Caproni Ca.135bis U in Hungarian air force

[TISO]

ARTICLE IS IN THE NEXT POST

 

(as it is now, it balloned to about 30 or so printed pages)

Any additional info or corrections appreciated.

 

I'm in need of some hungarian air force expert help here.

I have a couple of question RE hungarian Air force second deployment to the eastern front (june-november 1942).
I was doing some research on use of Caproni Ca.135bis U by Hungarians on the eastern front and trying to expand my knowledge on the topic a bit.
Might just post my attempt here when i make sense of the mess.
I'm trying to deciphre info on use of this rather obscure aircraft. 

Problem:
I have a bit of conflicting information regarding Hunagarian air force organisation during fighting in the SSSR in 1942.

Might just post it here later when i'm reasonably satisfied with it.

My primary source on this questions are:
1. The Royal Hungarian Army 1920-1945 Volume 1 – Organisation and History by Leo W.G. Niehorster (airforce is dealt with on pages 170-177) - great source on organisation, reorganisations, OBB's (can post link to the pdf if moderators allow)

Secondary source:
2. Hungarian eagles Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő 1920-1945 (Hikoki publications) by Gyula Sárhidai (Author), Viktor Kozlik (Author), Győgy Punka (Author, Illustrator)


1. Need help with a date:
During second deployment from late june 1942 Niehorster says that 1. Air force Group was renamed into 2. Hungarian Air Brigade on 21th of June 1942 just before deploying to the SSSR.
Source 2 says thet on 15th of October 1942 1. Air Division was renamed into 2. Air Brigade. Interestingly source 2 also mentions that newly formed 2. Air Brigade went east in late june with Hungarian 2.Army but in text constantly refers to the unit as 1.Air division.
Which date is correct?

Found it

2. Need some help to make sense of this mess or which Ca.135bis units were acctualy present on eastern front during second deployment:

Re unit designation

4./III (4. bomber regiment, III bomber group of the regiment)

4./7 (4. bomber regiment, 7. squadron of the regiment in this case part III group of the regiment)

Regarding Caproni units during second deployment june-september (november) 1942:
Nierhorster states that 4./6 and 4./7 squdrons were only bomber units (4./III Group i.e. III Group of 4.Bomber regiment) and were sent back to hungary in september but also states that 4./1 was sent back to Hungary in mid november (last op being on 31th of October). He does not include 4./1 squadron or its 4./I Group into his OBB at all neither does it mention anywhere axcept at the november return.

Source 2 states that 4./1 “Boszorkány” (Witch) squadron was sent east on 24th of june with 7 planes and 4 planes that followed a couple of days later. Few lines later when talking about other units (on page 21) it states:
"Certanly 12 He-46 aircraft arrived on 22nd of june but 9 Caproni Ca.135 bomber that arrived earlier lost one of their number when undercaridge broke on landing and the aircraft became unusable"
Source 2 only talks about 4./1 in RE Capronis and doesn't mention 4./6 and 4./7 at all. It says that Capronis were sent home in september and 4./1 landed in Hungary on 15th of November 1942 losing last plane with entire crew due explosion on 31th of october on last raid.

Edited March 5 by TISO

[TISO]

OK here it goes. Compiled from various sources (at the bottom) liberal use of google translate etc.

As said this is work in progress and as such pretty much incomplete. Also i'm still unshure about couple of details. Help with further details, problems and corrections would be apreciated.

If you use it please credit me and the sources.

Links with pics and drawings from Parts catalogue are at the bottom.

Will be updated when i recive new information

 

Version: 3rd of March 2024

 

Caproni Ca.135bis U in Hungarian service

 

by Marko Tisovic

 

Due to restrictions of treaty of Trianon Hungary was forbidden to have an air force. Even so Hungary was determined to organise a military aviation. This led to formation of “illegal” Air Force in 1935 meaning that all aircraft were officially civilian. Hungary was trying to buy modern military aircraft, but the only countries willing to sell modern aircraft were Germany (by selling Ju-86K-2) and Italy. Caproni sold Ca.310 Libbecio light bombers and negotiated a sale of more modern heavy bomber Ca.135.

 

First agreement between Caproni and Kingdom of Hungary for export of 32 Ca.135 aircraft was signed on 19th of June 1937. Contract was for delivery of 32 heavy bomber aircraft Ca.135. Of the 32 aircraft ordered 30 aircraft would be powered by inline Isotta Fraschini Asso XI.RC.40, 1 aircraft by Piaggio P.XI RC.40 radials and 1 aircraft by Alfa Romeo A.R.135. Order was not followed trough at the time due to Trianon treaty restrictions and dire financial situation [#1, #6].

 

While treaty of Bled signed on 22nd of August 1938 lifted restrictions on Hungarian Air Force formation/legalisation, financial situation was bad so Hungarian Air Force bought aircraft it could afford. In case of bomber aircraft, that meant buying German Ju-86K-2 (ordered in July 1936) and Italian Caproni Ca.101/3m (ordered in March 1935) and Ca.310 Libbecio (ordered in June 1939). These 3 types constituted entire Hungarian bomber force and were bought even before Treaty of Bled allowed formation of Hungarian Air Force.

 

Caproni Ca.101 was 3 engined bomber/transport and was completely obsolete and thus from the start relegated to transport duties and paratrooper school.

 

Junkers Ju-86K-2 was already considered obsolete, even though it was equipped with more powerful Manfred Weiss-built Gnome-Rhone 14K Mistral-Major 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engines. It carried a light defensive armament, a relatively small bomb load and was slow. Hungary bought 66 aircraft of this type.

 

Caproni Ca.310’s proved very unsatisfactory in service as it could carry only a small bomb load was underpowered and had host of technical issues. This aircraft was essentially developed as more modern version of Ca.309 and was intended for “colonial” duties. Hungary bought 36 aircraft of this type of which 3 were soon lost in accidents.

 

In general European political situation, where all countries were preparing for possible war and modernising their own air forces, finding a country that would be willing to sell modern bomber aircraft to Hungary proved difficult. So when opportunity appeared in Italy, which was willing to sell a rather modern bomber aircraft and even opening a line of credit and to top all that the Caproni company was willing to take a trade in of the unsatisfactory Ca.310, Hungarians happily accepted.

Italy ordered only 14 Ca.135 aircraft but in the end 65 of them ended in Italian service. 7 of these were sent to Spain for testing in combat conditions. Only 2 reached Spain (3 crashed and 2 returned) and performed no operational flights. These were known as “tipo Spagnia”. The rest of RA aircraft were relegated to training duties and were quickly passed out of service. Peru ordered and recieved 6 aircraft equipped with Isotta Fraschini Asso XI.RC.40 (888 hp at 13123 ft.) inline engines known as “tipo Peru” [#24]. Therefore Caproni had a free production line and some already built aircraft that were intended for RA. 

                                                                                                                                                                            

Decision to replace obsolete bomber aircraft with Ca.135bis was taken on 10th of December 1939 on recommendation of Hungarian commission consisting of lt.col (alezredes) Aladár Szirmay (of the general staff) and captains of technical service Dezsö Fridirik and Lóránt Dóczy who tested the Ca.135bis in Guidonia in November 1939.[#1].

 

The final contract was signed on 17th of January 1940 in Rome and was to be implemented by 30th of April. Contract provided for the delivery of 36 aircraft, upon return of remaining 33 examples (out of 36) of Ca.310 Libbecio already employed by Hungary. Aircraft were to be equipped with 2 Piaggio P.XI RC.40 engines with 1000 H.P. each and received suffix U for Ungherese (Hungarian) [#1].

 

Contract for 36 aircraft was worth 2,160,000 lira per machine. In addition, 60,000 lira per machine was added to the amount, which would have been the cost of the Italian pilots, fuel and lubricant needed for the delivery flights. Aircraft were to be paid with a 20% advance payment (a total of 14 400 000 lira) and a further 80% after delivery, of which the estimated value of the Ca.310s was deducted. The collateral for the entire transaction was the already mentioned credit line of 600 million lira. [#22]

 

Second order of 36 aircraft was made in July 1941, to be delivered by May 1942. Order for more Ca.135bis was made despite the fact that Hungarians had a negative view of the aircraft and would to prefer to purchase more modern German aircraft. Germany did not want to supply modern bombers of He-111, Ju-88 or Ju-87 types to Hungarian Air Force in part of personal attitude of Adolf Hitler towards Hungarians and in part of the Luftwaffe needs superseding Hungarian needs. 

 

Delivery

 

The first batch of 32 Ca.135bisU of 36 plane order was delivered by May (of which only 10 were newly built) and rest were delivered by June 1940 and received Hungarian Aviation military registrations from B.501 to B.536. B.501 had factory serial number 4449 and the rest (B.502 – B.536) had Italian registrations from MM21565 to MM21599.

To this first batch another 36 aircraft of the same type were added which were ordered in July 1941. 19 were delivered in 1941 and 17 in 1942. They were registered from B.537 to B.568 and had Italian registration numbers from MM21950 to MM21981

The Hungarians in the end received a total of 68 Ca.135bisU and type operated with some success against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front in 1941 and 1942, once Hungary had committed itself to the war against Soviet Union.

 

Into the service:

 

Unit numbering system used in this article as pre source #2:

4.     Bombázóezred  - Bomber regiment

4./I  Bombázóosztáli - Bomber Group  (4. Regiment, I Group inside the regiment)

4./1 Bombázószázad  - Bomber Squadron (4. Regiment, .1 Squadron inside the regiment)

Note:  sometimes in literature reversed numbering system is used (example 1/4., I/4.). Here i used system used by Source #2

 

The Aircraft Research Establishment (RKI) and unit trials started in February 1940 with aircraft B.501 (factory No. 4449) [#1].

 

Organisation of bomber force before first Ca.135bisU shipments (late 1939-early 1940) [#2]:

3. Bomber Regiment:

3./I  Group with sqn. 3./1, 3./2, 3./3 with total of 12+3 Ju-86K-2

3./II Group with Sqn. 3./4, 3./5, 3./6 with total of 12+3 Ju-86K-2

 

4. Bomber Regiment:

4./I  Group with sqn. 4./1, 4./2, 4./3 with total of 12+3 Ju-86K-2

4./II Group with Sqn. 4./4, 4./5, 4./6 with total of 12+3 Ju-86K-2

 

First squadrons equipped with Ca.135bisU were part of 3. Bomber Regiment [#1]:

3./3 “Sárkány” squadron (Debrecen) under command of major Ferenc Czékus

3./5 “Uz Bence” squadron (Debrecen) under command of captain Béla Szándor                   

3rd independent repair squadron  (Debrecen) under command of engineer captain Dezso Fridirik

3./6 “Boszorkány” squadron (Pápa) under command of captain József Samorjai  (later in 1942 4./1)

 

The ever-increasing tension between Romania and Hungary brought into being the 1st Air Brigade (1. Repülödandár) on June 6, 1940 and its six fighter squadrons, six light bomber squadrons, and four heavy bomber squadrons took up positions in the eastern part of Hungary due to Transylvania crisis. That included existing Caproni units which were only partially trained and equipped.

 

27th of August 1940 [#18, #21]

Locotenent Nicolae Polizu of Romanian 51st squadron of Grupul 5 vânãtoare (5th Fighter Group), was patrolling over Hungarian territory in area of Debrecen in his He-112 when he encountered a Caproni Ca.135bis bomber flying on a training mission. Several of his 20 mm rounds hit the bomber, which landed safely at the Hungarian Debrecen airbase – home of the Hungarian He 112s. Nicolae Polizu became the first Romanian to “shoot down” an aircraft in aerial combat. Romanians claimed that Ca.135 was in Romanian airspace which was clearly not the case. Among the Hungarian fliers, Romanian action caused a great shock which resulted in action on the next day. Captain János Gyenes, the commander of the VIII.  ground support squadron (VIII. közelfelderítő század) with his observer took off with a WM 21 Sólyom plane and attacked Satu Mare (Szatmárnémeti) airfield, but the oil cooler was damaged by shrapnel from his own bombs he dropped from very low  altitude. Due to the damaged oil cooler, engine seized while still in Romanian airspace. Crew landed on a stubble near the Hungarian border in Trianon, set fire to the airplane and was taken prisoner. They were later exchanged for Romanian spies.

Towards the end of 1940 the Bombàzoosztàli (Bombing Group) 4./I began transitioning from  Ju-86K-2 and eventually all 36 Ca.135 were concentrated in this unit. Old squadron names (Sárkány, Uz Bence and Boszorkány) and unit designations and insignia continued being used. Transition was completed in early 1941 at the Debrecen airfield, where it is located together with Group 4./IV which was still equipped with Ju-86K-2. Both groups constituted the 4. Bomber Regiment.

 

Composition of bomber force on 10th April 1941 [#2]:

3. Bomber Regiment (Topolca):

3./I  Group (Topolca) with:

 Squadrons: 3./1, 3./2, 3./3 with total of 27+9 Ju-86K-2 (9+3 per squadron)

3./II Group (Pápa) with:

Squadrons: 3./4, 3./5    with total of 18+6 Ju-86K-2 (9+3 per squadron)

                                                                                                                                                     

4. Bomber Regiment (Debrecen):

4./I  Group (Debrecen)

Squadrons: 4./1, 4./2, 4./3 with total of 27+9 Ca.135bisU (9+3 per squadron)

4./II Group (Debrecen):

Squadrons: 4./4, 4./5  with total of 18+6 Ju-86K-2 (9+3 per squadron)

 

During war against Yugoslavia all Hungarian aircraft including Ca-135bis received theatre markings in form of yellow painting of the nose and tail unit. Unlike Ju-86K-2 bombers, Caproni Ca.135bis did not fly operational sorties against Yugoslavia.

 

After hostilities against Yugoslavia ended Hungarian air force was reorganised again. Bomber force, which was composed of 3. and 4. Bomber regiments was reorganised due to poor serviceability of aircraft with some squadrons being only equipped nominally. On 1st of June 1941 3rd Bomber regiment was dissolved and 3./I and 3./II became 4./I and 4./II respectively. 4th Bomber Regiment was stationed in Debrecen and its 4./III Group (ex 4./I) converted to Ca.135bis  and 4./VI Group (ex 4./II) still operated Ju-86K-2 [#1, #2]. Even though the reorganisation was ordered it took some time and old unit designations were still used for a considerable time.

 

In late June 1941 at start of war against SSSR bomber force component of Hungarian 1st Air Force Field Brigade [#2]:

4. Bomber Regiment (Debrecen):

4./I    Group with sqn. 4./1, 4./2, 4./3      Ju-86K-2

4./II   Group with Sqn. 4./4, 4./5              Ju-86K-2

4./III  Group with Sqn. 4./6, 4./7, 4./8      Ca.135bisU

4./IV  Group with Sqn. 4./10, 4./11          Ju-86K-2

 

Combat operations:

 

Combat operations of Hungarian Ca.135bisU against Soviet Union:

 

Operational record of Hungarian Ca.135bisU bombers is very much incomplete. I did concentrate exclusively on operations of Ca.135BisU bombers in this article and tried to find and fill in the blank spots as much as I could.

 

First deployment to the Eastern Front in 1941:

[#1, #16, #17, #21]

 

The war operations carried out by the Ca.135bisU during first deployment against SSSR can be divided into two phases:

-          First phase: in the period from 27th of June to early July 1941 with missions carried out from the Hungarian territory.

-          Second phase: from late July to December 1941 operating from bases located in the occupied Soviet territory in support of Hungarian ground units.

 

First phase:

Air Force Field Brigade had been tasked to provide air support to "Carpathian Group" (Kárpát Csoport) under command of General (Vezérezredes) Ferenc Szombathelyi. “Carpathian Group” consisted of the VIII Corps and the Rapid Corps (Gyorshadtest). Carpathian group crossed the Soviet border and reached the Dniester within a week, meeting little Soviet resistance.

 

Composition 1. RHAF FIELD BRIGADE - Carpathian Army Group (June 41 – July 41) (#2):

4. Bomber Regiment:

  -   4./III Bomber Group (Caproni Ca.135bis)

      -  4./7 Bomber Squadron

      -  4./8 Bomber Squadron

  -   4./IV Bomber Group (Junkers Ju-86K-2)

      -  4./10Bomber Squadron

      -  4./11Bomber Squadron

1./I Fighter Group (Fiat Cr.32):

  - 1./1 Fighter Squadron

  -  1./2 Fighter Squadron

 2./II Fighter Group (Fiat Cr.42):

  -  2./3 Fighter Squadron

  -  2./4 Fighter Squadron

1. Long Range Recon. Group:

  -  1./1 Long Range Recon. Squadron (Heinkel He-70K + 2 He-111P-2)

  -  1./2 Long Range Recon. Squadron (Heinkel He-70K)

X. Short Range Recon. Squadron (WM-21 Solym)

XI. Short Range Recon. Squadron (WM-21 Solym)

 

June 1941

27th of June 1941 (#16, #21)

The day of Hungarian declaration of war with air raid in retaliation for bombing of Kassa (now Košice in Slovakia) Caproni bombers had their baptism of fire.

In preraration for revenge attack at 4:30 Ju-86K-2 from 4./3 (4./I from Topolca) and 4./4 (4./II from Veszprém) were transferred to Debrecen (home of Ca.135bis of 4./III).

At dawn 24 Junkers Ju-86K-2 of 4./3 and 4./4 bombázószázad (bomber squadrons) and 7 Ca.135bisU of 3./5 “Uz Bence” bombázószázad took off on a large-scale bombing mission against Stanislav (Ivano-Frankovsk). At 07:15 at altitude of 2500m they met their escort of 9 FIAT Cr.42 of 2./3 "Ricsi" vadaszszázad (fighter squadron)

At 7:45 a.m., a strike was made to Stanislav military targets (fuel tanks, barracks, truck assemblies, airport). Airport was significantly damaged. 6 Soviet I-153 intercepted the raid, but one was shot down by Ju-86K-2 (B.334)

 

29th of June 1941 (#16, #21)

In the morning 25 Ju-86K-2 and Ca.135bis bombers escorted by Cr.42 fighters targeted Striy despite bad weather conditions. At 6:30 above Munkács they met their fighter escort from 2./3 fighter squadron. They had to attack city from under the 2,000-meter cloud base. The majority of the Hungarian bombers carried out the attack from a very low height of 1400-1500 meters, achieving accurate hits at the airport and the railway station, where a train was set on fire.

Although the air defence artillery fire was strong and well-aimed, no Hungarian bomber was damaged.

 

At 15:30 bombers were deployed again from Debrecen. This time the planes took off one by one and had to attack targets of opportunity they had discovered, they were only forbidden to attack the bridges because they would be needed by their own forces to advance. Despite the order, 1st Lt (föhadnagy) Istvan Szakonyi bombed and destroyed one of the bridges over Prut, because he noticed a strong Soviet troop concentration against it. Despite acting directly against the order, crew was eventually praised for the action taken and not reprimanded.

 

July 1941

1st of July 1941 (#16, #21)

07:00 in the morning, the attack of the Carpathian group began, so at dawn two bombing squadrons each with 3 flights (3 planes each) for total of 18 bombers attacked targets in the Jablonka Valley, mostly in the Dora and Dyelatyin district.

In the evening, 18 Ju-86K-2 and 9 Ca.135bis escorted by two squadrons of Cr.42 bombed Dyelatyin railway station and Soviet troops concentrations.

 

2nd of  July 1941 (#16, #21)

9 Ju-86K-2 of 4./4 bombazaszad reinforced by 8 Ca.135Bis of “Uz Bence” performed bombing missions over Stanislav, Zaleschiky and Snyatyn. One Ca.135bis made a forced landing near Satu Mare after the bombing, probably due to lack of fuel or a minor technical fault, but it flew back to Debrecen that afternoon.

 

3rd of July 1941 (#16, #21)

Long range recce. aircraft observed very lively road and rail traffic between the Dniester and Prut in the north, but when planning the deployment, the bombers considered that most of the retreating units were heading east and issued orders on this base:

First, in the early afternoon 4./3 bomber squadron under Captain Lóránd Telbisz dropped 9 tons of bombs between Szeret and Zbrucs, found most of the retreating enemy columns in the Kamenets Podolsky area as reported at 4 p.m. when they returned.

At around 18:00 although it was quite late, 4./4 Ju-86Ks - close to the limit of their range - and the Ca.135bis of “Uz Bence” bomber squadron were deployed against soviet columns. They dropped 17 tons of bombs Hotini and Kamenets-Podolsky highways, destroying several enemy armor and vehicles, and successfully attacked the Kamenets and the city’s train station, where several rail cars were completely burned.

A Ca.135bis (B.534) was damaged by FLAK (hit in fuel tank) and forced to land between Snyatin and Hodorenka. It was quickly repaired and resumed action. A Ju-86K-2 (B.322) was slightly damaged (15%) and force landed near Delyatin due to fuel starvation, while a WM-21 (coded F.223) was 90% destroyed after having overturned while landing.

 

4th of July 1941 (#21)

Carpathian group ground forces reached Stanislaus and approached Kolomea. Kolomea Airport had already been selected by the Hungarian Air Force at that time, as the front lines were too far removed from Hungarian domestic bases and the bombers could not land at the small, partly wet camp airports closer to the border, only in the more distant Hajdúböszörmény and Debrecen.

Due to the long distances and the fast-moving enemy mechanized columns, the bombers started flying armed reconnaissance from then on, trying to bomb enemy mechanized columns moving around the target areas immediately after detection.

 

6th of July 6 1941 (#21)

On that day, the Ca.135s carried out another deployment. A Ca.135bis flown by Sergeant Ernő Döbrössi's crew set a record by spending 185 minutes in the air due to the very distant targets.

 

According to a summary report: between June 27 and July 7, the 4th Bombing Regiment and 4./III group:

-          The Ca.135bis bombers of 4./III performed 145 bombing sorties, consumed 187,865 liters of fuel and dropped 113,165 kg of bombs.

-          The Ju-86K-2 bombers of 4. Bomber regiment flew 106 bombing sorties, 8 reconnaissance sorties and 5 transport sorties, dropping 66,800 kg of bombs.

 

Second Phase

7th of July 1941(#21)

On this day, the Rapid Corps withdrew from the subordination of the “Carpathian Group” and crossed the Dniester at Mihalce. Since VIII Corps was slow due to lack of mechanisation the German command dissolved the “Carpathian Group”. VIII Corps from remained as an occupation force in the conquered territory, while the “Rapid Corps” came under the command of the Heeresgruppe Süd. In the next weeks it was led by infantry General Carl Heinrich von Stülpnagel in close cooperation with the German 17th Army to participate in subsequent operations. 1. Air Force Field Brigade continued to support “Rapid Corps” operations.

 

Lt Col Béla Orosz the former commander of 4. Bomber regiment became the commander of the 1. Air Force Field Brigade supporting the Rapid Corps and his assistant officer became Captain András Inokai who commanded 4./4 bomber squadron.

On this day Lieutenant Colonel Béla Orosz also received the order to go with his units to Kolomea to take command of the aircraft departing to the territory of SSSR.

 

By this time, the Hungarian bombers had stopped offensive operations, partly due to the rapidly increasing already great distances from home bases and partly due to the strong request of the Germans, who feared that their troops advancing from southern Poland to the SE would be hit by Hungarian air strikes by mistake. Tactical operations by fighters, close support aircraft (He-46 and WM-21) that were stationed close to the frontline continued. The relocation of Hungarian aircraft for support of “Rapid Corps” ground troops across the Carpathians also increased pace.

 

Composition of 1. RHAF FIELD BRIGADE - Mobile Corps (July 1941 – November 1941) (#2):

1./3 Fighter Squadron (Fiat Cr.42)

1./4 Fighter Squadron (Fiat Cr.42)

2./1 Fighter Group Detachment (Re.2000 detachment)

4./Ö Mixed Bomber Group

-  4./III Group Detachment (Ca.135bisU)

-  4./IV Group Detachment (Ju-86K-2)

I. Short Range Recon. Squadron (He-46)

III. Short Range Recon. Squadron (WM-21)

1. Transport Squadron (Ca.101/3m)

 

July 1941

13th of July 1941 (#16, #21)

1st Air Force Field Brigade’s units began to move across the Carpathian Mountains to airfields in Galicia.

 

24th of July of 1941 (#16)

A mixed independent squadron or 4./Ö Önálló Bombázószázad with 9 Ju-86K-2s of 4./IV Group and 6 Ca.135bis from 4./III Group (Uz Bence squadron) was attached as a bomber unit to the Hungarian 1. Air Force Field Brigade commanded by Lt Col (alezredes) Béla Orosz.

 

25th of July 1941 (#21)

The bombers probably arrived that day: nine Ju 86s landed in Proszkurov. Each carried as many bombs as they could carry with them because their ground units were lagging behind, so they were not yet able to be deployed.

 

27th of July 1941 (#21)

First operation of bombers from SSSR territory. A flight of 3 Caproni Ca.135bis (which also arrived to SSSR) dropped 6 tons bombs in front of the 2nd armored Brigade on a retreating soviet armored vehicles in a forest gorge east of Bersad from a height of only 600 m causing them significant losses.

On this day ground units of 4./1 and 4./3 Ju-86K bomber squadrons and 4./3 a group of air defense machine cannon battery were loaded on trains at Kőrösmező and left the territory of Hungary.

 

28th of July (#16, #21)

A flight (3 ship formation) of Ca.135bis protected by 6 Cr.42 fighters attacked Bersad.

 

29th of July (#16, #21)

A group of Ju-86K-2 and Ca.135bis took off from Sutyuska airfield for bombing mission but failed to meet their escort. They continued to the target alone. At around 18:00 one Ju-86 was shot down in vicinity of Gayvoron by German Bf-109s of III./JG77 in case of mistaken identity.

 

August 1941

At the beginning of August, a committee headed by Colonel Sándor András arrived at Caproni base at Sutyuska Airport to evaluate the usability of the Ca.135bisU type in combat operations. The other members of the committee were Captains Dénes Eszenyi, István Heinrich and Jenő Marosszéky, and captain of technical service Imre Mérey.

 

On 4th of August (#17, #21)

In the afternoon 3 Ca.135bis took off from airfield Sutyska and escorted by 4 Cr.42 fighters bombed targets near Olvipol south (south-west of Pervomaysk). They hit Soviet barracks camp, car rallies and air defence batteries. For the first time they used captured Soviet bombs.

 

They were already so far from home bases that shipment of equipment and materiel was an extremely big problem. Fortunately, they received help on the most serious issues: the Germans helped with fuel, and the Ju-86s, which used German-made bombs, were supplied with unlimited quantities of bombs by them.

Capronis, which used Italian made bombs were helped by the Soviets against their will. In early August, Hungarians discovered that the large quantities of captured soviet 50kg and 100kg bombs could be used in Caproni's bomb bays without any modifications.

 

5th of August 1941 (#17)

3 Ca.135bis dropped 3600kg of bombs on targets south-east of Pervomaysk.

 

6th of August 1941 (#17)

Bombers received orders to redeploy. Ju-86Ks were to transfer to Anapol and Ca.135bis to Vinnitsa. Due to the weather conditions redeployment had to be delayed for few days and Ca.135bis had to stay at Sutyska a while longer due to low serviceability of the aircraft.

 

9th of August 1941 (#21)

From this day the Hungarian Rapid Corps and its air forces were temporarily subordinated to the 1st Armoured Group of Colonel Ewald von Kleist.

 

10th of August (#16, #21, #22)

A Caproni Ca.135bis started from Kolomea back to Hungary with the crew, which brought Colonel Béla Tanos (HM 3/c. head of department to the area of operations) who arrived a few days earlier.  Colonel Béla Tanos was Ministerial Commissioner for the Car Supply of the Hungarian First Rapid Corps and was sent to determine the needs of Corps motor vehicles and the possibilities of covering them.

Due to the very bad weather over the Carpathians - overcast, low clouds - the plane's experienced blind flying pilot 2nd Lt Károly Telepy, wanted to postpone the take-off, but Colonel Tanos ordered the start at his own risk. The plane, which had difficulty to ascending - perhaps struggling with an engine failure - stormed during the flight through the Carpathians and probably collided with the peak of Aspinets mountain east of Kőrösmező at around 12 o'clock due to icing and then exploded.

 

The entire crew of the plane was killed in the plane: observer 2nd Lt (hadnagy) Béla Borsos, pilot 2nd Lt (hadnagy) Károly Telepy, snr cpl (szakaszvezető) Ferenc Viszked and snr cpl (szakaszvezető) István Zeltner, as well as the two passengers: colonel (ezredes) Béla Tanos and Staff Sgt (törzsőrmester) Béla Miklovicz. The plane also carried a captured soviet 100 kg FAB-100 bomb that was to be repatriated to HTI after it became apparent that the captured Soviet bombs could be used on the Ca-135 without modification. Colonel Tanos also carried a significant portion of the Rapid Corps records (until 5th of August): situation maps, commands, reports, large number of photos - irreplaceable materials that have now been destroyed along with the machine.

 

11th of August 1941 (#1, #17, #21)

 6 (2 flights) Ca.135bis loaded with captured soviet 100kg bombs (12 or 8 FAB-100), commanded by 1st lieutenant (föhadnagy) Istvan Szakonyi, took off to bomb a 2 km (6,560 ft.) bridge across the Bug River in the city of Nikolayev, on the Black sea with ancillary targets being the city’s railway station as well as large barracks buildings in the north-east of the town and a road. Due to the expected strong fighter defence, only six of the faster Caproni bombers were assigned to the attack, the slower Ju-86s remained on the ground this time. Approach altitude was to be 2500m and bombing altitude was to be 1800m. Two planes were to attack the bridge, two the train station and two more an important road fork.

The bombers took off at 5:45, but at the start the third machine of the 2nd flight remained on the ground due to an engine failure, while one of the machines of the first flight got stuck in the mud, so only four machines took off to the attack. Therefore, the targets of the operation were quickly reassigned: the road was omitted and only the bridge and the train station were to be attacked. Lieutenant Szakonyi, who was flying with the first flight, chose the railway station as his target, emphasizing its importance, so the task of the second flight was to destroy the road bridge over Bug River.

Escort consisted of 6 Fiat Cr.42 of 1./3 vadaszszazad and 5 Reggiane Re.2000 of 2./1 vadaszszazad, which they met at 06:30 over Pervomaysk and then continued eastwards.

To achieve surprise they flew out over the Black sea east of Odessa before making a wide circle to surprise city’s defences by coming over the target from south-east.

Lead Ca.135bis of the second flight that hit the bridge was crewed by: observer 3rd Lt Gyór Boór, Pilot 2nd Lt Walter Lékay, radio operator Sgt László Farádi and mechanic Gyula Tóth and a passenger Captain Dénes Eszenyi from the Caproni Committee. They managed to hit the bridge with several bombs. Bridge collapsed into the river. After the bombing, the plane was attacked by three Soviet fighters, one of which was shot down by a radio operator Sgt Farádi.

 

During the action lead plane B.517 piloted by 1st Lt Izstván Szakonyi had as a passenger colonel Sándor András (leader of the Caproni commission). Plane was hit by FLAK just before the target and lost one engine and plane started to lag behind the formation.  Szakonyi bombed the Nikolayev train station from 3000m.

B.517 lost contact with formation and was repeatedly attacked by I-16 fighters. Radio operator Sgt János Bánkuti reported shooting down 2 and mechanic snr Cpl János Mester shooting down 1. One of the Polikarpovs positioned himself in bombers blind spot but was promptly jumped and shot down by an escorting Fiat Cr.42. In thirteen minutes of combat, the aircraft was riddled with gunfire (42 bullet holes were counted after landing) but the surviving Piaggio P.XI which was often accused of unreliability, this time worked very well, bringing them to the auxiliary airfield of Pervomaysk.

 

B.515 of 2nd lieutenant (hadnagy) Sandor Bodó was attacked by 3 I-16 while leaving the target area. Radio operator reported 1 I-16 shot down. Plane managed to escape into a cloud. Another bomber was attacked by Polikarpovs but was rescued by escort fighters.

On return leg of a flight remaining bombers were attacked again by 9 I-16 and escort fighters intervened.

In all Ca.135bis crews reported 4 victories, Fiat Cr.42 pilots reported 5 victories and Reggiane pilots reported 3 victories for loss of 1 aircraft (Re.2000 V.420 of 1st Lt Gyula Lasztóczi was shot down by FLAK over the target).

Bridge itself was of considerable importance on a tactical level and its destruction caused isolation of about 60 thousand Soviet soldiers. After the German 11th Army captured Nikolayev, on 16 August, the commander of Luftflotte 4, Col Gen Lohr, decorated the successful Hungarian crews at Sutyska.

 

13th of August (#17, #21)

At 17:00 5 Ca.135bis bombers escorted by 3 Fiat Cr.42’s performed recce/bombing mission over Novaya Odessa - Nikolayev - Ingul valley area. Despite heavy FLAK all returned without loss or damage.

 

14th of August (#17, #21)

In the morning 3 Ca.135bis flight escorted by same number of Fiat Cr.42’s attacked targets of opportunity around Novaya Odessa (Sukhoya Yelanya - Nikolayev area). Only one aircraft found a target worthy of its bombs. Capronis should have been escorted by Re.2000’s but they appeared over their airfield much later than planned (at 08:45) after Reggianes already had to land due to lack of fuel. 3 Cr.42 took off and escorted them instead.

 

15th of August 1941 (#21)

During heavy fighting for Ingulka village and intense air operations of Hungarian air force lighter units (fighters, close cooperation) trough entire day in support of Hungarian ground units there, the last attack against this target were made by two bombers ordered to start by the Rapid corps air force commander.

At 18:50 two bombers (I don’t know if Ca.135bis or Ju-86K-2) took off to attack Soviet batteries on Ingulka south. In the darkening weather, they descended to 600m and carried out the bombing from this height.

 

16th of August (#17, #21)

3 Ca.135bis escorted by similar number of Fiat Cr.42’s attacked Ingulka village.

Early in the evening flight of bombers (I don’t know if Ca.135bis or Ju-86K-2) set to attack the village of Laryevka, in front of which the cavalry brigade got stuck. After the bombing fighters performed strafing attacks against the burning village in very strong air defence fire

 

According to a summary report, on 15th and 16th, two reconnaissance aircraft and a bomber were significantly damaged during air defence hits and forced landings, but each aircraft was not damaged to the extent that could not be repaired by the field workshop.

 

17th of August 1941 (#21)

3 Ca.135bis under protection of 4 Re.2000 attacked soviet troops marching on a road to Snigirevka.

 

25th of August 1941 (#21)

Lieutenant Colonel Sándor Gyiresy who arrived on this day took over the position of commander of the aviation of the fast corps from Lieutenant Colonel Orosz. Lieutenant Colonel Orosz became the commander of the Aviation Academy (Repülőakadémia) in Kassa (Košice).

 

September 1941

2nd of September 1941 (#17)

Hungarian Ju-86K of 4./I and Ca.135bis of 4/Ö bombers redeployed to Krivoy Rog.

 

3rd of September 1941 (#21)

16:45 bombers (I don’t know if Ca.135bis or Ju-86K-2) attacked soviet artillery positions at village of Kamenka

 

 

10th and 11th of September 1941 (#21)

Bombers (I don’t know if Ca.135bis or Ju-86K-2) were deployed and attacked the island Zaporozhye and the air defence artillery there. The bombers repeated the attack on the island of Zaporozhye the next day (11th of September)

 

On this day Rapid Corps - and thus its Air Force Group - withdrew from the German 1. Armoured Group of Ewald von Kleist

 

13th of September 1941 (#21)

In the early afternoon, 3 Ca.135bis protected by 2 pairs of Cr.42 bombed Soviet air defence batteries in Zaporozhye, and the railway line north of Krasnoyarmeysk town.

 

25th of September 1941 (#21)

The main news on this day was that the Germans stopped supplying petrol to the Hungarian Air Force, but at the Hungarian request that this could only be solved by rail from home due to the lack of transport and it would take a long time the problem was finally solved. By the way, the Hungarians also asked the Germans for the transfer of 5 Ju-52s to alleviate the transport problems. The German response was that they could not hand over transport planes, but Luftflotte 4 was instructed to "meet Hungarian transport needs as far as possible".

 

30th of September 1941 (#21)

In afternoon 2 flights of bombers (I don’t know if Ca.135bis or Ju-86K-2) with escort of Cr.42 first flight attacked Soviet batteries about 30km to the north of Zaporozhye, the second flight attacked railway targets east and south of Zaporozhye: the bombers cut off the railway in two places and a train in progress was hit.

 

October 1941

3rd of October (#17, #21)

At 15h, the bombers (I don’t know if Ca.135bis or Ju-86K-2) carried out an effective air strike against the village of Petrovskoye.

B.519 (ex MM21582) of “Uz Bence” squadron piloted by Felföldy Béla crashed and was destroyed at Jászalsószentgyörgy in central Hungray. Entire crew survived by jumping with parachutes.

 

4th of October 1941

At 15:30 p.m., the bombers (I don’t know if Ca.135bis or Ju-86K-2) attacked an enemy group in Yancseko, a mixed column marching on the road to the south, and then a car column spotted in  Mikhailovka.

 

26th of October 1941 (#21),

Bombers in Dneprodzerzhinsk were given a mission, but since the airport was not suitable for a night landings and would have returned in the dark, the attack was cancelled.

 

28th of October 1941 (#21)

An airborne part of the 4./Ö mixed bombing squadron was transferred to Dneprodzerzhinsk Airport on this day. Now Dneprodzerzhinsk airport has become the terminus of the ever-longer courier service, but due to the unreliability of the Ca.135bis assigned here, 3 of the Ju-86K-2 bombers had to be temporarily assigned for this purpose in early November due to frequent tasks.

 

30th of October 1941 (#21)

Three flying squadrons still in the SSSR:

III. Close reconnaissance squadron (WM-21),

4./Ö mixed bomber squadron (Caproni Ca.135bis and Junkers Ju-86K-2) and

1/3. Fighter squadron (Fiat Cr.42)

With exception of a flight of 1/3. stuck in the mud of Lozovaya and a moving aircraft repair shop all these units were brought together to Dneprodzerzhinsk airport. Here the frontline was 220 km away which was at the extreme edge of Cr.42 range. Partly due to the mud and partly due to the cold, the aircraft were not used much at this time, and even starting the engines in the cold was a problem.

 

November 1941

8th of November 1941 (#21)

Captain Tomor flew with a courier aircraft to Corps Command, where he was informed that the aircraft would return home to Hungary later in November. This was a natural consequence of the fact that the aircraft  are of mixed construction and are increasingly sensitive to the weather, otherwise the air section was almost completely unusable at the time due to lack of any winter equipment for the aircraft.

 

13th to 18th of November 1941 (#21)

Russian winter arrived in the morning temperature was -15ºC. At noon, an order came from the corps for the fighters to protect the frontline units. The oil in the engines completely froze and so they could not start the planes. Without engine heaters, units became completely incapacitated and had to improvise engine and oil heaters themselves. In any case, fighters and this certainly also applied to the other planes — no longer received any combat orders, and the next few days were spent packing, assembling, and preparing for return home. The flight crews officially received the order on 15th of November to put all materials in order for the repatriation. As per order III. Reconnaissance squadron would have left for home on the 17th and the fighters on the 18th, but due to the bad weather on the 17th, the reconnaissance squadron also returned with the fighters on the next day.

At reorganisation at the end of 1941 major (örnagy) Izstván Mocsáry was appointed as commander of unified squadrons under 4. Independent Bomber Regiment.

 

Summary of Ca.135bisU operations on eastern Front in 1941:

 

Overall performance of the Ca.135bisU was deemed satisfactory and aircraft showed good resistance to enemy fire and carried a good bomb load. On the other hand reliability of the engines and maintenance problems (spare parts, mixed construction) were considered problematic.

 

One of the squadrons, the 4./III, (originally equipped with eight aircraft), soon lost one on landing. It was reinforced by another four aircraft. This squadron, up to October 1941, carried out 265 attacks, flew 1,040 sorties, and dropped around 1,450 tonnes (1,600 tons) of bombs, evidently helped by the short range to the targets (200–300 km/120-190 mi) that allowed them to use the aircraft's maximum bomb load of 1600kg. Two aircraft were shot down, another two were lost in accidents and 11 crewmen were killed. The daily average, over these four months, was over 8 sorties flown and 13 tonnes (14 tons) of bombs dropped.

 

The accuracy of the bombing was improved with installation of “Jozza” bomb sight. This mirror system was capable of target distance measurement and continuing heading correction.

With maximum bomb load of 1600kg, wide variety of bomb release sequences any bomb (including captured soviet bombs) from 2kg to 500kg could be used witch proved crucial when supply of delivered Italian bombs ran out.

 

The after action report was very critical about Caproni Ca.135bis. It literally includes:

"The Ca 135 aircraft, even in their improved form, were only hardly able to meet the reduced requirements placed on them."

 

According to the authors of the report, it is desirable to withdraw this type from the first line service as soon as possible, as they have all the disadvantages of mixed construction, extremely unreliable engines, and so on. In the following, only the systematization of metal-structured aircraft was considered desirable in the case of combat aircraft. Another experience is that the use of armour, rubberized fuel tanks and armour glass is desirable for the combat aircraft to be systematized going forward, as these devices are also used for the Germans and the Soviets to increase the survival of aircraft in combat conditions.

 

Incidentally, the opinion of the Capronis was already overwhelmingly negative even before the Soviet campaign at the very beginning of the introduction of the type into service.

From an aeronautical point of view, the longitudinal and transverse stability of the aircraft was unsatisfactory compared to the Ju-86.

There were also constant technical problems such as Piaggio engines were criminaly unreliabile, the aircraft could not be stored outdoors due to its mixed wood, steel, canvas construction, its up-to-datenes, etc. Bomb release and machine gun problems also occurred on the type.

 

According to Lieutenant General Kenese Waldemár, Commander of the Air Force, dated 16th of May 1941:

"I do not recommend the purchase of additional Ca.135bis aircraft due to the abnormalities."

 

Despite this another series of Ca.135bisU was ordered from the Italy, because Germans at the time were still refraining from supplying their modern aircraft and Hungarian Air Force which was in dire need of bomber aircraft.

 

Although the aging Ju-86s were slow, it was a mature, stable type and the machines performed well, but due to their obsolescence, the type was withdrawn from the front line from the end of 1941 and could only be considered as transport and training machines.

 

Second deployment to the Eastern Front in 1942:

[#1, #3, #21]                                                                                         

 

The two Bomber Squadrons of Ca.135bis, the 4./6 and 4./7 of the 4./III Bomber Group participated in formation of 1. Air Force Group (1. repülőcsoport) in the late spring of 1942. It was tasked to provide tactical support and reconnaissance sorties to Hungarian 2nd Army. The sole bomber unit in the 1. Air Force Group was a detachment of 4. Bomber Regiment, which was initially equipped with 17 Ca.135bis. During second deployment Ju-86K-2’s were relegated exclusively to transport and liason duties.

1.Air Force Group (1. repülőcsoport) was renamed to 2. Air Force Field Brigade (2. repülődandár) in October of 1942.

 

Composition of 1. Air Force Group in June 1942 after arriving to SSSR [#23]:

-          4./1 bomber squadron (14 Ca-135bisU)

-          1/1 Long-range Reconnaissance Squadron (4 He-111H, later reinforced with Do-215B-2),

-          3/1 Short-range Reconnaissance Squadron (12 He-46E), 3/2 added in early August

-          1/1 and 2/1 Fighter Squadrons (11 Re-2000 Héja each),

-          transport detachment (3 Ca-101/3m and 3 converted Ju-86K-2)

-          2. Transport squadron was added in late summer (Ju-52s  of MALERT)

-          liason aircraft (few Bü-131 and Fw-58, later Ar-96 were added)

 

June 1942

24th of June 1942

HQ staff of 4. Bomber regiment under command of major (örnagy) Izstván Mocsáry started from Debrecen with “Boszorkány” (Witch) Squadron which was created with combining this squadron with “Uz Bence” Squadron. First 7 Ca.135’s under command of lieutenant (föhadnagy) Andrázs Inokai took off to the front and few days later further 4 arrived of which 1 was damaged on landing. 9 Caproni Ca.135 bombers that arrived earlier lost one aircraft when undercarriage broke on landing and the aircraft became unusable [#4].

Bombers were based at Konotop and after arrival began to attack fortifications in Tim region. After the fall of Tim, road toward Don was opened. The land forces reaching the Don faced new ordeals as the period of the “Don bridgehead battles” began. The air force supported Hungarian ground forces during these battles. [#3]

 

30th of June 1942 (#21)

Bombers received their first combat order. The target was the eastern edge of the village of Kuskino, southeast of the city of Tim, where two Soviet batteries hindered the advance of Hungarian troops. The attack was carried out in squadrons with 9 Ca.135bis at 4:15 p.m.

For the next bombing raid 4 Ca.135bis of the 4/1. lead by 1st Lieutenant Tihamér Ghyczy (commander of the squadron) took off: Soviet forces gathered in a ravine near Dubrovo were attacked. Ghyczy had to turn back after taking off, because he could not retract the landing gear of his plane. Of the 3 planes carrying out the attack, Sergeant (őrmester) Tibor Sárszeghi's plane landed on the edge of the airport where one of its propellers broke, causing the machine to spin and was completely destroyed. The crew was unhurt.

 

July 1942

1st of July 1942 (#21)

Early on the morning 1st Lieutenant Tihamér Ghyczy's bomber attacked enemy troops dug in at elevation 267.7 south of Tim.

In the early afternoon, 4 Ca.135bis led by Captain Inokai attacked Soviet troops marching on the Jastrebovka-Alexandrovka route and gathering near Alexandrovka.

Late in the afternoon, 4 Ca.135bis under the command of 1st Lieutenant Ghyczy, attacked the assembling Soviet forces in a hook on Kamenka.

 

2nd of July 1942 (#21)

On the afternoon 5 Ca.135bis bombers, each with a single deployment, supported the Hungarian troops in the pursuit with their own reconnaissance and bombed Soviet counterattacks and resistance points, mainly on the Tim - Stary Oskol highway. Attacking targets close to their own ground forces was a delicate task, but their bombs did not harm Hungarian troops. The third plane took off on valuable reconnaissance mission and successfully attacked Soviet troops at Manturovo, but flew at a low altitude of 700 meters, resulting in a 37mm FLAK hit: its bomb bay doors were torn off and fuselage and wing covering was damaged, requiring several days of repairs. This was the 10th bombing operation of the type.

 

3rd of July 1942 (#21)

5 more Capronis were dispatched to the front from Debrecen. One of them B.557 flown by 2nd Lt. Baracskay crashed east of Rahó in Trancarpathian Hungary (now Rahiv in Carpathian Ukraine) when aircraft caught fire and crashed for unknown reasons. All five people on board the plane – 2nd lt (zászlós) László Baracskai, zászlós László Ginovszki, snr corporal (szakaszvezető) Vilmos Horváth, Sergeant (őrmester) Antal Kiss, snr corporal (szakaszvezető) István Tauber – were killed in the accident.

Request for reinforcements meant that group had less than 10 operational planes. In beginning of July bombers started on short range missions in 200-300km range. Short range of bombing missions meant that Capronis could utilise their maximum bomb loads of 1600kg.

 

5th of July 1942 (#21)

At dawn 7 Ca.135bis planes of 4./1 bombing squadron were ordered to attack Voronezh, with 16 FAB-100 100 kg bombs per plane. The targets to be bombed were the industrial area in the middle of the city and the southern train station. The attack was to be performed at 3:10 a.m. Direction of flight was from SE to NW. Protection over the target was provided by German Bf-109 fighters, as at the same time German IV. Fliegerkorps also launched an attack on the extremely heavily defended industrial city. Two machines were left behind the formation due to a technical fault: on one aircraft on the right engine propeller along with its gearbox were torn off while approaching the target. Plane dropped its bombs in front of Voronezh, immediately turned back and then landed with lowered the landing gear about 60 km from the airport, near Obojany. After on-site repairs the plane returned to the airport five days later. This aircraft set a record in single-engine flying on Ca.135bis: it flew 30 km over enemy territory and another 120 km over its own territory, although as Captain Inokai remarked wryly, "Caproni doesn't like to fly on one engine, but not even two"

The other missing plane was the regimental commander's Major Mocsáry's plane. After overflying the front the right engine began to pound and its speed dropped sharply due to an ignition magnet failure. He had to turn back, but he reached the airport. The remaining five planes carried out the bomb attack in an extremely strong air defence fire and each plane received minor FLAK damage.

 

8th of July 1942 (#21)

7 Ca.135bis were to attack Bogucsar together with a German Ju-88A-4 Squadron of the KG 76, but due to some misunderstanding the meeting was missed, so the Hungarian formation dropped their 28 250kg bombs on Davidovka rail station instead. After the attack, a fire broke out at the train station.

Late in the afternoon 6 Ca.135bis accompanied by five Reggiane fighters, attacked Soviet forces crossing in the Uriv-Storozhevo region.

 

10th of July 1942 (#21)

Hungarian Army reached Don and dug in. In this sector 3 soviet bridgeheads remained: Uriv, Kovotoyak and Szcsucsye.

 

On this day Capronis with fighter cover, twice attacked the Don Bridge at Uriv and vehicle concentrations at the bridgehead.

 

At noon that day, the 15th deployment of the bomber squadron was much more shaky. Talovaja railway station, 160 km behind the Soviet lines, was bombed with 3 Ca.135bis without fighter cover from a height of just 1,800m. They dropped their bombs between 12:05 and 12:07, most of which hit a larger group of trains, where a secondary, possibly ammunition explosion was also observed. One of the heavy air defence batteries protecting the station was also hit. In the strong air defence fire, all three planes received light damage.

The bomber squadron then received a two-day technical break to maintain and repair the aircraft.

 

13th of July 1942 (#21)

6 Ca.135bis (2 raj 3 planes each) led by Ensign János Róna, carried out the first bombing operation of the day against the village of Troickoye. Targets were the barracks camp to the NW and three artillery batteries dug along the eastern edge of the settlement. Between 3:45 and 3:55, they  dropped 11 250kg and 29 100kg bombs on the target. Smoke formation and strong movements were observed in the wake of a series of bombs crashing into the village.

 

6 Ca.135bis (2 raj 3 planes each) led by Captain Inokai, performed the second deployment of the day against the Uriv bridgehead against Soviet armored vehicles attacking Hungarian 7th Light Division and Uriv bridge. Due to hard-to-reach targets the planes dropped below 1000 m, dropping bombs one by one or in small series, on tanks, vehicles and the Uriv pontoon bridge. Hungarian bombers during the attack, spent more than 20 minutes in the airspace of the bridgehead. As a result of that attack, 3 (according to other data 7) Soviet armored vehicles became incapacitated and several other  vehicles were destroyed. However, two of the six planes deployed did not return:  plane flown by 2nd Lt Sándor Veres (B.553) made a forced landing with lowered landing gear due to a cylinder head crack. This machine returned to the squadron soon after the engine was replaced, unlike the other missing machine. B.562 flown by 3rd Lt László Bánkuti's plane also landed due to an engine failure with a full bomb load, and was completely destroyed near Oboyany. The crew escaped the accident with one injury – 3rd Lt Bánkuti's broke his arm.

 

At 11:00 4 Ca.135bis led by 3rd Lt János Róna took off for the next deployment again in Uriv area. The four planes successfully attacked the bridgehead area and also interrupted the bridge, however, two planes did not return from this attack. The reason for this was that when the four planes were on return flight they were flying at low altitudes over the high-iron terrain that disturbed the compasses. They landed to the north, where they overflew German troops. Unfamiliar with Ca.135bis German troops opened fierce FLAK fire on them. One of the aircraft's observers, 2nd Lt Sándor Szekeres, was wounded in a hand and foot, so the pilot of the plane, Candidate Officer József Ónutz, flew the plane straight to Kursk, where the observer was taken to the hospital. The plane returned the same day. The other missing plane was unfortunately lost: 3rd Lt János Róna made a forced landing with lowered landing gear at the German front lines. In the evening Germans withdrew from the position  due to a Soviet counterattack. At the request of the aircraft commander German artillery destroyed the Caproni to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

 

16th of July 1942 (#21)

Due to event on the 13th of July there are only 3 operational Ca.135bis on the strength of the bomber unit.

 

18th of July 1942 (#21)

At 04:00AM 4 Ca.135bis attacked Soviet troop positions in village of Troickoye at Uriv bridgehead.

 

19th of July 1942 (#21)

At 10 A.M. 5 Ca.135bis with fighter cover attacked the village of Sadovsky, north of Korotoyak, and the forest parcel to the north of it. This was the unit’s 20th operation. Unit otherwise supported the German 75th Infantry Division.

 

20th, 21st and 22nd of July 1942 (#21)

The settlement of the army headquarters in Alexeyevka-Nikolaevka also prompted the flight group to set up its headquarters near it. On 20th of July Captain Zoltán Kiss reported that he had found an airport at Ilovskoye, less than 10 km north of Alexeievka-Nykolaevka, at the army headquarters, which was suitable for accommodating the entire air echelon. The relocation began as early as the 21st and 22nd. Fighter, courier, close support and long-range scouts were also to be concentrated there, leaving the bombers alone at Konotop.

 

24th of July 1942 (#21)

 Lt. Gen. Béla Rákosi, the commander of the Air Force, arrived in Stary Oskol to visit the air formations on the front.

 

27th of July 1942 (#21)

On this day bombers moved to Stary Oskol airport. The relocation was carried out in three stages: first a large part of the operational squadron was relocated with all the technical material, then the 9 machines with a full bomb load and finally the personnel to service the machines.

 

28th of July 1942 (#21)

Stock of italian 250kg and 100kg bombs brought from home was depleted. However, the corps did not need a bomb replenishment to be delivered from home, because then the large quantities of captured 50kg and 100 kg Soviet bombs were available.

 

30th of July 1942 (#21)

Ca.135bis of 1st Lt Tihamér Ghyczy attacked Soviet minesweepers in Storozhevo area in a strong air defence fire.

 

August 1942

3rd of August 1942 (#21)

Ca.135bis piloted by Captain András Inokai's protected by 5 Reggiane fighters carried out an attack against Soviet troops gathering in a forest plot in Troickoye. Air defence fire was strong but inaccurate.

 

4th of August 1942 (#21)

Soviet troops crossed the Don River and battle of Uriv bridgehead began. Capronis started bombing raids against troop crossings at Uriv.

 

5th of August 1942 (#21)

In the early morning 3 Ca.135 raj of 1st Lt Tihamér Ghyczy accompanied by five Reggianes attacked the intersection at SrednyeIkorec.

 

6th of August 1942 (#21)

Attacks by Soviet troops on the front lines of the Hungarian army began in several places, with the aim of connecting bridgeheads: the most important of these were the actions launched at bridgeheads Uriv, Korotoya and Szcsucsye. This prompted frantic air activity on both sides in which operations of Ca.135bis were but a small part.

Just before 08:00 A.M. 3 Ca.135bis with fighter cover attacked Soviet troops in Staraya Sevrostan, where they dropped 24 100kg and 24 50kg bombs. They hit several tanks and vehicles. In the woods of Migenyevo gathering enemy tanks were also attacked.

 

7th of August 1942 (#21)

On the morning Hungarian 1st Armored Division redeployed to the Korotoya area, launched a counterattack, so aircraft had to be directed into its area as well.

During the day, the Hungarian bombers flew three raids:

9 Ca.135bis (three flights of 3 planes each) attacked at the mouth of the Potudany, the village of Spasinsky, unit and troop concentrations, and a bridge under construction. On the return flight on plane flown by 3rd Lt János Róna, one of the propellers detached. The plane made a forced landing with the extended landing gear and flew back to Stary Oskol after an engine change.

 

8th of August 1942 (#21)

3 Ca.135bis flight without fighter cover  were to attack Soviet troops in Petropavlovskoye. 2 planes led by 3rd Lt János Róna proceded to the target, the third plane could not take off due to a technical error. Simultaneously with the two lone Hungarian bombers, 6 Soviet bombers, accompanied by 3 fighters, bombed Korotoyak, but the Soviet fighters remained passive and did not attack the 2 lone Capronis.

 

9th of August 1942 (#21)

On this day, Ca.135bis bombers flew three bomb raids:

The first in the area of Shchucsye and Kolibeyka against watercraft crossing the Don - this was the only bomb attack at the Shchucsye bridgehead during the summer.

The second was bombing raid against the Uriv bridge, during which they also destroyed an ammunition depot.

And the third was at 6 P.M. when 3 Ca.135bis flight attacked the crossing around Ottichiha and Storozhevo

 

10th of August 1942 (#21)

The morning bomb raid of 5 Ca.135bis against Storozhevo  did not take place because of the ground fog which obscured the target. Therefore, they dropped six tons of bombs in the Davidovka area.

In the early afternoon 3 Ca.135bis flight attacked Soviet units on the east bank of the Don against Kostyelnik.

 

11th of August 1942 (#21)

10:11 3 Ca.135bis flight with Reggiane fighter protection started on a bomb raid against artillery batteries dug in in Petropavlovskoye which supported the Soviet bridgehead in Korotoyak. Each plane was armed with 16 100kg captured soviet bombs. Bombers were protected by Reggiane fighters. 2 aircraft proceded to target and successfully bombed it. They also destroyed a transport column on north side of the Don. B.551 crewed by pilot Sgt (őrmester) Ónutz  József, observer Sgt Götz  Antal, mechanic   senior corporal  (szákaszvezetö) Talabér  Ferenc, Radio operator senior corporal Operhall  Gyula and passenger Capt. (százados) Harsányi  Gábor, couldn’t retract the landing gear so crew decided that they will bomb Korotoya on south side of the Don thereby staying in own airspace for most of the time. 3 Lagg-3 fighters that were scrambled stumbled on B.551 over Korotoya. One LaGG attacked from behind but was shot down (and crashed) by accurate fire by mechanic Talabér. No parachute was seen. 2 other LaGG retreated.

In the afternoon, 3 Ca.135bis flight bombed the north eastern part of Korotoya in a strong air defence fire.

 

12th of August 1942 (#21)

3 flights of 3 Ca.135bis each attacked Mosztiscs, crossings at Potudany  and the north-eastern part of Korotoya. At Korotoya, good results were achieved against troop concentrations in the square next to the two churches and at the train station, as well as on ammunition column north of the city.

 

13th of August 1942 (#21)

Ca.135bis bombers again successfully attacked the Korotoya area, hitting and destroying the bridge, destroying several Soviet trucks in the area of the two churches and detecting 4-5 strong after-explosions in the north-western part of Korotoya, apparently in a hidden area.

 

14th of August 1942 (#21)

On August 14, Group 1 suffered a heavy loss in the airspace of the bridgehead. A 4./1 bombing squadron was ordered to destroy the Uriv Bridge. At 2 P.M., the target was attacked from an altitude of 2,500 meters. During the third flight, the unit command plane (B.549) was hit by shell of Soviet anti-aircraft artillery at the base of the right wing, as a result of which the Caproni immediately caught fire and fell into a left corkscrew. The plane crashed to the ground in Uriv, its fuel supply and the bombs still on board exploded, setting fire to several houses.

 

On board of B.549 a popular regimental commander major (örnagy) István Mocsáry as well as sergeant (örmester) Zoltán Nagy and senior corporal (szákaszvezetö) Imre Piri were killed. Air Force Staff Lieutenant Colonel (alezredes) János Németh (Chief of Staff of the 2. Air Force Field Brigade) and 1st lieutenant (föhadnagy)  György Orbán, managed to jump out of the burning plane. Lt Col János Németh survived with a broken leg while 1st Lt György Orbán survived unharmed. They had to be rescued from no-man's land. The rescue of officers from no-man’s land developed into a short but fierce fight, eventually Hungarian 14/III. battalion assault patrols were able to bring them to the Hungarian positions

The command of the bomber detachment was taken over by Major József “Moni” Schiller.

 

15th of August 1942 (#21)

Assumption Day, a large-scale attack was launched against Korotoya.

At dawn, 3 Ca.135bis flight attacked the northern part of Korotoya. This was followed by an operation against Uriv, after which the forest plot and Seljavnoye on the northern edge of Petropavlovskoye was bombed by the Hungarian Capronis.

 

17th of August 1942 (#21)

Ca.135bis bombers attacked Selyavnoye and Petropavlovskoye, and bombed the gathering enemy troops in the forest on the banks of the Don near Kologyesnoye. A squad of four fighters scattered the attacking Soviet fighter squadron over Korotoya and forced them to return.

 

18th of August 1942 (#21)

6 Ca.135bis bombers attacked the part of Korotoya that was in Soviet hands. The well-fortified church hill was bombed and the bridge was collapsed.

 

20th of August 1942 (#21)

On this day, the bombers attacked the bridges in Scsucye, and in the airspace of this bridgehead, the activity of the Hungarian aircraft was otherwise minimal.

 

21st of August 1942 (#19)

B.542 piloted by 3rd Lt (zaslos) Czelvikker Ferenc was damaged by FLAK. Plane emergency landed at village Istovnoye (Kiev oblast), it was repaired on the spot and returned to service. B.542 was one of 5 Ca.135 that returned to Hungary in fall of that year. 

 

23rd of August 1942 (#21)

On the morning of August 23, in Petropavlovskoye, the bombers attacked a forest plot with fighter cover. In the strong air defence fire, aircraft of 3rd Lt. János Róna was hit in the left engine. Luckily, the projectile did not explode, but the engine became inoperable and as the intake manifold pressure of the right engine dropped, the plane was forced to land next to Repyevka with lowered landing gear. Aircraft flew back to base in the evening.

In the afternoon, Captain András Inokai's flight attacked a forest area in the same area, which was reportedly a Soviet division headquarters (certainly the command of Colonel Karapetyan's Soviet 174th Rifle Division). Major Schiller’s flight had the same target but this flight spotted a vehicle column on the move during the flight and dropped its bombs on it, reaching full hits.

 

30th of August 1942 (#21)

6 Ca.135bis (two flights) attacked the village of Szcsucsye.

 

September 1942

3rd of September 1942 (#21)

Hungarian fighters supported the battles of the German 336th infantry division in sixteen deployments from 05:25 to 18:00. Caproni bombers attacked the forest plot of the village of Petropavlovskoye twice with 3 plane flights to support the battle of German 336th infantry division.

 

4th oh September 1942 (#21)

Fighters flew eight defensive deployments over the German 336th Infantry Division, while the Caproni bombers attacked Petropavlovskoye  with a 3 plane flight in morning and a 3 plane flight in afternoon. On this day, the Korotoya bridgehead was virtually liquidated. Between 31st of Augustand 4th of September, the Hungarian Air Force directly supported the battles of the German troops with 18 bomber, 68 Fighter and 21 close reconnaissance operations.

 

6th of September 1942 (#21)

A flight of 3 Ca.135bis attacked the bridgehead of the Uriv-Storozhevo. During the night from 6th to 7th of September Hungarian bomber base at Stary Oskol airport received a fierce soviet bomb attack. There was no damage to the bombers and human life, but two of the unit’s three Bü-131 couriers were severely damaged.

 

8th of September 1942 (#21)

1st Lt László Pajtás, 2nd Lt Tihamér Ghyczy's observer, were sent as liason officers to the ground forces attacking the Uriv bridgehead the next day. The bomber detachment reported 9 operational Ca.135bis that evening.

 

9th of September 1942 (#21)

The last large-scale Hungarian-German action to eliminate the Urivi bridgehead began. On this day, the Hungarian bombers flew most of their one-day deployments during 1942. They flew a total of seven attacks with a total of 30 aircraft sorties in which they attacked Uriv, Storozevo, the Otichiha Forest, elevations 187.7 and 195,6, dropping a total of 480 bombs in total weight of 36 tons.

 

10th of September 1942 (#21)

On this day Hungarian Capronis flew 20 sorties.

In the morning 6 planes attacked the elevation points 185.6 and 187.7.

At noon a 3 plane flight bombed a forest plot next to the village of Donitsze and another 3 plane flight bombed Uriv.

Early in the afternoon, 8 planes bombed the south-eastern part of the Uriv village. When they attacked the part of the village directly on the banks of Don, they had the impression that they were bombing an empty area because no movement was triggered by their attack.

 

11th of September 1942 (#21)

Caproni bombers performed 7 attacks with 28 aircraft sorties against the bridgehead area of Uriv-Storozhevo, mainly the area between Uriv and Selyavnoye, and Uriv SE from an altitude of 1600-2000 meters mostly in medium and heavy machine gun AA fire.

 

12th of September 1942 (#21)

On this day, the Hungarian Caproni bombers flew 3 attacks with 10 aircraft sorties, over the Uriv-Storozevo bridge, attacking Uriv SE, among others. On this day, 1st Lt László Pajtás, who was on the front line as a liaison officer, also returned to the squadron.

 

13th of September 1942 (#21)

3 Ca.135bis flight attacked Petropavlovskoye.

 

14th of September 1942 (#21)

3 Ca.135bis flight attacked the same targets of the previous day. On this day 4./1 Squadron carried out 70th operation and at the same time 250th sortie.

 

16th of September 1942 (#21)

The last bridgehead battle of Uriv ended on this day. Hungarian and German forces despite the heavy losses they had suffered failed to squeeze Soviet forces out of the area and beyond the river Don. The bridgehead of Uriv and Szcsucsje also remained on the front line of the Hungarian 2nd Army, and in January 1943 this will have very serious consequences.

 

17th of September (#21)

Ca.135bis bombers last attack against the forest of Otichiha.

 

19th of September (#21)

During the third battle of Uriv-Storoshevo, some subunits of II./JG 77 (Commander Anton Mader) based at Kastornoye (55 km NE of Stary Oskol) several times a day relocated to and operated from Stary Oskol with their Bf-109F-4 and G-2. They permanently relocated to the airport of the Hungarian bombers with their planes thus strengthening the fighter's defence of the area. They remained there until they were sent to North Africa on 7th of November 1942.

 

21st of September 1942 (#21)

3 Ca.135bis flight was ordered to attack enemy troops gathering at Spasinsky.

 

25th of September 1942 (#21)

3 Ca.135bis flight attacked Davidovka railway station, where a 22 carriage train was being unloaded. 2nd Lt Andor Bajsa's plane hit the train. Some bombs were also dropped at Davidovka Airfield.

 

28th of September 1942 (#21)

8 Ca.135bis bombers successfully attacked Soviet troop concentrations in Selyavnoye despite strong air defence fire. During the flight, the squadron commander, Captain András Inokai, was wounded in the left eye by a small lens-sized aluminium splinter, which was snapped off the cabin framing by an exploding air defence projectile nearby. The pilot's left eye was flooded with blood, his right eye was filled with tears, so he could not fly the plane, which was taken back and landed at the airport by his non-pilot observer, 2nd Lt Dezső Tóth, without damaging it. Captain Inokai's eyes were not severely injured and he underwent quick surgery after removing the splinter.

 

30th of September 1942 (#21)

6 Ca.135bis bombers with fighter escort attacked Bobrov railway station and the adjacent intersection. The bomb doors of two planes were damaged by air defence fire.

 

Until the end of September, a statistic of the Caproni bombers was:

From 1 July to 30 September, 79 operations were performed, of which 75 were tactical and 4 were strategic. Of the four strategic operations, three were directed against railway stations and one against an important industrial hub.

During the 79 operations, 276 aircraft sorties were flown. The total time flown over the enemy was 431 hours 30 minutes. 320 tons of bombs were dropped during this time: 1685 of 50 kg, 2118 of 100 kg and 101 of 250 kg.

The altitude of attack was 3 time below 1000m, 25 times between 1100m-2100m, 49 times between 2100m-3100m, 2 times 3100m.

Enemy air defence received them with very strong fire in 10 cases, medium fire in 21 cases, and weaker fire in 15 cases. Team air defence was strong three times, moderate six times, and weak 11 times. Of the 79 operations, 30 were carried out with fighter cover and 49 without any fighter escorts. They received a single fighter attack — on August 11 — when Caproni B.551 shot down one of his attackers (LaGG-3).

Five planes made forced landings due to a cylinder head rupture, three of which at their own airports thanks to the experience of the pilots. Another plane landed on a lowered landing gear while the fifth landed on its belly. Due to a propeller rupture, two planes made forced landings, both landed on their landing gear. One of them happened 60 km behind enemy lines (loss of propeller). There was also a smooth forced landing at one’s own airport or outside another airport due to other engine failures. The enemy anti-aircraft artillery hit 3 planes so far. Of this, one landed smoothly on own territory and was easily repaired, another landed just behind the front lines, but was destroyed on the ground (by friendly artillery). The third was shot down (B.549). At own airport, a plane crashed due to a tire explosion.

10 planes received lighter air defence damage. In the end, only 5 machines have been permanently lost so far.

From July 1 to September 30, they had 125 air alarms due to Soviet attacks, of which 50 were bomb attacks, with several drops of 150-160 (small calibre) bombs. All losses were two minor injuries received by ground crew members, with no damage to Capronis.

 

October 1942

1st of October 1942 (#21)

6 Ca.135bis attacked Soviet vehicles gathering in the Otticich forest, from 4,000m due to a strong air defence fire.

 

2nd of October 1942 (#21)

2 Ca.135bis suffered minor damage during a Soviet night air raid.

 

3rd of October 1942 (#21)

Major Schiller led a bombing raid against Selyavnoye.

 

7th of October 1942 (#21)

Captain András Inokai the commander of one of Ca.135bis bomber squadrons was sent with some other men to Poltava to the German IV./KG 27 (Commander Captain Gerhard) for the retraining on Heinkel He-111. 1st Lt Tihamér Ghyczy took over command of the squadron. He-111H-6 retraining was completed in a matter of days, with experienced crews flying the type day and night a few days later.

 

15th of October 1942 (#21)

1st Air Force Group was renamed 2nd Air Brigade, its new commander became Lt Col Tibor Fráter, and its Chief of Staff became Lt Col Kálmán Csukás.

 

19th to 24th of October 1942 (#21)

Bomber detachment relocated to Urazovo Airport, which had hangars, in order to spare the mixed-construction Capronis.

 

31st of October 1942 (#1, #21)

6 Ca.135bis were sent to attack soviet artillery batteries and ammunition depot near Swoboda. One of their planes (B.560) was shot down by FLAK. The entire crew of B.560 Pilot Sergeant Zoltán Mády, observer 3rd Lt Ferenc Asztalos, Radio operator senior corporal András Csiszár and mechanic senior corporal László Jandrasits was killed.

1st Lt  Tihamér Ghyczy recalled the tragic operation:

“By October 31, our last deployment order was performed (although it should have been missed., It is also a tactical operation. Near Swoboda on the north bank of the Don there are enemy battery positions and the bombing of an ammunition depot. We have six operational machines in “Móni” Schiller’s (Major József “Móni” Schiller) unit. He also comes to the deployment, so he leads the first start, i.e. Bandi's group, and I follow them 500 meters with the flight as the second wave.

 

We have already overflown the Don when the plane of the right-hander Mády 'Csöpi' (warior sergeant, pilot, boy of almost two meters) started to pull to the  right upwards from the formation, releasing a slight strip of smoke, and then the next moment it exploded into a 70-meter fireball. All I can see is the empty position of the machine and a few crumbling larger pieces falling down. They received an air defence hit and their fuel tanks exploded. They didn’t have time to jump out, but they didn’t have to suffer, this explosion ended them right away. ”

 

Aircraft fell in area of village Kopaniše of Liskinski raion (Voronezh Oblast). Remains of this aircraft were found in 2012 by Hungarian search team and parts of aircraft and crew were recovered in 2013 by Russian search team and returned to Hungary.

 

November 1942

2nd of November 1942 (#21)

The last operation by Hungarian Capronis on the Eastern Front. Taking off from Urazovo to bomb enemy positions on Don.

 

13th of November 1942 (#21)

6 Ca.135bis took off from Urazovo for a return flight to Hungary, but due to bad weather they were soon forced to land in Poltava, where they had to wait for three days. They then returned home to Debrecen on the 17th of November with an intermediate landing in Kirovograd. The last two planes flew home from Kirovograd at the end of November, but on 2nd Lt Andor Bajsa's plane both engines seized due to lack of oil and plane landed at Kunhegyes undamaged.

 

Summary of Ca.135bisU operations on eastern Front in 1942:

 

Ca.135 suffered from a host of technical problems and spare parts were difficult to obtain which limited serviceability of the aircraft. It soon became apparent that serviceability severely limited combat employment. In comparison a German Ju-88 units could manage 5-6 sorties per day while Hungarian Ca.135 unit could only manage 1-2 sorties per day. At one point only 3 aircraft were operational due technical problems necessitating reinforcements from Hungary (3rd of July).

 

Decision was taken that Caproni bombers were to be sent back to Hungary and crews retrained on He-111, Ju-87 and Ju-88. 4./6 and 4./7 Squadrons were sent to Hungary in September.

Negotiations were also continuing with the Germans about how many Hungarian pilots would be retrained on site to fly the more modern Bf-109, He-111, Ju-87, and Ju-88 airplanes. As a result, on 7th of October part of a 4./1 bomber squadron (1st flight) under command of Captain András Inokai was sent to Poltava airfield and received 5 used He-111’s and began training. At some point Germans decided that they will train 4./1 on Ju-88 instead and took the planes away. Unit was later trained on Ju-88 at Istres (France) during winter 1942-43.

Rest of the bomber crews was to be transferred home to start training on Ju-87B-2 and Ju-88A-4. The 4./1 bomber squadron’s happiness in landing in Debrecen on 15th of November was tainted by the tragedy that occurred during their sortie on 31th of October, when Ca.135bis B.560 was hit and exploded, killing everybody on board.

During the four months the bomber squadron spent at the operational area, they performed 265 bombing runs during 1,062 flights (operational, training and relocation), dropped 1,700 tons of bombs, and lost 2 aircraft shot down (B.549 and B.560), 1 lost due mechanical failure and 11 people killed.

 

Life after combat in SSSR:

 

After  return of the Capronis from Eastern front in September-November of 1942 remaining Ca.135bis were withdrawn from first line unit service and posted to training and secondary duties units [#1]:

·         1. Bombázó kiképzés osztáli, 1. Bomber Training Group (1.squadron) based at Veszprém. Known aircraft: B.514, B.518, B.525, B.537, B.539, B.545,

·         2. squadron of mission training Group (Börgönd),

·         target towing aircraft squadron (Miskolc) and

·         Radio operator training squadron (Debrecen). Known aircraft B.522,

 

Caproni bombers were also used in anti-partisan operations. One of these caused a bit of friction between German and Hungarian allies [#3].

On 2nd of August 1943, three Ca.135bis bombers from the 4th Hungarian Bomber Air Group dropped 4.8 tons of bombs on the Kovpak partisan detachment positions between Kolomyia and Delyatin. One of the planes was hit and crashed during a forced landing on a rocky spit in the valley of the Tisza river. Its crew, led by first lieutenant (föhadnagy) Gusztav Halmay, survived.

 

The next day (3rd of August), the Capronis were joined by WM-21 single-engine light biplane bombers from the 4th short-range reconnaissance group. One of WM-21’s did not return to the airfield for unknown reasons.

 

The piquancy of the situation lies in the fact that on 3rd of August, the Hungarian aviation did not bomb the partisans, but hit positions of the German independent 26. Gebirgs Jaeger Regiment on Mount Sinichka. German 26. Gebirgs Jaeger Regiment during the previous night (from 2nd to 3rd of August) occupied the positions left by the partisans, but due to lack of communication, Hungarian Air Force was not informed of this. As a result, the regiment, which had been transferred from Norway to the Carpathians just ten days earlier, completely lost its combat capability due to highly effective Hungarian bombing. The scandal that had begun between the allies was hushed up at the highest level through the efforts of SS Reichsfuehrer Heinrich Himmler, who personally oversaw the conduct of this anti-partisan operation from Krakow.

 

Last “mission” of Debrecen based Ca.135’s was participation with full squadron in making of a movie “Magyar Sasok” in 1943-44. Last documents concerning Ca.135 speak of moving the remaining approx. 20 aircraft from Debrecen to Nádudvar in protection against allied air attacks. As far it is known last aircraft of this type were destroyed here by their crews to prevent capture by soviet troops [#1].

 

Epilogue

 

The Hungarians did not particularly love the Ca.135Bis, but it was all they had, and so they had to make best out of it. Overall combat use of the aircraft was considered satisfactory. Aircraft demonstrated sufficient resistance to enemy fire and good defensive characteristics from Soviet fighter attacks. The Ca.135 on the Eastern front had frequent malfunctions and scarcity of parts set high demands on the mechanics maintaining it. A 50 per cent operational readiness of the Capronis was seen as a great achievement.

 

P.S.

Remains of one of the Ca.135bis (B.560) and its 4 member crew shot down in October 1942 were found in November 2012 in area of village Kopaniše of Liskinski raion of Voronezh Oblast of Russian Federation. Hungarian search and recovery association (Magyar Roncskutato Egyesulet) asked for help to recover parts of the aircraft and its crew remains from a lake. Work by Voronezh search association started on 21st of October 2013 and was slated to last 7 days. Remains of the crew and aircraft were returned to Hungary.

 

Markings of Hungarian Ca.135bisU:

National markings:

Before the war and up to April 1942 national markings were of tricolour “Arrow” type.

In April of 1942 they were changed to “Cross “ type of white cross in black square, with national tricolour (bright green, white and bright red) markings on vertical and horizontal tail surfaces.

 

Unit markings:

Aircraft of the first order, received unit markings on the side of the nose. Use of this markings, seem to continue with aircraft of the second order by units that inherited the names:

3./3 “Sárkány” squadron – a small red dragon

3./5 “Uz Bence” squadron – a man in traditional custom carrying an axe

3./6 “Boszorkány” squadron  – a witch on a broom in red

 

 

Theatre markings:

During 1941 April war against Kingdom of Yugoslavia all Hungarian aircraft including Ca.135bisU received theatre markings in form of entire nose and entire empennage repainted in solid yellow.

 

Theatre markings on Ca.135bis U on Eastern Front during first employment in 1941 were yellow fuselage stripe just after the wings and in front of lower gun position and lower wing tips painted yellow. Known planes using this kind of markings B.512, B.513, B.515, B.516, B.517, B.524, B.525, B.529, B.531, B.533, B.534

 

During second employment on Eastern Front aircraft of the second order were marked with yellow fuselage stripe in front of empennage for newcomers and yellow stripe on same place as in 1941 for older planes that already served in SSSR during previous year’s deployment with yellow painted lower wing tips.

 

Camouflage colours of Hungarian Caproni Ca.135bisU:

 

Aircraft of first order:

Camouflage colours used on aircraft of the first order of Hungarian Caproni Ca.135bisU delivered in 1940 (B.501-B.536) are still under the debate, especially the upper base color.

As per photographs these aircraft seem to be in standard Caproni factory camouflage of 3 upper colours and light grey lower side. Upper colours consisted of light colour base and 2 darker colours mottle in several variations of shapes and sizes of Italian C1 camouflage scheme [#15].

 

Caproni company used following colours [#15]:

-          Giallo mimetico 3 or Verde Mimetico 53192 – for upper surfaces lighter base colour

-          Marrone Mimetico 2 or Marrone Mimetico 53193 or Bruno Mimetico – for uppersurfaces  brown mottle

-          Verde Mimetico 3 – for upper surfaces green mottle

-          Grigio Mimetico – lower surfaces 

 

Aircraft of the second order:

Aircraft delivered in 1941 and 1942 (B.537-B.568) and those planes that were refurbished were painted in green upper camouflage (probably Verde Oliva Scuro) with light blue lower surfaces. Some refurbished aircraft display splinter camouflage scheme of 2 green upper colors.

 

 

Sources:

1.     Planes Resin 1/72 Caproni Ca.135bis/U - instruction sheet

2.     The Royal Hungarian Army 1920-1945 Volume 1 – Organisation and History by  Leo W.G. Niehorster –pages from 170 to 174: http://niehorster.org/015_hungary/book/Royal_Hungarian_Army_1920-1945.pdf

3.  Establishment of the Hungarian Air Force and the Activity of the Hungarian Royal “Honvéd” Air Force in World War II Respectively by Szabó Miklós Major-General (Ret.). Correspondent Member of Hungarian Academy of Sciences: https://comum.rcaap.pt/bitstream/10400.26/1238/1/NeD110_SzaboMiklos.pdf

4.     Hungarian eagles Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő 1920-1945 (Hikoki publications) by Gyula Sárhidai (Author), Viktor Kozlik (Author), Győgy Punka (Author, Illustrator)

5.     Hungarian Air Force (Squadron/Signal publications) by Goerge Punka

6.     http://www.alieuomini.it/ - site is not functional at this time

7.     https://airpages.ru/ot/ca135.shtml

8.     https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.135#Utilizzatori

9.     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.135

10.   http://www.ww2incolor.com/hungary/CA135-HAF-INC.html

11.   http://pro-samolet.ru/aircraft-ww2-italy/bomber/1043-bomber-caproni-ca135

12.   https://comandosupremo.com/caproni-ca-135/

13.   http://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft26047.htm

14.   http://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Arts/Art2931.htm

15.   https://www.stormomagazine.com/RegiaAeronauticaColorsinWWII_3a.htm camouflage colours

16.   From Barbarossa to Odessa: The Luftwaffe and Axis Allies Strike South-East June - October 1941, Vol. 1: The Air Battle for Bessarabia: 22 June-31 July 1941 by Bérnárd Dénes, Dmitriy Karlenko and Jean-Louis Roba

17.   From Barbarossa to Odessa: The Luftwaffe and Axis Allies Strike South-East June - October 1941, Vol. 2: The Air Battle for Odessa: August to October  1941 by Bérnárd Dénes, Dmitriy Karlenko and Jean-Louis Roba

18.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinkel_He_112#Operational_service

19.   A Caproni Ca 135 a magyar légierő szolgálatában 1940-1944 by Kóvacs Ferenc  - 2 part article in Hungarian magazine Aero História (translated by Marko Hrelja)

20.    http://www.niehorster.org/015_hungary/book/chap-04.htm -regarding Hungarian Air Force ranks

21.  A Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő harci alkalmazása a második világháborúban (1939-1945) by Dr. Ormos Mária, Becze Csaba (phd desertation - page 75 onward): https://pea.lib.pte.hu/bitstream/handle/pea/23620/becze-csaba-phd-2006.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y&fbclid=IwAR370H5h8wjekML0F44sADiUdj_vwk9CXjcdmVy0khngNs92hFh9_1Zu-qY

22.    A Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő olaszországi repulogép-beszerzései by  Sisa András: http://epa.oszk.hu/00000/00018/00022/pdf/hk3.pdf 

23. The Hungarian Air Service, 1918-45 by Stephen Renner (phd thesis New College University of Oxford): https://ora.ox.ac.uk/catalog/uuid:e0bc090c-41fc-413c-bbe2-37aa06b90dbe/download_file?file_format=application%2Fpdf&safe_filename=THESIS01

24.   Peruvian Ca.135 https://www.laahs.com/those-peruvian-ca-135s/

 

Internet links:

RE finding a remains of plane and its crew:

https://www.aex.ru/news/2013/10/28/112504/

 

 

Film footage containing Ca.135bisU:

https://filmhiradokonline.hu/search.php?k=7257

 

Photos of Hungarian Ca.135bisU:

http://home.mit.bme.hu/~tade/pages/acpicts.htm

http://www.avia-info.hu/talalat.php?Ujtipus=356

https://www.lasegundaguerra.com/viewtopic.php?t=14801

 

Drawings from: Catalogo Nomenclatore per Ca.135bis 2motori P.XI RC.40 ( 1942):

http://www.cmpr.it/MN %20-%20Nomenclatore%20Ca.%20135%20-%20FC/nom.Ca.135.htm

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8 by TISO
03.03.2024 - some light editing

[TISO]

As said work in progress.

I numbered sources and added them into the text. I also added markings & camouflage part at the end.

I asked a colegue who speaks Hungarian to translate tactical technical info on the instruction. i will post them when i get them

[TISO]

Caproni Ca.135bis U technical information:

 

General characteristics (#1):

Wing span = 18.8 m

Length = 13.7 m

Height = 3.4 m with tail on the ground

Distance between main wheels = 5.1 m

Wing surface = 60 m²

Wing load = 158 kg/m²

Fuel tank volume = 1170 l

Oil tank volume = 105 l

Weight empty = 6000 kg

Total load = 3500 kg

Useful load = 2800 kg

Max take-off weight = 9500 kg

 

Aircraft Performance (#1):

Weight - power ratio = 4.74 kg/H.P.

Max speed at 4300m = 428 km/h

Traveling speed = 345 km/h

Climb to 2000 m = 7 min 30 s

Climb to 4000 m = 14 min

Climb to 5000 m = 18 min 30 s

Service ceiling = 6000 m

Take off length = 360 m

Landing length = 320 m

Range with 1600 kg bomb load = 1200 km

Range with 1000 kg bomb load = 2000 km

 

Engines:

Engines = 2 x Piaggio P.XI RC - 14-cylinder air cooled radial engines

Fuel type: 87 octane

 

Power output (#2):

Take-off = 1,000 PS (735 kW) at 2,200 rpm

Military = 1,000 PS (735 kW) at 2,200 rpm at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)

Cruising = 1,000 PS (735 kW) at 1,800 rpm at 4,000 m (13,000 ft)

Specific power = 19.1 kW/l (0.49 hp/cu in)

Compression ratio = 6.0:1

Specific fuel consumption = 0.292 kg/kW/hr (0.48 lb/hp/hr)

Oil consumption = 0.0134 kg/k/w/hr (0.022 lb/hp/hr)

Power-to-weight ratio = 1.15 kW/kg (0.699 hp/lb)

 

Offensive Armament (#3):

1,862 kg max bomb load (depending on bomb load configuration and range)

Bomb load configurations:

  2 x 800 kg

  2x 500 kg

  4x 250 kg

16x 100 kg

16x 50 kg

16x 15 kg ali 12 kg ali 10 kg ali 5 kg

 

Defensive armament (#3):

Nose turret:

1 x 7.7mm Scotti-Isotta Fraschini machine gun. Nose turret had arc of -20^o to 60^o in vertical plane and 45^o left to 45^o right in horizontal plane. Rounds were fed from 350 round magazine by flexible band on LH side of machine gun with aiming device on the RH side. Spent cratridges were collected in a box under machine gun by means of flexible hose.

 

Dorsal turret:

1x 12.7 mm Scotti-Isotta Fraschini machine gun in dorsal gun turret. Turret was mechanicaly powered. Turret could turn 360^o in horizontal plane and gun had a traverse from 0^o to 75^o in vertical plane. Prevention of accidental fire into own tail empennage and propellers was by means of handles mounted on the turning ring. Magazine capacity 500 rounds of ammunition.

 

Ventral turret:

1 x 12.7 mm Scotti-Isotta Fraschini machine gun in ventral position behind bomb bay. When not in use gun was completely stored in fuselage. Before use gunner had to open doors and lower the turret from the fuselage by means of hydraulics. Gun could be traversed 0 to -85^o in vertical plane and 60^o LH to 60^o RH in horizontal plane. Magazine capacity 500 rounds of ammunition.

 

Sources:

1.      Planes Resin 1/72 Caproni Ca.135bis/U - instruction sheet

2.      Wikipedia page for engines

3.      A Caproni Ca 135 a magyar légierő szolgálatában 1940-1944 by Kóvacs Ferenc  - 2 part article in Hungarian magazine Aero História

Edited October 20, 2021 by TISO

[TISO]

I corrected my article on Ca.135bisU in hungarian service and expanded part on combat use in SSSR during the first deployment as i recived a new book:

"From Barbarossa to Odessa: The Luftwaffe and Axis Allies Strike South-East June - October 1941, Vol. 2: The Air Battle for Odessa: August to October  1941 by Bernard Denes, Dmitriy Karlenko and Jean-Louis Roba

 

Will update more (july 1941 operations) when i recieve 1st part of "From Barbarossa to Odessa"

 

If you have any suggestions and/or corrections please let me know.

 

Stay tuned

Edited July 3, 2021 by TISO

[TISO]

Hungarian news reel from 1942 

among other interesting things (recce He-111H F.7+04, transport Ju-86K B3+29, Do-17P with external bomb carriers) you can also see assembly and preparation of Italian 500kg bombs, bombing up of ca.135bis and some exterior and interior footage of Ca.135bis in action

https://filmhiradokonline.hu/search.php?k=7257

 

I also adden one link in main article and added episode of romanian He-112 shooting up one Ca.135bis in Transylvanian crisis

Edited October 17, 2022 by TISO

[TISO]

OK i recived From Barbarossa to Odessa vol.1, but i'm afraid not much on Ca.135bis is included. Both books are more concentrated on soviet, german and rumanian operations hungarians being more of a side note. Hungarian part in both books ends on 2nd of september 1941 as they were transferred to central russia and out of scope of the books and thus i have no info on their subsequent operations.

Other books dealing with hungarian air force in this period are more concentrated on fighters and their bomber ops are only passingly mentioned if even. 

Also unit designations are confusing as different sources used different info and units that should be reformed or even disbanded are used much later than they should as per reorganisations.

So i tweaked the article a bit and included the little info contained there.

I will update the main article if i get new info.

 

I really hope hungarian members could improve this article by providing additional info.

 

[JOCKNEY]

Hi @TISO

I've just caught up with this one and your research is really impressive.

Lots of us, myself included, have I'm ashamed to say, never built a Hungarian aircraft and the Caproni 135 isnt easily available in a kit.

Of course if you know differently, please let me know where to get one !

Cheers Pat 

[TISO]

Well not really original research just transcribing, translating, correcting and compiling work of others into one semi-coherent article (as mentined there are a few problems with it).

I'm tired of same 1 to 3 sentances on all online articles. I do like to research subjects of kits i'm intending to build (i also translated/compiled articles for Caproni Ca.111, Caproni Ca.310 and Heinkel h.e.8).

I'm hoping a fellow forum member Jure will find a couple of hungarian magazines from early 90's that contain some profiles of Ca.135bisU so i can contact another friend to translate them in hope they contain some additional info.

 

RE Ca.135bisU kit AFAIK there is only Planes Resin 1/72 kit from Hungary. Judging from photos and comparison with italian Cunar Model / Italian Kits it seems that it is the same kit with new engines and cowlings.

Getting it is a bummer. I got mine for 35€ (a bargain as they normaly go for twice that) in 2019 when visiting Moson model show from a hungarian guy selling his stash. I can't find a site or adress (internet or real) for manufacturer. I know the guy did a nice Junkers Ju-86K-2 in 1/48 scale (it was previewed on this forum somewhere).

 

BTW Steelworks Models from Germany produces a small PE fret containing the bombardiers floor, steering wheels and few other small parts:

https://shop.strato.de/epages/61299018.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/61299018/Products/SA7229

[TISO]

As for other Hungarian ww2 kits in 1/72:

Junkers Ju-86K-2 KORA produces a bit pricy resin + decals conversion set for Italeri kit in few versions (only difference are decals),

Heinkel He-70K can be had from Revell/Matchbox or older short run WK models directly or for making a more detailed and accurate kit by grafring this kits engine and forward paert of the fuselage to ICM/Revell kit (steelwork Models produces upgrade set for ICM He-70 that will come hand in the latter case),

Manfred Weiss WM-21 Solym KORA produces resin kit of the thing - pricy but AFAIK the only game in town.

Caproni Ca.310 - Azur kit A088 has Hungarian, Yugoslav and Croatian decals

Regiane Re.2000 - Italeri produces much upgraded and detailed  kit based on Supermodel kit with Hungarian decals included

Fiat Cr-32 - Supermodel or much improved and more detailed Italeri kit based on Supermodel kit or newer Azur kit

Fiat Cr-42 - Italeri much superior to short run Pavla kit or ancient Revell/Matchbox (this one has a few shape issues)

Dornier Do-17M/P - RS

Dornier Do-215B ICM

He-111P/H Hasegawa/Revell, Airfix, Italeri........

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by TISO

[TISO]

A fellow member of the forum Jure Miljevic provided me a copy of a lenghty article "A Caproni Ca 135 a magyar légierő szolgálatában 1940-1944" by Kóvacs Ferenc  - a 2 part article in Hungarian magazine Aero História from mid 90's. Another friend (thanks Marko) is working on translation. As a result i for start corrected the armmament part of Caproni Ca.135bis/U technical tactical characteristics. Marko also translated a part of kit instructions dealing with aicraft characteristics

Edited October 20, 2021 by TISO

[TISO]

Update

OK more of a preparation for an udate really.

A friend translating the article pointed me to a hungarian doctoral thesis (thanks Marko). So i will be able to significantly expand the article in the future.

Now i'm doing google translate magic on the language i don't understand. I hope  Marko will proof read it before i update the article.

 

Link to the doctoral thesis:

A Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő harci alkalmazása a második világháborúban (1939-1945)  by author Becze Csaba (phd desertation) mentor Dr. Ormos Mária :

https://pea.lib.pte.hu/bitstream/handle/pea/23620/becze-csaba-phd-2006.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y&fbclid=IwAR370H5h8wjekML0F44sADiUdj_vwk9CXjcdmVy0khngNs92hFh9_1Zu-qY

 

   

[TISO]

Significant update of Second deployment in SSSR. This last source (doctoral thesis) should be translated into english and published as a standalone book. Just throw in a couple of photos and color profiles and it is good to go.

 

If i'm not mistaken author Bezce Csaba is the same as in some recent books on WW2 Hungarian armor and airforce.

Now  i'll start on 1941 deployment to SSSR

[TISO]

OK i updated first deployment of Ca.135bis to SSSR in 1941.

I would also like to thenk fellow modeller Marko Hrelja for his help with translation from Hungarian and checking on my google translate work.

 

Still some holes in the service.

I hope some manufacturer will have mercy on us and issued the kit in plastic or reasin or 3D print or anything

Edited November 1, 2021 by TISO

[TISO]

Some financial info RE first order added from new source [#22]

[TISO]

Some light editing in first part and a new source added [#23]

Edited October 17, 2022 by TISO

[TISO]

Some additional editing done on service and Romanian incident expanded

[TISO]

Question 

What were the Caproni Ca.135bis squadron number designations in June-July 1941?

Initial units to which Ca.135bisU were sent were part of 3. Bomber regiment (3.Bombázóezredin) in bomber squadrons (Bombázószázad)
3./3  “Sárkány” squadron (Debrecen) 
3./5 “Uz Bence” squadron (Debrecen)                   
3./6 “Boszorkány” squadron (Pápa) 

 

I have a problem as these unit designations are used by most books even after the attack on the Soviet union (end of June 1941) after 2 reorganisations of Hungarian bomber force. For example designation 3./5 “Uz Bence” squadron still being used in practically all books during bombing raids even tough 3. Bomber regiment being already disbanded at the time and capronis sent ot 4. Bomber regiment by the end of 1940.

 

In late 1940 Ca.135bis were started to be concentrated in 4./I bomber group which was done by the end of the 1940.

As far as i understand
In april 1941 all Ca.135bis were part of 4./I bomber group (4./II was equipped with Ju-86K-2) and before attack on SSSR, 3. Bomber regiment was disbanded and merged with 4. Bomber regiment as new 4./I (ex 3./I - Ju-86K-2) and 4./II (ex.3./II - Ju-86K-2) and previous groups were redesignated 4./III (ex. 4./I Ca.135bis) and 4./IV (ex. 4./II - Ju-86K-2). 

So at time of the attack on SSSR bomber force should be:
4. Bomber Regiment (Debrecen):
4./I    Group with Ju-86K-2 (27+9)
4./II   Group with Ju-86K-2 (18+6)
4./III  Group with Ca.135bisU (27+9)
4./IV  Group with Ju-86K-2 (18+6)

 

I asked this on Axis History Forum let's see if anyone knows.

[JWM]

On 9/20/2021 at 8:34 PM, TISO said:

As for other Hungarian ww2 kits in 1/72:

Junkers Ju-86K-2 KORA produces a bit pricy resin + decals conversion set for Italeri kit in few versions (only difference are decals),

Heinkel He-70K can be had from Revell/Matchbox or older short run WK models directly or for making a more detailed and accurate kit by grafring this kits engine and forward paert of the fuselage to ICM/Revell kit (steelwork Models produces upgrade set for ICM He-70 that will come hand in the latter case),

Manfred Weiss WM-21 Solym KORA produces resin kit of the thing - pricy but AFAIK the only game in town.

Caproni Ca.310 - Azur kit A088 has Hungarian, Yugoslav and Croatian decals

Regiane Re.2000 - Italeri produces much upgraded and detailed  kit based on Supermodel kit with Hungarian decals included

Fiat Cr-32 - Supermodel or much improved and more detailed Italeri kit based on Supermodel kit or newer Azur kit

Fiat Cr-42 - Italeri much superior to short run Pavla kit or ancient Revell/Matchbox (this one has a few shape issues)

Dornier Do-17M/P - RS

Dornier Do-215B ICM

He-111P/H Hasegawa/Revell, Airfix, Italeri........

Marko, I am sure that you know that this is just a part of the whole list of Hungarian WW2 machines which can be modeled. 

Let me add some more:

Heinkel He 45 by AML

Heinkel He-46 by AML (engine to be stolen from Matchbox/Revell He 70 K )

Henikel He 112

Heinkel He 51

Junkers Ju 88 A4, A5 , A14, C6 (at least one  B.122) , D1 , D2 , D5

Junkers Ju 87 A, B & D1, D3, D5

Junkers Ju 52

Junkers Ju 188  H2 (F.001,F002)

Messerschmitt Me 110 F4/G2,  G4

Messerschmitt Me 210 Ca-1

Messerschmitt Me 109 F4, G-2, G4, G6, G10, G14

Messerschmitt Bf 108 (KP, Fly, Heller)

Bucker Bu 131 (RS)

Bucker Bu 133 (RS, Heller)

Arado Ar 96  A, B (KP, Heller, 

Arado 79

FW 56 (Heller)

FW 58 C, B & K7 (SH)

Fw 189 A1 (ICM...)

FW 190 F8  - Techmod decals

Fiesler Fi 156 (Heller, Academy)

Romeo  Ro 41 (Kora injected)

Nardi FN 305

RWD-8

Potez 63-11

NA 16 Harvard (SH, Academy) 

Yakovkev UT-2 (G.001)

Dornier Do 17 Ka3 (captured from RYAF)

PZl P 11a

Avia 534

Klemm 35D

Blenheim Mk I (captured from RYAF)

Siebel 204

Gotha 242

Caudron Ca 635

Savoia SM 79 (captured from RYAF)

 

Vacu: 

Savoia Sm 75 (Broplan vacu)

Dirnier Do 23

 

Resin:

WM 16 Budapest (Kora resin) - BTW, I am sure that appearance of both WM 16 and WM 21 as injected kits by LF in series of Fokker CV variants is just the question of time.

Breda 25 (Choroszy resin)

Caudron C600 (SBS resin)

 

I am not sure of exists as kit

Fiat G12

Caproni Ca 101 E

Heinkel HD-22

+ a lot of local Hungarian small machines  first of all beautiful "Levante" 

 

Shortly before WW2 there were also Breda 65, Fiat BR 20 

 

Many thank you for your massive set of info on Ca 135. One day I will have to go through it, now I only read it fast and superficial... (sorry to say it )

Best ragards 

J-W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TISO]

Some light editing done. Nothing of note.

 

JWM you can also add to the list 

He-46E  by RS models  (just got one)

Wm-21 Solym by Kora resin

[JWM]

On 3/3/2024 at 7:58 PM, TISO said:

JWM you can also add to the list 

He-46E  by RS models  (just got one)

Wm-21 Solym by Kora resin

Indeed, however He 46 was in the time of writing that past post only in secret plans of RS company, it was hard to anticipate it... On anticipated stuff, I can tell that I  once corresponded with owner of LF company about possibility of release of injected WM 21 as a development of Fokker CV in their long series of very nice Fokkers, and the answer was "yest, we want to do ALL development variants of Fokker CV, including the Swiss and Hungarian one, but we need time for doing this..." Those were plans some year ago, I am not sure if those plans are still actual, the LF is doing now series of small first helicopters. However I am not buying Kora resin kit, nor starting the scratch work for it. I am still waiting for WM 21 Solyom (Falcon) and EKW C 35 as injected short run kits by LF  - perhaps also there will be WM 16 Budapest?  

Regards

J-W

 

[TISO]

11 hours ago, JWM said:

...However I am not buying Kora resin kit, nor starting the scratch work for it. 

Heh. I already took one for the team. Now i just need to start it and be approx. halfway trough. Then they will issue brand new injection molded one..

[JWM]

1 minute ago, TISO said:

Heh. I already took one for the team. Now i just need to start it and be approx. halfway trough. Then they will issue brand new injection molded one..

It is often like that! When I was advanced with scratch work on Miles Martinet (conversion from Frog Master) - Pavla kit appeared, when I did Lancaster - Mk II Airfix kit appeared,  when I did Airfix Hampden - Valom released it, I hope you are right and it will go! 

On the other hand sometimes it work differently - I started Caproni 100 as a scratch conversion from Frog Gypsy Moth, there was an announcement, that both Caproni 100 and 164 will be released by I think Fly. Nothing like that happened, but I suspended my work and never finished Ca 100...