Mostar, Soko Aircraft Factory, Monday, 13 January 1947
The management of the factory had laid on a regular tour for the important visitors – a delegation of members of parliament led by Goran Maksimović together with Velimir Radojkovic of the National Aviation League. These were men who could influence the very existence of the factory and it was in the firm’s interest to court their favour.
Boris Cijan and Stanko Obad led the tour, the chief purpose of which was to show Maksimović and Radojkovic the progress made to date in fabricating the nation’s first jet aircraft.
Maksimović looked askance at the mock-up before him. “Is this a joke?” he asked. The diminutive craft seemed little more than a cockpit tacked onto a slim fuselage; from the stubby wings two wooden cylinders hung, approximating the shape and positions of engines.
“By no means,” Cijan replied. “We have calculated that this design will allow us to gather the requisite data for further refinement, and fabrication of a prototype aircraft has already begun. If Hirth delivers the engine on schedule we should be able to make an initial test flight late next month.”
Radojkovic showed surprise. “That soon?”
Obad nodded. “Of course, this is only a research aircraft. At best it might achieve a speed of four hundred kilometres per hour.”
“But it will be a tour de force,” Radojkovic exclaimed. “Something for the Italians to consider…”
Maksimović did not immediately comment, but walked around the would-be aircraft. “If they can fly this thing in February it will have been worth passing up the de Havilland offer,” he thought. “Rupnik said that Gloster will be delivering the first Meteors that month, which will help fill the gap.” Unlike Radojkovic, who only thought of aircraft, he knew the potential cost of military weakness; he also knew the value of domestically produced military equipment – Serbia had been handicapped by its dependence on foreign weaponry during the Great War. He would not allow that to happen again.
“Very good gentlemen,” he said at length. “I can report to parliament what I have seen, and God keep the Germans up to their word for engines.”