Military ranks and insignia of the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia. Yugoslav stars

Yugoslav People's Army uniform

1950-60s.

K.S.Vasiliev, M.V.Razygraev

When studying uniforms in different countries of the world, it can be interesting to observe how the appearance of military personnel is influenced by certain trends of an economic and political nature. This is especially noticeable in the example of relatively small and recently formed states. Often, the uniform of the armies of such countries bears features not only national traditions

, but also similar to the uniform of the leading country, with which the small state is connected by allied relations. At the same time, a change in political orientation is often reflected in the uniform.
1. A star on the caps and caps of soldiers and sailors.
2. A star on the caps of soldiers of proletarian and guards units.
3. Star on the caps of sub-officers of the Ground Forces.
4. Star on the caps of sub-officers of the Ground Forces.
5. Star on the caps of sub-officers of proletarian and guards units.
6. Star on the caps of sub-officers of proletarian and guards units.
7. Emblem on the caps of sub-officers of the Navy.
8. Star on the caps of officers of the Ground Forces.
9. Star on the caps of officers of the Ground Forces.
10. Star on the caps of officers of proletarian and guards units.
11. Star on the caps of officers of proletarian and guards units.
12. Emblem on the caps of officers and admirals of the Navy
13. Emblem on the caps of sub-officers, officers and generals of aviation.

14. The emblem on the caps of the generals of the Ground Forces.

At the end of the 1940s, contradictions between the leadership of People's Yugoslavia and the USSR, caused largely by the personal ambitions of their leaders I. Broz Tito and I. V. Stalin, led to a complete breakdown in relations between the fraternal communist countries. Yugoslavia chose for itself an alternative to the Soviet path of building a socialist society, and in foreign policy the path of non-alignment with military-political groupings competing in Europe.

Yugoslav People's Army since 1946 had a kind of uniform with insignia similar to those accepted in the Soviet Army. The main emblem of the military personnel was red five pointed star

As many examples show, most often changes in uniform caused by political reasons begin precisely with the system of personal ranks and insignia. A return to the insignia of the Royal Army was unacceptable for the communist leadership of Yugoslavia, especially since the insignia of the Royal Army was a combination of Russian and German traditional systems. .

Therefore, in introduced in 1955. uniform, a new, different system of insignia for the ranks of military personnel of the ground forces and air force/air defense was introduced Four categories were established military ranks: soldiers, sub-officers, officers and generals. Particular attention should be paid to the ranks of generals. They were as follows: major general, lieutenant colonel general, colonel general and army general. For the person holding the post of Minister of Defense, the rank of “general” was established, on whose shoulder straps five stars were embroidered. The shoulder strap of the Marshal of Yugoslavia, a rank personally assigned to the lifelong President of the country Josip Broz Tito, repeated the shoulder strap of the Marshal Soviet Union

and, in spite of everything, it was embroidered on Russian general's galloon. Soldiers of the Ground Forces of the Yugoslav People's Army in 1955. were installed the following types military uniform

: official (for and out of formation), festive and ceremonial.

The rank and file, who were entitled only to a service uniform, and on the service uniforms of sub-officers and officers, did not have any designation of the branches of the military and services. This uniform required the wearing of a cap - a “Titovka”, the style of which was personally designed by Marshal Tito in 1942. like Soviet caps. Shoes were specially cut laced boots. On the open jackets of sub-officers and officers, buttonholes were worn in the color of the uniform with the insignia of the military branches and services. Colonels and generals had buttonholes of special designs with the image oak leaves . These tunics were worn in festive uniforms and service uniforms outside the formation. Dress uniform

officers and generals differed in color and cut.

	Given the mild Balkan climate, there was no provision for dividing the uniform into summer and winter, but in hot weather it was allowed to wear an outer shirt without a jacket, and for cold and rainy weather overcoats, coats and capes were worn.
	1, Festive uniform (without overcoat) of officers of the Ground Forces
	2. Service casual uniform (with a summer shirt) of female officers of the Ground Forces
	4. Service day off (in a summer shirt) uniform for soldiers
	5. Service casual uniform (without overcoat) of aviation officers
	1. Festive uniform in an overcoat of military students educational institutions
	2. Service casual uniform (with coat) of officers of the Ground Forces
	3. Service uniform for officers mountain parts in a cape.
	4. Service uniform for aviation officers (in a raincoat)
	5. Service for the formation of soldiers in an overcoat and helmet.

Sub-officers and officers of the Air Force wore the gray-blue color traditional for Western European aviators,

Non-combatant commanding staff was allocated to a separate category of military officials. They were distinguished by a silver metal device, in contrast to the combat personnel, whose device was golden, and a special shape of stars on the shoulder straps.

1. Summer service uniform for sailors		1. Service casual uniform for sailors in a pea coat.
2. Summer festive uniform for officers of the Navy		2. Service ship uniform for officers during the navigation period.
3. Summer holiday uniform for female sub-officers of the Navy		3. Service ship uniform for sub-officers during the navigation period.
4. Service casual uniform of sub-officers of the Navy in a summer shirt.
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The ranks of military personnel in the Navy were designated by both sleeve patches and shoulder straps. The ranks of sailors and sub-officers were the same as in Ground forces and the Air Force. It is interesting that the chevrons of sailors and sub-officers on shoulder straps were sewn at an angle up, and on the sleeves at an angle down.

The rank insignia of officers and admirals consisted of traditional gold braid on the sleeves. The same braids were sewn on officers' shoulder straps. The shoulder straps of admirals were embroidered like those of generals. The type of service of sub-officers and officers was indicated by a badge located above the braid.

Unlike the Ground Forces, the uniform of sailors had seasonal differences. It was divided into summer (white) and winter (dark blue).

The ranks of naval military officials were the same as in the Ground Forces. The insignia was the same as that of naval sub-officers and officers, but the device was silver. 1951 - May 20, 1992

• Includes Yugoslav Ground Forces
• [d]
• Navy forces of the SFRY Yugoslav Ground Forces
• Yugoslav Air Force

Territorial defense

Story

Base

Reform before the collapse of Yugoslavia According to the Law on people's defense The JNA received a unique structure of armed forces. New received the name “National Defense” (Opshtenarodna odbrana) ONO. The doctrine provided for the creation of a pan-Yugoslav resistance to the aggressor, that is, it was a continuation of the glorious partisan traditions of the Second World War. At the same time, at the level of ideology, the connection between IT and partisan movement was strongly supported by the military leadership, as a result of which elements of the partisan subculture became firmly entrenched in army traditions.

Structure

The armed forces of the SFRY included the JNA and the Territorial Defense (Teritorijalna Obrana). The JNA itself was divided into types of troops, types of troops and military services. There were 4 types of troops: ground, air force, air defense and navy. The branches of the troops were: infantry, artillery, air defense artillery and missile units, armored, engineering, chemical defense, communications, border units of the JNA. The military services included: technical, construction, quartermaster, communication service, flight technical, security agencies and military police, sanitary, veterinary, financial, administrative, legal, geodetic, music and computer science. At the end of the 80s, an aviation patrol, communications and guidance service appeared, which later became a branch of the military. It was staffed on the basis of universal conscription. The service life was 1 year. The service period included recruit training, in fact military service and service in the reserve force. The JNA represented "the joint armed force of all peoples and nationalities, all working people and citizens of the SFRY." According to the Law on the Armed Forces of 1969, every citizen who took part in the resistance against the aggressors with arms in hand was considered a member of the SFRY Armed Forces.

Territorial defense was created in order to make it difficult for the enemy to advance in the event of direct military intervention, since great amount trained in guerrilla warfare civilian population, along with the JNA, would create huge problems for the enemy. When great war it was planned to mobilize from 1 to 3 million citizens in addition to the 860 thousand armed forces. Those mobilized for territorial defense were to be assembled into units that would be organized at enterprises and institutions. The TO had significant reserves of weapons. Its weapons depots existed in many localities.

To be fair, it should be noted that the weapons were mostly outdated and were samples from the Second World War. The Regulations on the National Defense of the SFRY of 1974 provided for the regulation of the Law on the National Defense by both the Union Constitution and the Constitutions of the republics. The Union Constitution of 1974 in Article 240 confirms that the Armed Forces of the SFRY consist of the JNA and the TO “as best shape organization of armed national resistance." Based on Article 239 of the said Constitution, the republics had the right to organize and direct territorial defense themselves. In each republic, this article of the Constitution was confirmed by an article of the republican Constitution. As in Croatia, article 237 of the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Croatia. It is worth noting that the system of independent republican leadership of the TO was introduced after the events of 1971 in Croatia, when, in fact, ethnic violence broke out armed conflict between Croats and Serbs.

Immediately after the end of the war, the 1st and 2nd tank brigades, reinforced by motorized rifle brigades, were transformed into divisions that made up the 1st Tank Army. The commander-in-chief of the Yugoslav army, Marshal Tito, considered tanks to be the most important moral and political factor. At that time, Yugoslavia, with the exception of the USSR, was the only country in Europe that had its own tank army. Several officers were sent to study at the Soviet Armor Academy tank troops. Personnel training, as well as combat use tanks, was carried out in Yugoslavia according to the Soviet model. Soviet military advisers had a significant influence on the modernization of Yugoslav tank forces.

As a result, reformed and modernized in 1946-1948. The tank units of the Yugoslav army began to represent a formidable force.

In March 1946, another “tranche” of military assistance (66 T-34s and six BA-64s) arrived from the USSR to create the 5th Tank Brigade (its formation was planned during the war). At that time, the Yugoslav army had 130 T-34s (six captured German T-34-76s, two T-34-85s transferred from the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps, 56 war-surviving vehicles of the 2nd brigade and 66 tanks of the 5th brigade) .

Tank was formed military school(TVU). TVU was transferred from Belgrade to Bela Tserkov, on the border with Romania. At that time, the school had about 20 T-34s, a dozen captured tanks and self-propelled guns (mainly Hotchkiss and Hetzer). During exercises, captured equipment always “played” for the “enemy.”

Captured german easy PzKpfw II tank during Yugoslav army exercises

Captured German medium tank PzKpfw III during Yugoslav army exercises

captured German assault gun StuG.III during Yugoslav army exercises

captured light tank LT-38 during Yugoslav army exercises

In addition, the TVU had the only self-propelled gun in the NOAU, the ISU-152. She once fought as part of one of the units of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, however, got stuck in the swamps of the Danube lowland, where it was abandoned. At the end of the war, the Yugoslavs pulled the vehicle out of the swamp, and after repairs, they used it in a tank school.

ISU-152 at the post-war exhibition of military equipment NOAU in Belgrade

In January 1946, the situation around Trieste became more complicated again (the so-called “Trieste crisis”). The 2nd Polish Corps from the 8th British Army violated the provisions of the 1945 agreement. At night, the 2nd Panzer Division was alerted. On February 8-14 it connected with the 1st tank division. While the “T-34s demonstrated strength in front of the gates of Trieste, the Yugoslav communists put forward the slogan “Zhivot damo, Trst nedamo” (“I’ll give my life, I won’t give Trieste”). One senior British official remarked: "Europe was on the brink of World War III." On the night of September 15-16, tanks tried to penetrate the American zone, but reached the checkpoint and stopped. An order was received to return: Joseph Vissarionovich brought Tito to his senses!

T-34-85 NOAU march at the parade in honor of the anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade from German troops. Tanks pass along King Alexander Boulevard

In 1947, on the basis of a previously approved loan (paid for with ore supplies from Serbia) railway 308 T-34-85 tanks, 52 SU-76 self-propelled guns, 59 Ya-12 tractors, 20 S-65 tractors, 30 V2-34 engines, 33 mobile workshops of types “A” and “B”, sights, boxes were delivered to Pancevo gears, pumps and other spare parts for tanks. All T-34-85s were distributed among five tank brigades(1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th) and several separate battalions.

SU-76 during NOAU exercises, 1949

The Soviet Y-12 NOAYU tracked tractor tows a captured German 88-mm FlaK-36 anti-aircraft gun during exercises

Half of the tanks had electric drives for turning the turrets. In addition to tanks, Yugoslavia also received 220 85-mm anti-aircraft guns (designated M-39). The ammunition of the air defense batteries also included armor-piercing cumulative and sub-caliber projectiles, so that, if necessary, these batteries could quickly be included in the anti-tank defense system.

At first, it was believed that there was no need to develop our own tank building, since everything needed could be obtained from the USSR. Some of the captured equipment (mainly Italian and French) produced was donated to Albania and Israel.

But on June 29, 1948, the 1948 Information Bureau resolution “On the situation in communist party Yugoslavia." Yugoslav leaders were accused of abandoning Marxist-Leninist ideas, switching to nationalist positions, and the existing Yugoslav regime and the Communist Party of Yugoslavia were declared to be outside the Cominform. But the reliable reasons for the discord between Tito and Stalin are still unknown. Tito’s independent actions in the Trieste region, in Greece, Albania and Israel also did not contribute to improving relations between the USSR and Yugoslavia.

Critics of Tito were also found in the highest officer circles of the Yugoslav army. General Arso Yovanovic (chief General Staff Yugoslav army until September 17, 1945) did not hide his disappointment. And this was experienced military leader, awarded the Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov, 1st degree. The official says that Arso and his fellow countrymen from Montenegro tried to escape to Romania. Allegedly, he planned to cross the Yugoslav-Romanian border together with General Branko Petrichevich and Colonel Vlad Dapcevic in a tank. T-34 was waiting for them in Tank School in Bila Tserkva (500 m from the border). The head of the school, Colonel Duklan Vukotic, was also a Montenegrin.

Why the plan failed is unknown. It is alleged that Arsu Jovanovic, along with his driver, was killed by border guards on the night of August 11, 1948, but according to the unofficial version, the general was liquidated by Tito’s agents in an apartment in Belgrade. And the whole story with the escape on a tank was invented in order to repress the pro-Soviet personnel of the TVU.
Tank units began to concentrate in the eastern regions of Yugoslavia, and units were maintained in a state of full combat readiness. Some tank battalions were on duty near the border.
There was no longer any hope of purchasing spare parts and, especially, new tanks from the Soviet Union. The West even earlier, due to the complications of the situation around Trieste, introduced restrictions on exports military equipment to Yugoslavia. The armored forces of Yugoslavia seemed quite modern by the standards of that time, but due to the blockade, problems arose with maintaining equipment in good condition. Repair options were also limited. In Mladenovac there was the only workshop that repaired the T-34 and SU-85 and mastered the production of some spare parts.

However, in 1948, the design of a new tank based on the T-35-85 began. In 1950, the first tanks created under this program were paraded in Belgrade. They received the name Vozilo-A or Type A. To quickly create their own tank, Yugoslav designers actually copied the hull, chassis, engine and gun of the T-34-85. The frontal armor of the hull was increased to 50 mm at an inclination of 30 degrees, but the turret was developed independently. New tower It was elliptical in shape with reinforced armor: 100 mm on the front, 82-86 mm on the side and 60 mm on the rear of the turret. The tank also received captured German sights, MG-42 machine guns, and an American Browning M2 machine gun was installed on the roof of the turret. The gun, a copy of the Soviet 85mm S-53, received a German-type muzzle brake. Radio station - English SET 19WF. The tanks turned out to be 3-4 tons heavier than the T-34-85, they experienced problems with the engine and transmission and therefore, after the release of a pre-production batch of 5 or 7 vehicles, they were discontinued.

The first Yugoslav tank Vozilo-A in the military museum in Belgrade

It is also known about the experimental installation of a 75mm gun from the Pz tank on the Vozilo-A tank. IV. However, Tito quickly found new patrons, and since 1951, Yugoslavia began receiving free supplies under the MDAP program. military assistance from the USA and UK.

In total, before 1958, Yugoslavia received:
- 630 M4A3E4 Sherman tanks, which Tito dreamed of during the war (served until 1973);

American tank M4A3E4 "Sherman" of the Yugoslav army

319 of the latest American M47 Pattons with a 90-mm cannon (served until 1988, when they were sent to warehouses);

M-47 "Patton" JNA on the streets of Belgrade

399 anti-tank self-propelled guns М36А1/А2 "Jackson";

Self-propelled gun M36 "Jackson" during Yugoslav army exercises

240 M18 Hellcat anti-tank self-propelled guns;

56 M7 "Priest" with a 105 mm howitzer;

100 American M-8 Greyhound wheeled reconnaissance vehicles;

American wheeled armored personnel carriers M3 Scout Car (used by the Yugoslav UN contingent in the Sinai Peninsula);

100 American M-3 half-track armored personnel carriers and 15 M-15 anti-aircraft guns created on their basis, armed with a 37-mm M1A2 automatic cannon and two 12.7-mm water-cooled machine guns.

However, the development of armored vehicles continued in Yugoslavia itself. A tank project was developed (according to other sources of a self-propelled gun) Vozilo-B. It differed from the first type by installing a 90-mm American gun with an M-36 self-propelled gun. Another attempt to create a modern medium tank using the design of the T-34-85 tank was in 1954-55, when a project was launched under the designation M-628 (code "Galeb", "Seagull") with a redesigned power plant and reinforced hull armor. Two variants were developed with the 85 mm M-628AC gun and the 90 mm M-628AR gun. A trial series of 5 vehicles without weapons and communications equipment was produced, but they were not accepted for service, since both guns no longer responded modern requirements in terms of armor penetration.

In parallel with this project, since 1955, a fundamentally new tank under the code M-320. It used a chassis modeled after the chassis of the M-47 tank; the shapes of the hull and turret were original, developed taking into account the analysis of the shapes of the M4, T-34-85 and M47 tanks. Hull armor: VLD - 75 mm/60 g, NLD - 55 mm/55 g, side - 35-50 mm, rear 35 mm, turret armor: front - up to 105 mm, side and rear 50-52 -mm. Crew - 5 people. The B2 engine is diesel. 90 mm L/52 gun with 50 rounds of ammunition. A prototype was built, however, the test results revealed that the tank was inferior in combat properties to the M47, so it was not accepted for service.

In the mid-1950s, relations between the SFRY and the USSR were normalized, and military-technical cooperation was resumed. Among other things, an experimental batch of T-54 tanks was delivered to Yugoslavia. A total of 140 T-54s were delivered to Yugoslavia.

It was the tactical and technical data of this tank that formed the basis of the requirements for the new Yugoslav tank, the project of which was designated as the M-636 "Condor". The booking indicators were close to the data for the T-54, the engine used was the V-2 - which had undergone modernization - with a power of 600 hp. Suspension of our own design, type T-34. 90 mm gun, tested on the M-320. Subsequently, it was decided to use a copy of the Soviet 100mm gun from the T-54 (this version is known under the designation M-636D). Experimental tanks were created in 1959-60, but in addition to design flaws, high price their production, worse performance compared to the T-54 and the inability to quickly launch mass production.

Josip Broz Tito inspects the M-636 tank; 1960

Another area of ​​work by Yugoslav tank builders in the 1950s was an attempt to modernize the M4 Sherman tanks they had. The Yugoslav military really liked this tank, but it no longer met the requirements for armored vehicles in the 1950s. The M4A3 tank was experimentally installed with a V-2 diesel engine, which was produced by a Yugoslav plant - this project received the code - M-634, but later they decided to abandon the modernization of the Shermans, and those available in the troops were partly converted into engineering equipment, and partly were put into storage and handed over territorial troops.

The last attempt to convert a Sherman into a self-propelled gun was made at the turn of the 50s/60s, when a 122-mm gun was experimentally installed in the M4 - an analogue of the Soviet A-19 cannon, and the experience of installing the B-2 engine in the M4 was used. The vehicle received the index SO-122 (SO - self-propelled gun). However, the armor penetration of the 122 mm gun turned out to be lower than that of the 100 mm T-54 guns. The vehicle could not be a support self-propelled gun due to the small elevation angle of the gun - only 10 degrees. In 1962 this project was closed.

Supplies of Soviet military equipment also continued. So back in the late 50s, 40 SU-100 anti-tank self-propelled guns were delivered to Yugoslavia. Thus Yugoslavia became the only European countries, where SU-100s were delivered outside the Warsaw Pact.

SU-100 at JNA exercises

From 1960 to 1961 100 ZSU-57-2 anti-aircraft guns were delivered to Yugoslavia.

In 1962, 40 BTR-40 and 40 BTR-152 were delivered to Yugoslavia, however, they were probably not used for a long time and were withdrawn from service, since there is no mention of their use in the Yugoslav wars.

From 1962 to 1963 100 PT-76 amphibious tanks entered service with the JNA reconnaissance units.

There is also information that the 63rd airborne brigade of the JNA even received several ASU-57 airborne self-propelled guns, although there is no photo or video evidence of this.

Since 1964, T-55 tanks began to be supplied to Yugoslavia, which became the basis of the armored forces of the JNA before the advent of the M-84. In total, Yugoslavia was supplied with different estimates from 1600 to 1980 (with T-54) T-55 tanks. Moreover, supplies were carried out both from the USSR and from Poland and Czechoslovakia.

Yugoslav T-55

In 1965, 120 tracked BTR-50s were supplied from the USSR, which were mainly used in the JNA as control vehicles, and in 1970, 50 BRDM-2s.

BTR-50PU and BRDM-2 at JNA exercises

Also in 1965, the USSR ordered 80 BTR-60s, most likely BTR-60PU control vehicles, which were delivered in 1966.

Meanwhile, in 1966 something incredible happened. Instead of decommissioning the T-34s, another 600 of these vehicles, in a modernized version (they became better known as T-34B), purchased from the USSR, were put into service. In the early 1980s. due to decommissioning American tanks M47 the combat career of the “thirty-fours” was extended, although they were mainly used for training or for guarding strategically important points (military bases, airfields). At that time, there were at least 1007 units in the JNA. In the period from 1980 to 1987, some of the tanks were transferred to the disposal of infantry and motorized units, where the infantry used them to practice interaction with armored vehicles. The “Thirty-Fours” were sent to the 2nd and 4th, stationed in the cities of Niš and Pirot, the 175th Proletarian Regiment in Leskovac, the 453rd Infantry Brigade in Rum and the 228th Motorized Brigade in Pivci. Although it is generally accepted that Yugoslav T-34s did not enter combat until 1991, in fact it happened much earlier. Oddly enough, but for the first time since the end of World War II, the Yugoslav “thirty-four” entered into battle in Africa. As part of the provision of military-technical assistance to the Angolan government in 1976, 10 tanks were allocated from the 51st motorized brigade. Together with ammunition, they were loaded onto a ship in the port of Ploce and sent to Africa in January. To make up for the “losses,” the same number of tanks came from the 25th motorized brigade, which at that time was rearming with the T-55.

Having failed with tanks, Yugoslav designers decided to develop their own armored personnel carrier. The armored personnel carrier, designated M-60, was developed by Yugoslav designers in the late 1950s and was first demonstrated at the 1965 parade in Belgrade. For a short time it bore the designation M-590.

The layout of this armored personnel carrier is in many ways reminiscent of the famous American M-113, and the chassis of the Soviet self-propelled gun SU-76, 54 units of which were delivered in 1947, was used as the chassis. The driver's seat is located in the left front part of the armored personnel carrier. A little behind is the commander’s seat, from which he can use weapons: initially the M-53 machine gun was installed, a copy of the famous German MG-42, 7.92 mm caliber, then it was replaced by the American Browning M-2НВ 12.7 mm caliber, mounted on an open turrets. Immediately behind the commander's seat there is a troop compartment designed for ten people. The landing took place through doors at the rear of the hull, each of which was equipped with an observation window. There are also three embrasures on the sides.

Landing of troops from an M-60R armored personnel carrier during a JNA exercise

The armored personnel carrier was equipped with a six-cylinder FAMOS engine with a power of 140 hp. s., thanks to which it could reach speeds of up to 45 km/h and travel 400 kilometers on one gas station. The armor consisted of steel armor plates 25 mm thick. The armored personnel carrier was also equipped with night vision devices.
The armored personnel carrier was produced from 1962 to 1979; more than about 600 vehicles in several versions entered service with the Yugoslav army:

Landing armored personnel carrier M-60P;

Anti-tank M-60PB, equipped with twin 82-mm recoilless rifles mounted on the right or left side of the vehicle's rear. Guidance of guns in the vertical plane is carried out in the angle range from -4 to +6°. Moving guns both vertically and vertically horizontal planes provided by manual drives. The transportable ammunition consists of ten armor-piercing high-explosive rounds;

An armored personnel carrier with an 82 mm mortar;

Minelayer;

Sanitary;

Command.

190 M-60 armored personnel carriers were exported to Iraq, where they took part in the Iran-Iraq War.

In 1969, the Czechoslovak 30-mm ZSU M53/59 "Prague" entered service with the JNA, and its production began at the same time by Yugoslav industry. The armored hull of this SPAAG is installed on a modified chassis of the Czechoslovakian V-3S Prague truck. The engine is a six-cylinder air-cooled diesel Tatra T 912-2 with a power of 110 hp. With. was in front of the ZSU. Its hood, like the cockpit, was made of aluminum armor plates with the addition of titanium, the thickness of which in the frontal part reached 10 mm. Crew from three people was located in the cabin, in the frontal armor plate of which there are two windows covered with armored shields.

The armament of the ZSU is located in the rear part, on a horizontal platform and consists of an openly mounted M53 rotating mount with two 30-mm automatic guns, the firing range of which is 3000 m. The ammunition load includes several types of shells, the transportable ammunition capacity is 600-800 shells. Above the anti-aircraft gun barrels there is a vertical horn-type magazine for 50 shells. Firing in azimuth is circular, and in the vertical plane - from -10 degrees. up to +85 degrees. The transfer time from traveling to combat position is one minute. It is possible to quickly dismantle the anti-aircraft gun using two retractable ramps mounted on the platform. It was assumed that the ZSU would be able to destroy air targets flying at speeds of up to 350 m/s and at altitudes of up to 3500 m, and it would be able to hit airborne assault and ground targets at ranges of up to 2000 m.

Among the disadvantages of this ZSU, it is worth noting the lack of a detection system, and the fact that aiming was only visual.

By the beginning of the 1980s, the JNA received 789 ZSU. "Pragues" were assigned to mixed artillery and missile air defense divisions of the ground brigades of the Yugoslav army. In addition to other weapons, each such division received 12 M53/59. The ZSU periodically underwent modernization.

Some Western sources claim that in 1978, 48 ZSU-23-4 Shilka were delivered from the USSR to Yugoslavia. However, this is hardly true, since in the wars that raged on the ruins former Yugoslavia, various, even the most ancient, types of weapons were used, but no evidence of the use of sufficiently modern “Shilok” was noted. The use of "Shiloks" was also not noted during the repulsion of NATO aggression in 1999, when even the ancient ZSU-57-2 were used.

On May 4, 1980, Josip Broz Tito died, leaving no successor, and only a few years remained before the collapse of the Second Yugoslavia...

Based on materials from sites:
http://samlib.ru
http://shushpanzer-ru.livejournal.com
http://www.tankfront.ru/allies/jugoslavija/april1941.html
http://stef124.tripod.com/,
http://www.vojska.net/
http://srpsko.fastbb.ru/
http://m1kozhemyakin.livejournal.com/4580.html

To be continued…

They were de facto established in July 1941, but were not of an official nature. Several times during the People's Liberation War, the military rank system underwent changes.

Chronology

At the beginning of the war, a traditional standard hierarchy was used, similar to the Red Army military rank system:

• corporal or foreman (Serbian desetar)
• sergeant or platoon commander (Serbian waterman)
• political delegate of the platoon (Serb. politicians delegate water)
• deputy commander (Serb. substitute commander)
• commander (Serbian commander)
• chief of staff (Serbian chief of staff)
• Deputy Commandant (Serb. substitute commander)
• commandant (Serbian commandant)
• Deputy Political Commissar (Serb. substitute for political commissar)
• political commissar (Serbian) politicians komesar)

A little later, the first change was made in the system of military ranks after structuring military units“platoon - company - battalion - detachment - group of detachments,” and thus the ranks of commanders of platoons, companies, battalions, detachments and groups of detachments appeared. The distinctive symbols on the insignia were the obligatory red stars, and sometimes stripes were added (the more stripes there were, the higher the soldier’s rank). Political commissars (political instructors) always had a hammer and sickle on their stars.

In January 1942, new ranks were introduced. Thus, a deputy commander for each unit officially appeared. The following military units were also established: brigade(equivalent to a group of units) and operational zone. On insignia, a brigade or group of detachments was distinguished by a red symbol in the shape of the letter “L”; the operational zone or main headquarters was distinguished by diamonds. For patrol commanders, green stripes were introduced, which determined the size of the patrol subordinate to the commander.

On May 1, by the Decree of the Supreme Headquarters of the NOLA, official military ranks were established, which became the main ones in the Yugoslav People's Army (in descending order):

• General ranks: Colonel General, Lieutenant General, Major General.
• Higher officer ranks: colonel, lieutenant colonel, major.
• Lowest officer ranks: captain, lieutenant and junior lieutenant.
• Sub-officer ranks: warrant officer, senior sergeant, sergeant, Lance Sergeant and a corporal.

By the decree “On the promotion and provision of officers of the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia,” 2,757 people were promoted to the ranks: 13 generals (two lieutenant generals, 11 major generals), 25 colonels, 67 lieutenant colonels, 189 majors, 459 captains, 1,124 lieutenants and 880 junior lieutenants. In the same month, a decree “On the first awards” was issued. A minor change occurred only on April 22, when the concept of an officer was defined by a special order.

comparison table

Pre-war division by category	February - June	June - May 1	1st of May -	Final division by category
Senior commanders (commanders)	Commander of the General Staff		Did not have	Generals
	Member of the General Staff	Operational zone commander	Colonel General
		Deputy commander of the operational zone	Lieutenant General
	Brigade commander	Commander of a brigade or group of detachments	Major General
		Brigade Chief of Staff	Colonel	Senior officers
	Commander of a group of detachments	Deputy brigade commander
	Squad leader	Squad leader	Lieutenant colonel
		Deputy squad leader
		Chief of Staff of the detachment
	Battalion Commander	Battalion Commander	Major
		Deputy battalion commander
Junior commanders (commanders)	Company commander	Company commander