WesWorld

Novosti News Service – Belgrade – Tuesday, 1 April 1941

Minister of Transportation Petar Kersovani announced that contracts had been issued for continuation of construction of the Autostrady A1; the new contracts cover construction of the northward extension from Novi Sad to Subotica and the Hungarian frontier, and construction of the southern extensions from Belgrade to Smederovo and Krusevac. Award of the contract for construction of the final section – from Krusevac to the Bulgarian frontier – has been delayed due to funding issues.


Novosti News Service – Tirana – Friday, 18 April 1941

His Majesty King Alexandr arrived in the city today to formally open the Durres-Tirana Railway, which links the central portion of this mountainous province with the newly reconstructed port of Durres, greatly facilitating communications and trade. His Majesty was cheered when he cut the ceremonial ribbon, after which the first goods train headed out from the city towards the sea.

Deliveries from Abroad

Tatra 93 2-ton Truck : 111
Tatra 111 10-ton Truck : 25
Raba 38M Botond Prime Mover : 61
Saurer 4CT1D 4.5-ton Truck : 81


FlaK33 88mm Heavy AA Gun (M39) – 9
Krauss Maffei Half Track Tractor – 9
Krauss Maffei Half Track Service Vehicle – 2

AT-36/75 Medium Tanks (Atlantis) - 45
M-3 Half-track Infantry Carriers (United States) – 50

Domestic Ground Ordnance Production

M35 Service Pistol : 1,300
M29 Service Rifle : 23,400
M28 Machine Rifle : 1,590
M32 Machinegun : 960
M37 Submachinegun : 18,750
M39 Aircraft Machinegun : 600
M37 Tank Machinegun : 310
M35 Mortar : 240
M27/31 Mortar : 180
M36 Antitank Gun : 60
M40 Divisional Gun : 90
M30 Light Antiaircraft Gun : 90
M36 Light Antiaircraft Gun : 90
M40 Field Gun-Howitzer : 96
M32 Hand Grenade : 57,000
Small Arms Ammunition : 28,500,000
Artillery Ammunition : 186,000


Domestic Vehicle Production for Royal Yugoslav Army

Skoda 6LT 2-ton Truck : 120
Skoda 6ST 4-ton Truck : 30
Zastava M40 0.25-ton Truck : 156
LT.38 Light Tank (gun tank) : 60
Salvage Tank on LT.38 Chassis : 30
Assault Howitzer on LT.38 Chassis : 34
Lazar Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle : 70
Nemanja Armoured Car : 56


Aircraft Deliveries

Focke Wulf Fw190A-4 : 25
Ikarus IK-2 : 30
Bucker Bu181 : 30
Soko Jastreb : 36
Soko Zmaj : 6

Novosti News Service – Bar – Thursday, 24 April 1941

The harbor of Bar was filled nearly to capacity yesterday as a squadron of the French Marine Nationale , led by the battleship Republique and the battlecruiser Strasbourg paid a courtesy call. The French capital ships dwarfed those of our own navy but represented the fact that in France Yugoslavia has a long-standing friend and an effective counterweight to any nation bent on expansion in the Mediterranean. Vice Admiral Danis Asner, chief of the Naval Staff, acted as official host for the French visit, conducting courtesy calls on the vessels of the French squadron and reciprocating with visits aboard the Royal Yugoslav Navy’s latest ships, the cruisers Srbija and Crna Gora . The French vessels departed Bar late this afternoon for their homeward voyage to Toulon.


Novosti News Service – Novi Sad – Thursday, 1 May 1941

The official opening of the initial portion of the Autostrady A-1 between the capital and this city was marked by a motorcade led by the Prime Minister and other government officials as well as elements of the armed forces. Completion had been delayed by poor weather over the winter months but the fine weather this spring allowed completion of this portion of the highway in record time. Construction of northward and eastward extensions has been authorised and it is hoped that within two years it will be possible to drive from the Hungarian frontier to the Bulgarian border in the space of little more than a day.


Novosti News Service – Bar – Thursday, 8 May 1941

Reconstruction and expansion of the Royal Yugoslav Navy proceeds apace. Today saw the keels of the third and fourth armoured gunboats of the Neretva class laid down on the slips only recently vacated by the gunboats Neretva and Drina . Last Saturday saw the first new light destroyers of the Mostar class laid down, construction of which will continue well into 1942. The persistence of the Naval Staff under the leadership of Vice Admiral Asner has led to a renaissance of the fleet, with well trained, superbly equipped flotillas of light warships capable of defending our shores and protecting our seaborne commerce in the waters of the region.

The Marine Nationale thanks their Yugoslavian hosts for an excellent and enjoyable port visit, and hopes they may return the kindness at some point in the future.

Novosti News Service – Mostar – Tuesday, 20 May 1941

Members of the press were admitted to the Soko works at Mostar yesterday to view the formal unveiling of the prototype Project 225 fighter aircraft. Designed by the veteran team of Lubomir Ilic, Kosta Sivcev and Stepan Zmic, designers of the Jastreb fighter, the new aircraft will feature the Pratt and Whtiney R-2800 radial engine and an armament of six heavy machineguns. Development of the design, begun in October 1939, has been delayed due to the higher priority accorded the Zmaj light bomber. Flight testing of the Project 225 prototype is expected to begin early next month.


Novosti News Service – Bar – Friday, 27 Jun 1941

The destroyers Karlovac and Koprivnica finished their formal trials period and have entered unrestricted service with the Second Flotilla; their flotilla-mates, the destroyers Kakanj and Konijc, are expected to join them in late autumn.