Messerschmitt Bf 109: The Yugoslav Story Volume I Boris Ciglić, Dragan Savić, Milan Micevski & Predrag Miladinović Operation record 1939-1953 Volume I Jeroplan Books, Beograd, 2016. Mek povez, A4 format (21cmx29cm) Engleski jezik, latinica Bogato ilustrovano, 196 strana. Knjiga sadrži 231 fotografiju, 37 avionskih profila Sadržaj: 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 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 Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Color 189 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. 196 pages 231 photographs 37 aircraft profiles Contents: 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