# 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (176-й гвардейский истребительный авиационный полк)

The 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (176-й гвардейский истребительный авиационный полк) was a Soviet Air Force fighter regiment activated in 1938 as the 19th Fighter Aviation Regiment and renamed a Guards unit in August 1944. It flew a succession of Soviet fighters from the I-15bis biplane through the MiG-17, and flew a MiG-15 tour in the [Korean War](https://www.edgepedia.org/korean-war), from Chinese territory between December 1950 and February 1952.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://proza.ru/2015/08/04/1250)</sup>

| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Formed | 22 March 1938, as the 19th Fighter Aviation Regiment <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> |
| Guards title | 19 August 1944, becoming the 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> |
| WWII fighters | I-15bis, I-16, and I-153 (1938–1941); LaGG-3 (1941–1942); La-5 (1942–1944); La-7 (1944–1948) <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> |
| Korean War tour | 25 December 1950 to 1 February 1952, on the MiG-15; based at Andun, China, from April 1951 to February 1952 <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://proza.ru/2015/08/04/1250)</sup> |
| Postwar type | MiG-15 (1949–1956), then MiG-17 (1954–1960) <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> |
| Redesignation | 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO, February 1952 <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> |
| Disbanded | March 1960 <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> |
| Honours successor | 234th Fighter Aviation Regiment, 1966 <sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> |

## Formation, World War II service and Guards status

The regiment was activated on 22 March 1938 as the 19th Fighter Aviation Regiment.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> On 19 August 1944 it received the Guards designation and the number 176, becoming the 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup>

The regiment began with the I-15bis, I-16, and I-153 from 1938 to 1941, moved to the LaGG-3 for 1941–1942, then flew the La-5 through 1944 and the La-7 from 1944 until 1948.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> Late in the war, from 16 April to 8 May 1945, it took part in the Berlin operation.<sup>[2](https://proza.ru/2015/08/04/1250)</sup> After the war it re-equipped with the La-9 and La-11 (1948–1949) before converting to jets.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup>

## Korean War deployment

The regiment served in Korea from 25 December 1950 to 1 February 1952.<sup>[2](https://proza.ru/2015/08/04/1250)</sup> It had converted to the MiG-15 in 1949.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> From April 1951 to February 1952 it was based at Andun, China, at coordinates 40°01′26″N, 124°17′05″E.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup>

## Postwar fate and the namesake problem

In February 1952, at the end of its Korean tour, the regiment was renamed the 176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> It flew the MiG-15 until 1956 and the MiG-17 from 1954, and was disbanded in March 1960.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup> In 1966 its honors and awards were transferred to the 234th Fighter Aviation Regiment.<sup>[1](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)</sup>

The number 176 requires care: a separate, non-Guards 176th Fighter Aviation Regiment also existed. It flew the I-16 and [MiG-3](https://www.edgepedia.org/mikoyan-gurevich-mig-3) from 1941, the Yak-1, Yak-7b, and Yak-3 through 1945, the [P-63 Kingcobra](https://www.edgepedia.org/bell-p-63-kingcobra) from 1946 to 1951, then the MiG-15 (1951–1953), MiG-17 (1953–1964), MiG-21PF/PFM (1964–1976), and MiG-23M (1976–1985).<sup>[3](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176iap.htm)</sup>

## References

Reference note: the principal source for this entry is the ww2.dk order-of-battle listing for the regiment.

1. [176th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (ww2.dk order of battle listing)](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176gviap.htm)
2. [176-й Гвардейский истребительный авиационный полк (Владимир Савончик)](https://proza.ru/2015/08/04/1250)
3. [176th Fighter Aviation Regiment (ww2.dk)](https://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/iap/176iap.htm)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Transport and spaceflight › Aviation › Military aviation › Aviation units, formations, and personnel › Aviation regiments, brigades, and divisions › Soviet and Russian fighter, assault, and bomber aviation regiments*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 11, 2026 · Last review: Sep 18, 2026*

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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license