Category: Messerschmitt Bf 109: The Yugoslav Story (Volume I)

Click the download link and take a look at some sample pages from the first volume of our story about the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in
Yugoslavia!

Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Yugoslav Story Sample Pages

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 49

Chapter 2: Bloody April
Black Dawn 53
On the Adriatic Front 59
Battle for Belgrade 60
Fight in the North 71
Defense Melting 74
Breakdown 81
Stage Closing 90
Zemun Interlude 97
The April War Aftermath 98

Chapter 3: The Wild Battlefield
Bandengebiet 101
On the Reich’s Southern Flank 103
At the Crossroads 111
Mounting Pressure 119
Spring Attrition 125
Defenses Fading Away 146
New Foes on the Horizon 153
Over Batina Bridgehead 156
Up Until the Last Plane Flying 158

Chapter 4: Camouflage and Markings
Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije 161
Luftwaffe 166

Endnotes 173

Appendix 1: VVKJ Bf 109E-3a Production Numbers Pool 175

Appendix 2: Roster of VVKJ Bf 109E-3a & IK-3 Units in the
Defense of Belgrade, 6 April 1941 175

Appendix 3: VVKJ Fighter Claims, April War 1941 (Provisional) 176

Appendix 4: VVKJ 6.LP Combat Log, 6 – 12 April 1941 177

Appendix 5: Luftflotte 4, Order of Battle for Bf 109E Units,
5 April 1941 180

Appendix 6: Known Claims by Luftwaffe Bf 109 Units Over
Yugoslavia 1941 – 1945 181

Appendix 7: Known Luftwaffe Bf 109 Losses in Yugoslav Campaign and in Yugoslavia 1941 – 1945 186

Appendix 8: Approximate Comparison of Ranks 190

Abbrevations 191
Selected Bibliography 191
Selected Archival Funds and Documents 192
Selected Internet Sources 192

Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Color 193

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.

English translation review:
Colin & Barbara Huston

Translation of sources in Italian language:
Aleksandar Stošović

Translation of sources in Russian language:
Marija Mažibrada-Ciglić

Aircraft Profiles and Artwork:
Ognjan Petrović

Graphic Design:
Unibrand Communications d.o.o.

Supported by:
Top Pos Servis

Format: 290 x 210 mm

196 pages

231 photographs

37 aircraft profiles

Paperback

Release Date: 6 April 2016

ISBN: 978-86-909727-2-2

ⓒ 2016 All rights reserved by Boris Ciglić

Publisher’s price: 33,00 EUR

Shipment costs for European countries:
Registered air mail – 13,50 EUR
Unregistered surface mail – 10,00 EUR

Shipment costs for overseas countries:
Registered air mail – 17,50 EUR
Unregistered surface mail – 10,00 EUR

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