Budapest légiháborús tűzkeresztsége

Abstract

The Hungarian capital was not hit by an air attack until September 1942. At the time of the First Vienna Award, the attack on Yugoslavia and the entry into the war against the Soviet Union, there were air raid alarms in Budapest, but no bombing took place. In August-September 1942, the Soviet strategic air force launched attacks against Berlin and the capitals of the satellite states of the Third Reich. Budapest was bombed on the night of September 4 and 9. A total of 122 machines participated in the 2 campaigns. The Soviet planes flew 1,400–1,500 km from their base to the Hungarian capital, both times in bad weather conditions, so only half of the planes reached the destination. The bombs dropped from a great height without precise targeting caused only minor material damage, the personal loss was 18 dead and 84 wounded. The first attack hit Budapest unexpectedly. Until now, the Hungarian capital lived in the deceptive illusion that nothing bad could happen to him. At the time of the second attack, the military air defence and civil air raid precaution were already better prepared. In the following weeks, additional defensive measures were taken, but no further bombing occurred until 1944.