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The Croatian Airforce Legion
When Ante Pavelic's call on Croatian volunteers for the Eastern Front went out (July 2nd 1941), an airforce unit was quickly organized. A large number of volunteers had come forward, mostly from the already existing Croatian Airforce, and many had to be turned away.
Colonel Ivan Mrak was selected as the Commander of the Legion. The Legion itself was organized into a Fighter Squadron (commanded by Lt.Colonel Franjo Dzal) and a Bomber Squadron (commanded by Lt.Colonel Vjekoslav Vicevic). The Fighter Squadron was itself further divided into 2 Wings, as was the Bomber Squadron. The Air Legion departed from Croatia for training in Germany on July 15th 1941.
The Fighter Squadron:
One Wing of the Fighter Squadron was sent to the area of Furth, Germany, for training, the other to Herzogen Aurah Airfield, nearby. Training commenced on July 19th 1941, on Arado 96 and Me D aircraft, and lasted to the end of September 1941 at which time the Legionnaires were deemed ready for the Eastern Front and received Messerschmitt Bf109 fighter planes. During the course of their training, the men had been issued Luftwaffe uniforms adorned with the Croatian armshield and the Croatian Airforce Legion badge on the right breast pocket.
The Squadron received the official designation '15.(Kroatische)/JG 52', and arrived to its first Eastern Front airfield on October 6th 1941, near Poltava. On October 9th 1941, the Squadron has its first taste of action, when, in the Ahtijevka-Krasnograd area, a Soviet R10 was shot down. The kill was given to the German liason pilot to the Squadron, Lt. Baumgarten. The Squadron was transfered at the end of October 1941 to Taganrog, and stayed in this area till December 1st 1941. The first kill by a Croatian pilot occured in this time period by Captain Ferencina, and the second by Lt.Colonel Dzal.
On December 1st 1941, the Squadron transfered to Marinpol. Attacks were made on Soviet armoured columns around Pokorovskoje, Matvejeva, Kurgan, Jeiska and Uspenskoje, and on the railway line Marinpol-Stalino. As well, the Squadron escorted German bombers on their missions. By the end of January 1942, the Squadron had shot down 23 Soviet airplanes (of this, 4 were MIG-6 fighters). At the end of March 1942, the Squadron received a telegrams from the Commander of 4.Fliegerkorp, General Flugbeil, and the Commander of 4.Luftflotte, Colonel-General Lohr, congratulating them on their successes. In April 1942, the Squadron flew escort missions for Stuka bombers, guarded the Marinpol airfield, and strafes Soviet troops in the Azov Sea area. Nine more Soviet airplanes were shot down in this period.
In May, the Squadron was transfered first to the Krimea, and shortly thereafter, to the Artemovka-Konstantinovka region. From this base of operation, the Squadron flew escort missions for bombers attacking Sevastopol and patrolled the Azov Sea area. Four more Soviet planes were downed, and a Soviet patrol boat was also sunk. From the end of May, till June 21st 1942 (the date of the Squadron's 1000 flight), 21 more Soviet planes were shot down. From this date till the end of July 1942, 69 more planes are shot down.
The Squadron continued with its fine performances until July 1944 when it was returned to Croatia to combat the increasing Partisan menace. By this time, the Squadron had tallied 283 kills, had 14 pilots with Ace status, and 4 pilots (Culinovic, Galic, Milkovic and Kauzlaric) that had been decorated with the EKI and EKII.
The Fighter Squadron's losses during their service on the Eastern Front totaled an incredibly low 2 planes and 5 pilots!
The Bomber Squadron:
Officially designated '15.(Kroatische)/KG 53'., the bomber squadron was equipped with Dornier Do17 aircraft. It arrived on the Eastern Front on October 25th 1941, after training at the Grosse Kampfflieger Schule 3, in Greifswald, Germany. Their first area of operations was near Vitebsk. The rest of the Bomber Squadron's assignments were in the Northern Sector of the Eastern Front, including the bombing of Leningrad and Moscow. On November 9th 1941, the Squadron was congratulated by Fieldmarshall Kesselring for its actions thus far. After flying 1247 sorties on the Eastern Front, the Squadron was disolved in December of 1942, and integrated into the Croatian Airforce for battle against the Partisans. During the time it was active, 5 aircraft and 20 men were lost by the Squadron.
Colonel Ivan Mrak was selected as the Commander of the Legion. The Legion itself was organized into a Fighter Squadron (commanded by Lt.Colonel Franjo Dzal) and a Bomber Squadron (commanded by Lt.Colonel Vjekoslav Vicevic). The Fighter Squadron was itself further divided into 2 Wings, as was the Bomber Squadron. The Air Legion departed from Croatia for training in Germany on July 15th 1941.
The Fighter Squadron:
One Wing of the Fighter Squadron was sent to the area of Furth, Germany, for training, the other to Herzogen Aurah Airfield, nearby. Training commenced on July 19th 1941, on Arado 96 and Me D aircraft, and lasted to the end of September 1941 at which time the Legionnaires were deemed ready for the Eastern Front and received Messerschmitt Bf109 fighter planes. During the course of their training, the men had been issued Luftwaffe uniforms adorned with the Croatian armshield and the Croatian Airforce Legion badge on the right breast pocket.
The Squadron received the official designation '15.(Kroatische)/JG 52', and arrived to its first Eastern Front airfield on October 6th 1941, near Poltava. On October 9th 1941, the Squadron has its first taste of action, when, in the Ahtijevka-Krasnograd area, a Soviet R10 was shot down. The kill was given to the German liason pilot to the Squadron, Lt. Baumgarten. The Squadron was transfered at the end of October 1941 to Taganrog, and stayed in this area till December 1st 1941. The first kill by a Croatian pilot occured in this time period by Captain Ferencina, and the second by Lt.Colonel Dzal.
On December 1st 1941, the Squadron transfered to Marinpol. Attacks were made on Soviet armoured columns around Pokorovskoje, Matvejeva, Kurgan, Jeiska and Uspenskoje, and on the railway line Marinpol-Stalino. As well, the Squadron escorted German bombers on their missions. By the end of January 1942, the Squadron had shot down 23 Soviet airplanes (of this, 4 were MIG-6 fighters). At the end of March 1942, the Squadron received a telegrams from the Commander of 4.Fliegerkorp, General Flugbeil, and the Commander of 4.Luftflotte, Colonel-General Lohr, congratulating them on their successes. In April 1942, the Squadron flew escort missions for Stuka bombers, guarded the Marinpol airfield, and strafes Soviet troops in the Azov Sea area. Nine more Soviet airplanes were shot down in this period.
In May, the Squadron was transfered first to the Krimea, and shortly thereafter, to the Artemovka-Konstantinovka region. From this base of operation, the Squadron flew escort missions for bombers attacking Sevastopol and patrolled the Azov Sea area. Four more Soviet planes were downed, and a Soviet patrol boat was also sunk. From the end of May, till June 21st 1942 (the date of the Squadron's 1000 flight), 21 more Soviet planes were shot down. From this date till the end of July 1942, 69 more planes are shot down.
The Squadron continued with its fine performances until July 1944 when it was returned to Croatia to combat the increasing Partisan menace. By this time, the Squadron had tallied 283 kills, had 14 pilots with Ace status, and 4 pilots (Culinovic, Galic, Milkovic and Kauzlaric) that had been decorated with the EKI and EKII.
The Fighter Squadron's losses during their service on the Eastern Front totaled an incredibly low 2 planes and 5 pilots!
The Bomber Squadron:
Officially designated '15.(Kroatische)/KG 53'., the bomber squadron was equipped with Dornier Do17 aircraft. It arrived on the Eastern Front on October 25th 1941, after training at the Grosse Kampfflieger Schule 3, in Greifswald, Germany. Their first area of operations was near Vitebsk. The rest of the Bomber Squadron's assignments were in the Northern Sector of the Eastern Front, including the bombing of Leningrad and Moscow. On November 9th 1941, the Squadron was congratulated by Fieldmarshall Kesselring for its actions thus far. After flying 1247 sorties on the Eastern Front, the Squadron was disolved in December of 1942, and integrated into the Croatian Airforce for battle against the Partisans. During the time it was active, 5 aircraft and 20 men were lost by the Squadron.