WesWorld

Novosti News Service, Bar, Thursday, 1 April 1943

The fifth and sixth units of the Project 1942 Theta/Ciklon class escort sloops were laid down today, following closely their elder sisters; it is expected that two additional units will follow later this year. These vessels have been conceived to protect merchant vessels from potential attacks by hostile submarines as well as to defend against air attack.


Novosti News Service, Mostar, Monday, 5 April 1943

The first Soko Jastreb fighter reconnaissance aircraft has been rolled out from the factory today for its acceptance tests. The Royal Yugoslav Air Force has placed orders for a small quantity of such aircraft to expand its reconnaissance ability, and in partial replacement of the IK-2 corps reconnaissance aircraft.


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Friday, 9 April 1943

The last Ikarus IK-4 twin-engine trainer/transport ordered by the Royal Yugoslav Air Force was delivered today. The type remains in low-rate production to meet existing civil orders. Officials of the firm had indicated that additional efforts to secure export orders for the aircraft will be mounted.

Delivery Status Report, 30 June 1943

Domestic Ground Ordnance Production

M35 Service Pistol : 300
M29 Service Rifle : 1,200
M28 Machine Rifle : 300
M32 Machinegun : 300
M37 Submachinegun : 2,100
M39 Aircraft Machinegun : 675
M37 Tank Machinegun : 30
M35 Mortar : 120
M27/31 Mortar : 30
M42 Heavy Mortar : 60
M40 Rocket Launcher : 210
M40 Divisional Gun : 60
M30 Light Antiaircraft Gun : 30
M36 Light Antiaircraft Gun : 60
M40 Field Gun-Howitzer : 30
M32 Hand Grenade : 57,000
Small Arms Ammunition : 13,500,000
Artillery Ammunition : 186,000


Domestic Vehicle Production for Royal Yugoslav Army

Skoda 6ST 4-ton Truck : 90
Zastava M40 0.25-ton Truck : 300
Zastava M41 1.5-ton Truck : 290
Anti-tank Gun on LT.38 Chassis : 30
Lazar Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle : 15
Nemanja Armoured Car : 15


Aircraft Deliveries

Soko Jastreb (fighter-bomber) : 22
Soko Jastreb (fighter-recce) : 8
Soko Zmaj : 36
Soko Orao : 7
Ikarus IK-4 : 1
Type 222 Vihor : 12
Type 224 Galeb : 10
RWD-13 Artillery Spotter : 8

Novosti News Service, Zagreb, Saturday, 10 April 1943

Vasilije Petkovic, chairman of the formed Navy League, reported to the plenary session of the League’s executive council on the ceremonies of the keel-laying of the third Project 1942 Kappa destroyer leader. The vessel, paid for in part with contributions from members of the League, was laid down on 1 April, and is expected to be completed early next year. Chairman Petkovic urged the League to redouble its efforts, saying, “The fate of the nation depends upon our continued access to the sea and the defence of our commerce. Both rest upon a strong navy.”


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Monday, 12 April 1943

No.74 (Bomber) Squadron at Ponikve Air Base, Uzice, took charge of its first Soko Zmaj light bomber aircraft, beginning conversion from the Dornier Do.17M. It is expected that three bomber units of the Ponikve Bomber Wing will convert to the Zmaj over the course of this year, which will see the retirement of the Dornier bomber from front-line service.


Novosti News Service, Bar, Thursday, 15 April 1943

The third and fourth units of the Project 1942 Theta/Ciklon class of escort sloops were completed and formally commissioned today as Vihor and Metez. The first pair of the class, Ciklon and Uragan, completed their initial working up yesterday and are now fully operational, patrolling the Strait of Otranto. The current naval plan calls for the construction of eight such vessels.

Novosti News Service, Zagreb, Wednesday, 21 April 1943

The M42 heavy mortar has been cleared for general issue and the 45th Infantry Regiment at Karlovac has been the first unit to exchange its regimental cannon for the new weapon.


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Friday, 23 April 1943

Two examples of the RWD13 lightplane have been delivered to the newly-established Experimental Air Observation Group of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force, which will evaluate the type as a potential artillery spotting aircraft.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Monday, 26 April 1943

The Royal Yugoslav Navy sloops Ciklon and Uragan called at the Greek port of Patras yesterday, as part of a goodwill visit. They are expected to stay in Patras for several days before sailing onward to Kalamata.


Novosti News Service, Durres, Thursday, 29 April 1943

The seaplane tender Ikarus has completed her working up and has been declared operational. Stationed here together with the Loire-Nieuport LN.400 seaplane of the First Float Reconnaissance Unit, the Ikarus represents a significant improvement in the naval defences of the region.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Monday, 3 May 1943

The Royal Yugoslav Navy’s escort sloops Ciklon and Uragan arrived in the Greek port of Kalamata on their continuing good will cruise.


Novosti News Service, Bar, Wednesday, 5 May 1943

The Third Striking Group, comprising the torpedo boats Hrabrost, Lojalnost, Okretnost and Postojanost, departed today for extended exercises in the Ionian Sea.


Novosti News Service, Bar, Friday, 7 May 1943

The first of the Project 1943 Epsilon netlayers under construction here was completed today and formally commissioned as Mazga. She has embarked upon her trials and after working up is expected to be assigned to the defence of the port of Durres.

Radio Zagreb, Sunday, 9 May 1943

The programme line-up of the station changes, introducing two new hour-long offerings: “The Voice of Croatia”, an international programme aimed at the Croatian communities in the occupied provinces, and “The Stroke of Fate”, a series examining how history might have been different had circumstances been slightly different. “The Voice of Croatia” will be broadcast daily, at 0900 and 2100 hours, while “The Stroke of Fate” will air on Sundays at 1700 hours.


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Monday, 10 May 1943

The Defence Ministry has announced that the Third Striking Group will visit the Syrian port of Latakia following the conclusion of its current exercises in the Ionian Sea. This marks the first good-will visit by the Royal Yugoslav Navy to the newly-independent nation; Ministry officials express hope that it will not be the last.


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Wednesday, 12 May 1943

The Royal Yugoslav Navy’s escort sloops Ciklon and Uragan arrived in the Greek port of Poros on their continuing good will cruise. It is expected that they will conclude their cruise by visiting the port of Piraeus before returning home.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Saturday, 15 May 1943

The sloops Ciklon and Uragan departed the port of Piraeus this afternoon, concluding a series of good-will calls to Greek ports.


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Monday, 17 May 1943

The Third Striking Group has departed the Syrian port of Latakia to continue its training exercises in the eastern Mediterranean before returning to its new station at Durres.


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Tuesday, 18 May 1943

It is reported that the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff are considering a set of recommendations regarding the realignment of air observation assets between the Royal Yugoslav Air Force and the Royal Yugoslav Army. Among the suggestions made is the formation of an organic aerial observation unit within each of the Army’s divisional formations, to be equipped with the RWD-13 light plane. Such units would carry out artillery spotting and light observation duties, while the Royal Yugoslav Air Force would retain the roles of tactical and operational reconnaissance behind the battle zone. A final decision is expected within the next several months.

Novosti News Service, Bar, Saturday, 22 May 1943

The second of the four projected netlayers for the Royal Yugoslav Navy was launched here today, and towed to the fitting out wharves where her construction will continue.


Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Sunday, 23 May 1943

The escort sloops Ciklon and Uragan departed Piraeus today on their return voyage.


Tuesday, 25 May 1943

A patrolling aircraft of the Royal Hellenic Navy notes the rendezvous at sea south of Crete of the two Yugoslav sloops it has been shadowing with four larger craft, apparently torpedo boats of the Hrabrost class.

Novosti News Service, Durres, Friday, 28 May 1943

The Third Striking Group, in company with the escort sloops Ciklon and Uragan, arrived here today to take up duties as part of the local patrol and escort forces assuring freedom of transit in the Straits of Otranto.


Novosti News Service, Tsaribrod, Sunday, 30 May 1943

In a historic meeting King Aleksandr embraced His Majesty Tsar Boris of Bulgaria in a show of friendship between the two kingdoms before both monarchs ceremonially cut the ribbon signaling the opening of the A1 Autostrady which now links the Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. Built over the last several years, the A1 is destined to become a vital artery of commerce, and within hours of the formal opening, large lorries had begun to traverse the well-graded road en route to Sofia and to Belgrade, and thence on to Novi Sad and the Hungarian frontier. It is a concrete representation of the friendship that has grown up where once there was turmoil and distrust; it is another victory for the architects of the Warsaw Pact.