401002001.jpg
401002001.jpg

MESSERSCHMITT BF 109, THE YUGOSLAV STORY VOLUME 1

OPERATIONAL RECORD 1939-1953

Autore: Boris Ciglic, Dragan Savic, Mialn Micevski

Codice: 401002001

€ 40,00

Dettagliata storia, corredata da ricco materiale illustrativo, dell’impiego da parte delle forze aeree della Jugoslavia del caccia tedesco Messerschmitt Bf 109 dal 1939, durante tutta la seconda guerra mondiale fino al 1953.

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Several variants of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 roamed the skies over the Balkans for fourteen years in the hands of Yugoslav, German, Italian, Hungarian, Romanian and Bulgarian aviators, yet its role in Yugoslav aviation history remained in the shadow of its exploits in other areas of Europe. Breaking with many fallacies and misconceptions, this volume tells in detail the story of the epic German fighter in an forgotten arena, a side show to major theatres, but nonetheless one of the bloodiest and most atrocious battlefields of the Second World War. It covers the acquisition and service of the most modern fighter in the inventory of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force, the dominance of the Luftwaffe Bf 109 units during the April War in 1941 against an ill-prepared and poorly led, but nonetheless brave and courageous adversary; their renewed deployment over, by then, a frightful battlefield, melting under the might of the Allied air offensive. Illustrated with 37 aircraft profiles and 231 photographs, many of which are published for the first time, this book represents the result of decades of painstaking research. It is drawn from extensive archival sources, numerous interviews and personal recollections, as well as privately-owned documents and artifacts from Serbia, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, United Kingdom, United States, Belgium, Hungary, Romania, Italy, Bulgaria, Russia, France, Austria, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

CONTENTS:

Foreword 5

Chapter 1: Royal Emils

The Land of the South Slavs 7

An Air Force in Despair 8

Hard Talk 8

Fragile Peace 20

Tumult in the Balkans 37

Pact or War 43

Luftwaffe Gearing Up 48

Chapter 2: Bloody April

Black Dawn 53

On the Adriatic Front 59

Battle for Belgrade 60

Fight in the North 71

Defense Melting 73

Breakdown 81

Stage Closing 90

Zemun Interlude 97

The April War Aftermath 99

Chapter 3: The Wild Battlefield

Bandengebiet 101

On the Reich’s Southern Flank 103

At the Crossroads 110

Mounting Pressure 119

Spring Attrition 125

Defenses Fading Away 144

New Foes on the Horizon 151

Over Batina Bridgehead 154

Up Until the Last Plane Flying 156

Chapter 4: Camouflage and Markings

Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije 159

Luftwaffe 163

Endnotes 169

Appendix 1: VVKJ Bf 109E-3a Production Numbers Pool 171

Appendix 2: Roster of VVKJ Bf 109E-3a & IK-3 Units in the

Defense of Belgrade, 6 April 1941 171

Appendix 3: VVKJ Fighter Claims, April War 1941 (Provisional) 172

Appendix 4: VVKJ 6.LP Combat Log, 6 – 12 April 1941 173

Appendix 5: Luftflotte 4, Order of Battle for Bf 109E Units,

5 April 1941 176

Appendix 6: Known Claims by Luftwaffe Bf 109 Units Over

Yugoslavia 1941 – 1945 177

Appendix 7: Known Luftwaffe Bf 109 Losses in Yugoslav Campaign and in Yugoslavia 1941 – 1945 182

Appendix 8: Approximate Comparison of Ranks 186

Abbrevations 187

Selected Bibliography 187

Selected Archival Funds and Documents 188

Selected Internet Sources 188

Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Color 189

 

Lingua

INGLESE

Illustrazioni

231 foto in bianco e nero e 37 profili a colori

Pagine

196

Misure

21 x 29

ISBN
9788690972760