YU Blenheim

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
From memory I think that the 16 were with British engines, the rest had foreign built (Italian built ?) engines .
Correction, it was I believe as follows:
2 British Blenheim's were bought in 1937.
Under contract 16 a/c had been completed and 24 were in late stages of completion by the Spring of 1941 when Yugoslav Patriots sabotaged the Zemun factory.
By using British supplied engines Ikurus completed 23 a/c in 1939. No.29 was fitted with an Alfa Romero engine in late 39. They further negotiated with PZL for Mercury engines to complete 14 a/c and successful pleas to Britain for six more to complete another 3 a/c in early 1940.
Shortly before this 20 British a/c ( YU-BAA to YU-BAT) were diverted from RAF stock to supplement local built a/c.These were flown to Yugoslavia by Yugoslav pilots, the a/c wore Yugoslav civil registrations, Yugoslav AF numbers were "43" to "62".
YU-BAF/L6817 crashed in the UK but was repaired and delivered at some later date.
Blenheim No.1 was lost and a/c "3535" was also lost in accidents before the German invasion.
So that brought their number down to 60, with at least 4 a/c under repair/maintenance leaving 56 in service at the commencement of hostilities.


One of the Croat a/c survived into the post war Yugo AF - are there any known photos of this a/c in the post WW2 markings ?

Refs for the above were :
Profile Magazine No.93; Air Enthusiast Nos. 16 & 28.
Alex