Hungarian codes
The V. is for Vadasz (fighter), for the Bf 109s built in Hungary.
For others, it’s W. for Wiener Neustadt. The three numbers
represent the serial number of each slice:
V.001 to V.049 Bf 109F/G
V.001 to V.099 Bf 109G-10/G-14
V.060 to V.096 Fiat CR.32 ex-Austrians
V.101 to V.176 Fiat CR.32
V.101 to V.198 Bf 109G-10/G-14
V.201 to V.270 Fiat CR.42
V.201 to V.221 Bf 109G-10
V.301 to V.304 He 112
V.310 to V.380 Bf 109G
V.401 to V.470 Re.2000-I
V.471 to V.498 Re.2000-ll
V.501 to V.570 Fw 190F-8
V.502 to V.572 Re.2000-ll
V.601 to V.604 Bf 109D
V.606 to V.687 Re.2000-ll
V.751 to V.798 Bf 109G-2
V.801 to V.898 Bf 109G-6
V.951 to V.954 Bf 109G-2
On the Bf 109s used on the Eastern Front, two-digit numbers
were used.
Under the Treaty of Trianon (1920), Hungary was forbidden from owning military aircraft. However, a secret air arm was gradually established under the cover of civilian flying clubs. During 1938, as a result of the Bled agreement, the existence of the Royal Hungarian Air Force (Hungarian: Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő (MKHL) lit. "Royal Hungarian Home Guard Air Force"), was made known. The army's aviation service was reorganized and expanded.
Late 1938 the army aviation was once again reorganized. Admiral Horthy, the head of state, ordered that the army aviation should become an independent service effective 9 January 1939. Colonel Ferenc Feketehalmi Czeydner became the Air Section Chief in the Honvéd Ministry; Major General Waldemar Kenese became Inspector of the Air Force; Colonel Ferenc Szentnémedy became Chief-of-Staff, and Colonel László Háry was appointed head of the Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő (MKHL).
It subsequently participated in clashes with the newly established Slovak Republic and in the border confrontation with the Kingdom of Romania. In April 1941, operations were conducted in support of the German invasion of Yugoslavia and, on 27 June 1941, Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union.
In 1940, the decision was made to unite the Air Force, the anti-aircraft forces, and the civilian air defense organizations under one central headquarters.[citation needed] Colonel László Háry was retired 24 December 1940, and on 1 March 1941 the new organization was constituted. General András Littay became Air Sub-Department Chief, and Colonel Géza Vörös was appointed Head of the Air General Staff. On 1 June 1941, the Air Defense Corps was established, and Lieutenant General Béla Rákosi became Commander of Army Aviation. In effect the Air Force had once again become part of the Army.
In the summer of 1942, an air brigade was attached to the Luftwaffe's VIII. Fliegerkorps on the Eastern Front. Beginning March 1944, Allied bomber raids began on Hungary and progressively increased in intensity. The 101st "Puma" fighter group (later wing) was the elite unit of the MKHL (its name and insignia are carried on by the "Puma" fighter squadron of the Hungarian Air Force of today). Late in 1944 all efforts were redirected towards countering the advancing Red Army, but to no avail. All fighting in Hungary ended on 16 April 1945.
