Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

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TISO
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#16

Post by TISO » 03 May 2021, 12:57

CNE503
Thank you.
This is rather maddnening. I get that it was reorganisation on reorganisation in short time before the start of the war.
I do understand that topic is rather "boutique" and also has language barrier

I have to admit i'm no Hungarian air force specialist but i was under impression that unit designations and numbering most books use was something on this line
4. Bombázóezred - Bomber regiment
4./I Bombázóosztáli - Bomber Group (4. Regiment, I Group inside the regiment)
4./2 Bombázószázad - Bomber Squadron (4. Regiment, 2nd Bomber Squadron inside the regiment and part of I Bomber Group)

CNE503
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#17

Post by CNE503 » 03 May 2021, 13:12

I copied what I read in the book, I don't know if it is correct but I have the impression that it is quite a solid job.
CNE503
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"


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TISO
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#18

Post by TISO » 03 May 2021, 13:36

Seems that i have some bookhunting to do.
It is a rather unknown topic. I'm scale modeller and research is most fun for me.
I know that in 1941 Ca.135's were still marked with unit markings (on the nose) for original 3. Bombázóezred (3. bomber regiment) squadrons they were assigned to at time of arrival in first half of 1940:
3./3 “Sárkány” (Dragon) squadron
3./5 “Uz Bence” squadron
3./6 “Boszorkány” (Witch) squadron

And even in 1942 same squadron nicknames were used:
On June 24 1942 HQ staff of 4. Bomber regiment under command of major (örnagy) Izstván Mocsáry started from Debrecen with 4./1 “Boszorkány” (Witch) Squadron which was created with combining this squadron with “Uz bence” Squadron.
Must get those books as i also want to know about Ju-86K use on the eastern front (there is one rather pricy conversion set for Italeri kit in my stash). Right now i only know that Emelyanenko Vasiliy Borisovich HSU of 7. GShAP reported shooting down one as a wierd looking Bf-110 but then seen the wreakadge and mentioned it as hungarian Ju-86K.

Kelvin
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#19

Post by Kelvin » 03 May 2021, 15:08

CNE503 wrote:
02 May 2021, 14:15
CNE503 wrote:
26 Apr 2021, 13:35
[...]
I have the figures of serviceable aircrafts in DENES, KARLENKO and ROBA, 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 (see here: https://www.amazon.com/Barbarossa-Odess ... oks&sr=1-1) but unfortunately I'm not at home right now. I could give these figures at the end of the week.
Here are the figures of serviceable fighters given in the book I mentioned for the Romanian Royal Air Force (FARR)'s Combat Air Grouping (GAL) on June 22nd, 1941:
- IAR 80: 23 available, 1 unavailable, total 24;
- Heinkel He 112B: 23 available, 5 unavailable, total 28;
- Messerschmitt Bf 109E: 30 available, 6 unavailable, total 36;
- total: 76 fighters available, 12 unavaiblable, total 88.

Unfortunately, the book doesn't provide figures about the air defense of Romania, covered with Grupuri 3, 4 and 6 Vânătoare and their P.11f and P.24E.
I stitch to my figures of 72 P.11f and 24 P.24E, but I cannot tell what were the amounts of available and unavailable ones.
It is the same with the "Hurricanes", which were 12 but I don't know how many were available and unavailable.

Concerning the bombers:
- Grupul 1 Bombardament (1st Bomber Wing), with Escadrile 71 and 72 Bombardament (71st and 72nd Bomber Squadrons): 22 Savoia-Marchetti SM.79B (16 available, 6 unavailable);
- Grupul 2 Bombardament (escadrile 74 and 75): 17 Potez 633 B2 (15 available, 2 unavailable);
- Grupul 4 Bombardament (escadrile 76 and 77): 15 PZL P.37 (12 available, 3 unavailable);
- Grupul 5 Bombardament (escadrile 78, 79 and 80): 27 Heinkel He 111H-3 (23 available, 4 unavailable);
- Grupul 6 mixt de bombardament (escadrile 18 and 82): 8 Marcel Bloch MB.210 (6 available, 2 unavailable) and 9 IAR 37 (8 available, 1 unavailable);
- total 80 available bombers, 18 unavailable ones, total 98.

Concerning the recon aircrafts:
- 28 Bristol "Blenheim" (25 available, 3 unavailable);
- 46 IAR 38 (40/6);
- 77 IAR 39 (64/13).

Concerning seaplanes:
- 10 CANT Z.501;
- 7 Savoia-Marchetti SM.62bis;
- 4 Savoia-Marchetti SM.55.

Regards,
CNE503

Hi, CNE503, thank so much for your contribution in Romanian bomber and seaplane units, very helpful.

BTW, as I know Bristol Blenheim bomber was good bomber and RAF still used it in 1941, why Romanian Royal Airforce deployed in long range recce unit ? thank

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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#20

Post by CNE503 » 03 May 2021, 15:40

Kelvin wrote:
03 May 2021, 15:08
Hi, CNE503, thank so much for your contribution in Romanian bomber and seaplane units, very helpful.

BTW, as I know Bristol Blenheim bomber was good bomber and RAF still used it in 1941, why Romanian Royal Airforce deployed in long range recce unit ? thank
Hello Kelvin,

Actually - and I forgot to mention it - the Combat Air Grouping (GAL) comprised also a mixed recon/bomber squadron, Escadrila 1 recunoastere-bombardament, while Aero-Armata 3 and 4 possessed each such a squadron (Escadrile 3 and 4 recunoastere-bombardament) on Bristol "Blenheim" Mk.I.
Total: 28 "Blenheim", of which 3 were unserviceable on June 22nd, 1941.

So Romanians did use their "Blenheim" as light fast bombers too. But it seems that since they lacked a fast, long-range aircraft for distant recon missions (IAR 38 and 39 being unsufficient for this task), they preferred to used this kind of aircraft in reconnaissance missions rather than in bombing ones.

They appeared to be quite vulnerable to Soviet fighters and AAA, also: the first aircraft and human losses for the FARR was, on June 22nd morning, a "Blenheim" with its crew (No.36,Pilot locotenent-commandor Corneliu Batacui, esc. 1 recunoastere), over Bolgarijka airfield. Two other "Blenheim" of esc. 3 recunoastere (No.37 over Kishinev, No.38 south of Bolgrad) were shot down later that day, and another one (No.21) was destroyed on Jorasti airfield after the explosion of one of its 20kg bomb upon impact when it turned over whild landing.
No.3 and No.22 of esc. 1 recunoastere were also damaged.
On June 22nd, the "Blenheim" were used as bombers as well as recon aircrafts: "The other unescorted Blenheims of the same squadron, sent out to reconnoiter and bomb the airfields of Culevcea, Yaloveni and Akkermann [...]", "Besides their main task, these two-engines aircraft also carried out bombing runs against Akkerman (Cetatea Alba) airfield, as well as enemy river monitors discovered at Reni and Izmail. The squadron paid a heavy price for the unescorted combat sorties".

CNE503
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"

Sid Guttridge
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#21

Post by Sid Guttridge » 04 May 2021, 11:29

Hi kelvin,

I am not sure the Bristol Blenheim could be described as a "good bomber".

It suffered heavy losses during one of the RAF's first daylight raids of the war and this contributed to the switch to night bombing.

Cheers,

Siud

Kelvin
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#22

Post by Kelvin » 05 May 2021, 14:38

CNE503 wrote:
03 May 2021, 15:40
Kelvin wrote:
03 May 2021, 15:08
Hi, CNE503, thank so much for your contribution in Romanian bomber and seaplane units, very helpful.

BTW, as I know Bristol Blenheim bomber was good bomber and RAF still used it in 1941, why Romanian Royal Airforce deployed in long range recce unit ? thank
Hello Kelvin,

Actually - and I forgot to mention it - the Combat Air Grouping (GAL) comprised also a mixed recon/bomber squadron, Escadrila 1 recunoastere-bombardament, while Aero-Armata 3 and 4 possessed each such a squadron (Escadrile 3 and 4 recunoastere-bombardament) on Bristol "Blenheim" Mk.I.
Total: 28 "Blenheim", of which 3 were unserviceable on June 22nd, 1941.

So Romanians did use their "Blenheim" as light fast bombers too. But it seems that since they lacked a fast, long-range aircraft for distant recon missions (IAR 38 and 39 being unsufficient for this task), they preferred to used this kind of aircraft in reconnaissance missions rather than in bombing ones.

They appeared to be quite vulnerable to Soviet fighters and AAA, also: the first aircraft and human losses for the FARR was, on June 22nd morning, a "Blenheim" with its crew (No.36,Pilot locotenent-commandor Corneliu Batacui, esc. 1 recunoastere), over Bolgarijka airfield. Two other "Blenheim" of esc. 3 recunoastere (No.37 over Kishinev, No.38 south of Bolgrad) were shot down later that day, and another one (No.21) was destroyed on Jorasti airfield after the explosion of one of its 20kg bomb upon impact when it turned over whild landing.
No.3 and No.22 of esc. 1 recunoastere were also damaged.
On June 22nd, the "Blenheim" were used as bombers as well as recon aircrafts: "The other unescorted Blenheims of the same squadron, sent out to reconnoiter and bomb the airfields of Culevcea, Yaloveni and Akkermann [...]", "Besides their main task, these two-engines aircraft also carried out bombing runs against Akkerman (Cetatea Alba) airfield, as well as enemy river monitors discovered at Reni and Izmail. The squadron paid a heavy price for the unescorted combat sorties".

CNE503

Hi, CNE503, thank for your additional information, very helpful.

And Sid, perhaps average bomber, and at least it joined many battles in initial period of war.

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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#23

Post by CNE503 » 06 May 2021, 18:58

The performance of the Romanian "Blenheim" as lone fast bombers on the first day of the war was far from impressive, according to all reports. Their bomb load was too light to have severe impact on the targets, in spite of their speed they were easily intercepted by agressive Soviet fighters that were on alert and as a result their bombing results were poor at best and their losses were high, the highest of the FARR which suffered on June 22nd, 1941 its highest losses of the war (13 aircraft destroyed, including 4 "Blenheim", 2 SM.79B, 3 Potez 633, 2 PZL.37, 2 IAR 37, and a lot more damaged - 37 crewmen were killed, wounded or captured).
The Romanian overall success was light: only 37 Soviet aircraft destroyed on ground, 10 more in aerial fight, 3 to the AAA, total 50. The Romanian claims were actually far more higher, with a low credibility though: 115 Soviet aircraft destroyed (100 on ground, 15 in aerial fight including 5 by bomber machinegunners). But the GAL had no luck: its opponent was on alert status when it began to raid its airbases, whereas the Soviet air forces against the German IV. Fliegerkorps was not aware of the incoming attacks.

Only one Romanian pilot scored more than a victory this day: sublocotenent aviator Teodor Moscu, escadrila 51 Vânătoare, with his Heinkel He 112B, who gunned down two Polikarpov I-16 over Zaliznychne (Bolgarijka) airfield.

CNE503
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"

Peter89
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#24

Post by Peter89 » 06 May 2021, 20:52

CNE503 wrote:
03 May 2021, 12:08
TISO wrote:
02 May 2021, 20:30
Could You be please so kind to check the Caproni Ca.135 unit?
From what i gather 3 bomber regiment was disbanded/reorganised into 4. bomber regiment in early june 1941 before the war against the SSSR.
Do You have more? Please (insert hopefull emoji here)

I will include Your info into my short history on Ca.135 in Hungarian service
Hello,

I have not a lot to say, so I will quote the order of battle given by Bernad, Karlenko and Roba in the book I use as a reference.

"Order of Battle of the Magyar Kiralyi Honvéd Légierö
(Royal Hungarian Home Defense Air Force) mid-June 1941

1/I. vadaszosztaly HQ / Szolnok / ?
1/1. "Dongo" vadaszosztaly / Ungvar / FIAT CR.32
1/2. "Ludas Matyi" vadaszosztaly / Felsöabrany / FIAT CR.32 but part of this squadron was equipped with Reggiane Re.2000 and was trained in Szolnok (arrived at the front on August 7th, 1941)
1/3. "Kör asz" vadaszosztaly / Budapest-Matyasföld / FIAT CR.42
1/4. "Szent György" vadaszosztaly / Budapest-Matyasföld / FIAT CR.42

2/I. vadaszosztaly HQ / Nyiregyhaza / ?
2/1. "Macko" vadaszosztaly / Nyiregyhaza / FIAT CR.32
2/2. "Puma" vadaszosztaly / Nyiregyhaza / FIAT CR.32
2/3. "Ricsi" vadaszosztaly / Bustyahaza / FIAT CR.42
2/4. "Repülö tör" vadaszosztaly / Miskolc / FIAT CR.42

3/II. / Kecskemet / Ju 86K (practically disbanded on June 1st, 1941)

3/III. bombazosztaly HQ / Debrecen / ?
3/5. "Boszorkany" bombazosztaly / Debrecen / Caproni Ca.135bis

4/II. bombazosztaly HQ / Veszprem / ?
4/1. "Isten nyila" bombazosztaly / Tapolca / Ju 86K
4/2. "Isten kardja" bombazosztaly / Tapolca / Ju 86K
4/3. "Sarga vihar" bombazosztaly / Veszprem / Ju 86K
4/4. "Buzogany" bombazosztaly / Veszprem / Ju 86K

I. "Hollo" közelfelderitö-szazad / Budapest-Matyasföld / He 46E
III. "Solyom" közelfelderitö-szazad / Budapest-Matyasföld / WM-21
IV. "Somogyi bicska" közelfelderitö-szazad / Kaposvar / He 46E
VII. "Kocsonyas Béka" közelfelderitö-szazad / Miskolc / WM-21
VIII. "Ludas Matyi" közelfelderitö-szazad / Ungvar / WM-21
X. "Solyomszem" közelfelderitö-szazad / Ungvar / WM-21

1. "Mérföldes csizma" önallo tavolfelderitö-osztaly / Budapest-Budaörs and Ungvar / He 111P, He 70K and Ju 86K".

vadaszosztaly = fighter wing
bombazosztaly = bomber wing
közelfelderitö-szazad = recon squadron
önallo tavolfelderitö-osztaly = long range recon squadron

So I guess that contrary to the rest of the wing, the fifth squadron of the fifth bomber wing (3/5. "Boszorkany") was not disbanded in late June 1941, and operated alongside the fourth one.

CNE503
For translation purposes: "Honvéd" does not actually translate to "Home Defence". It was a word that was invented during the spring of 1848, and referred to the newly recruited units; it was a mirror translation of the Landwehr units of the contemporary Habsburg Empire. Later on, the name stuck, but it referred to any military unit under the Hungarian government's control, making no distinction between defensive or offensive purposes.

Also I smell something is off with this OOB, because it was definately not the whole of the Hungarian Royal Air Force, not even in June 1941. It was either the units assigned to the Eastern Front, the units that were mobilized, or something. Whole squadrons are missing as well as types.
"Everything remained theory and hypothesis. On paper, in his plans, in his head, he juggled with Geschwaders and Divisions, while in reality there were really only makeshift squadrons at his disposal."

CNE503
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#25

Post by CNE503 » 06 May 2021, 21:34

Thank you for the precision about the term Honvéd.
Indeed, it was only the units involved in the first stages of the Eastern campaign in Summer 1941.
CNE503
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"

Kelvin
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#26

Post by Kelvin » 07 May 2021, 06:58

Hi, CNE503,

Very thank for your additonal information on Royal Romanian Air Force.

And why Hungary so much focus on purchase of Italian fighters, especially Fiat CR series CR32/42 ? I see Romanian had many different aircraft suppliers like Poland, French, British, Italian and German, on the other hand, Hungarian main supply was dominated by Italian, albeit she also purchased Ju-86K from Nazi Germany.

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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#27

Post by Peter89 » 07 May 2021, 09:28

Kelvin wrote:
07 May 2021, 06:58
Hi, CNE503,

Very thank for your additonal information on Royal Romanian Air Force.

And why Hungary so much focus on purchase of Italian fighters, especially Fiat CR series CR32/42 ? I see Romanian had many different aircraft suppliers like Poland, French, British, Italian and German, on the other hand, Hungarian main supply was dominated by Italian, albeit she also purchased Ju-86K from Nazi Germany.
Italy was the main supplier of arms in Hungary, for political reasons. Before the Conference of Bled, Hungary had to find a supplier which didn't pay too much attention to the restrictions on rearmament. Romania was not restricted by treaties, thus it could buy weapons freely (sometimes also motivated by political considerations).
"Everything remained theory and hypothesis. On paper, in his plans, in his head, he juggled with Geschwaders and Divisions, while in reality there were really only makeshift squadrons at his disposal."

CNE503
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#28

Post by CNE503 » 07 May 2021, 09:54

Hi Kelvin,

To answer that, I need to go back to 1919-1920 and the treaties of Paris (Versailles being the one dealing with Germany, Trianon being the one dealing with Hungary). Obviously, Hungary was a loser during WWI, and considered as a threat for the new "system of Versailles" in Eastern Europe. On the contrary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania were winners and viewed as cornerstones for this system.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Western diplomacy and industrial support allowed the three latter countries to buy military equipment, even though Czechoslovakia was industrially strong enough to develop its own military equipment (Skoda, CKD, ZB, etc.). The solidarity between members of the Little Entente was sufficient enough to enforce their own partnership in military equipment matters.
For instance, Romania bought in the second half of the 1930s a lot of Czech weapons (rifles ZB vz.24 and machineguns ZB vz.30, tanks LT vz.35, 100mm howitzers Skoda vz.30 and 150mm howitzers Skoda K1, etc. - 70% of Romanian military equipment bought was czech), and also Polish aircraft (PZL P.11f) while France and Great Britain provided some materiel (French mortars Brandt 60mm or 81,4mm, antitank gun Schneider 47mm SA 1936, 105mm guns model 1936, chenillettes UE, tanks Renault R35, AA guns of 25mm, etc.; British AA 75mm AA guns Vickers-Armstrong model 1931). For the aircraft, French sold old MB.210 in 1937, modern Potez 633 in 1938 (delivered in 1939), Great Britain "Blenheim" and "Hurricane" in 1939 (delivered in the last months of 1939 and the first weeks of 1940). Germany entered the fray of industrial competition in Romania in 1938, and also sold aircraft (Heinkel He 111, Bf 109, but also hydroplanes like He 59 or training/multipurpose/liaison aircraft as Fw 58, Bf 108, Fi 156, etc.) and guns (3,7cm AA Rheinmetall AA guns) to it in 1939-1940.

On the other hand, as a "revisionnist" country, Hungary had no chance to buy military equipment that could lead to a military build-up directed towards the Little Entente. It was submitted to restrictions in this area, and contrarily to Czechoslovakia had no real industrial capabilities that would have allowed it to be independent. It fought for strenghtening its industries (Manfred Weiss MW for the aircraft, MAVAG, Ganz for the tanks...) but it was still a work in progress in 1941. It found some help with, first, the Swedes that provided blueprints, then Italy, that tried to develop its influence in the Balkans.

Long story short: the answer to your question is diplomacy. The Hungarians were contained, so no power would help it until the second half of the 1930s, while Romania, Czechoslovakia and Poland were instrumental in the Western policy in the Balkans and were helped to strenghten their armed forces. With the fall of Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939, Romania relied upon Germany to provide military equipment. It helped prepare its diplomatic shift in Spring 1940, when the western powers defeat in France and the Soviet aggression bolstered the need of a new patron: Germany.

I extensively develop this point in my PhD about the German military mission in Romania, but unfortunately for you, it is written in French. If you are interested though, just let me know, and I could send you a copy.

Regards,
CNE503
Last edited by CNE503 on 07 May 2021, 09:58, edited 2 times in total.
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"

CNE503
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#29

Post by CNE503 » 07 May 2021, 09:55

Peter89 wrote:
07 May 2021, 09:28
Italy was the main supplier of arms in Hungary, for political reasons. Before the Conference of Bled, Hungary had to find a supplier which didn't pay too much attention to the restrictions on rearmament. Romania was not restricted by treaties, thus it could buy weapons freely (sometimes also motivated by political considerations).
You were faster than I! :D
CNE503
"Sicut Aquila" / "Ils s'instruisent pour vaincre" / "par l'exemple, le coeur et la raison" / "Labor Omnia Vincit"

Kelvin
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Re: Romanian and Hungarian Aircraft breakdown June 1941

#30

Post by Kelvin » 07 May 2021, 15:18

CNE503 wrote:
07 May 2021, 09:54
Hi Kelvin,

To answer that, I need to go back to 1919-1920 and the treaties of Paris (Versailles being the one dealing with Germany, Trianon being the one dealing with Hungary). Obviously, Hungary was a loser during WWI, and considered as a threat for the new "system of Versailles" in Eastern Europe. On the contrary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania were winners and viewed as cornerstones for this system.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Western diplomacy and industrial support allowed the three latter countries to buy military equipment, even though Czechoslovakia was industrially strong enough to develop its own military equipment (Skoda, CKD, ZB, etc.). The solidarity between members of the Little Entente was sufficient enough to enforce their own partnership in military equipment matters.
For instance, Romania bought in the second half of the 1930s a lot of Czech weapons (rifles ZB vz.24 and machineguns ZB vz.30, tanks LT vz.35, 100mm howitzers Skoda vz.30 and 150mm howitzers Skoda K1, etc. - 70% of Romanian military equipment bought was czech), and also Polish aircraft (PZL P.11f) while France and Great Britain provided some materiel (French mortars Brandt 60mm or 81,4mm, antitank gun Schneider 47mm SA 1936, 105mm guns model 1936, chenillettes UE, tanks Renault R35, AA guns of 25mm, etc.; British AA 75mm AA guns Vickers-Armstrong model 1931). For the aircraft, French sold old MB.210 in 1937, modern Potez 633 in 1938 (delivered in 1939), Great Britain "Blenheim" and "Hurricane" in 1939 (delivered in the last months of 1939 and the first weeks of 1940). Germany entered the fray of industrial competition in Romania in 1938, and also sold aircraft (Heinkel He 111, Bf 109, but also hydroplanes like He 59 or training/multipurpose/liaison aircraft as Fw 58, Bf 108, Fi 156, etc.) and guns (3,7cm AA Rheinmetall AA guns) to it in 1939-1940.

On the other hand, as a "revisionnist" country, Hungary had no chance to buy military equipment that could lead to a military build-up directed towards the Little Entente. It was submitted to restrictions in this area, and contrarily to Czechoslovakia had no real industrial capabilities that would have allowed it to be independent. It fought for strenghtening its industries (Manfred Weiss MW for the aircraft, MAVAG, Ganz for the tanks...) but it was still a work in progress in 1941. It found some help with, first, the Swedes that provided blueprints, then Italy, that tried to develop its influence in the Balkans.

Long story short: the answer to your question is diplomacy. The Hungarians were contained, so no power would help it until the second half of the 1930s, while Romania, Czechoslovakia and Poland were instrumental in the Western policy in the Balkans and were helped to strenghten their armed forces. With the fall of Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939, Romania relied upon Germany to provide military equipment. It helped prepare its diplomatic shift in Spring 1940, when the western powers defeat in France and the Soviet aggression bolstered the need of a new patron: Germany.

I extensively develop this point in my PhD about the German military mission in Romania, but unfortunately for you, it is written in French. If you are interested though, just let me know, and I could send you a copy.

Regards,
CNE503

Hello, CNE503 and Peter, thank so much for your help.

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