Yugoslav Royal Air Force

The Yugoslav Royal Air Force was formed in 1918 in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (renamed to Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929) and existed until Yugoslavia's surrender to the Axis powers in 1941 following the Invasion of Yugoslavia during World War II.

Some 18 aircraft and several hundred aircrew escaped the Axis invasion of April 1941 to the Allied base in Egypt, eventually flying with the Royal Air Force in the Northern Africa initially and then with the Balkan Air Force in Italy and Yugoslavia, with some even going on to join the Soviet Air Force, returning to Yugoslavia in 1944.

Germany distributed captured Yugoslav Royal Air Force aircraft and spare-parts to Romania, Bulgaria, Finland and the newly created Independent State of Croatia.

History

Creation

The Yugoslav Royal Air Force was established on the basis of Serbian Military Air Service, one of the earliest air forces in existence and the one of the first to engage in battle (during the Balkan Wars of 1912 to 1913). The Serbian Air Service survived occupation by Austria-Hungary by being based in exile in neutral Greece during World War I where its pilots served and trained with the help of the French Air Force. In 1918, Serbia lead the creation of a united Yugoslavian state togeather with former Austria-Hungary terriroties in the Balkans. then called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

Consolidation and modernization

In 1923, the government of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia...
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