Aircraft of Serbia And Neighboring Countries

[imalko]

I envisioned this thread as a place to share pictures and discuss modern aircraft which flew and still fly the skies of former Yugoslavia, but primarily my native country Serbia. The photos I'll be posting here were compiled over the years from various sites on the internet and unfortunately for most of them the exact source is unknown (wherever possible the source and author of the photo will be given). The photos will be accompanied with basic and most interesting information about the given subject.
I also call upon all forum members, especially those from around these parts, to fell free to post here their own pictures on given topic of this thread.

So, to start this thread here is the collection of photos showing aircraft which currently serve with Serbian Air Force (from above): MiG-29, MiG-21, Antonov An-26, An-2, Mi-8 and Gazelle helicopters and finally indigenous Yugoslav designs J-22 Orao, G-4 Super Galeb and Lasta 95.

 

[Gnomey]

Cool stuff Igor! Looking forward to seeing what else turns up in this thread.

 

[pbfoot]

Also enjoy

 

[Lucky13]

Looking forward to this Igor!

 

[Wurger]

 

[imalko]

Cheers mates! Okay, here's the second set of pictures to conclude our brief overview of current Serbian Air Force inventory (from above): Utva-75 basic trainer, G-2 Galeb, Yak-40 VIP transport and Mi-24 and Mi-17 helicopters.

An aircraft of indigenous design, Utva-75 served for a long time as basic trainer in our AF, but it is soon to be replaced in that role with new Lasta-95. Many of these aircraft are also used by civilian Aero clubs. Only one G-2 Galeb remains still operational in Serbian AF today.This aircraft now serves within Flight Research Department of Technical Research Center at Batajnica airbase. Two Mi-24 and two Mi-17 helicopters were obtained in late nineties by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and used during crisis and armed conflict in our southern province. (Hence the nonstandard camouflage color schemes and absence of official national markings apart from small national flag on the tail.) Only in June 2006 were they passed to the Air Force. Today they are grounded due to the expiration of flight resources. Two Mi-17 transports are currently under overhaul while Mi-24s face more uncertain future as definite decision about their final fate is yet to be made.

 

[tomo pauk]

I'll try to add some info about Croatian AF

One of things 'invented' during our war of 1991-95 were so called 'boiler bombs' - body of electric water heater was filled with explosives scrap metal, improvised stabilators were welded, while fusing was done via anti-tank mine's fuses. Boms were carried in An-2 (transport, biplane) and tossed from cargo space. Sorties were flown by night, and navigation was managed with GPS.
Same An-2s were flying supplies to the besieged city of Vukovar in 1991.
One of the 'bombers' was shot down by a SA-6 missile unit, with crew of 4 killed.

Picture of a 'boiler bomb', from Wiki:

 

[tomo pauk]

Galeb G-2, one of couple captured in Udbina air base in 1995, none is operative for years:

 

[tomo pauk]

Croatian MiG-21 combat trainer in unmistakable 'camo' pattern, pic from Wiki:

 

[imalko]

Thanks for your contribution Tomo. Nice pictures there. Looking forward to more.
In the meantime here are few of Croatian MiG-21s... Croatians obtained their first examples of MiG-21 by defecting Yugoslav pilots of Croatian nationality at the beginning of the war 1991-1995. Not sure if few of them were also captured on the ground. (Tomo, maybe you know more about that possibility.) Further examples were later purchased abroad.
Anyway, markings and camouflage of Croatian Mig-21s was changing over the time. First examples retained standard Yugoslav color scheme with only Croatian insignia painted over Yugoslav markings (picture 1). Later new camo scheme and new national insignia were devised (picture 2). Last three picture show current appearance of Croatian MiG-21s.

Source: Airliners.net

 

[tomo pauk]

Only one MiG-21 (two-seater) was captured at the Zemunik air base near Zadar.

 

[tomo pauk]

Jastreb of Croatian AF (captured at Udbina AB?), from mycity-military.com. Note the US Mk-82 bomb:

 

[Lucky13]

Great thread mate!

 

[Gnomey]

Nice stuff!

 

[imalko]

This post could be titled "All markings of our MiG-21s"...

If there's an aircraft that marked the last four (soon to be five) decades of aviation on these here parts it has to be MiG-21. Since 1962 up to this day and in almost all versions from MiG-21f-13 through MiG-21bis, this aircraft had flown our skies. They say there's a too much history for such a small region here in the Balkans and MiG-21 was in the middle of it. While basic paint scheme remained fairly consistent, here's how national and tactical markings of our Migs were changing over the years...

First there was a time of "golden age" of Yugoslav aviation during the existence of Tito's Socialist Yugoslavia. This was the time when MiG-21 became backbone of our Air Force. At this time national markings consisted of national flag over the fin and rudder and roundels with red stars on the fuselage and wings. Each aircraft had small serial number painted in black on the fin and last three digits of this number painted in large black numbers beneath the cockpit. Paint scheme was bare metal/silver overall on early versions soon to be replaced by light gray overall. (Pictures 1-2.) One example was experimentally painted in gray/green/blue camouflage scheme with white tactical numbers but this was not adopted. When Yugoslav wars started large black numbers beneath the cockpit were over painted to conceal the identity of the aircraft from the secessionists.

Then there was a time of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and State Union of Serbia and Montenegro (1992-2006). During this time new national insignia was adopted and national flag on the tail reduced in size (pictures 3-4). This insignia is popularly called "Pepsi insignia" by the aviation enthusiasts and modelers over here. It was at this time that unit emblems were adopted (something which was not that common in communist times.) Aircraft in picture 3 displaying the emblem of 126th Fighter Squadron "Deltas".

Finally after Serbia regained it's independence in 2006 new national insignia was adopted. Though this is similar to the roundel of Royal Yugoslav AF in WW2, it consists of the blue/red roundel of Serbian Aviatics from WW1 on which white "Kosovo" cross is superimposed. National flag is retained on the tail as well as unit emblems on some aircraft. Picture 5 show MiG-21bis "17163", which was the first aircraft painted in new Serbian national insignia. This aircraft also displays proposed new two tone gray paint scheme for our MiG-21s. This scheme was not adopted however and Serbian MiG-21s continue to fly with new insignia but in old standard light gray scheme which is well weathered on most aircraft after years of service as can be seen on picture 6.

Finally here's a picture 7 showing one veteran MiG-21 which saw extensive insignia changes over the years...

 

[imalko]

To update this thread after a while with few fresh photos of our MiG-29s...
Photo © 2011. Dušan Atlagić, "ODBRANA"

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots Igor!

 

[imalko]

Time to update this thread with some new pictures me thinks. It's been a while...

 

[vikingBerserker]

I think the Mig 29 has got to be the most elagant fighter today.

 

[tomo pauk]

Are those the decoy launchers under Orao's hull?