116th Fighter Aviation Regiment

The 116th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 116. lovački puk, 116. ловачки пук) was a unit originally established in 1944 as the 113th Fighter Aviation Regiment (113. vazduhoplovni lovački puk, 113. ваздухопловни ловачки пук). It was formed from Yugoslav partisan aviators, trained and equipped by the Soviet Air Force.

116th Fighter Aviation Regiment
116. lovački puk
Active1944-1960
Disbanded1960
Country Soviet Union
 Yugoslavia
BranchSoviet Air Force
Yugoslav Air Force
TypeRegiment
RoleFighter
Part of3rd Air Command
EngagementsSyrmian Front

History

113th Fighter Aviation Regiment

The 113th Fighter Aviation Regiment was established on December 15, 1944, in Ruma, from Yugoslav partisan aviators with the Soviet Air Force 17th Air Army's 267th Fighter Aviation Regiment (267.IAP). It became independent from Soviet command and personnel in May 1945. The regiment was part of the 11th Aviation Fighter Division and equipped with Soviet Yak-1M fighter aircraft. The regiment took part in final operations for the liberation of Yugoslavia and was based at Ruma, Ilinovac, Bački Brestovac, Ilinovac (again) and Velika Gorica/Pleso airfields.

By 1945 then new Yak-3 fighters were introduced into service. After the war the regiment moved to Slovenia, being based at Ljubljana and Cerklje airfields. By 1947 it was re-located to Macedonia, where it was based at Skopje. From June 18 to September 21 1947, the regiment was based at Tirana in Albania.

In 1948 this regiment was renamed, like all other units of the Yugoslav Army, becoming the 116th Fighter Aviation Regiment.

The commanders of the regiment in this period were Miljenko Lipovšćak, Nikola Cvikić, Ljubo Kojić and Spasen Zarevski. The commissars were Drago Đuričković, Đuro Savić and Miloš Milikić.[1]

An Ikarus S-49C Yugoslav-made fighter which served in the 116th Fighter Aviation Regiment from April 1959, now at the Belgrade Aviation Museum

116th Fighter Aviation Regiment

The regiment was formed by renaming the 113th Fighter Aviation Regiment which was at Skopski Petrovac airport, where it remained until it was disbanded. The regiment was part of the 39th Aviation Division until 1959, when it was subordinated to the 3rd Air Command. It was equipped with Soviet Yak-3s until 1952 when they were replaced with new domestically produced Ikarus S-49C fighters. The regiment also had a number of various trainers, including the Soviet Yak-9U, the domestically produced Utva 212 and others.

It was disbanded on October 15 1960.

The commanders of the regiment in this period were Spasen Zarevski, Branko Kuna, Aleksandar Bračun, Drago Stanisavljević, Petar Pavić and Stevan Leka.[2]

Assignments

Previous designations
  • 113th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1944-1948)
  • 116th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1948-1960)

Bases stationed
  • Ruma (1944)
  • Bački Brestovac (1944)
  • Ilinovac (1944)
  • Velika Gorica/Pleso (1944)
  • Ljubljana (1945)
  • Cerklje (1946-1947)
  • Skopski Petrovac (1947)
  • Tirana, Albania (1947)
  • Skopski Petrovac (1947-1960)

Commanding officers
Date appointed Name
Miljenko Lipovšćak
Nikola Cvikić
Ljubo Kojić
Spasen Zarevski
Branko Kuna
Aleksandar Bračun
Drago Stanisavljević
Petar Pavić
Stevan Leka

Aircraft
  • Yakovlev Yak-1M (1944–1948)
  • Yakovlev Yak-3 (1945–1952)
  • Ikarus S-49C (1952–1960)
  • Yakovlev Yak-9U (1948–1950)
  • Utva 212 (1948-1960)

References
  1. Dimitrijević, Bojan. Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo 1942-1992. Beograd, 2006, p. 355.
  2. Dimitrijević, Bojan. Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo 1942-1992. Beograd, 2006, p. 359.
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