Soviet Air Forces in Hungary and Austria 1944–1991 (bevezető)
In August 1983 we had moved to Kunmadaras which was simply an average 'Kunish' village for me then and I started attending the second class of the kindergarten. And even then, as a little child I caught sight of the big butterflies, the parachutists jumping out of them with their marvelous chutes and the planes in the blue sky. I became transfixed, I was looking at the clouds agape after the sleeping-time, waiting for the helicopters.
As I was getting acquainted with my new place, I got used to the thought of living near the most immense military airport of Central-Eastern-Europe but I was
not extremely interested in what took place inside the fences of the base. But there happened things which have changed my life forever. The fact that my
neighbors were usually visited by the family of a pilot of one local regiment and that I could meet with other aviation officers, was only the start of this
strange and, according to my family, a little bit maniac kind of 'love'.
I got inside of the military part of the airbase and then, there something stroke me, I felt something weird, new and unknown. The way that the camouflaged
machines of metal were taking off and landing as light birds, then the faded colors of the fuselage of a plane parking in a hangar were all radiating feelings
which I am, even now, unable to express...
In 1990 Horn Gyula, the Hungarian Minister of foreign affairs, and his Soviet counterpart, Eduard Shevarnadze signed the agreement on withdrawing the Southern Army Group from Hungary. And due to it, in 1991, the two local regiments of Kunmadaras were removed from here, along with the other units of the 36. Air Army. On June 19, 1991, at 15.01, General Colonel Shilov, leader of the YuGV passed the Hungarian-Soviet border as the last soviet soldier stationed in Hungary. But everything, all the experience, impressions stayed here in my heart: the colors, the smell of kerosene and the eject seat, in one word: the love towards aviation. That's why I decided to collect all things in connection with the theme: photos, videos, data, memoirs, and weaponry for the planes, uniforms. Later my knowledge got as immense about it that I have even made up my mind to write down all of them in a book, so that it could be available for everybody. Slowly I got to think in a special way of thinking, trying to answer all uncertain, unanswered technical questions, but I knew my ideas, images might be wrong. But sleep inside I felt I was thinking well. After many years, when reliable resources reinforced my knowledge, I had cathartic experience. Then I knew it was worth it. That's how I got to know about the flying order, the build-up of the VVS, the types, the working of the bombs...
I would like this book to reach everyone who is aimed at: lovers of Soviet and Hungarian aviation, those, who live for it, and even those, for whom it was
crucial, and have done a lot for it and will do a lot for it. I also hope that it will reach those, who are probably maniacs as I am, and see the nice and good
parts of this time. The book got in this format after many years of thinking, collecting materials, information, and interviews.
The biggest problem was that one could hardly (rather was unable) find original Russian language scripts, punctual data. And, moreover, there is a Soviet-Hungarian
treaty saying all materials relating to YuGV are secret for 50 years. Even so, I tried to do it more punctually, using more info. Some photos are slightly or hardly
damaged, but really informative, so I could not leave them out. Should there be newer info, I am immediately attaching them in the new edition of the book.
I have written the book in a light style, and divided it to four main independent parts for the sake of lighter usage. I do hope I could do it in the way that
even laic people's breath can be taken away while seeing, reading what had happened here, where there were some airports some ten years ago.
Vándor Károly
July 2003, Szentendre
|
|
|
|
| KATALÓGUS | TARTALOM |
