Yugoslavian F-84s and F-86s

Yugoslav Air Force F-84G

2 Yugoslavia Air Force (RViPVO)”Sabre Dog”

Any more pics on the JRV F-84G (not that I dislike the F-86 🙂 )

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?150674-SFR-of-Yugoslavia-F-84

😉

Austria also springs to mind with eastern and western aircraft in a mix.

pvde67, many thanks for unearthing the thread and adding your great knowledge to it, much appreciated!:)

Thank you, much appreciated. Hope someone will add more information and not simple loan (ie,steal) my information :-)….

Any more pics on the JRV F-84G (not that I dislike the F-86 🙂 )

Similarly, JAT, the Yugoslavian airline, operated a fleet of western types including Boeing 707s and 727s.

Yugoslavian F-86s. 😉

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?150619-SFR-of-Yugoslavia-F-86e-Sabre

pvde67, many thanks for unearthing the thread and adding your great knowledge to it, much appreciated!:)

A very precise report from pvde67 but it should also be mentioned that the first fighter bombers supplied under MDAP was also a Republic product the F-47D. 150 delivered and in use until 1957 when they were relegated to the training role as the jets arrived.

true, but my only focus/interest is the F-84G
thanks for the compliment

I recall seeing Yugoslav Sabre 4 (ex Canada) 11070 at Ypenburg in August 1959. I may have a picture. I shall search in my dusty archives!

Laurence

First MDAP fighter delivered.

A very precise report from pvde67 but it should also be mentioned that the first fighter bombers supplied under MDAP was also a Republic product the F-47D. 150 delivered and in use until 1957 when they were relegated to the training role as the jets arrived.

The F-84 thread has got to look at some pictures of F-84 Thunderjets and F-86 Sabres of the Yugoslavian airforce.
Does anyone here know the politics of how Yugoslavia was able to procure Western and Eastern Bloc aircraft during the cold war?
I can only think of Finland as being another nation in a similar position.

As Tito kept a strict “neutral” course, away from the Soviet Doctrine, Yugoslavia was also open to contacts with the west. Therefor, it was decided to grant (military) aid to Yugoslavia, to keep that country, for at least partially, influenced by and friendly to the western powers.

Regarding the Repblic F-84G Thunderjet, extracts from my manuscript, chapter Yugoslavia:

Military assistance by the United States of America for Yugoslavia was discussed during 1951, and an agreement signed on November 14, 1951. During early 1952, a United States Aid Mission was present in Yugoslavia, mainly instructing and advising the Yugoslavia Armed Forces with their modernisation campaign(……)
On the 10th of March 1953, the United States Air Force delivered the first jet aircraft to the Yugoslavia Air Force, a total of 4 Lockheed T-33A Shooting Stars. This was to be followed by delivering the first jet fighter to the Yugoslavia Air Force, a decision which raised some question marks on the political front in the United States of America. Via the United States funded Mutual Defence Assistance Program (MDAP), an initial number of 25 Republic F-84G Thunderjet aircraft were allocated to the Yugoslav Air Force. All of these aircraft were former 48 Tactical Fighter Wing aircraft, based at Chaumont Air Base, France. (……)
The initial F-84G type conversion training for 3 senior Yugoslav Air Force pilots was staged at Chaumont Air Base, France. These 3 Yugoslavia Air Force Pilots were Steva Leka, Borivoje Petkov and Dinko Radman. They had their conversion training on the Republic F-84G Thunderjet with the 493 Tactical Fighter Squadron during September, 1952. The result was satisfactory, that another 10 Yugoslavia Air Force pilots were converted at Chaumont Air Base, France, in December, 1952.(……)
On June 9th, 1953, the first Republic F-84G Thunderjets were delivered to the Yugoslav Air Force, ferried by United States Air Force Europe pilots. A total of 8 aircraft were flown to Batajnica JRV base, arriving from Erding Air Base, West-Germany. In that time, Erding Air Base served as a United States Air Force Mutual Defence Aid Program Depot. During July ( 31 in total? ) and October 1953 ( 22in total? ), additional former United States Air Force Republic F-84G Thunderjets were delivered to the Yugoslav Air Force.(……)
grand total : 229
service : 06.53 – 1974
serials : 10501 – 10729
10501 – 10556 : all former USAFE aircraft, delivered 1953
10557 – 10636 : all former USAFE aircraft, delivered 01.54 – 01.55
10637 – 10669 : mainly former BAF/RNLAF aircraft, delivered 1957
10670 – 10729 : all former HAF aircraft, delivered 1959-1960tbc

Yugoslavia also supplied a Yak-23 to the US. (Defection from Romania). No doubt it helped foster good relations with the west?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFXAdrJoQl0

TJ

What I saw said that the Yak-23 was being shipped through Yugoslavia via rail, and the Yugos “lost” the cars for a few days.

The Yak-23 was already crated up, and so it was easy to just load them into a C-124 and fly them to Wright-Patterson AFB, where it was un-crated, examined, assembled, flown, taken apart, and re-crated.

It was then flown back to Yugoslavia, where it was re-loaded aboard the freight cars, “found”, and shipped on to its scheduled destination a few days late.

Thanks for the responses guys, I forgot about Romania and its multi pact aviation past.
I was aware of the Gnat for Yugoslavia (and again Finland!), they really seemed to like diminutive warplanes out there, borne out when you see pictures of their own indigenous designs.

Basically, Tito fell out with the Soviets, so was cultivated as a sort of an ally by the West. When relations were restored with Moscow, they got Russian equipment.

In one of the early parts of the Yugoslav Civil War there was a news report that showed a T-33 rocketing a convoy

It wouldn’t have been a T-33, but a Soko Jastreb or Soko Galeb.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soko_J-21_Jastreb

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soko_G-2

The video of the convoy attack is on the web, but is a bit too graphic.

Snapshot of Soko during the rocket attack on the convoy.

TJ

Basically, Tito fell out with the Soviets, so was cultivated as a sort of an ally by the West. When relations were restored with Moscow, they got Russian equipment.

In one of the early parts of the Yugoslav Civil War there was a news report that showed a T-33 rocketing a convoy

Yugoslavia also supplied a Yak-23 to the US. (Defection from Romania). No doubt it helped foster good relations with the west?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFXAdrJoQl0

Yugoslavia came close to purchasing the Gnat. Some examples were evaluated.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Yugoslavia—Air/Folland-Gnat-F1/1739294/L/

TJ

Romania built the Alouette III, Puma, Islander and BAC111 in license, and they were even in the Warsaw Pact.

Yugoslavia was a communist country, but they were not a member of the Warsaw Pact and most certainly weren’t part of the Soviet block. They were free to buy their equipment on the world market. IIRC their Sabres were mostly ex-RAF Canadair Sabres (called F-86E in service) apart from a number of radar-equipped F-86D’s.

Their F-84F Thunderjets were ex-USAF (48TFW) and new-built.