On 23 December 1943 the HZL fighter component was reorganised as Stab, 1., 2. and 3. Kroatien Jagdgruppe 1. The Gruppenkommandeur was Major Ivan Cenic, his Staffelkapitäne being Oberleutnant Dukovac (then still on the strength of III./JG 52 in the east), Hauptmann Helebrant and Oberleutnant Bencetic.

3./Kro JGr 1 was originally conceived as an operational training unit to supply 2. Staffel with combat-ready pilots. Apart from a few veterans from Russia, most of its pilots were fresh from JG 104, and at the end of the year Kro JGr 1 had just two non-operational CR.42s in Croatia.

Then, at the end of January 1944, eight brand-new Macchi C.202 fighters arrived at Lucko airfield, with another four flying in two weeks later, although one was lost during a test-flight. In the meantime, operational training on CR.42s and G.50s started as a prelude to C.202 training in March. That month the first contact with American aircraft came west of Zagreb, although combat was avoided – the Macchi pilots were instructed to attack only damaged aircraft and stragglers from the main formation. On 1 April the unit was re-designated I./Jagdgruppe Kroatien, just in time for the first combats. The ZNDH also received another 19 MS 406s at this point.

On 2 April the Fifteenth Air Force mounted a large-scale raid on the Austrian industrial city of Steyr. The bombers’ route was directly over the NDH, and two 2./JGr Kro pilots took off to intercept the B-24s on their return journey. One pilot (almost certainly Eastern Front veteran Feldwebel Bozidar Bartulovic) claimed a bomber, but as its demise was not seen, his victory was not confirmed.

Around this time 2./JGr Kro despatched a Schwarm to Zaluzani airfield, near Banja Luka, this move, it was assumed, being undertaken in order to give pilots more opportunity for the interception of American bombers. However, on the 6th Spitfire Mk IXs of the South African Air Force’s No 7 Wing (specifically Nos 1, 2 and 4 Sqns) made a devastating attack on the airfield. They approached Zaluzani undetected, and thus took the defences completely by surprise.

During the attack, Daut Secerbegovic, then a mechanic with 23.LJ, witnessed the death of Cvitan Galic, Croatia’s second-ranking ace with 38 kills. He recalls: ‘Aircraft were in the open all across the field, and the hangars were full. Nobody bothered to disperse them because no attack was expected. Galic had just returned from a test flight. He taxied up to the hangar and shut down his engine. An airman helped him release his straps and get out. ‘He was standing by his machine when, out of the blue, bullets whistled around us and bombs started going off. We dashed to nearby trenches and dived in just in time. I looked back and saw Galic standing in complete shock. We shouted to him to run to our trench, but he thought it was too far and jumped under his aeroplane instead. Seconds later a bomb exploded near his Morane, which caught fire and collapsed on top of him. Galic was by then beyond help, although I don’t think that he could have survived the initial explosion of the bomb in any case.'

The only SAAF unit to use bombs during this attack was No 2 Sqn, and it was one of its pilots who almost certainly accounted for the 38-victory ace.

Elsewhere on the airfield there was complete chaos. No fewer than 21 ZNDH aircraft were written off and ten damaged, whilst 16 Luftwaffe machines (including one C.202, plus another damaged) were also destroyed. 23.LJ practically ceased to exist, as only one of its dozen MS 406s remained intact, with another repairable. Two Macchis returned to Lucko the following day.

Osprey Aircraft of the Aces series 49 Croatian Aces of World War 2 by Dragan Savic & Boris Ciglic pages 63-64

Yugoslavian Air Force

THE SERBIAN AND YUGOSLAVIAN AIR FORCE IN WORLD WAR II

By Milan Jovanovic

The AF was activated as early as March 12th 1941 in a covert mobilization. It was positioned on 50 war airfields, as stipulated in the War Plan R-41, designed by the Chief headquarters of the Yugoslav armed forces.

By the Order of the Air force Command (dated March 22nd 1941) all units were put in the state of alert under arms. They were ready to take off, in 20 minutes time for fighters and 30 minutes for bombers, for war goals set by a highly confidential instruction No.1, issued by the Air Force Chief of Staff.

The political situation, existing after the state-military Putsch of March 27th 1941, when by the action of freedom-liking officers the Government was thrown (the one that signed the Three-Axis pact on March 25th with Nazi Germany and Italy), requested to put AF as a first shield of defense, because the Yugoslav Army was not yet mobilized nor prepared for the war.

On the first day of war, April 6th 1941, the AF possessed 487 planes ready for operation, among them 144 fighter aircraft (104 of modern types) and 147 modern bombers and Naval aviation had around 70 hydroplanes, with only 37 combat capable planes. It was staffed with 50000 men. The attacking forces, engaged in the April War (6th to 17th of April) were 2373 aircraft strong, including from Germany 1212 aircraft, Italy 647 and Hungary 287 aircraft. Thus the ratio, in the beginning of operations was 5:1 in favor of the enemy, and if we count only modern Yugoslav aircraft the ratio climbs to 7:1 in favor of the Axis powers.

In spite of huge logistic difficulties and acts of treason (proclamation of so-called 'Independent State of Croatia' on April 10th 1941) the Royal Yugoslav Air Force has fulfilled its duties with honor. Yugoslav airmen fought with incomparable courage against an enemy superior both technically and numerically. They fought to the last airfield and to the last airplane.

During the war operations (6th to 15th April) a total of 1416 take-0ffs was made, 993 of which were performed by fighters and 423 by bombers. Almost 50% of planned flights were cancelled due to bad weather.

During this short war 135 flight crew members and 576 ground personnel lost bravely their lives.

Organization

The Royal Yugoslav Air Force consited of:

- Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske - Army AF, it was a branch in the ground forces and consited of:
1) Operativno Vazduhoplovstvo - Operational AF which controled fighters, bombers, reconnaisance, transport aircraft
2) Armijsko Vazduhoplovstvo - Army AF with tasked with direct support of ground forces using liason and utility aircraft
3) Pozadinsko Vazduhoplovstvo - logistic support and training aircraft
- Pomorsko Vazduhoplovstvo - Naval Aviation (subordinated to the Navy, not a part of the Air Force)

Unit	Type	Number of Aircraft	Base
Operativno Vazduhoplovstvo
1. Vazdusna Lovacka Brigada	Me-109	2	Zemun
2. Vazdusni Lovacki Puk
31. Grupa	Me-109	19	Knic
52. Grupa	Hurricane Mk. I	15	Knic
6. Vazdusni Lovacki Puk
32. Grupa	Me-109	27	Prnjavor
51. Grupa	Me-109 IK-3	10 6	Zemun
2. Vazdusna Mesovita Brigada
4. Vazdusni Lovacki Puk
33. Grupa	Hurricane Mk. I	13	Bosanski Aleksandrovac
34. Grupa	Hurricane Mk. I IK-2	7 8	Bosanski Aleksandrovac
8. Vazdusni Bombarderski Puk
68. Grupa	Blenheim Mk. I	12	Rovine
69. Grupa	Blenheim Mk. I	12	Rovine
3. Vazdusna Mesovita Brigada
3. Vazdusni Bombarderski Puk
63. Grupa	Do-17K	30	Petrovac
64. Grupa	Do-17K	30	Obolic, Stubol
5. Vazdusni Lovacki Puk
35. Grupa	Hawker Fury Mk. I	15	Kosancic
36. Grupa	Hawker Fury Mk. I	15	Razanovska Kosa
4. Vazdusna Bombarderska Brigada
1. Vazdusni Bombarderski Puk
61. Grupa	Blenheim Mk. I	11	Bjeljina
62. Grupa	Blenheim Mk. I	12	Bjeljina
7. Vazdusni Bombarderski Puk
66. Grupa	SM-79	13	Preljina
67. Grupa	SM-78	13	Gorobilje
11. Samostalna Izvodjacka Grupa	Blenheim Mk. I H. Hind	11 2	Veliki Radinci
81. Samostalna Bombarderska Grupa	SM-79	14	Ortijes
Samostalna Lovacka Eskadrila	ME-109 Hurricane Mk. I BH-33	2 3 2	Kosor Kosor Podgorica
Armijsko Vazduhoplovstvo
1. Vasdusna Izvidjacka Grupa 1. Armije	Brege 19	15	Ruma
2. Vasdusna Izvidjacka Grupa 5. Armije	Brege 19/Potez 25	16	Sarlince
3. Vasdusna Izvidjacka Grupa 2. Armije	Brege 19/Potez 25	19	St. Topolje (Nasice)
4. Vasdusna Izvidjacka Grupa 2. Armije	Brege 19/Potez 25	18	Kurilovec
5. Vasdusna Izvidjacka Grupa 3. Armije	Brege 19/Potez 25	14	Tetovo
6. Vasdusna Izvidjacka Grupa 7. Armije	Brege 19/Potez 25	16	Crklje, Brege
7. Vasdusna Izvidjacka Grupa 6. Armije	Brege 19/Potez 25	18	Smederevska Palanka
Samostalan Izvidjacka Eskadrila	Brege 19/Potez 25	4	Mostar
Pomorsko Vazduhoplovstvo
1. Hidroplanska Komanda
1. Grupa
1.Eskadrila	SIM-XIV	5	Krtole
2.Eskadrila	Various	10	Rose
2. Grupa
20.Eskadrila	DO-22 H	6	Orahovac
21.Eskadrila	DO-W, Various	6	Dobrota
2. Hidroplanska Komanda
3. Grupa
25.Eskadrila	DO-22 H	6	Zlarin i Visovac
26.Eskadrila	Do-W, various	6	Krapanj, Jadrtovac
4. Grupa
5.Eskadrila	SIM-XIV	5	Tijesno
15.Eskadrila	Various	10	Murter
Skolska Hidroplanska Eskadrila	Various	20

Service Types

Type	Quantity	Role	Origin
Messerschmitt Me-109E	61	Fighter	Germany
Hawker Hurricane Mk. I	35	Fighter	UK/Local
Hawker Fury Mk. I	30	Fighter	UK/Local
Avia BH-33	2	Fighter	Czechoslovakia
Ikarus IK-2	8	Fighter	Local
Rogozarski IK-3	6	Fighter	Local
Potez 63	2	Fighter	France
Dornier DO-17K	60	Bomber	Germany/Local
Bristol Blenheim Mk. I	47	Bomber	UK/Local
Bristol Blenheim Mk. I	11	Reconnaisance	UK/Local
Savoia Marcetti SM-79	40	Bomber	Italy
Brege-19	120	Reconnaisance, Utility	France/Local
Potez-25	120	Reconnaisance, Utility	Local
Fieseler FI-156	10	Utility	Germany
Dornier DO-WAL	10	Bomber	Germany
Dornier DO-22	11	Reconnaisance, Bomber	Germany
SIM-XIV	15	Coastal Reconnaisance	Local
SIM-XII		Training	Local
Pogozarski PVT		Training	Local

Some Key Dates in Yugoslavian Air Force History

- November 1902 engineering captain Kosta Miletic returns from St. Petersburg after finishing Aeronautical Technical School
- end of 1909 2 balloons and hydrogen station were delivered
- February 1912 Ministry of War issued a call for candidates to be sent to France and trained for pilots
- July 23rd, 1912 Mihailo Petrovic got FAI degree No. 979 becoming first Serbian military pilot
- September 1912 order for 8 planes, erector hangars and spare parts were placed in France, with 2 more planes ordered in Russia
- December 24th, 1912 - War Minister Radomir Putnik issues a decree establishing Aviation Command - this is the service holiday
- March 29th, 1913 - lieutenant Zivojin Stankovic and sergeant Miodrag Tomic made first successful combat mission. For 45 minutes they observed Turkish positions in city of Skadar
- middle of 1915 - first pilot school in Serbia established in Pozarevac
- April 1918 - Prva Srpska Eskadrila (First Serbian Escadrille) became operational with 12 Dorand AR type I A2 and 3 Nieuport XXIV C1 from French-Serbian composite Escadrille AR 521 and commanded by French officer (Serb national) lieutenant Mihajlo Marinkovic
- October 11th, 1923 - IKARUS , first Yugoslav aircraft factory was formed
- March 28th, 1924 - first localy produced aircraft, SB-1 from IKARUS, were delivered to AF
- December 1928 - Air Force has 367 airplanes in operation and 22 planes in storage.
- April 6th, 1941 - Nazi forces attacked Yugoslavia, with heavy bombing of capital Belgrade. Despite German and Italian superiority (6:1) and treason pilots fought bravely. For 9 days they flew over 1400 sorties downing 90 enemy aircraft. After capitulation some crews with their planes flew to Egypt and fought with the Allied forces
- May 1942 - partisan forces in occupied Bosnia fly missions with two planes
- September 28th- Aviation section were formed by Partisan's High Command
- October 14th, 1943 - first Air base in occupied Europe was formed in Livno
- middle of 1944 - RAF in Africa forms 351. (Hurricane) and 352. (Spitfire) squadrons staffed with Yugoslavs
- end of 1944 - USSR hands over to Yugoslavia 11. (Yak-1) and 42. (Il-2m3) division
- September 12th, 1945 - Military Aviation academy was established
- March 1948 - first radar company was established
- May 23th,1948 - paratrooper course started
- June 1948 - break up with Stalin
- 1950 - Air Force Technical School was formed in Zemun
- 1952 - first aircraft from USA (P-47 thunderbolt) and UK(Mosquito) were delivered
- October 1952 - first indigenously produced jet Ikarus 451M flew
- March 10th, 1953 - first jet aircraft(T-33) for YAF came
- June 1955 - first complete EW units were formed
- July 1959 - AF and AD units from army united to form Air Force and Air defence
- May 1961- SOKO Galeb G-2 trainer, produced in aproximately 150 examples, made first flight
- September 1962 - First MiG-21f-13 fighter were delivered
- 1962 - S-75 DVINA were put in operational service
- 1991 - break up of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
- May 1992 - forming of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Air Force and Air Defence

Pilots

Name	Rank	Unit & Position	Enemy Destoryed	Napomena
Božidar Kostiæ	potpukovnik,	komandant Šestog lovaèkog puka	2
Stevan Ivaniæ	major,	pomoænik komandanta puka
Stevan Krajinoviæ	kapetanI klase	aðutant puka	1
Aæim Slijepèeviæ	kapetan	obave tajni oficir puka
Milan Stojanoviæ	poruènik	na službi u komandi puka	1
Danilo Ðorðeviæ	major	komandant 32. lovaèke grupe	1
Ilija Vlajiæ	kapetan I klase	komandir 103. lovaèke eskadrile	1
Miho Klavora	kapetan I klase	103. lovaèka eskadrila	2	poginuo
Bojan Preseènik	poruènik	103. lovaèka eskadrila	1	ranjen
Otmar Lajh	potporuènik	103. lovaèka eskadrila
Dobrica Novakoviæ	potporuènik	103. lovaèka eskadrila	1	poginuo
Jovan Kapeiæ	potporuènik	103. lovaèka eskadrila	2	poginuo
Branisalv Todoroviæ	n.v.t. èinov nik	103. lovaèka eskadrila	1	poginuo
Milutin Petrov	narednik-vodnik	103. lovaèka eskadrila		poginuo
Vladimir Gorup	narednik-vodnik	103. lovaèka eskadrila	1	poginuo
Borivoje Markoviæ	kapetan I klase	komandir 104. lovaèke eskadrile	1
Božidar Ercigoj	kapetan	104. lovaèka eskadrila
Ivo Novak	kapetan	104. lovaèka eskadrila
Vasa Kolarov	poruènik	104. lovaèka eskadrila	1	ranjen
Vilim Aciger	poruènik	104. lovaèka eskadrila
Dragomir Miloeviæ	narednik	104. lovaèka eskadrila
Milovoje Bokoviæ	narednik	104. lovaèka eskadrila	1	poginuo
Zvonimir Halambek	narednik	104. lovaèka eskadrila
Milutin Grozdanoviæ	kapetan I klase	komandir 142. lovaèke eskadrile	1	ranjen
Radisav Stamenkoviæ	kapetan	142. lovaèka eskadrila
Milisav Velikiæ	kapetan	142. lovaèka eskadrila	1
Ðorðe Ke eljeviæ	poruènik	142. lovaèka eskadrila	1
Miodrag Aleksiæ	potporuènik	142. lovaèka eskadrila	2
Ivo Rahek	narednik	142. lovaèka eskadrila
Veljko Štalcer	narednik	142. lovaèka eskadrila
Josip Helebrant	kapetan I klase	komandir 16. aerodromske èete
Adum Romeo	major	komandant 51. lovaèke grupe		smenjen sa dužnosti
MiloŽunjiæ	kapetan I klase	komandir 102. lovaèke eskadrile	1	poginuo
Milan Žuniæ	kapetan I klase	102. lovaèka eskadrila	1
Momèilo Milosavljeviæ	kapetan	102. lovaèka eskadrila
Mihailo Nikoliæ	kapetan	102. lovaèka eskadrila	1	ranjen
Miodarg Bo koviæ	potporuènik	102. lovaèka eskadrila	2	ranjen
MiloDrakuliæ	potporuènik	102. lovaèka eskadrila
August Kovaè	potporuènik	102. lovaèka eskadrila
Dragoslav Krstiæ	potporuènik	102. lovaèka eskadrila
Ðorðe Stojanoviæ	potporuènik	102. lovaèka eskadrila	3	ranjen
Karlo Štrbenk	narednik-vodnik	102. lovaèka eskadrila	1	poginuo
Vukadin Jeliæ	narednik	102. lovaèka eskadrila	1
Vladimir Puziæ	narednik	102. lovažka eskadrila
Todor Gogiæ	kapetan I klase	komandir 161. eskadrile i 51. lovaèke grupe	2
Du an Borèiæ	potporuènik	161. lovaèka eskadrila	2	poginuo
MiloGagiæ	potporuènik	161. lovaèka eskadrila
Milisav Semiz	narednik	161. lovaèka eskadrila	4
Du an Vujièiæ	narednik	161. lovaèka eskadrila	3
Savo Poljanec	kapetan I klase	komandir 162. lovaèke eskadrile	1	ranjen
Milan Ristiæ	kapetan	162. lovaèka eskadrila
Kosta Antonov	kapetan	162. lovaèka eskadrila
Eduard Banfiæ	niži vojno-tehnièki èinovnik	162. lovaèka eskadrila	1	ranjen
Dragan Bojoviæ	poruènik	162. lovaèka eskadrila	1	ranjen
Dobrivoje Milovanoviæ	narednik	162. lovaèka eskadrila
Mihailo Ðorðeviæ	kapetan I klase	komandir 17. aerodromske èete