstaffel (russisch)" by Luftflotte 1 in December 1943, equipped with Ar 66, Go 145 and captured Po-2. Early '44 it was under 3.Fliegerdision in Daugavpils, Latvia. Transferred to Lida in March the same year and came under Fliegerführer 1.
After flying some 500 sorties it was disbanded by the Germans in July 1944.
Apparently an unknown number of other Russian flying personnel was also flying with German fighter, bomber and reconaissance units, without being affected by this disbandment, which might have a connection to Germans becoming apprehensive about having Russian units after the big Russian advances in 1944.
In the book it is referred to that the initiator of a Russian independent national air force was Obstl Holters, Chief of Auswertestelle Ost, responsible for interrogating captured Russian air force officers, noticing anti-Stalinist sentiments among the captured Russians. He had a Russian counterpart in this ambition in the Russian Col Maltsev who had suffered from NKVDs interrogation methods in the 1937 purges. Maltsev was authorized by Holters to recruit volounteers in Soviet POW camps.
The POWs volunteers were first gathered in Suwalski in occupied Poland for interrogation and there after sent to Moritzfelde near Insterburg in East Prussia. Here they were allocated tasks such as pilot, mechanic etc and trained on German equipment.and aircraft.
Some repaired captured Soviet a/c and pilots starting ferrying German aircraft to the front units.
In the summer of 1944, 25-30 Russian pilots belonged to 3./ Gruppe Süd Flugzeugüberführungsgeschwader 1, ferrying planes from Messerschmitt facilities to LW bases. At least six crashes with Bf109G-14s on ferry flights are recorded with WNr and pilot name from August 1944 to January 1945 in the book.
On 16 September 1944 Himmler recognized ROA as he found thme of use, this helping the "Russian Liberation Army" and it's ambition to create an air force. Maltsev proposed an organisation of 2.594 officers, NCOs and other ranks, 1.800 training personnel.
It was intended to have 25 front line a/c and 21 training and liaison a/c and 96 AA guns.
Equipment and personnel was released and the air fields of Eger and Karlsbad in Bohemia were put at disposal.
On 19 December 1944 Göring signed the order for formation of the air force of the "Russian Liberation Army", to be consisting of:
1 Fighter Squadron of with Bf 109G-10
1 Close support Squadron with 12 Ju 88s
1 Bomber squadron with five He 111s
1 Courier squadron with 2 Fi 156 and 2 Po-2
1 Replacement squadron with 2 each of He 111/Ju-87/Bf109/Bf108 and 3 Po-2
1 AA regiment
1 Paratroop batallion
1 Signals company.
Totally 4.500 men. According to an order of March 04, 1945, they exchanged their German cap badges and attached ROA insignia to their uniforms. The 1st Air Regiment of ROA was formed at Eger but the bomber squadron idea was dropped and instead a transportaion and a reconnaissance squadron was to be formed.
An order of 28 March 1945 transformed the close support unit into a night harassment squadron.
In mid April '45 the ROA air force Night Harassment Squadron 8 and Fighter Squadron 5 'Kazakov! Was ready for front service.
On 13 April the Night Harrassment Squadron 8 is to have attacked a Soviet bridgehead by the Oder, at Erlenhof.
On April 24 the Fighter Squadron was at Deutsch Brod in Bohemia-Moravia, Night Harassment Sq. 8 at Eger and Deutsch Brod and the Replacement Sq. Also at Deutsch brod.
By the capitulation the majority of the 4.500 men are according to Neulen to have avoided Soviet captivity by surrendering to US troops betwen Zwiesel and Regen.
However, In September the allies handed over 200 Russian air force officers from Cherbourg to the Soviets. Maltsev was hanged in Moscow, together with Maj Gen Vlassov and other officers on 2 August 1946.
Not much is said about the Fighter Sq. in action here, but perhaps someone can add in here?
For those interest in the air forces allied to Germany I can recommend the book as it gives a resume' across the subject on 383 pages.
F19Gladiator Posted Mon December 05 2005 15:05
"In Luftwaffe Over Czech Territory 1945" by Rajlich, Kokoska and Janda, JaPo, 2001, reference to the ROA a.f. is given on page 84.
"It was most likely the battle for Brno (15-27 April 1945, my comment)where Russian volunteers, in particular pilots of Jagdstaffel 5 d.ROA "Oberst Kazakov" (equipped with Bf109G-10/U4s) and of Nachtschlachtstaffel 8 d.ROA (Ju87D-5s), fought on the German side. Both units where based at Havlickuv Brod from mid-April. However, further information on their achievements and casualties is not available"
If these gentlemen have not found more details on the ROA air force activities, I believe it is very difficult to find.
The book is highly recommended by the way.
In a picture caption at p.85 it is said that ROA a/c had their numbers painted aft of the Balkencreutz and ranged from 10 to 24(On the Bf109s I suppose). The picture show the tail of "white 24" a ROA a/c with W.Nr. 612762, Bf109G-10/U4.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: F19Gladiator
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Banned
I've found this, but no words about air activities, I think its interesting though: http://www.feldgrau.com/rvol.html
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Member
Thanks vpmedia. Very interesting
but also partly tragic
reading when considering all the suffering this WWII conflict brought to so many people.
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Senior Member
found this on H/D whilst i was lookin for another profile, hope it helps!
regards
Sparty
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Member
Thank you Sparty. There are profiles like this one zooming around, but I have difficulties finding any reference material supporting these "Artist impressions" of ROA a/c.
Photos for example? I have only found one so far(as per above)and it does not support any of the profiles I've seen on the net - or in books. In "Messerschmitt Me109 Vol II", Planes and Pilots, by Breffort and Jouineau, page 60, there is a G-10 profile,"Red 1" of Jasta 5, ROA. But still no reference...... Colours RLM 74/75/82 with RLM76 lower surfaces. Yellow tailband and undersides of wingtips. Coat of arms of ROA both on fuselage side and vertical stabiliser.
This a/c has the individual number forward of the fuselage cross, contrary to what the book "Luftwaffe over Czech Territory 1945" claim to be common - aft of the cross.
Are these profiles only based on imagination or is there substance behind? This I find challenging to find out more about.
Thank you vpmedia and Sparty for being kind to contribute to my little research. You do great skins by the way!
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Member
The authors of the JaPo publications HAD found more on Jasta 5 d.ROA Bf 109s! 
Source Messerscmitt Bf 109G-10/U4. Production & Operational Service.Janda and Poruba, JaPo, 2004. No ISBN number. Page 64-68. Very good reference on late G-10s and the final WWII period in Czech territory!
According to this publication, two Bf109G-10/U4 pictured are to have been belonging to Jasta 5 of ROA:
"White 22"
One is W.Nr. 612762, "White 22" shown in a nice two sided colour profile and pictures covering parts of the scrapped a/c. Found abandoned at Deutsch Brod (Nemecky Brod. Don't have right Czech fonts, sorry)
According to the authors, there shall be photographs of some of the G-10/U4s in the a/c number sequence 10-24, which numbers are said to be confirmed in documents, except "12".
Not mentioned what a/c have existing photo documentation.
This G-10 is said to have flown only in German markings according to ground personnel records. Paint scheme partially reconstructed using photographs and memories of witnesses. RLM 75/83/71 and 76.
Spinner 1/3 in white segment. Smaller than usual fuselage crosses.
"White 15"
Another G-10/U4 is, "White 15", W.Nr. 611??? of the same unit pictured in a second colour profile and supported by photos of parts of a scrapped a/c, including the ROA emblem on the fin.
It is mentioned that on early ROA machines, up to at least number "15" a ROA emblem replaced the Swastika at the fin. This W.Nr. 611??? was found in a derelict state in a hangar at Deutsch Brod, and photos of the remains are included.
The authors state that it has been proven that Jasta 5 d. ROA was at this airfield from 7th March 1945.
Another brick in the wall.....
(I can by the way warmly recommend JaPo's publications. Only the picture mtrl would be enough to buy two copies of each! One for the safe and one for the shelf!
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