The Yugoslav Air Force in the Battles for Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-92 Vol.1 Book Review
By David L. Veres
| Date of Review | October 2020 | Title | The Yugoslav Air Force in the Battles for Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-92 Vol.1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Aleksandar Radic | Publisher | Helion |
| Published | 2020 | ISBN | 9781912866359 |
| Format | 96 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $29.95 |
Review
Aleksandar Radic charts the last major European air wars of the 20th-century in The Yugoslav Air Force in the Battles for Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991-92 (Volume 1): JRViPVO in Yugoslav War, 1991-1992 – fifth in Helion’s “Europe@War” range.
Available in North America from Casemate, the lavishly illustrated study spans six informative chapters over 96 pithy pages:
- Background and Context
- RV I PVO on the Eve of the War
- War in Slovenia
- Crisis in Croatia
- Counter-Air Operations
- All-Out War
In two introductory chapters, Radic chronicles Yugoslav Air Force history, aircraft, manufacturing, basing, and ordinance. Background commentary also explores the interrelationships of Yugoslav politics, planning, procurement, and production.
Did you know that the Yugoslav Air Force “was renowned for flying more training sorties annually than the Israeli Air Force”? Neither did I.
Notes on ethnic tensions and incidents precede the start of open, internecine warfare in the last four chapters.
Lots of spellbinding stuff here.
Why did Yugoslavia swap older, more powerful U.S. warplanes with greater load-carrying capabilities for domestic designs of patently less potential? Check here for the answer.
Sidebars, extended captions, explanatory endnotes, abbreviations glossary, tables, and references supplement the study.
Dozens of rare photos also season the survey. A dozen aircraft color plates by Tom Cooper provide potent project possibilities. And maps put commentary into geographic perspective.
Now line-up behind me for Volume 2.
Recommended!
With thanks to Casemate Publishing for the review copy!