Lithuanian Military Aviation: 1919-1940

Germany’s capitulation in the First World War and the revolutionary movements in Russia and Germany created favourable conditions for the emergence of the independent state of Lithuania.

On February 16, 1918, the Council of Lithuania announced the sovereign and democratic state of Lithuania with the capital in Vilnius. It was obvious that to realise this idea, Armed Forces were necessary.

On 11, 1918, the Provisional Government of Lithuania drew up an Armed Forces development plan and on November 23rd, it issued a historic order to create the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Between 1919-1920 military units of all the then branches of service or their rudiments were developed.

Then Government realised the underlying importance of aviation, an, even with limited budget, it founded a new aviation department. At that point in January 1919, the Aviation Platoon was made part of the Engineering Company. On March 1st, the Aviation Platoon reorganised into a Company and soon after, on March 12th, the Company became a separate Aviation Command. At first, Konstantinas Fugalevičius (1893-1919) was appointed as commanding officer. The General Headquarters Chief and Commander took charge of administrative and operational matters while the General Headquarters Engineering Department controlled technical matters. After restructuring, Petras Petronis (1887-1950) was appointed as commanding officer of the Aviation Command. Fugalevičius was transferred to become commander of the School, which was established on the very same day. The first graduates of the Aviation School were L. Sliužinskas and A. Gustaitis. The Aviation Command was located at the four-year-old Kaunas Airport.

The infantry donated the first airplane to the Aviation Command after they captured it from the Bolsheviks on February 5, 1919. It was a "Sopwith" aircraft produced in England and equipped with 110 HP engine. The first 8 German reconnaissance LVG C VI aircraft were delivered on February 27, 1919. Later, in June, the Command purchased five more airplanes from Germany.

After acquiring aircraft, the activities of the Lithuanian Aviation department began in earnest even though Lithuania did not yet have any trained military pilots. Therefore, pilots from England, France and other countries were hired temporarily to serve in the Lithuanian Aviation Command. Missions were flown starting from March 1st. At the beginning, German pilots and mechanics were teaching Lithuanian aviators to fly and how to maintain the aircraft.

Pr.i Pr. Hiksa was the first Lithuanian military pilot. He studied aviation and flying in Great Britain and entered the Aviation Command on May 15, 1919. The first 34 Lithuanian officers graduated from the Aviation School on December 16, 1919 and joined the Aviation Command. These courageous Lithuanian pilots were driven by moral principals and were willing to sacrifice their lives for their country when fighting an enemy.

Since that time, the Aviation Command became better organised and made significant, noticeable, improvements in their activities. This period was the beginning of a new era of Lithuanian Aviation. Lithuanian pilots bravely fought against the Red Army, Poland, and German forces.

First Lieutenant Jurgis Dobkevičius (1900-1926 m.) flew the greatest number of sorties and later became the first Lithuanian pilot instructor. On May 12, 1920, Lt. V. Rauba was the first Lithuanian military pilot to die in a plane crash. On October 3rd of the same year, Polish forces shot down the first Lithuanian aircraft. 1st Squadron Commander, Lt. Juozas Kumpis, and reconnaissance officer Lt. Pranskevičius, were seriously injured and died as prisoners of war in Poland. Both pilots received the Vytis Cross Award posthumously.

After withdrawing German and Bermont units from Lithuania, the Lithuanian Military Aviation seized enemy aviation weapon systems and spare parts, including: planes, engines, propellers, and other parts. Lithuania managed to use all the supplies and construct a few dozen reconnaissance and training aircraft. Various-purpose aircraft were purchased in Italy, Czechoslovakia, France, and Great Britain.

After the war for independence, Lithuanian Military Aviation continuously grew, improved, and went through a series of changes. In 1920, the Aviation Command was renamed the Aviation Core, and from 1920-1921, it was called the Air Fleet. In 1928, the name was only the Aviation, and later, Military Aviation.

From 1919-1920, Military Aviation planes were marked with a red diamond that had green and white contours and a white Vytis cross inside. In 1920-1921, the insignia changed to a white Vytis Cross inside a red shield, while in 1921-1940 the white Vytis Cross had a black contour.

Structure of the Lithuanian Military Aviation Department, 1940:

I. Reconnaissance Group (Headquarters in Pajuostis, near Panevėžys);
2nd Squadron (established in 1921, aircraft: ANBO-41);
6th Squadron (established in 1932, aircraft: ANBO-41 & ANBO-IV);
8th Squadron (established in 1938, aircraft: ANBO-41).

II. Fighter Group (Headquarters in Kaunas);
1st Squadron (established in 1920, aircraft: Dewoit ine D-501L);
5th Squadron (established in 1932, aircraft: Gloster “Gladiator”);
7th Squadron (established in 1938, aircraft: FIAT CR.20).

III. Bomber Group (Headquarters in Zokniai, near Šiauliai);
3rd Squadron (established in 1923, aircraft Ansaldo A.120);
4th Squadron (established in 1925, aircraft ANBO-41).

IV. Training Group (established in 1920 in Kaunas, aircraft: ANBO-III, ANBO-V, ANBO- 51, ANBO-VI, etc.

Stationary Military Aviation bases were established in Kaunas (1st, 2nd, 7th Squadrons and the Training Group), in Zokniai (3rd, 4th, and 5th Squadrons), in Pajuostis (6th and 8th Squadrons), and in summer time, airfields were used in Palanga and Gaižiūnai. Approximately 20 emergency airfields were established across the country. Aviation workshops were functioning in Kaunas, where the military aircraft were maintained.

Since 1930, serial production of the “ANBO” reconnaissance and training aircraft, constructed by A.Gustaitis, was launched at the same workshops. A total of approximately 100 airplanes were manufactured there, 70 of them were of Lithuanian construction.

Pilots, reconnaissance specialists, mechanics, and air gunners were trained at the Military Aviation School, established in Kaunas in 1932. Cadets from the Officer and Enlisted servicemen Departments also made up a part of the School.

Aviation officers contributed to the creation of the Lithuanian Air club in 1927, the Transportation Ministry Air Inspection Department in 1935, and Lithuanian Airlines in 1938.

In 1940, 123 officers, 246 enlisted, 924 soldiers, 183 civilians worked in the Lithuanian Military Aviation Department. 183 of them were pilots, 65 - reconnaissance specialists, and over than 20 – air gunners. The number of aircraft peaked at 117.

Lithuanian military aviation leadership:

In 1919- Officer ( later – Major) Petras Petronis ( 1887-1950) and Officer (later-Captain) Vincas Gavelis ( 1892-1969);

In 1919-1920 - Captain from Great Britain (later Aviation Marshal) Charles Roderick Carr (1891-1971);
In 1920-1927 – Lieutenant General Juozas Kraucevičius ( 1879-1964);

In 1927-1934- General Staff Colonel (later – Division) Stasys Pundzius ( 1893-1980);

1934-1940 – Brigadier General, engineer, Antanas Gustaitis (1898-1941;

In 1919, one of the founders of the Swedish Aviation, Maj. Olle Dahlbeck (1884-1930), served as an aviation inspector.

On 15-17 July 1933, a retired Captain of the Lithuanian Military Aviation Steponas Darius (1896-1933) and Stasys Girėnas (1893-1933) attempted a flight from New York to Kaunas. They successfully travelled over the Atlantic Ocean, but crashed in German territory. A year after their deaths, in June and July of 1934, a formation of 3 reconnaissance aircraft, lead by A. Gustaitis, visited 12 European countries during a memorial flight.

On 15 June 1940, when the Soviet Union occupied the Lithuanian territory, flying was forbidden. Most of the aviators retired or were drafted into service. 77 officers, 72 enlisted, and 20 airplanes were transferred to the Red Army 29th territorial riflemen core.

Air Defence: 1919-1940

As soon as the World War I was over, it was obvious that improving airplane technology posed a great threat in wartime. To defend against an air attack, Lithuania reassigned Military Aviation fighter squadrons and heavy machine gun platoons from other military units to counter air strikes.

When launching military reforms in 1934, more attention was focused on modernising air defence capabilities. In 1935 the government passed a Defence Law against air threats. The responsibility was delegated to the Air Defence Headquarters (a division of the Military Headquarters), established on May 6, 1935 and commanded by Colonel Povilas Babickas-Alanta (1897-1940).

The Air Defence Team was established on July 10, 1935 to provide active defence. Col. P. Babickas led the Team until 1939, and from 1939-40, Colonel Antanas Sidabras (1896-1942) acted as commander.

The Air Defence team consisted of:

Artillery Group: three batteries, each consisting of three Vickers-Armstrong 75 mm guns, one Sperry T8E3 predictor (calculator), one optical 3 meter base altimeter and one petroleum-fuelled 1 kW generator;

• Company of Lights: lights produced by AEG lights. Listening devices produced by Elektroakustik.
• Automatic Gun Company: three platoons, equipped with 20 mm Oerlikon 1 II a automatic guns
• Heavy Machine Gun Company: three platoons, equipped with Maxim SMG 08/15 machine guns
• Passive Defence Company.

In 1940, the Team consisted of 38 officers, 92 enlisted personnel, 493 soldiers and 12 civilians. The Infantry Division contained 5 mechanised air defence companies.

Military Aviation had 3 air defence companies, equipped with heavy machine guns, 20 mm calibre Gust LTAF-Werke automatic guns, and 2cm Flak 28 guns. The ammunition for the heavy machine guns and 20-mm guns were produced at the Linkaičiai weapons workshop.

In 1940, the Lithuanian Armed Forces had 9 75mm-air defence guns, 350 20-mm automatic guns, and 924 heavy machineguns.

After the Soviet occupation, Air Defence personnel and weapons systems of the Air Defence were transferred to the Red Army 29th territorial riflemen corps.

 

Lithuanian Air Force: 1990-2002

The renaissance of the Lithuanian Air Force began with the creation of the new defence system. In December 1990, the first aviation related office was created – the Aviation Engineering Division (similar to the Aviation Platoon established in the Engineering Company in 1919.) Military pilot Zenonas Vegelevičius was appointed to head this office on January 2, 1991.

In January 1992, the Aviation Service was established within the Ministry of Defence, and Lt. Col. Vegelevičius was appointed as commander.

Military pilots, engineers, support specialists, retired officers, and civilians returned to Lithuania from different regions of the Soviet Union and gathered in Kaunas at the Aviation Service Headquarters. Difficult and creative work began. One of the most significant contributors was the Aviation Service Deputy Commander, and later, Deputy Commander of the Air Force, military pilot Col. S. Murza.

Shortly thereafter, officials began surveillance operations of Lithuanian air space early thanks to leadership of the Civilian Aviation Department and Vilnius airport’s radio-technical equipment.

On 30 April 1992, the Aviation Service received the Šiauliai joint aviation squadron, including 24 An-2 type aircraft. This aircraft and maintenance personnel formed the core of the First Air Base, which was established at Baryšiai airfield near Meskučiai (Joniškis region). Later, on June 18, the operational flights commenced and the first aircraft took off bearing the Vytis Cross insignia. Therefore, this day is considered the Air Force Day.

 

In February 1993, four L-39C "Albatross" light attack aircraft, acquired from Kyrgyztan, landed at Karmėlava airfield in Kaunas.

On March 1, 1993, the Aviation Service of the Department of Defence was reorganised into the Air Force. The Commander of the Air Force until 2000 was Col. Z. Vegelevičius. Currently, Commander of the Air Force is Col. E.Mažeikis.

As the Soviet Army was leaving Lithuania, the main goal of the Lithuanian Air Force was to take control of the airfields and all the equipment as soon as possible before they were ruined or destroyed. A second Air Base was formed at Pajuostis airfield, Panevežys, while the Russian transport aviation division remained there.

From 1993-1999, the Air Force acquired L-410 UPV, An-24, An-26, and L-39 airplanes, and Mi-2 and Mi-8 helicopters from Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia, and Lithuanian Airlines.

In 2000, weapon systems for the Air Defence Battalion were acquired from Sweden.

An air space surveillance and control system was created in order to control Lithuanian air space. The system includes now civilian radar system in Vilnius, Klaipėda, Kaunas, and military radar posts. The system also includes active defence equipment. Radar information from the civilian and military radar posts is fed to the Lithuanian Air Space Control Centre, processed with modern equipment, and sent to the analysts.

With the support of the international co-operation program, BALTNET, the United States, and Norway, the Regional Air Space Surveillance and Co-ordination Centre (RASCC) for the Baltic States was established.

At present, the Lithuanian Air Force maintains two air bases and controls the Air Space Surveillance and Control Command and the Air Defence Battalion. The Search and Rescue System and Baltic Air Space Surveillance Systems also function with in the Air Force system.

The Air Force Headquarters are located in Kaunas at Gedimino Street, 25. It is housed in the building where the Department of Defence was located until 1940. Air bases are situated at the same airfields where the pre-war military aviation squads were based.

International Co-operation

As it seeks to become a full-fledged member of NATO, Lithuania is consistently and resolutely implementing integration measures as it reorganises its defence structures to comply with NATO standards and participates in international co-operative mission.

The Air Force greatly contributes to Lithuania’s integration efforts by developing bilateral military co-operation relations with the present NATO members (Denmark, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, USA, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, France, Turkey, Hungary, Germany) and NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme countries (Sweden, Latvia, and Estonia.).

The LTAF participates in a broad range of co-operative projects such as international seminars and conferences, military exercises, missions and multinational projects. The majority of events are carried out in accordance with bilateral co-operation plans that are drafted and revised every year.

Co-operation with NATO members is carried out according to the Individual Partnership Programme (IPP).

A number of activities are conducted in conjunction with International Military Education and Training (IMET) projects and the US Military Liaison Team’s (MLT) “Military-to-Military” programmes. During such activities, LTAF service members travel to military education facilities abroad to gain additional knowledge and skills. Other programs bring foreign military experts to Lithuania to conduct seminars, consult, and make evaluations of the effectiveness and progress of Air Force programmes.

In 2000, the first two Lithuanian cadets graduated from the US Air Force Academy and are serving in the LTAF.

Since 1996, the LTAF has participated in numerous international exercises, such as “Co-operative Baltic Eye”, “Cooperative Bear”, “Baltic Hope”, “Amber Hope” and others.

The LTAF is successfully operating the acquired “Harris” radio receivers/transmitters and implementing the Baltic airspace surveillance Network (BALTNET) as well as the Air Traffic Management and Airspace Surveillance (ATMAS) projects with financial and equipment donations from the USA and Sweden. Close co-operation with Sweden also allowed for the establishment of the first Lithuanian Air Defence Battalion in 1999.

In support of NATO missions, the LTAF transport planes have been flying missions to and from the countries of former Yugoslavia, carrying Lithuanian and, if needed Latvian peacekeepers.

In 2003 one LTAF An-26 transport planes and its crew completed peacekeeping mission with NATO nations. The plane was stationed in Naples, Italy, and participated in the SFOR operations.

On Friday, 4 July military airmen, who participated in NATO-led operations in support of KFOR/SFOR missions in Balkans, will be awarded the National Defence System’s medals “For International Missions” at the Ministry of National Defence.

While increasing Lithuanian military contingents in Iraq, the Seimas (Parliament) of Lithuania has decided to cancel the involvement of the Lithuanian cargo aircraft AN-26 in the missions of supplying NATO-led operations in Bosnia (SFOR) and Kosovo (KFOR).

The Lithuanian Air Force transport aircraft AN-26 was involved in airlifting military personnel and cargoes. The Lithuanian military aviators, who were flying on An-26 to the NATO air force base in Naples, Italy, have been attending the KFOR/SFOR missions since April 2001, rotating every six weeks. Since then, the Lithuanian plane has spent nearly 2,000 hours in the air, made over than 1,000 flights, airlifted about 13, 000 soldiers and some 300 tons of cargo.

36 military aviators including commanders of crews, pilots – officers of interoperability, navigators, on-board technicians, aircraft technicians, aircraft avionics technicians will receive awards for their distinguished service.

During the official ceremony 4 Lithuanian military medics who have already completed their service in Iraq will also be awarded the medals “ For International Missions”.

Active Lithuanian Air Force participation in international exercises, missions, and other international events helps develop its own structure, operational expertise in NATO operating procedures, and contributes to overall collective security.