Book Review of
The Yugoslav Air Force
In the Battles for Slovenia, Croatia, & Bosnia
& Herzegovina, 1991-1992, Volume 1
Author: Aleksandar Radic
Europe @ War Series
Helion & Co. Ltd.
ISBN: 978-1-912866-35-9
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $29.95
ISBN: 978-1-912866-35-9
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2020
MSRP: $29.95
HISTORY:
During the late 1980’s, the former Soviet Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) – a country dominating the Balkans – experienced a period of major crisis. Led by the Communist Party, the nation’s leadership failed to understand the depth of political changes all over Eastern Europe, and then split internally among ethnic lines.
In 1988-1989.
Ethnic Albanians in the autonomous province of Kosovo began demanding independence; the authorities of the SFRJ reacted by suppressing the resulting demonstrations in the Federal Republic of Serbia. Public opinion turned to nationalism, which the local Communist leadership exploited to maintain itself in power.
By 1990, nationalistic leaders had also risen to power in Slovenia and Croatia, and publicly announced their intention to secede these federal republics, and proclaimed independence in June 1991. Already split by deep rifts within their top political and military leaders, the Federal authorities launched a rather confused attempt to recover control over the outside borders of the SFRJ.
Tasked with transport and protection of federal employees, the Yugoslav Air Force and Air Defence (RV I PVO) found itself in the thick of combat from day one of the conflict, when the Slovenes shot down two of the helicopters. In return, the RV I PVO began flying attack sorties . Hard on the heels of this drama, the conflict between Croats and Serbs in Croatia reached boiling point in summer of 1991.
Slowly at first, a major war erupted, which caught the RV I PVO in a paradoxical situation, as part of it was still undergoing training, while other parts flew demonstrations of power, alongside reconnaissance , transport, and then the first combat operations.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Company is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 88 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover shows a color photo of a line of jet fighters parked on an airfield and a squadron badge.
The book contains 115 black and white and 6 color photos of pilots, troops and aircrafts. There are 5 maps included. A photo of Marshal Josip Broz Tito and many data lists. Five tanks are shown, the majority of them are T-55A’s. A German flak gun in a concrete shore emplacement, a Bofors L/70 cannon and a M86 armoured car are shown.
Color profile illustrations include: a Mi-8 helicopter, 2 profiles of a SA-342L helicopter, a AN-26B transport, a G-4 Super Galeb fighter, a J-21 Jasta fighter, 2 profiles of a J-22 Orao fighter, and 4 profiles of the Mig-21bis fighter.
This book will be of great interest to aircraft modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
All Helion & Co. Ltd. Book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
During the late 1980’s, the former Soviet Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) – a country dominating the Balkans – experienced a period of major crisis. Led by the Communist Party, the nation’s leadership failed to understand the depth of political changes all over Eastern Europe, and then split internally among ethnic lines.
In 1988-1989.
Ethnic Albanians in the autonomous province of Kosovo began demanding independence; the authorities of the SFRJ reacted by suppressing the resulting demonstrations in the Federal Republic of Serbia. Public opinion turned to nationalism, which the local Communist leadership exploited to maintain itself in power.
By 1990, nationalistic leaders had also risen to power in Slovenia and Croatia, and publicly announced their intention to secede these federal republics, and proclaimed independence in June 1991. Already split by deep rifts within their top political and military leaders, the Federal authorities launched a rather confused attempt to recover control over the outside borders of the SFRJ.
Tasked with transport and protection of federal employees, the Yugoslav Air Force and Air Defence (RV I PVO) found itself in the thick of combat from day one of the conflict, when the Slovenes shot down two of the helicopters. In return, the RV I PVO began flying attack sorties . Hard on the heels of this drama, the conflict between Croats and Serbs in Croatia reached boiling point in summer of 1991.
Slowly at first, a major war erupted, which caught the RV I PVO in a paradoxical situation, as part of it was still undergoing training, while other parts flew demonstrations of power, alongside reconnaissance , transport, and then the first combat operations.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Company is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 88 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover shows a color photo of a line of jet fighters parked on an airfield and a squadron badge.
The book contains 115 black and white and 6 color photos of pilots, troops and aircrafts. There are 5 maps included. A photo of Marshal Josip Broz Tito and many data lists. Five tanks are shown, the majority of them are T-55A’s. A German flak gun in a concrete shore emplacement, a Bofors L/70 cannon and a M86 armoured car are shown.
Color profile illustrations include: a Mi-8 helicopter, 2 profiles of a SA-342L helicopter, a AN-26B transport, a G-4 Super Galeb fighter, a J-21 Jasta fighter, 2 profiles of a J-22 Orao fighter, and 4 profiles of the Mig-21bis fighter.
This book will be of great interest to aircraft modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample.
All Helion & Co. Ltd. Book titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.