Our 2014 edition of “Seaplanes of Bocche: The Story of Austro-Hungarian Naval Aviation in Southern Adriatic” is sold out. We will try to prepare a second, revised and expanded edition in the near future. For any update, feel free to contact us at
Chapter 1: Italian Job Troubled Kingdom 7 Sparviero Comes to Yugoslavia 8 Taming the Tri-motors 17 On the Doorstep of War 29
Chapter 2: The April War Bombing the Axis 35 Getaway 42 Blame Games 59
Chapter 3: Under the Allied Banner With Red Stars on the Eastern Front 61 Far and Away 63 Back in Egypt 69
Chapter 4: Croat Hunchbacks The Lone Bird 71 Return of the Sparviero 72
Chapter 5: Settantanove Over the Balkans In Hostile Skies 75 Yugoslav Battleground 77 Torpedo Bombers 78 The Hijack 80
Chapter 6: Camouflage and Markings Vazduhoplovstvo vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije 83 Voyenno-vozdushnye sily 85 Royal Air Force 85 Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske 86 Regia Aeronautica 86 Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana 86 Regia Aeronautica (post-war) 88
Endnotes 89
Appendix 1: Commanding Officers of VVKJ SM.79I Units 90
Appendix 2: SM.79I Italian Military Serial Numbers & Production Numbers 90
Appendix 3: VVKJ SM.79I Escadrille Numbers & MIlitary Serial Numbers 90
Appendix 4: Reconstruction of VVKJ SM.79I Combat Log 91
Appendix 5: VVKJ SM.79I Losses 97
Appendix 6: Approximate Comparison of Ranks 98
Abbreviations 99 Selected Bibliography 100 Selected Archival Sources and Documents 100 Selected Internet Sources 100
Beautiful and ugly, rugged and elegant, celebrated and underrated, Savoia Marchetti SM.79 was one of the greatest aircraft of it’s time. Sidelined by other, more famous and potent types, with a combat record unpretentious, it still left a colorful mark in Yugoslav military history. This book tells the story of the acquisition of the third modern bomber type in the inventory of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force, it’s peacetime service and the role it played during the April War in 1941. It uncovers in detail the fate of the Yugoslav tri-motors which escaped to the Soviet Union and Middle East, where they were pressed into service by their new owners and with new markings. It describes the operations of the few aircraft in the inventory of the air arm of the puppet Independent State of Croatia, used both as bombers against Partisans and transports in the final stages of the war. It chronicles the episodes played by the iconic aircraft with three different Italian air forces, beginning with incursions during the Greek campaign and the assault on Yugoslavia, long-range flights of torpedo bombers at the time of changed fortunes of war, and ending with bizarre defection in 1946. Illustrated with 22 aircraft profiles and 125 photographs, many of which are published for the first time, this book represents the result of decades of painstaking research. It is drawn from archival sources, interviews and personal recollections, as well as documents and artifacts from private collections in Serbia, Croatia, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Netherlands, Hungary, Slovenia and United Kingdom.
The drama of the conquest of the skies throughout the XX century is presented through 25 stories about men and machines from 1913 until 1999. Connecting the early flights of fragile aeroplanes, covered with canvas and braced with wires, to supersonic jet fighters, is the area of the former Yugoslavia. Although on the periphery of the main centres of aviation development, the richness of this heritage is amazing. Captured through the lenses of the diverse participants in these events, curious onlookers or professional photographers, preserved in private collections and public institutions around the globe, 219 authentic photographs, most of which are published for the first time, bring back to life the known and unknown airmen – from Serbia, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, United States, Soviet Union, Israel and Yugoslavia – who left a unique, important and permanent impact on the history of aviation.
Depicted in the book are no less than 60 aircraft types: Blériot XI; Arsenal S8; Lohner Typ M, P, T & TL; Etrich A.II; Rumpler B.I; Hansa Brandenburg B.I & C.I; Nieuport XXI & XXIII; Spad VII, Phönix C.I & D.I; Aviatik Berg; Ufag C.I; Albatros D.III; FBA Tipo H; Aero A-15; Ikarus ŠM & IK-2; Dornier Do Wal, Do D & Do 17; SiM X & XII; Loire-Gourdou-Leseurre B3; Hawker Fury & Hurricane; Messerschmitt Bf 108; Fieseler Fi 156; Potez 25; Rogožarski R-100, PVT & IK-3; Zmaj R-1; Avia BH.33E; Fizir FN & FP-2; Spartan Cruiser; Breguet XIX; Caproni Ca.310; Henschel Hs 126; Bristol Blenheim; Junkers Ju 52; Cant Z.1007; Macchi C.205; Consolidated B-24; Yakovlyev Yak 1 & UYak 9; Ilyushin Il 2; Supermarine Spitfire; Lockheed T-33; Augusta-Bell AB-47; Republic F-84; McDonnell Douglas DC-9; Northrop F-5E; Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 21 & MiG 29.