Royal Yugoslavian Air Force

freefrench · Post by **freefrench** » 27 Oct 2006 07:42

I'm planning to write a novel about a colonel in the Royal Yugoslav Air Force at the time of the German invasion and his adventures throughout the war. For this I'd need information on anything about the Yugoslavian air force (not planes, i have a good list for that) that could be useful to know for my story. And also a quick question, does anybody know anything about Cetnik air forces?

G. Trifkovic · Post by **G. Trifkovic** » 27 Oct 2006 07:58

And also a quick question, does anybody know anything about Cetnik air forces?

It didn't exist, to the best of my knowledge. There was AFAIK, a substantial group of Royal pilots in Egypt who in 1944 opted for YPLA.

Cheers,

Gaius

The Edge · Post by **The Edge** » 27 Oct 2006 09:57

SOE sent their men to Chetnik side two ways - submarines and by air.

Some ex-Yugoslav Royal Air Force pilots also handled transport planes for RAF. Story can include dropping SOE agents over Yugoslavia, with your hero piloting "Halifax" bomber from Egypt. Another good episode may include dropping Greek Resistance agent on Crete Island (or Southern Greece) using ex-Yugoslav SM.79-I (of course, it is best to handle this plane by original - i.e. Yugoslav pilot).

Only problem with this story - Yugoslav Colonels tended to see themselves as "VIPs". Remember, leader of Chetnik forces (Yugoslav Royal Army in Homeland) was colonel too. Only existing brigade-general of YA, not captured by Germans and not escaped to Egypt, refused to join first Partisan, later Chetnik movement because they didn't want to give him overal command. I can hardly see any Yugoslav Colonel involved in some "adventurous" mission. Captain - yes, major - maybe, but colonel...

Greetings from another "adventure stories" writer!

Kim Sung · Post by **Kim Sung** » 06 Nov 2006 15:14

On the first day of German invasion to Yugoslavia, German Bf-109s encountered the same Bf-109s of Royal Yugoslavian Air Force. Germany exported 70 Bf-109s to Yugoslavia before the war.

PanzerKing · Post by **PanzerKing** » 06 Nov 2006 20:15

Germany also exported Do 17 bombers to Yugoslavia. It's ironic that German pilots had to shoot down the same planes they were flying.

TISO · Post by **TISO** » 22 Dec 2006 14:46

Acctualy Yugoslav Dorniers were mostly licence built under designation Do-17K (Ka or Kb). They were different comparing to german planes in having completly different nose section. Do-17Ka type was basicly same as prototype for german Do-17M with Gnome-Rhone 14 engines. Do-17Kb was redesigned again (metal instead of fabric covering on the wings and redesigned ungine gondolas extending over trailing edge).

There were also few pilots that opted not to join partisans. They were collected in B (Yugoslav) flight of 94.squadron RAF (sq. codes GO o ?). They flew Spitfires Mk IX over Eagean before they were more or less grounded (not allowed to fly over Balcans). Only one of their planes is known to have had small JKRV sign under the nose but was repainted on insistance of the squadron commander. Plane was GO o Z (MH838) (this decal sheet has colour profile).

I belive that also 2 B-24 we crewed by Yugoslavs but those were flying in USAAF.

About yugoslav colonels i mostly agree with The Edge. However there was one interesting army colonel. Colonel Vladimir Vauhnik (a Slovene) was military attache in Yugoslav embasy in Berlin and run very effective espionage network. he managed to warn Yugoslav leadership of impednig attack with dates, plans... During the war he led inteligence network in Slovenia but is still speculation if it was british SIS or Yugoslav goverment in exile or chetnik network. His case also made to Nuremberg trials (Schellenberg) becouse in his case Germans violated Wiena convention (ie. he was arrested and interrogated by SD instead of alloved to go to neutral ground ie. Switzerland). After the war he emigrated to Argentina and wrote a book dealing mostly with his activities in time frame 1938-to the beggining of the war (Vauhnik Vladimir: Nevidna fronta (Spomini Jugoslovanskega vojaškega atašeja 1938-1941) which was printed also in Communist Yugoslavia in 1972 (in shortened version). His activities during the war are still shrouded by veil of mystery. It is confirmed that he was seen in Ljubljana few times and had meetings with some prominent Slovenes but topics of these meetings are still unknown. One theory is that he was realy working for SIS but officialy he worked for Yugoslav goverment in exile but playing all sides (ie. working for british and Yugoslavs with knowledge of Schellenberg & co.)

His book was printed:
in Argentina 1965 (Slobodna Slovenija in Slovene)
in Argentina 1967 (Editorial Palabra Eslovena, in German )under title Memoiren eines Militärattachés : [ein Kampf gegen das Fingerspitzengefühl Hitlers]
in Yugoslavia 1972 (ČGP Delo in Slovene),
in germany 1984 (Muenchen ??? in Serbo -Croatian) under title Nevidljivi front : borba za očuvanje Jugoslavije

Lornito Uriarte Mahinay Jr. · Post by **Lornito Uriarte Mahinay Jr.** » 23 Jan 2007 05:05

How many generals are there in the Royal Yugoslav Air Force during the war? Can anyone give a list?

Best Regards

natham · Post by **natham** » 23 Jan 2007 12:07

the same thing happend to the russians facing thier own tanks.

maxs75 · Post by **maxs75** » 24 Jan 2007 22:22

Sorry if I go slightly off the main topic. Anyway, were there any "free" Yugoslavian squadron that flew with allied after the invasion? I'm only aware of a Flying boat (Do-22?) squadron that flew over Mediterranean during 1942 with RAF's no.201 group.
Anyway I didn' find it in the air OOB of MAC in july 1943.

Thanks in advance
Max

TISO · Post by **TISO** » 25 Jan 2007 01:07

Anyway, were there any "free" Yugoslavian squadron that flew with allied after the invasion? I'm only aware of a Flying boat (Do-22?) squadron that flew over Mediterranean during 1942 with RAF's no.201 group.

At the beggining basicly that was it. Later on in 1944 there were some other Yugoslav units flying as part of BAF (Balcan Air force) but those were basicly under Tito's control. It was one hurricane, one spitfire squadron and one flight of Baltimores (later Boston IV). Only unit out of his control was B flight of 94. squadron. I belive that 2 B-24's were crewed by Yugoslavs as part of the USAAF. As of just after occupation only Do-22, and few SM-79 and Do-17 made it out.

maxs75 · Post by **maxs75** » 30 Jan 2007 20:34

Thank you very much Tiso.

It was one hurricane, one spitfire squadron and one flight of Baltimores (later Boston IV).

Do you mean no 351 and 352 squadron RAF?

Thanks
Max