F-84 in Jugoslawien
Von einem Kollegen aus Montenegro habe ich folgende Übersetzung aus ehemaligen jugoslawischen Zeitschriften bekommen. Ich stelle sie hier mal rein. Sicher ein sehr interessantes Kapitel.
F-84G thunderjet was part of american military support to Tito (MDAP)
3 pilots-Ivanovic,Lukic,Leka were sent to Squadron Leader Course in 48.USAF fighter bomber wing in Chaumont,France.Late in 1952. 10 more pilots were sent .On the west the were known as Titos jet jockeys.
First gorup of new aircraft arrived in Yugoslavia on 9. june 1953. on Batajnica AB near Belgade.(8 aircrafts from american base in Germany)serial number 10501,10502...and so on
First figher wing was 117. lap,than 204.lap ,both form 44.division...after them 198. lap so until the end of 1953. there were 54 F-84 in Yugoslavia.In februar 1954. 94. lap got new planes. than 21 division :172 lap from Zadar,83. lap
In 1955. some aircrafts revied recce cameras under nose.
Befor 1955. many aircrafts did not have any serial numbers..some even had USAF markings,some recied buzz numbers on noses.
In 1956 marking was standardised.
Repair was organised in -Soko- factory (Mostar) and engines -21 Maj-(Rakovica)
Soko got american licence and even produced 44 pairs of new wings!
1957. the end of MDAP wich was canceled by Yugoslavia. 167 aircraft arrived until that time 6 fihter/bomber wings and one trainig .They were in service until 1973.
1959-60 from Greek Yugoslavia bought 60 more F-84G wich formed 88. and 109. wing on Cerklje ab.
1960-64 -4 fighter/bopmber and one traing wings existed.
From 1960 ,20 aircraft were modified into RF-84G (recived 3 recce cameras on tip tanks and nose)wich formed 184 iap.(recce wing). Last squadron wich operated RF-84G was 352.(in Mostar).
Yugoslav aeronautical museum has 4 F-84G including one RF-84G 10525.