Part 2 of 3 with perhaps some tips for those guys and gals deciding to go to the Batajnica show in September.
After a northern loop on the first full day we scheduled a southern loop for the second day. We started with a good breakfast and by 08.00 we were heading for:
02aug09 LYPA Pančevo
J-2/J-22NS Orao 25101 Pancevo pres
According to the guard it was not possible to photograph the Orao. A slow drive on the parking lot gave a good look on the war damage to several hangars. Lots of aircraft parts were visible inside.
02aug09 LY15 Pancevo Barracks
F-86 ... Pancevo Barracks i/a
Whirlwind 11715 Pancevo Barracks i/a
There are several Sabres in the country but many lack any form of identification, like this target at the barracks east of the airfield.
02aug09 LYSD Smederevo
V-53/UTVA-75 (53203) as YU-DIE civil
No activity on this small airfield, the UTVA was in the closed hangar. A couple of An-2s and a very old N-registered Cessna were also present.
02aug09 LY13 Vrbovac
IT-33A 10006 Vrbovac pres
02aug09 LY14 Kostolac
N-60/G-2A Galeb 23113 Kostolac pres 'GTA-017'
Last year I could not believe this location was an airfield. Now we had a better look and discovered the airstrip as well as the hangar. Unfortunately there was nothing of interest to us inside.
02aug09 LY12 Lozovik
TV-2 (10255) Lozovik pres
Still present in the small garden in front of a school in centre of town.
02aug09 LYPN Paraćin-Davidovac
J-1/J-21 Jastreb (24140) Paracin-Davidovac pres
J-2/J-22 Orao 25104 Paracin-Davidovac pres tail only
V-53/UTVA-75 53236 Paracin-Davidovac std as YU-DJW, no engine
V-51/UTVA-66 51123 as YU-DLM civil
V-53/UTVA-75 53202 as YU-DID civil
Again we met very friendly people at an airfield. They offered flights and parachute jumps, but we had to pass. After asking it was no problem to look around and take a few pictures. UTVA 51123 went out for some flying and 53202 had just dropped some parachutists.
02aug09 LY18 Paraćin
L-14i/MiG-21R (26101) Paracin dump Dismantled
L-15/MiG-21MF (22866) Paracin dump Dismantled
MiG-21 ... ?x Paracin dump Dismantled
N-60/G-2A Galeb ... Paracin dump Dismantled
F-86 ... Paracin dump Dismantled
We had seen pictures of an F-86 and Mi-8 dumped near a large factory in town. Comparing these pictures with some online shots of Paracin we quickly found the exact location. The Mi-8 had gone, but lots of other stuff was present. It was all thrown on one large pile and identification was very difficult. MiG-21 22866 is one of a batch destroyed in line with the Dayton agreements at the end of the war.
02aug09 LY19 Potocac
N-60/G-2A Galeb 23121 Potocac pres 251.lbae-markings
Another recent internet discovery was this Galeb. Potocac is a small town and the G-2A was easily found in front of the school along the only main road through town.
02aug09 LYTR Kraljevo-Trstenik
V-51/UTVA-66 51106 Kraljevo-Trstenik std Dismantled, as YU-DLH
P-2/J-20 Kraguj 30107 Kraljevo-Trstenik std
P-2/J-20 Kraguj 30135 Kraljevo-Trstenik std
P-2/J-20 Kraguj ... Kraljevo-Trstenik std
P-2/J-20 Kraguj ... Kraljevo-Trstenik std
V-53/UTVA-75 53211 as YU-DIV civil
V-53/UTVA-75 53104 as YU-DEA civil
The people at this airfield were not very friendly last year and it got worse this year. We asked to have a look around and the language was a problem. After some minutes an English speaking pilot came and gave us thumbs up. It was perhaps not very wise from us to immediately go to the four stored J-20s in the back of the hangar as the situation then became tense. These aircraft have ‘militia’-markings and probably played a dodgy role in the war. The boss of the airfield landed in YU-DIV and immediately called the Police as we were the fourth group of people coming to his airfield unannounced in recent months and acted suspiciously. The police came, listened to both parties, took our names and we could go. 30107 was read as 30197, but that serial is way to high.
02aug09 LY05 Ratina
L-14/MiG-21PFM 22716 Ratina pres 'GTA-007'
02aug09 LY06 Kraljevo
N-60/G-2A Galeb (23158) Kraljevo pres Silver c/s
02aug09 LYKV Ladjevci
RJ-2/IJ-22A Orao (25168) Ladjevci pres
Because we lost an hour at Trstenik and we did not want to risk anything we only went to the main gate and did not try anything else at this base.
02aug09 LY07 Gornji Milanovac
HT-40/Mi-8T (12237) Gornji Milanovac std Cockpit missing
The complete cockpit section has been removed from this chopper.
02aug09 LY10 Brajkovac
IT-33A 10010 Brajkovac pres
There was a large party in town, with music and a market. As it was very busy it took a bit of time to reach the T-33. People were dancing on the wings, but it was still looking good, as were the ladies on the wing.
Another long day and we still had to go through Belgrade to get to our hotel. I knew of a good restaurant south of the city on route 22 and we had a good meal and a few beers before heading for our hotel where we arrived just after midnight.
Jurgen
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