attack aircraft of the type used by the corps The corps was formed by an order of the NKO (
People's Commissariat of Defence) dated 30 December 1943. In early August 1944 the corps, with the 197th (Colonel Timofeyev) and 198th (Colonel Belousov) Assault Aviation Divisions, was assigned to the
16th Air Army. All the personnel of these formations had good preparation and great combat experience. By 29 July the troops of the
69th Army, advancing on the left flank of the front, seized a bridgehead on the Vistula in the
Pulawy area. Beginning on 1 August, the
8th Guards Army crossed the Vistula at
Magnuszew. The divisions of the corps covered the ground troops from the air. By 14 August, the arrival of more fuel supplies and end of problems resulting from quick movement of the corps had changed the air situation in Soviet favor. By mid-August the troops of the
8th Guards Army, reflecting the numerous counterattacks and overcoming the fierce resistance of the enemy, with the help of air support not only held, but also expanded the Magnuszew bridgehead to a width of 20 to 25 kilometers and a depth of up to 15 kilometers. During this period, the corps supported the troops of the
28th and
70th Armies in repulsing German counterattacks in multiple areas to the east and northeast of the Warsaw suburb
Praga. For its actions in the battles in this area the corps was given the honorific title "Lublin". On 3 September, the corps provided air support for the troops of the
48th and
65th Armies advancing towards
Pultusk, resulting in the crossing of the
Narew and capture of bridgeheads on the river's western bank. In October, elements of the corps were sent into the reserve for replenishment at airfields in the
Brest area. From November 1944, the corps, as part of the 16th Air Army, as well as the troops of the
1st Belorussian Front of
Georgy Zhukov, began preparations for a new offensive, the Vistula–Oder Offensive. In November, the commander of the front troops set interacting compounds ground and air forces. After that their commanders were able to work out in detail the procedure for joint action in special classes and practically on the ground, with respect to the nature of the upcoming military operations. Having a pre-task, they have developed jointly with the staffs of the interaction of the plans for the first days of operation, command and control instruments and signal table. Following the command of the front war game with the commanders and chiefs of Army Staff, heads of operational divisions, reconnaissance and communications 25 - December 27, 1944 the commander of the 16th Air Army had such teaching with the commanders and chiefs of staff air corps and divisions. The game was held on the real plan of the forthcoming operation and pursuing such objectives: clarification of problems in operations, training in assessing the situation and deciding, improvement of cooperation between the Aviation and clans with moving troops relocation in aviation operations, as well as aviation and reconnaissance control. The exercise commander gave practical guidance on the application of all types of aircraft in the forthcoming operation. It was a rehearsal of the tasks set by the commander of the troops of the front to the Air Force. At the beginning of January 1945 the commanders of groups of all regiments left on the cutting edge, where he studied the terrain and the location of enemy firepower. The final link in the preparation of commanders of groups air divisions intelligence commander was conducted from the air shortly before to clarify the goals and methods of action for them. == Postwar ==