Other Forces

Yugoslav fighter

IMC Archives

Yugoslav Air Force’s officers standing in front of one of very few Rogožarski IK-3 fighters built before the Axis attack to Kingdom of Yugoslavia (April 1941). In background another IK-3 with engine cooling removed. This IK-3 was an indigenous design fighter powered by a French Hispano-Suiza 12Y-29 liquid-cooled supercharged V12 engine, rated at 920 HP, and armed with one 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS-404 cannon and two 7.92 mm FN-Browning machine guns mounted over the engine. Prior of the Axis attack only six of the first IK-3’s production batch (12+25 planes) were operational at Zemun Airport, near Belgrade, with the fighter squadrons 161st and 162nd (three planes each) of the 51. Grupa (51st Fighter Group) equipped also with Bf 109s for the Belgrade’s defence. Victor Sierra