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 Soviet Air Force s , Soviet Air Defence Forces ( PVO ) and Aviation of the Military Naval Fleet , and since 1991 remain major formations within the Military Air Forces of the Russian Federation . Before the start of the Second World War , the aviation divisions formed parts of the Long Range Aviation ( 13 . 5 % of aircraft ) , and Frontal Aviation ( Military Air Forces of the Military Districts in peacetime ; 40 . 5 % of aircraft ) of the Red Army Fronts , and units assigned to the Combined Arms Armies as the Army Aviation ( 43 . 7 % of aircraft ) . There was also a Forces Aviation ( 2 . 3 % of aircraft ) flying liaison aircraft as part of the Corps and Armies ’ independent flights and squadrons . From 1942 the aviation divisions were combined into the Air Armies of the Red Army ground forces , assigned one to each Front , Air Defence Forces ( PVO ) Armies ( including the 1st Fighter Army of the PVO ) , Soviet Naval Aviation and Aviation of the Reserve of the Supreme Command . In organisational terms the aviation divisions were often combined into the aviation corps or an Air Army . In terms of combat assignment the aviation divisions were divided into the bombardment aviation division s , assault aviation division s , fighter aviation division s , mixed aviation division s ( usually one to a Combined Arms Army ) and transport aviation division s . The composition of the aviation divisions during wartime was not uniform or constant . Although many divisions begun the war with 3 – 5 aviation regiments , due to the heavy losses suffered in the initial period of the Summer - Autumn Campaign of 1941 ( 22 June - 4 December ) , during Operation Barbarossa , from August this was reduced to two with consequent reduction in aircraft from 150 - 180 to 40 - 50 . However , commencing with Autumn 1942 the size of the aviation divisions began to increase again , and some had four aviation regiments , or five in the PVO and mixed divisions . However the number of mixed divisions , and expediency of 1942 , was gradually reduced and from 1944 the Frontal Aviation divisions adopted a 3 - 4 regiment structure , with the 3 regiments being the more common occurrence in the bombing divisions with some 100 aircraft while the fighter and assault divisions were issued 124 aircraft . The mission profile was flexible depending on the target , with the aviation division deploying as part of the aviation corps , Air Army or independently , utilising the entire aircraft complement , or by regiments , squadrons , flights and even individual aircraft . Bonn et al . wrote in 2005 that the Soviet Air Forces included 10 basic air divisions at the start of the war , 37 basic air divisions were formed during it , of which only three survived to the end . Seven mixed air divisions existed at the start of the war , and 44 were generated during it . Thirteen were destroyed and disbanded , and the rest converted into other types of divisions . Not a single mixed air division was active at the end of the war . Only one was raised to Guards status , and that , the 1st Guards Mixed Air Division , was converted to the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division after November 1944 . Seven bombardment air divisions were active at the beginning of the war , with 66 created during its course . Twenty - seven of the 66 were destroyed , disbanded , or otherwise converted . Eighteen became Guards divisions . Twenty - two specialist long - range air divisions were created during the war , though all were converted to bomber divisions . Forty - eight ground - attack divisions were formed during the war , of which two were destroyed or disbanded and eighteen which became Guards . Eleven fighter divisions existed at the beginning of the war . A hundred and nine in total were formed , of which eleven were destroyed or disbanded , fifteen converted , and 18 became Guards . Soviet aviation divisions during the Second World War . The list below includes divisions of the Long Range Air Force . Aviation divisions formed post - war . Source : Holm