HELP: 15. Kroatische/KG53 Markings

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Spirow Ewes
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HELP: 15. Kroatische/KG53 Markings

#1

Post by Spirow Ewes » 02 Sep 2009, 15:57

Hello friends,

Can anybody tell me what where the markings of 15. Kroatische/KG53's (Croat Bomber Staffel) Dorniers Do 17Z?

I'm especially looking for the markings of a Do 17Z lost in action (actually, the crew fled to the russians) in June 25, 1942.

Any help will be mostly appreciated.

DamirGS
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Re: HELP: 15. Kroatische/KG53 Markings

#2

Post by DamirGS » 02 Sep 2009, 23:25

Luftwaffe Do-17 bombers with Croatian Legion over Leningrad 1942
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haGk8D3iIMc

source: http://www.forum.hr/showthread.php?t=283425&page=3
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TISO
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Re: HELP: 15. Kroatische/KG53 Markings

#3

Post by TISO » 12 Sep 2009, 13:55

The plane you are looking for is:
Do-17Z-3 Wk.No. 4235, tactical marking A1+OZ, 100% write off, defected landed in the field near Tarasovo village (Kalinin oblast)
crew:
Pilot: Ofw. Oleg Okševski (eng pronounciation: Oleg Okshevski)
navigator: fw. Milivoj Boroša (eng. pronounciation: Milivoy Borosha)
radio operator: fw. Marko Zeljak (eng. pronounciation: Marko Zelyak)
MG: fw. Leo Okševski (eng. pronounciation: Leo Okshevski)


Croatian commander of the unit major Mikec did have some suspecions regardning make up of the crew as he didn't trust Okševski brothers (who were of russian origin) and Milivoj Boroša (a Slovene who sucesfully managed to bomb german troops before) but was persuaded not to break up the crew by hpt. Bogdan Vujičić (a croatian serb who was under protection of his personal friend of general of aviation Kren). The unit of 11 planes was on last leg of tranfer flight to the front after a stint in the rear. After joining landing circle on Solzy airfiled (their new base) their plane broke off and dived to south east. The crew informed Zeljak that they are defecting and he should forget about trouble making. At first he thought they were joking but when they pulled their pistols on him he saw they were serious. After flying on tree top height they turned East North East over Seelinger lake. After avoiding AAA and single MiG-3 attack they preformed a perfect landing on a field near Tarasovo village (Kalinin oblast).
Blame for defection fell on Vujičić who was a croatian Serb and as such already on thin ice. But his close friend and guardian general of aviation Vladimir Kren (who already saved him from ustasha death squad in 1941) arranged for him to be sent to fighter conversion course in France and his subsequent posting to 15.(kroat)/JG52. He defected to soviets in pair with Oblt Albin Starc on 14th of may 1943. Ironically it was Kren who encouraged him to defect as he feared that he would not be able to protect him in the future.

This is from excellent book:
Dornier Do17 The Yugoslav story - operational records 1937- 1947
by Boris Ciglić & Dragan Savić printed by Jeropan books Beograd
ISBN 978-86-909727-0-8

BTW i can only reccomend this book as it is very detailed and full of photos of Do-17 belonging to JKRV, Croat legion on Easter fron and opartions in the Yugoslavia, Vazduhoplovstvo NDH and later RV i PVO never seen before. BTW the book is entirely in english language. Unfortunatly it was printed in only 1000 examples.

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Spirow Ewes
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Re: HELP: 15. Kroatische/KG53 Markings

#4

Post by Spirow Ewes » 12 Sep 2009, 21:06

Thank you very much Tiso!

This is exactly what I was looking for!

Mr. Marko is still alive, I interviewed him some months ago for my website. It's in Portuguese:

http://saladeguerra.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... marko.html

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