Babimost 2008-01-27
45 Fighter Aviation Regiment.
45 Regiment of Fighter and Assault Aviation.
45 Aviation Training and Combat Regiment.
1956 – 1992.
History of the 45th PLM.
New aviation organization. 1957.
In 1955, the Warsaw Pact was established. Therefore, an organizational change of the Polish Military Aviation turned out to be necessary. On April 30, 1956, the Chief of Staff of the Polish Armed Forces ordered the commander of the Air Force and Anti-Aircraft Defense of the National Area to form the 45th Fighter Aviation Regiment at the Babimost airport by October 1, 1956. The airport in Babimost was expanded in 1954. The regiment established the Order of the Minister of National Defense of 6 July 1957. The 45th Regiment began its operation on October 10, 1957, at the airport in Babimost, when the 3rd Squadron of the 1st PLM "Warszawa", under the command of Lieutenant Pilot Jan Malicki, landed at the airport. This squadron was the nucleus of a new regiment.
The regiment was equipped with MiG-15 fighters. In July 1957, the 45th PLM was subordinated to the 3rd National Air Defense Corps.
Description of the photo: The Lim-2 aircraft No. 1B 18-009 / 1809 was used in the 45th PLM in Babimost. After the service, he was handed over to the museum in Drzonów.
In 1960, the 3rd Polish Air Defense Corps, with its headquarters in Wrocław, had in its composition; 3. PLM in Wrocław, 38th PLM in Powidz, 45th PLM in Babimost, 62nd PLM in Krzesiny. Additionally, the 3rd Corps had; 44th Liaison Aviation Squadron (Wrocław), 14th Air Force Artillery Regiment (Wrocław), 98th Air Defense Regiment (Poznań), 18th (Poznań-Ławica), 22nd (Wrocław-Strachowice) Radio Engineering Battalions.
In 1960, the 45th Regiment was awarded the banner.
45 PLM did not belong to the first-class regiments in the Polish Aviation, and even in the structures of OPL OK. This was important as it indicates that the 45th Regiment never received the newest aircraft. In the Regiment, fighter planes ended their resources and were written down from the state. In the 3rd Air Defense Corps OK, regiments from Krzesin and Starachowice were in the lead. In the meantime, the 38th PLM in Powidz has changed its location and character.
45 PLM was equipped with MiG-15, MiG-15 bis and Lim-1 fighters obtained from other aviation regiments. The regiment was ready to fight in 1960.
On July 21, 1961, Yuri Gagarin, the world’s first cosmonaut, paid a guest visit to the Babimost airport. In memory of this event, a commemorative plaque was embedded in the apron.
1969 year.
In the second half of the 1960s, further important changes took place in the Polish Military Aviation. They mainly concerned Operational Aviation. In November 1969, the 45th PLM was incorporated into the Air Force Command and reassigned to a fighter-assault regiment.
The composition of the Air Force Command included the 16th Fighter-Assault Aviation Division, which in 1969 changed its name to the 2nd Brandenburg Fighter-Assault Aviation Division. It included; – 3. PLM-B from Bydgoszcz with Su-7 aircraft, – 6. PLM-Sz from Piła, connected to the 51st PLM-Sz, with Lim-6 bis aircraft, – 8. PLM-Sz from Mirosławiec, previously marked 53 – PLM-Sz, with Lim-6 bis planes, – 45th PLM-Sz from Babimost.
45 PLM-Sz received the first Lim-6 bis attack aircraft for equipment. 45th PLM-Sz with time became more of a training and combat regiment. Young pilots came to him straight after school, and only after obtaining the first degrees of combat training, they often went to serve in Piła or Mirosławiec.
1972 year.
This organizational system did not last long, however. As early as 1972, another change took place. 2. Brandenburg DLM-Sz changed its tasks and became an assault reconnaissance. Therefore, it changed its name to the 2nd Assault and Reconnaissance Aviation Division and was given the command of a regiment; 21. PLRTiA from Sochaczew. The 3rd PLM-B from Bydgoszcz, which came under the direct command of the Air Force, left the structures. The 8th PLM-Sz from Mirosławiec also missed. Our hero, the 45th PLM-Sz, remained.
So, the 2nd DLSz-R was composed of; – 6th PLM-Sz from Piła, – 45th PLM-Sz from Babimost, – 21st PLRTiA from Sochaczew, – 47th Liaison Aviation Squadron.
1982 year.
In 1982, all fighter-assault regiments changed their tasks to fighter-bomber. It was related to the prospect of adopting Sukhoi Su-22 attack aircraft for Polish armament. Therefore, the 2nd DLM-B was composed; – 6th PLM-B from Piła, – 45th PLM-B from Babimost, – 21st PLM-B from Sochaczew, which, however, still mainly performed reconnaissance tasks and in 1985, still had the name of the 21st PLB-R, – 47. ELŁ.
In the period 1980 – 1988, training courses for cadets from the Higher Officer Aviation School in Dęblin took place in the 45th Regiment.
1988 year.
Around 1985, it was certain that the 45th PLM-B in Babimost would not be equipped with new Su-22 fighter-bombers. Therefore, in 1988, the 45th Regiment was renamed the 45th Air Training and Combat Regiment.
In 1991, the 45th LPSzk-Boj had 24 Lim-6 bis planes and 5 SB Lim-2 planes in its stock.
Description of the photo: Lim-6 bis R nr 1J 06-35 / 635. The plane was additionally equipped with a camera. On March 13, 1964, the plane was handed over to the 21st PLRT in Sochaczew. Then he was transferred to the 45th Regiment in Babimost. After the service, he was handed over to the Museum in Drzonów. The plane is armed with two UB-16 pods for unguided missiles, two 23mm cannons (cannons) and one 37mm cannon. In addition, the plane has two additional fuel tanks 2 x 400 liters, made of plastic.
Demolition of the 45th LPSzk-Boj. 1992 year.
The dismantling of the 45th LPSzk-Boj took place together with the exhaustion of the last Lim-6 bis / M aircraft at the end of 1992. The 45th Regiment was the last air unit to use this type of Polish attack aircraft. In February 1992, the aviation training was completed, and on August 22, 1992, the regiment’s banner was solemnly farewell. The aviation training of the Regiment was completed on Lim-6 bis / M.
On September 1, 1992, by the order of the Ministry of National Defense, a new unit-command of Airport Service was established as JW. 2784. From 01/01/2000, it functioned in the composition of the 21st Air Base, and then the 33rd Air Base as the airport No. 2. On December 31, 2004, the Military Unit in Babimost was completely liquidated. The tradition and history of the disbanded air unit are cultivated by the Association of Former Professional Soldiers and Reserve Officers of the Polish Army. This institution is an association and has been operating since March 27, 1981. The Association took care of the aviation symbols remaining after the Unit and the military part of the Memorial Room.
Babimost airport.
The airport is about 5 km north-west from the town of Babimost. It has the coordinates of 52.08 N 15.47 E and is located at an altitude of 59 m above sea level. The airport is equipped with a runway (RWY) with dimensions of 2 500 m x 60 m, with a concrete surface, has an orientation of 06/24. Currently (2005), the airport performs civil functions, both for passenger and cargo transport and for medical aviation. It is an airport with regular national air traffic.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman