Besides Russian airmen, many volunteers from other countries flew with the Republican AF during the Spanish Civil War. Some served for money and some for their beliefs. Among the later were all Yugoslav. Most famous from them was Bozhko Petrovich who became an ace in short but violent couple of months which he destroy seven Nationalist airplanes.
The future ace, Bozhko Petrovich was born on 7 April 1911 in small village near Bela Palance, Serbia. There is little known about his childhood except that, after graduating from the local school, he entered Belgrade University to study law. While there he played proffesional football and even played for National football team. Perhaps it was in Serbia that joined the Communist movement.
After graduating the university, he did not go to work as a lawyer, but instead he enrolled in the Royal Yugoslav AF Flying School at Novi Sad from which he graduated in April 1936. During training he has run in some types of fighters: Gourdou et Lesseure GL. 22 C-1, Avia BH-33 and Hawker Fury . it was not known if he ever served in Royal Yugoslav AF.
During the Spanish Civil War, powerful sentiments for the Republican side developed in the Balkans, and, in spite of the disapproval of their governments, thousands of young men made their way to Spain. On Christmas 1936, Bozhko Petrovich (carrying a passport under the name of Fernandes Garsia) and his friend, Sretan Dudik, arrived in Spain. They enlisted at once in the flying school at Albacete where they mastered the course in 26 days.
The Yugoslav airmen were assigned to fly the Breguet XIX light bomber. These obsolescent bombers, with their weak defensive armament and slow speed were very good targets for Nationalist fighters. The Soviet volunteers who used these bombers had developed the only possible tactics which gave them a change of survival. The would approach the target flying low over mountains, suddenly appeared over the target, drop their bombing, and make a fast getaway before the enemy had time to open fire. Nevertheless, numerous Breguet crews were killed in action. It was during one of these bombing sorties, on 14 February 1937, that the airplane piloted by Bozhko with Dudik as gunner was hit by enemy gun fire. Sretan was killed, and, although wounded, Bozhko landed the aeroplane safety.
After short time in hospital, Bozhko was assigned to fly the high—speed SB-2 Katushka bomber. Hjwever, since he had vowed to revenge his friend’s death, he requested to be transferred to fighter aviation. After several flights in command of a SB-2, the Commander of the Republican AF, Sisneros, personally assigned Petrovich to the El Carmoli flying school where he learned to fly the I-15 Chato fighter under guidance of the Soviet instructors.
At the end of May 1937 he joined a fighter escuadrilla consisting Spanish, Soviet, American and Austrian pilots. This was 1\26 escuadrilla of I-15 under the command of Soviet Ivan Yeryomenko. Other pilot of this escuadrilla mentioned in literature were the Russians Leonid Rybkin, Michail Yakushin, Sergey Shelyganov, Ivan Karpov, Mikhail Petrov, Anatoly Serov, Victor Kuznetsov and Vladimir Sorokin, the Spaniards Jose Redondo and Luis Sardino, the American Albert Baumler and the Austrians Walter Korrows and Tom Dobiash. The escuadrilla was based at Teruel and Compasoto from May to July 1937.
Unfortunately, Bozhko Petrovich was not able to participate in air battles since the Central Front Command used the I-15s exclusively for assault purposes. However, his talent were revealed when he shot down an He-51 on 1 July.
In this period scuadrilla actively participat in Brunete operation and consequently it is meaningful to stop a little on a course of battle actions. According to the plans of a Republican command, this offensive operation should be finished by environment of a troops Franco in region of Madrid. The deposition of two converging impacts was provided: main - from region Valdemorilio in a direction Brunete (village with the population about thousand the man) and further southbound and in a direction Alacorna; second, auxiliary impact, - from region is a little to the south of Madrid, near the occupied point Villaverde in a direction Alacorna, where a ring of environment should close.
For fulfilment of a problem it was possible reticence to concentrate 18 brigades (shown in 8 divisions, all - about 35 thousand the man). The approach was supported by 164 artillery guns, 130 tanks and armour vehicles and all combat-ready aircraft of Republican Spain (without Northern front) - 136 airplanes. Under the Soviet archival data the structure of Republican aircraft on this direction was following:
Base airfield Type of an airplane Quantity
The aircraft of the nationalists in region of approach was submitted by following forces.
By the beginning of July: the Italians - 2 groups of fighters Fiat CR.32 (6 squadrons), group on Romeo Ro.37, Nationalists - group on Heinkel He 45, squadron Aero 101, 6 groups on Ju 52, German - reconnaissance planes from A / 88. In total - about 200 airplanes. With a start of an attack of the Republicans to the aid of this grouping all air forces of the nationalists, including - three German fighting squadrons were thrown practically: 1-st and 3-rd - on He 51, 2-nd - on Bf 109, all three squadrons from K. / 88 on Ju 52 and experimental squadron VB/88 on He 111, transformed during combats in 4. K / 88. The Republican command on July 7 has noted the quantitative superiority of aircraft of the Nationalists.
This a very difficult period for 1\26. The pilots made 4 to 5 combat flights daily and the enemy outnumbered them in practically every flight. During this period, Bozhko shot down three more aircraft (Fiat CR.32) in a week.
At dawn on 6 July 1937 Yereomenko’s escuadrilla was flying over the North Railroad Station in Madrid when saw group of He-51 flying towards them. Unexpectedly the He-51 were attacked by ten I-16 1\21 escuadrilla commanded by Minaev. Three He-51 were shot down over the Queen’s Bridge. Minaev’s escuadrilla joined up with Yeryomenko’s escuadrilla flying over Boadilla against a group of Do-17 bombers. Bozhko Petrovich together with Yeryomenko, Kuznetsov, Rybkin attacked and shot down one Do-17. The pilot parachuted and was captured by the Republicans. During his interrogation, he said he was an advisor to Himmler. In that combat Kuznetsov and Rybkin shot down another Do-17.
This day there were some combats. Already under the evening 19 squadrons (10 «Fiats») from group « Asso di Bastoni » attacked a Yeryomenko’ssquadron, come back from reconnaissance (12 I - 15). The participant of this combat Michael Yakushin so describes it in the collection “Poema o kryliah” (« A Poem about wings »):
The flight approached to the end, and we already returned to the aerodrome. Suddenly at 30-40 kilometers from a line of front above hostile territory is much higher than us contrary-crossing the group of unknown airplanes has passed. Marks on them it was not visible, the type of an airplane too is not clear, but on their silver-grey colouring it was possible almost correctly to define, what is it there were airplanes of the mutineers.
They have passed above us in the party of the catching sun, which was from us at the left behind. It seemed, that the pilots of the opponent us do not see, as they did not show any external attributes of aggressive intentions. But we vigilant monitored them. The enemy had large advantages: first is a difference in an altitude, second - capability to attack from sun.
Besides the fascist pilots believed, and it was their main miscalculation, that they have remained unnoticed. At presence of such advantages (altitude, sun, suddenness) they have decided to enter with us a combat.
Each of us was sure, that the opponent will not miss the favorable moment for an attack, and we to this were off-the shelf. The left link imperceptibly has passed on the right party to not hold down manoeuvre of a squadron at turn to left in the party of the opponent, if he will decide us to attack. Our expectations were justified. The group of fighters has passed in attack.
It we have defined , how the links of hostile group passed one behind another in diving, deploying in our party. To our squadron was unprofitable to engage in combat, as the flight approached to the end and combustible in tanks was on outcome. However to us nothing remained, as by command of squadron commander vigorously to deploy in the party of the opponent and to meet by his(its) head-on attack.
The combat began. All twenty four airplanes have fastened that famous "tangle", which was characteristic for air combats of those times. Now close we could make out each other. It were silver-grey "Fiats" with yellow - green camouflage and black crosses on wings and control surfaces of turn. On a manoeuvrability they conceded by ours to easy a little "chatos", and we without the special work fast took expedient rules (situations, positions) for attack. The amicable beginning of a combat has defined its further course. Our attacks all became more persevering and more safely. Already some hostile airplanes have failed on ground. «Fiats», not maintaining our attacks, even more often tried to leave from them by revolutions, on which they hung, substituting thus «stomaches» under a fire of our fighters. Gradually in air it became more free, and soon fascist fighters have left battle field. On a commander's order, which already has headed for the territory, everyone began to be attached to him, being on the move disassembled on links.
What our pleasure was, when we have seen, that all our airplanes have appeared are safe. The first combat, and lost-free is a victory! ».
The losses of the opponent in it to fight, under one data, have made 5 fighters (2 have burned down in air and 3 have falled on ground), on anothers, - 2 airplanes were destroy and 3 damaged. All of them were counted as a formation victory.
Knowing, that the Italians have recognized for July 6-7 loss three «Fiats» and two pilots, it is possible with sufficient accuracy to concretize losses: in one destroyed fighter the Italian Mario Vercellio was lost, one more pilot has left damaged machine with the parachute, and others three having received damages have made forced landings. Among damaged are mentioned: A. Mattai and commander of group A. Zotti, having 9 victories
On 9 July Bozhko shot down a Bf-109B in an air battle over Avilla. This was his 5th victory and he became an ace. ( There are some contradictions in the literature – some sources mention that on 9 July escuadrilla of Yeryomenko together with I-16 support fighters led by Ptukhin fought against 6 Bf-109B over Madrid. Both Bozhko and Ptukhin attacked a Bf-109 and shot it down).
The day of 12 July was to be last day of Bozhko Petrovich’s life. In the morning Rybkin’s flight (with Luis Sardina as right wingman and Bozhko on the left) was ordered to intercept an He-111B long-range reconnaissance airplane that was flying over the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains. The He-111 was shot down by Petrovich. While three I-15’s were flying back, they were attacked by two Fiats that appeared unexpectedly over Soto aerodrome. One Fiat attacked Petrovich’s “chato” and damaged it. However, a few minutes later this Fiat was shot down by Sardina almost over the landing strip.
There was another combat later that evening. Nationalist bombers were making a bombing raid over the Brunete – Boadilla road on which the 13th and 15th International Brigades were on the offensive. An escuadrilla of I-15’s (Yeryomenko with Kuznetsov and Karpov as wingman, Rybkin, Serov, Sorokin, Petrovich and Baumler) attacked the bombers over the Mosquito and Rommanillas hills. Six Fiats attack Yeryomenko’s flight but one Fiat was shot down by Kuznetsov and another Bozhko. Then, unexpectedly, Bozhko apparently lost control of his aircraft and crashed. The pilot perished.
Bozhko Petrovich was only 26 yers old then he died. He is the only ace on whole history of Yugoslav Air Force. He destroyed seven Nationalists aeroplanes – four were Italian Fiats CR. 32 considered as dangerous rival by Respublicans in Spanish skies. Also not to be forgotten is the Messerschmitt Bf-109B shot down.
2003.09.07, © WW II Ace Stories.