39th Aviation Division
39. vazduhoplovna divizija
Active1947–1959
Disbanded1959
Country Yugoslavia
BranchYugoslav Air Force
TypeDivision
Size2-3 regiments
HQSkoplje

The 39th Aviation Division (Serbo-Croatian: 39. vazduhoplovna divizija/ 39. ваздухопловна дивизија) was a unit originally established in 1947 as the 5th Aviation Fighter Division (Serbo-Croatian: 5. vazduhoplovna lovačka divizija / 5. ваздухопловна ловачка дивизија).

History

5th Fighter Aviation Division

The 5th Fighter Aviation Division was established in April, 1947, with headquarters at Skoplje, with task of air defense of southern Yugoslavia. The division was direct under the Command of Yugoslav Air Force. It was formed from 111th and 113th Fighter Aviation Regiment.

By the 1948 year this division was renamed like all other units of Yugoslav Army, so it has become 39th Aviation Fighter Division (Serbo-Croatian: 39. vazduhoplovna lovačka divizija/ 39. ваздухопловна ловачка дивизија).

The commanders of division in this period were Petar Radević and Ilija Zelenika. Commissar was Krsto Bosanac.[1]

39th Aviation Division

The 39th Aviation Fighter Division was formed by renaming of 5th Aviation Fighter Division in 1948. It suffered small changes in the organization. Division has remain in Skoplje until it was disbanded.

In 1953 division was attached to 7th Aviation Corps. By 1953 it was renamed in to Aviation Fighter-Bomber Division due to the replacement of Soviet fighter aircraft with US-made fighter-bombers.

It was disbanded by the order from June 27, 1959, year due to the "Drvar" reorganization plan. It was transformed into 3rd Air Command.

The commanders of division in this period were Ilija Zelenika, Petar Radević, Nikola Lekić and Ilija Zelenika. Commissars were Krsto Bosanac, Radoje Ljubičić and Aco Babić until 1953.[2]

Assignments

Previous designations

  • 5th Aviation Fighter Division (1947–1948)
  • 39th Aviation Fighter Division (1948–1952)
  • 39th Aviation Fighter-Bomber Division (1952–1959)

Organization

1947-1948

1948-1959

Headquarters

Commanding officers

  • Colonel Petar Radević [3]
  • Colonel Ilija Zelenika
  • Colonel Petar Radević
  • Colonel Nikola Lekić
  • Colonel Ilija Zelenika

Political commissars

  • Colonel Krsto Bosanac
  • Colonel Radoje Ljubičić
  • Colonel Aco Babić

References

Notes and citations
  1. ↑ Dimitrijević, Bojan. Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo 1942–1992. Beograd, 2006, p. 354.
  2. ↑ Dimitrijević, Bojan. Jugoslovensko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo 1942–1992. Beograd, 2006, p. 355.
  3. ↑ 39th Fighter Aviation Division
Bibliography
  • Dimitrijević, Bojan (2012). Jugoslovensko ratno vazduhoplovstvo. Beograd: Institut za savremenu istoriju. ISBN 8674031633.
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