83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...

: 83. lovački avijacijski puk / 83. ловачки авијацијски пук
) was an aviation regiment established in 1944 as 1st Yugoslav Fighter Regiment (Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...

: 1. јugoslovenski vazduhoplovni lovački puk / 1. југословенски ваздухопловни ловачки пук
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...

: 1-й Югославский истребительный авиационный полк) formed from Yugoslav partisan aviators on training in Soviet Union.

1st Yugoslav Fighter Regiment

The 1st Yugoslav Fighter Regiment was formed in 14 October 1944 in Krasnodar
Krasnodar
Krasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:...

, USSR, from Yugoslav partisan aviators sent on training by October 1944. It consisted from three squadrons equipped with new Yak-3 fighter aircraft. It had 180 personal, which from five were staff officers, 37 pilots, 37 mechanics, and others. By the end of training and arming with Yak's regiment became operational by May 1, 1945. It has moved from USSR taking off by September 7, 1945 and land in Yugoslavia by 14 September at Zemun airport. Two days later it was renamed in to 254th Fighter Aviation Regiment.

The commander of regiment was Petar Radević and commissar was Viktor Bubanj.

254th Fighter Aviation Regiment

The 254th Fighter Aviation Regiment was formed in 16 September 1945 by renaming of 1st Yugoslav Fighter Regiment at Zemun airport. It was part of 3rd Air Fighter Division.

Because of the crisis at Northwest of county, it has dislocated to Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....

 by Spring of 1946, and to Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...

 by Summer-Autumn same year.
On the 9th August 1946 a pair of Yak-3 aircraft piloted by the Lieutenant Dragan Zečević and Warrant Officer Dragan Stanisavljević have open fire and hit USAF C-47 which has violated Yugoslav airspace flow over Ljubljana airport at 12 p.m. which has forced landing 12 km near Kranj. One passenger, Turkish captain was wounded by hit, while crew and passengers were captured by Yugoslav Army
Yugoslav Army
Aside from the Yugoslav People's Army, the terms Yugoslav Army, Army of Yugoslavia, or Military of Yugoslavia may refer to:* Yugoslav Partisans , the Yugoslav resistance army during World War II...

. Later it was released by August 22, and the tension made with this incident and another one shooting down of USAF C-47 with fatal consequences for whole crew of five airman was reduce after Marshal Tito ordered to pay 150.000$ to families of killed US airman. By winter it moved to Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...

 and than again in 1947 across Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....

 to Ljubljana and Cerklje where it stayed during late 1947 and 1948.

By the 1948 year this regiment was renamed like all other units of Yugoslav Army, so it has become 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment.

The commanders of regiment in this period were Petar Radević, Đorđe Kešeljević, Radovan Daković and Radovan Krstić.

83rd Fighter and Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment

The 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment remain at Cerklje by the 1948, but same year it was relocated to Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...

, where it remain until 1953 when it supposed to relocate to Zemunik, but it was again sent to Cerklje due the Trieste crisis. It was at Cerklje airport during from October 1953 to February 1954 when it was dislocated to Zemunik, where it remained until 1963. In that year regiment was relocated to Golubovci airbase
Podgorica Airbase
The Podgorica Airbase is an active airbase in Montenegro. The airbase facilities are shared with Montenegro's main international airport, Podgorica Airport. It is the main base of the air arm of the Military of Montenegro...

.

In late 1948 and early 1949 regiment was equipped with 40 former Bulgarian Air Force
Bulgarian Air Force
The Bulgarian Air Force is a branch of the Military of Bulgaria, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and protect the sovereignty of Bulgarian airspace, to provide aerial support and to assist the Land Forces in case of war. The Bulgarian Air...

 German made Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...

G aircraft. In period of exploitation of Gustav's number of accidents has been an increase, some fatal disasters taking casualties.
By the 1952 Yak-3 and Bf 109G aircraft were replaced with US-build F-47D Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...

 fighters. In that period regiment was renamed to 83rd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...

: 83. lovačko-bombarderski avijacijski puk / 83. ловачко-бомбардерски авијацијски пук
). In 1954 Thunderbolts were replaced by Republic F-84 Thunderjet fighter-bombers, which remain in service with regiment until 1959 when it was replaced with F-86E Sabre jet fighters. Same year has changed its name back to 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment.

By the 1961 and application of the "Drvar" reorganization for the Air Force, new type designation system is used to identify squadrons, so the two squadrons of 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment have become 120th and 121st Fighter Aviation Squadron.

It was disbanded by the 1964 year due the "Drvar 2" reorganization plan. Its 121st Fighter Aviation Squadron was also disbanded, while its 120th Fighter Aviation Squadron remain as independent in 1st Air Corps until it was reorganized and renamed in to 242nd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron.

The commanders of regiment in this period were Miloš Milikić, Ante Sardelić, Radovan Krstić and Nikola Vučević.

Re-establishment of 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment

By the order from January 20, 1968, the 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment was re-established on October 5 of same year at Skopski Petrovac airport. It was formed from 123rd Fighter Aviation Squadron armed with North American F-86D Sabre jet fighters.
It was renamed in to 83rd Aviation Brigade (Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...

: 83. avijacijska brigada / 83. авијацијска бригада
) and dislocated to new build Slatian airbase
Slatina Air Base
Slatina Air Base , located at Pristina International Airport, contained the second largest military underground hangar complex in former Yugoslavia. The largest one was at Željava Airport near Bihać...

 near Priština
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....

. It was the second largest military airport with underground hangar complex in Yugoslavia, after Želajva airbase
Željava Air Base
Željava Air Base, situated on the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina under Plješevica Mountain, near the town of Bihać in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was the largest underground airport and military airbase in the former Yugoslavia and one of the largest in Europe.-History:Construction...

. For the existence of the regiment, it remain its base for longest period.

The first Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed in F-13 variant were introduced by 1970, and Sabers were withdrawn from Brigade by 1974. Newer variant MiG-21PMF has replaced F-13's by 1977, and the MiG-21 bis variants were introduced in 1983. The Brigade has again become Fighter Aviation Regiment by 1978.

When wars in Yugoslavia started, in period of 1991-1992, parts of 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment
117th Fighter Aviation Regiment
The 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment was an aviation regiment established in 1944 as 112th Fighter Aviation Regiment The 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 117. lovački avijacijski puk / 116. ловачки авијацијски пук) was an aviation regiment established in 1944 as 112th Fighter...

 and 129th Fighter Aviation Squadron were merged to 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment, which has later again become Aviation Brigade. In that period MiG-21UM training variants were introduced from merged units.
After Yugoslav People's Army
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...

 was officially dissolved in May 1992, the unit joined the newly formed Military of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as part of Aviation Corps. Two years later, with new reorganization of "new" Air Force of FR Yugoslavia, Brigade become again 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment which was part of Air Defense Corps. In that period the unit has got its official badge.

During the 1999, when NATO air forces started bombing campaign
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...

 against FR Yugoslavia, and Army, with its Air Froce and Air Defense units were primary targets. The Slatian airbase, located near capital of Serbian southern conflicted province Kosovo and Metohija, Priština, was constantly under attack. Several MiG-21 aircraft of 83rd Regiment were destroyed on ground by air strikes, but non was used in air combat, due the MiG-21's were excluded form combat operations considered as weak to confront modern NATO fighters. Several MiG-29 Fulcrum aircraft form 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment at Batajnica airbase were dislocated to Slatina due the war preparation.

After the end of NATO attacks and signing of the Treaty at Kumanovo, the all Yugoslav Forces had to retreat out from Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...

 province. On June 12, 1999 all aircraft, personal and equipment have left hardly damaged Slatina airbase and handed it over to Russian Airborne Troops as part of KFOR
KFOR
The Kosovo Force is a NATO-led international peacekeeping force responsible for establishing a secure environment in Kosovo.KFOR entered Kosovo on 12 June 1999 under a United Nations mandate, two days after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1244...

. The 83rd Fighter Regiment has relocated to Batajnica airbase and there it was disbanded by the August 1999. Personal and equipment have entered the 126th Fighter Aviation Squadron of 204th Fighter Aviation Regiment which continued the tradition of 83rd Regiment and its predecessor - 254th Fighter Aviation Regiment.

The commanders of regiment in this period were Nikola Maravić, Angel Ončevski, Branko Gajović, Tomislav Ivanović, Jovo Špegar, Mirko Vučinić, Slobodan Jeremić, Stjepan Hranjec, Zoran Milićević and Gvozden Urošević.

Assignments

  • 3rd Aviation Fighter Division
  • 44th Aviation Division (1948–1949)
  • 21st Aviation Division (1949–1959)
  • 9th Air Command (1959–1964)
    • Disbanded
  • 13th Air Defense Division (1968–1973)
  • 11th Air Defense Division (1973–1986)
  • 3rd Corps of Air Force and Air Defense (1986–1992)
  • Aviation Corps (1992–1994)
  • Air Defense Corps (1994–1999)

Previous designations

  • 1st Yugoslav Fighter Regiment (1944–1945)
  • 254th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1945–1948)
  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (1948–1952)
  • 83rd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (1952–1959)
  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (1959–1964)
    • Disbanded
  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (1968–1973)
  • 83rd Aviation Brigade (1973–1978)
  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (1978–1992)
  • 83rd Aviation Brigade (1992–1994)
  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (1994–1999)

1961-1964

  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment
    • 120th Fighter Aviation Squadron
    • 121st Fighter Aviation Squadron

1968-1992

  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment/Aviation Brigade
    • 123rd Fighter Aviation Squadron
    • 130th Fighter Aviation Squadron

1992-1994

  • 83rd Aviation Brigade
    • 123rd Fighter Aviation Squadron
    • 124th Fighter Aviation Squadron
    • 130th Fighter Aviation Squadron

1994-1999

  • 83rd Fighter Aviation Regiment
    • 123rd Fighter Aviation Squadron
    • 124th Fighter Aviation Squadron

Bases stationed

  • Krasnodar
    Krasnodar
    Krasnodar is a city in Southern Russia, located on the Kuban River about northeast of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. It is the administrative center of Krasnodar Krai . Population: -Name:...

     (1944–1945)
  • Zemun
    Zemun
    Zemun is a historical town and one of the 17 municipalities which constitute the City of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia...

     (1945)
  • Novi Sad
    Novi Sad
    Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....

     (1946)
  • Ljubljana
    Ljubljana
    Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...

     (1946)
  • Mostar
    Mostar
    Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...

     (1946)
  • Novi Sad
    Novi Sad
    Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....

     (1947)
  • Ljubljana
    Ljubljana
    Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...

     (1946)
  • Cerklje (1947–1948)
  • Pula
    Pula
    Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...

     (1948–1953)
  • Cerklje (1953–1954)
  • Zemunik (1954–1963)
  • Golubovci
    Podgorica Airbase
    The Podgorica Airbase is an active airbase in Montenegro. The airbase facilities are shared with Montenegro's main international airport, Podgorica Airport. It is the main base of the air arm of the Military of Montenegro...

     (1963–1964)

  • Skopski Petrovac (1968–1970)
  • Slatiana
    Slatina Air Base
    Slatina Air Base , located at Pristina International Airport, contained the second largest military underground hangar complex in former Yugoslavia. The largest one was at Željava Airport near Bihać...

     (1970–1999)
  • Batajnica (1999)


Commanding officers

Date appointed Name
Petar Radević
Đorđe Kešeljević
Radovan Daković
Radovan Krstić
Miloš Milikić
Ante Sardelić
Radovan Krstić
Nikola Vučević
Nikola Maravić
Angel Ončevski
Branko Gajović
Tomislav Ivanović
Jovo Špegar
Mirko Vučinić
Slobodan Jeremić
Stjepan Hranjec
Zoran Milićević
Gvozden Urošević

Equipment

  • Yakovlev Yak-3
    Yakovlev Yak-3
    The Yakovlev Yak-3 was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft.Robust and easy to maintain, it was much liked by pilots and ground crew alike....

     (1944–1952)
  • Messerschmitt Bf 109G (1948-1952)
  • F-47D Thunderbolt
    P-47 Thunderbolt
    Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...

     (1952–1954)
  • F-84G Thunderjet (1952–1959)
  • F-86D Sabre (1959–1964, 1968–1974)
  • MiG-21F-13 (1970–1977)
  • MiG-21PMF (1977–1994)
  • MiG-21bis (1983–1999)
  • MiG-21UM (1991–1999)
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