To the Question of the Relation of Forces of the Parties of the Soviet Aviation and the Luftwaff e by the Beginning of the Battle for the Caucasus

In the article, the author draws attention to the erroneous representation of the ratio of combat aircraft of the Red Army aviation and the German Luftwaff e to the beginning of the battle for the Caucasus in 1942–1943, which takes place in Internet sources as a result of an incorrect study of military historical literature. The author provides evidence that the calculations should take into account not only the aviation of the Southern Front, which opposed the German Army Group "A", but also the strength of the 5th Air Army of the North Caucasian Front, the Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet, long-range aviation, air defense aviation, military educational institutions and reserve aviation regiments that were armed with combat aircraft. On the contrary, the enemy gave infl ated data. As a result of the study, the author concludes that the balance of forces of the parties is approximately equal in terms of the number of combat aircraft on July 25, 1942.