WesWorld

Aerosvet, Belgrade, Thursday, 30 June 1949

No.66 (Fighter-Bomber) Squadron of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force has begun conversion to the Soko Strsljen jet aircraft in succession to the Soko Jastreb. The first six aircraft were delivered to the unit at Ravine Air Base, near Banja Luka in the province of Bosnia. The squadron is expected to be operational with its new aircraft before winter, and it is expected that No.67 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron, also stationed at Ravine Air Base, will follow in transitioning to the Strsljen.

Random question that I've just never asked before.

How... do you pronounce "Strsljen"???

My best guess would be "Stressle-yen" or maybe "Stur-sl-yen", but I have no idea if I'm even operating with the correct phonetic rules.

Even Google translate doesn't have a voice output for it!

I think the correct spelling is Stršljen or Stršljeni.

Quoted from "Hood"

Even Google translate doesn't have a voice output for it!

I think the correct spelling is Stršljen or Stršljeni.

Stršljen is the proper spelling in Croatian, meaning Hornet. Somewhere along the line I dropped the accent mark in typing it and just do a cut and paste. As to how a native speaker might pronounce it, I have no clue. Ask Vukovlad if you can find him. ;)

Novosti News Service, Bar, Friday, 1 July 1949

At the Adriatic Shipyards here keels were laid today for four of the latest vessels to be constructed for the Royal Yugoslav Navy. Work commenced on the Project 1949 Beta Frigate C and Frigate D, as well as the Project 1949 Theta Minesweeper C and Minesweeper D. Other work continues to assure the full employment of the yard’s work force.

Delivery Status Report, 30 September 1949

Domestic Ground Ordnance Production

M43 Service Rifle : 39,000
M47 GP Machinegun : 1,800
M39 Aircraft Machinegun : 150
M37 Tank Machinegun : 140
M47 Recoilless Gun : 600
M32 Hand Grenade : 120,000
Small Arms Ammunition : 15,000,000
Artillery Ammunition : 195,000

Domestic Vehicle Production for Royal Yugoslav Army

Zastava M40 0.25-ton Truck -:- 75
Zastava M41 1.5-ton Truck -:- 300
Novi Sad M44 3-ton Truck -:- 450
Novi Sad M46 Artillery Tractor -:- 300
M47 Half Track Infantry Carrier -:- 150
M48 Medium Tank -:- 73


Aircraft Deliveries

Soko Strsljen -:- 26

Novosti News Services, Belgrade, Monday, 4 July 1949

The Ministry of Defence announced today that the 4th Armoured Regiment of the Second Armoured Brigade, stationed at Sarajevo, has begun re-equipment with the indigenous M48 ‘Kurjak’ medium tank, displacing its older M40 medium tanks of Atlantean origin. Complete re-equipment of the regiment is expected by September, after which time the brigade’s 10th Armoured Regiment will convert to the ‘Kurjak’.

Novosti News Service, Priboj, Wednesday, 6 July 1949

The Fabrika Automobile Austin factory of Priboj delivered the first of more than one hundred modern ambulances presently on order for the municipal emergency services of Belgrade.


These vehicles are equipped with the latest advances in life-saving equipment and are capable of accommodating two patients and a medical attendant in the rear compartment of the vehicle, in addition to the driver and his assistant in their compartment in the front of the vehicle. The firm, once heavily committed to defence products, is now diversifying its production and is aggressively seeking to market its range of ambulances, fire tenders, and other municipal service vehicles across the nation as well as abroad.

Privredni vjesnik, Friday, 8 July 1949

The Industrial Bank of Yugoslavia has acquired the one-quarter share of the capital of the Podgorica Aluminium Works formerly held by a Japanese consortium of Mitsui Bussan Kaisha, Mitsubishi Shoji and Sumitomo Light Metals. The announced cost of the acquisition is 100 million dinar. The nostrification of the firm’s capital is seen as a prelude to expansion efforts funded by the Industrial Bank.


Jugoslovenska Vojnik, Monday, 11 July 1949

It is reported that the Republic of the Philippines as placed an order for fifty examples of the M47 recoilless rifle for troop testing; the contract calls for delivery by the end of the year.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Thursday, 14 July 1949

Addressing Parliament today Minister of Industrial Development Branko Horvat announced that the Government has reached agreement with certain private partners to pursue development of the brown coal resources of the Kosovo-Metohian area in the southern portion of the country. Plans include establishment of mines and processing facilities at Bardh and Mirash, together with transportation and power generation infrastructure, marking a major development effort for the region. While preparatory work will begin immediately, formal ground-breaking is not expected to occur before next spring.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Sunday, 17 July 1949

"Zastava" Fabrika Kamioni of Kragujevac, long known for vehicles supplied to the Armed Forces, has introduced its first vehicle intended for the civilian market, the Zastava 620B. The design is rated for a two-tonne payload and will be available in several different configurations, including a model with an extended cab seating up to six. Deliveries are expected to commence in the autumn.



Aerosvet, Belgrade, Tuesday, 19 July 1949

As reported last month, No.67 (Fighter-Bomber) Squadron of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force has joined No.66 Squadron in converting to the indigenous Soko Strsljen. Four aircraft were delivered last week to Ravine Air Base, Banja Luka, to begin the process. Both squadrons are expected to be transitioned to their new mounts by the end of the year.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Thursday, 21 July 1949

His Highness Prince Andrew departed for Paris on the Orient Express – the first leg of his journey to the United States, where he will commence his studies at Princeton University. It is expected that His Highness will travel by steamer from either Le Havre or Liverpool, arriving at New York early next month.


Novosti News Service, Novi Sad, Sunday, 24 July 1949

Their Royal Majesties King Petar and Queen Xenia officiated today at the formal foundation of the University of Novi Sad. This institution unites the traditions of the Vissariono-Pawlovicsianum Petrovaradinense seminary college (founded in 1740), the Sombor Norma school for teachers (founded in 1778), the Szentendre Preparandija teachers college (founded in 1812) and the Matica Srpska, the oldest cultural and scientific institution of the Serbian people (founded in 1826).

Belgrade, The Ministry of Defence, Wednesday, 27 July 1949

Major General Lav Rupnik considered the options laid out for him in the report prepared by his staff. Fiscal stringencies were beginning to hurt, with knock-on effects in operational readiness.

The situation with regard to fighter aircraft spoke for itself – the initial order for seventy-five examples of the Dassault Ouragan II covered the re-equipment of three squadrons, one of which was still working up with its new mounts. Deliveries of a second batch would not begin much before the end of the year, and until then most units would continue to operate the Soko Orao – indeed, four squadrons would continue to operate the elderly Soko Jastreb. Deliveries of the Soko Strsljen, the planned replacement for the Jastreb, were painfully slow – with little more than fifty aircraft expected to be delivered before the end of the year.

With bombers there were even greater concerns – true, four squadrons were converting to the Arado Ar234 obtained from Germany, yet eight squadrons still flew the elderly Soko Zmaj – a fine aircraft when it was introduced, but presently obsolescent. It was unlikely that a sufficient number of Arados could be obtained to permit replacement on a one-for-one basis. His staff recommended that two squadrons, at least, be disbanded, with their surviving aircraft being reallocated to bring the other units up to strength.

Airlift was the one bright spot – the Germans had been generous in transferring low-time Arado Ar232 transports to equip two squadrons, more than sufficient for the service’s normal needs. Yet even here the clamour from the Army for more of those experimental helicopters threatened to upset the budget.

He jotted down notes in preparation for a meeting with Stambolic, the Defence Minister; then he would have to meet with the Prime Minister, and perhaps the entire cabinet as well. There was no doubt that at some point he would have to brief His Majesty Petar.

Budapest, Report of the Hungarian Military Attaché in Belgrade, Friday, 29 July 1949

Közepes harckocsi jugoszláv ‘48m Kurjak’



Rohamágyú jugoszláv



The drawings and associated technical data provoked lively interest in the headquarters of Hungarian military intelligence. Reports from Belgrade had tracked the progress made by the Yugoslavs with their M48 medium tank, but the most recent report confirmed many of the surmises that had been previously made, and corrected a few others. It also gave the first intimation that the Yugoslavs were considering development of a heavily armed antitank vehicle or assault gun on the chassis of the medium tank; a not unexpected development. The attaché in Belgrade could only give a hazy estimate of what the design might be capable of. A request for further details was made immediately.

Privredni vjesnik, Sunday, 31 July 1949

The Janjevo Lead Mine has begun crushing and processing ore, delivering ore at a rate of five hundred tons per diem, from which some seven tons of lead can be extracted, together with recoverable quantities of zinc. When the mine’s second shaft is completed it is expected that the rate of ore extraction will increase significantly.

Hrvatska revija, Friday, 5 August 1949



Once considered an imported rarity, combine harvesters and other mechanised agricultural equipment from the Massey-Harris Machine and Tractor Works of Novi-Zagreb-zapad are revolutionising agriculture across the nation, contributing to increased crop production and rural prosperity. Financed through cooperatives and financial institutions such as the Agroindustrial Commercial Bank of Niš, more than a thousand of these machines have been produced in the works since its foundation in 1940.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Tuesday, 9 August 1949

His Majesty King Petar formally opened the new campus of the Military Technical Institute of the Land Forces in Belgrade-Zarkovo. The Institute will function as the central agency for design and development of indigenous arms and equipment for the Royal Yugoslav Army, subsuming the existing design offices of the Zastava, Igman, and Uzice arsenals.

Novosti News Service, Bar, Saturday, 13 August 1949

The recently completed minesweepers Alagovac and Modrac were formally placed in full commission following completion of their operational training period. Two further vessels of this type are under construction at the Adriatic Shipyards and are expected to be launched next month.

Novosti News Service, Zagreb, Saturday, 20 August 1949

Their Royal Majesties visited the city today to open the recently completed Zagreb Hippodrome, a horse-racing venue located in the neighbourhood of Kajzerica, on the southern bank of the Sava, near the Bundek Lake. Under construction since 1946, the venue, based on that of the famous French racing establishment at Longchamps, comprises an area of nearly fifty hectares, with three race tracks having lengths of 1,000 metres, 1,600 metres, and 2,400 metres.

His Majesty cut the ceremonial ribbon to formally open the venue Saturday morning and at two o’clock in the afternoon the inaugural race, the Queen Xenia Stakes, was run, with a purse of ten thousand dinar. The Zagreb Equestrian Club oversees activities at the venue and hopes to raise it to European-level competition over the next five years.

Novosti News Service, Tuesday, 23 August 1949

The Ministry of Defence has announced plans to disband Nos.77 and 78 (Bomber) Squadrons, presently stationed at Sombor Air Base, Apatin, due to shortages of equipment. The units had operated the Soko Zmaj twin engine light bomber; their surviving aircraft will be distributed to units still operating the type.