YU Blenheim

[newcomer]

Hi,

does anyone know british or Yugoslav CofR and CofA for Avro Blenheim flew from UK to kingdom of Yugoslavia in March and April 1940. They civil registered YU-BAA to YU-BAU and RAF s/n were in range between L6813 to L6834.

kind regards

Newcomer

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
This from my post in 2007 +

Yugoslavia
G-AFCE ( constructors number - 8814 )
G-AFCF ( constructors number - 8815 )
and
RAF - Civil Yugo - Yugo A/F
Serial
L6813- YU-BAG - 3549
L6814- YU-BAH - 3550
L6817- YU-BAF - 3548
L6818 - YU-BAR - 3560
L6819 - YU-BAS - 3561
L6821 - YU-BAQ - 3559
L6822 - YU-BAT - 3562
L6823 - YU-BAE - 3547
L6824 - YU-BAD - 3546
L6825 - YU-BAA - 3543
L6826 - YU-BAB - 3544
L6827 - YU-BAC - 3545
L6828 - YU-BAL - 3554
L6829 - YU-BAM - 3555
L6830 - YU-BAK - 3553
L6831 - YU-BAN - 3556
L6832 - YU-BAO - 3557
L6833 - YU-BAI - 3551
L6834 - YU-BAJ - 3552
L6820 - YU-BAP - 3558
Parts were sold by Germany to Finland late in the War.
One (Serial unknown as yet) defected to Hungary to be coded J-104 in the Hungarian AF.

Some (Quantity said to have been 9) also were later to be used by the Croatian AF.
Two of which defected to Turkey (serial numbers ?).
Yugoslavia received 2+20 a/c from Great Britain and produced 16 in Yugoslavia makes a total of 38 but there were 40.


Hope this is of help.

Alex

[newcomer]

Hi Alex,

thank You for Your kind reply, but I ask for digits of british or yugoslav CofR and CofA for those Blenheims. BTW, Ikarus produced 40 (not 16) Blenheim under licence. Therefore, RYAF used 62 Blenheims plus one converted on standard Mk.IV (but engines and rudder like on Mk.I). In Croatian AF were 8 Blenheims (one of them converted Mk.IV). Two of them: CAF s/n 1502 and 1506 deserted to Turkey in 1942 (ex RYAF s/n unknown).

kind regards

Newcomer

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Thank you for the details on the Interned a/c and of Croation AF.
I misread your question.
So, British CofA numbers.
G-AFCE = 6122
G-AFCF = 6123
Alex

[newcomer]

Thank You Alex,

Does anybody find others CofA and CofR for 20 Avro Blenheim for Yugoslavia in 1940? Maybe in National Archives in Kew?

kind regards

Newcomer

[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