107th Mixed Aviation Regiment

107th Mixed Aviation Regiment 107. mešovita avijacijski puk
Active	1944–1992
Disbanded	1992
Country	Yugoslavia
Branch	Yugoslav Air Force
Type	Regiment
Part of	Military Aviation Academy
Engagements	Syrmian Front Yugoslav wars

The 107th Mixed Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 107. mešoviti avijacijski puk / 107. мешовити авијацијски пук) was an aviation regiment established in 1944 as 421nd Assault Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 421. vazduhoplovni jurišni puk / 421. ваздухопловни јуришни пук).

History

421st Assault Aviation Regiment

The 421st Assault Aviation Regiment was established on December 20, 1944, in Laćarak, from Yugoslav partisan aviators with the Soviet Air Force 17th Air Army's 165th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment (165.GShAP). It become independent form Soviet command and personal in May 1945 and became part of the 42nd Aviation Assault Division, equipped with Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft. The regiment took part in the final operations of the Liberation of Yugoslavia, during which time it was based at Laćarak, Krnješevci, Zemun, Nadalj, Bački Brestovac and Sombor airfields.

After the war the regiment was briefly stationed at Skopje before moving to Niš in late 1945.

In 1948 this regiment, like all others in the Yugoslav Army was renamed in accordance with new naming conventions to be the 107th Assault Aviation Regiment.

The commanders of the regiment during this period were Dušan Božović and Dimitrije Kovačević, while the Commissar was Vinko Sever.

107th Regiment

The 107th Assault Aviation Regiment remained at Niš airport for a short time after its renaming. In 1949 it moved to Leskovac, where it remained until 1953, at which time it was returned to Niš. In 1953 the old Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 attack aircraft were replaced with new domestic made Ikarus S-49A fighter planes. Soon the regiment was renamed to become the 107th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 107. lovački avijacijski puk / 107. ловачки авијацијски пук) and was reequipped in 1957 with new American built F-47D Thunderbolt's causing it to again be renamed into the 107th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 107. lovačko-bombarderski avijacijski puk / 107. ловачко-бомбардерски авијацијски пук). The P-47's remained in service until 1960.

By order no.319 on August 18, 1960, the regiment was transformed into the 107th Helicopter Regiment (Serbo-Croatian: 107. helikopterski puk / 107. хеликоптерски пук). It was equipped with Soviet-made Mil Mi-4 and British Westland S-55 helicopters.

In 1961 with the "Drvar" reorganization of the Air Force, a new designation system was put in use to identify squadrons and the three squadrons of the 107th Helicopter Regiment became the 780th, the 781st and the 782nd Transport Helicopter Squadron.

In 1964 the 677th Transport Aviation Squadron was equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Lisunov Li-3 cargo aircraft and was attached to the regiment. One year later, the 891st Liaison Aviation Squadron with domestic made Ikarus Kurir was also attached to the regiment, and in 1966 one more helicopter squadron, the 783rd was also assigned to the 107th Regiment. Other organizational changes include the 780th and 781st Transport Helicopter Squadron being reattached to the 111th Support Aviation Regiment, and the 782nd Transport Helicopter Squadron to the 81st Support Aviation Regiment. Both Mi-4 and S-55 helicopters remained in service until 1973. During the period 1964 to 1973 the regiment was known under the designation "107th Support Aviation Regiment".

By 1973 it was once again transformed into a Helicopter Regiment and moved to Mostar Airport, becoming part of the Military Aviation Academy with its main task being helicopter training. It was originally equipped with Soviet-made Mil Mi-2 helicopters which were replaced in 1974 with domestic made Soko SA.341 Gazelle helicopters. The regiment consisted of two helicopter squadrons, the 782nd and the 783rd. In 1988, 783rd squadron was renumbered into the 722nd Anti-Armored Helicopter Squadron being equipped with the new Soko SA.342 Gazelle Gama version of anti-tank helicopter. In the same year the 334th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron was attached to 107th Regiment. In 1990 334th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron was disbanded.

The regiment was renamed again in 1991 into 107th Mixed Aviation Regiment. It was used in combat operations in 1991 and 1992 during the wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. With the withdrawal of the Yugoslav People's Army units from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the regiment moved in April 1992 from Mostar Airport to Golubovci Air Base in Montenegro.

The regiment was disbanded in May 1992, with most of regiments equipment and personal being transferred to the 722nd Squadron within the 97th Helicopter Regiment.

The commanders of regiment in this period were Dimitrije Kovačević, Ljubo Vukčević, Slobodan Alagić, Radovan Daković, Miloš Bogdanović, Vojislav Mikić, Nikola Petrović, Vukadin Živković, Stevan Vukmanović, Života Pavković and Ivan Mihajlović.

Assignments

• 42nd Aviation Assault Division (1945)
• 11th Aviation Fighter Division (1945)
• 2nd Aviation Assault Division (1945–1948)
• 29th Aviation Division (1948–1959)
• 3rd Air Command (1959–1964)
• 1st Aviation Corps (1964–1973)
• Military Aviation Academy (1973–1991)

Previous designations

• 421st Assault Aviation Regiment (1944–1948)
• 107th Assault Aviation Regiment (1948–1953)
• 107th Fighter Aviation Regiment (1953–1957)
• 107th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment (1957–1960)
• 107th Helicopter Regiment (1960–1964)
• 107th Support Aviation Regiment (1964–1973)
• 107th Helicopter Regiment (1973–1988)
• 107th Helicopter Regiment (1973–1988)
• 107th Aviation Regiment (1988–1990)
• 107th Mixed Aviation Regiment (1991–1992)

Organization

1961–1964

• 107th Helicopter Regiment
  • 780th Transport Helicopter Squadron
  • 781st Transport Helicopter Squadron
  • 782nd Transport Helicopter Squadron

1964–1973

• 107th Support Aviation Regiment
  • 677th Transport Aviation Squadron
  • 891st Liaison Aviation Squadron (1965–1968)
  • 781st Transport Helicopter Squadron
  • 783rd Helicopter Squadron (1966)

1973–1988

• 107th Helicopter Regiment
  • 782nd Transport Helicopter Squadron
  • 783rd Helicopter Squadron
  • 3rd Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron of 107th Helicopter Regiment (1978-1979)

1988–1990

• 107th Aviation Regiment
  • 334th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron
  • 245th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron (1988)
  • 722nd Anti-Armored Helicopter Squadron
  • 782nd Helicopter Squadron

1991–1992

• 107th Mixed Aviation Regiment
  • 722nd Anti-Armored Helicopter Squadron
  • 782nd Helicopter Squadron

Bases stationed

• Laćarak (1944)
• Krnješevci (1944)
• Zemun (1944)
• Nadalj (1944)
• Bački Brestovac (1944)
• Sombor (1944)
• Laćarak (1945)
• Skopski Petrovac (1945)
• Niš (1945–1949)
• Leskovac (1949–1953)
• Niš (1953–1973)
• Mostar (1973–1992)
• Golubovci (1992)

Commanding officers

Date appointed	Name
	Dušan Božović
	Dimitrije Kovačević
	Ljubo Vukčević
	Slobodan Alagić
	Radovan Daković
	Miloš Bogdanović
	Vojislav Mikić
	Nikola Petrović
	Vukadin Živković
	Stevan Vukmanović
	Života Pavković
	Ivan Mihajlović

Equipment

• Ilyushin Il-2 (1944–1953)
• Ikarus S-49A (1953–1957)
• F-47D Thunderbolt (1957–1960)
• Mil Mi-4 (1960–1973)
• Westland (SOKO) S-55 (1960–1973)
• Lisunov Li-3 (1964–1971)
• Douglas C-47 Skytrain (1964–1973)
• Ikarus Kurir (1965–1969)
• Mil Mi-2 (1973–1974)
• Soko SA.341 Gazelle/SA.342 Gama (1974–1992)
• Soko G-2 Galeb (1988–1990)