Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 21 MF

Former Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) Air Force,

Podgorica Air Base, Montenegro, 1994

KP. Looks like a crude kit at first, but in truth its not that bad. Mine was a genuine "cold war" issue from behind the Iron Curtain (early 1980s) which added a bit of authenticity. Repainted several times (used it as a test bed for some modelling techniques).

Forces of the FRY continued to use several variants of the MiG 21 after the break up of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. FRY aircraft flying from Podgorica and Croatian aircraft from other former Yugoslav air bases were regularly tracked by NATO naval units operating in the Adriatic sea, during                  Operation SHARP GUARD, the UN embargo on trade with the warring factions of the Former Yugoslavia.

SOKO G4 Super Galeb

Republika Srpska Air Force (Bosnian Serb)

Banja Luka Air Base, Bosnia Herzegovina, 1994

YuMo. A nice kit, albeit one that is now very rare and difficult to find, with comprehensive decal options. (Link to build Page)

The G-4 Super Galeb (seagull) was an indigenous trainer/light fighter developed by the Yugoslav aircraft industry during the late 1970s and built by SOKO at Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina. Full production began in 1984 and continued until the start of the civil war in 1991. Eighty five aircraft were built, operated by Yugoslavia and its post-war successors plus Myanmar (ex Burma). Powered by an uprated Rolls Royce Viper turbojet, it had a similar role and capabilities to the BAe Hawk trainer, albeit with slightly less performance, but was also quite a lot cheaper to build.  

As well as its trainer role, a centre mounted gun pod could be fitted to mount a double 23mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L cannon, along with 4 wing pylons able to carry bombs, rockets or fuel.

During the Yugoslav Wars, G-4s carried out ground-attack sorties and four were recorded as having been lost to opposing air defences.

SOKO NJ-22 Orao

Republika Srpska Air Force (Bosnian Serb)

Banja Luka Air Base, Bosnia Herzegovina, 1994

Litaki 1/72. Another nice kit, but expensive and not an easy build.  Again, with comprehensive decal options. (Link to build Page)

The SOKO Orao was another indigenous Yugoslav design from the late 1970s/early 1980s.  

Developed as a joint Yugoslav-Romanian project (the Romanian aircraft being the IAR-93 Vultur) it filled a ground attack and reconnaissance role, with a 2-seat variant providing a training capability as well as attack.

With an airframe configuration that is very reminiscent of the Anglo-French Jaguar, plans to make the Orao supersonic were prevented by the reluctance of the UK government to sell a suitable engine to Warsaw pact countries, leaving older and less powerful twin Rolls Royce Vipers as its power plants (Yugoslavia already built these under licence). Later aircraft carried a locally developed afterburner, giving greater performance and a major upgrade in the early 2010s added new avionics and multi-function displays.  As well as the engines, much of the aircraft’s original equipment was of Western origin, reflecting long-standing Yugoslavian multi-bloc engagement policy.  These included ejector seats by Martin Baker, Nav systems by Ferranti, Honeywell and Rockwell-Collins, plus a Thomson CSF head up display.  

Originally built in Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina, the SOKO factory was destroyed early in the Yugoslav wars, with plant being stripped by the withdrawing Yugoslav Army (JNA) and moved to the UTVA aircraft company in Pancevo, North East Serbia (a factory that was later destroyed by NATO bombing).  

During the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, JNA aircraft conducted a number of attack sorties against Croatia early in the war before mostly withdrawing to Serbia-Montenegro.  One of the original 3 JNA Squadrons was left with the newly formed Bosnian Serb Air Force where it conducted regular ground attack sorties against Bosnian and Croatian forces.  

J-22 Oraos, along with J-21 Jastrebs, took part in the infamous 1984 Banja Luka Incident during which three USAF F-16s on Operation Deny Flight engaged Bosnian Serb aircraft flying in violation of the UN No-Fly Zone and attacking military targets in Bosnia.  Whilst the two Oraos escaped unharmed, five Jastrebs were shot down or crashed, in the first ever combat engagement by NATO since the alliance was formed.

A shortage of spare and fuel due to UN Blockades quickly reduced the availability of these aircraft and NATO’s Operation Deny Flight all but grounded them, although a few flights continued until the mid 1990s.   After the war, the aircraft were absorbed into the combined Bosnia–Herzegovina Air Force but placed in storage, with some reportedly eventually sold to Serbia.  Some further operations by Oraos took place during the Kosovo Wars and a large number of the remaining aircraft were destroyed by NATO bombing of Podgorica in 1999. Despite this, the modern Serbian Air Force continues to operate around 17 of the type, and these are expected to be modernised and continue in service for some time to come.

Adversaries: The Former Yugoslavia

www.gengriz.co.uk

Background image - the blockaded coast of the Former Yugoslavia, seen from a NATO warship

The other side Germany -WW1 Germany - WW2 Italian & Vichy Japan - WW2 Cold War & after

Operation SHARP GUARD

Click on the thumbnail above or scroll down to see the models

Part 3 - The Yugoslavian Wars 1992-96

Link to Part 1 - The Soviet Union, Korea and Russia

Link to Part 2 - The Falkland War, 1982

Falklands 1982 Former Yugoslavia 1992-95