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3453678969:7;<8=>?6@48796A<BCDE4F
Aeroplanes, like some people have a personality which singles them from the crowd.
Ikarus IK-2 certainly fits into this category.
Although only 14 IK-2s were ever flown, in its
short life, this Ikarus gull wing fighter wrote
a significant record in Yugoslav Aviation history.
It is not a usual story, that a small, poor
,mostly rural country could establish a strong
aviation industry within a decade, like TheKingdom of Yugoslavia did. First aircraft factory in Yugoslavia was IKARUS, formed in late
1923, followed by Rogoarski (1924), Vlajkovi & Sons (1925), DFA Kraljevo (1926), ZMAJZemun (1927), Industrija Aeroplanskih motora AD (1928), UTVA (1937), Albatros (1938).
Until the outbreak of WW II, Yugoslav
aviation industry produced 60 types of aeroplanes, 16 of them series produced,13 types
of sailplanes. Between 1923-1940 a total of
1750 aeroplanes were built , 80 sailplanes,1150 aero engines and 2500 parachutes.
In this situation , two young aeronautical
engineers , Ljubomir Ili and Kosta Sivev,
both graduated in France, Ili at Paris Ecole
Nationale Superieure de l Aeronautique and
Sivev at Centre dEssai du Materiel Aerien
at Villacoublay, decided to devote their spare
time to a project of modern fighter , which
theoretical shape was created at quiet basement of Ilics apartment in Belgrade.
In 1931the basic fighter aircraft of the
VVKJ (Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije - RYAF - Royal Yugoslav Army Air
Force), was AVIA BH 33 E SHS, which became
obsolete within a few years. The main objective of Ili-Sivev was the replacement of this
biplane fighter with a new, private-venture
fighter project.
The original concept of this new plane
was a low wing monoplane with retractable
landing gear, but predicting strong opposition by old fashioned aviation generals at Air
Force Command, a strut-braced high wing
monoplane was evolved. Powered by a 12
cylinder V 860 HP Hispano Suiza 12Ycrs engine , armed with hub firing cannon and two
fuselage located synchronised machine guns,
the IK-2 fighter concept was born.
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Ljubomir Ili and Kosta Sivev stand in front Ikarus IK-L1 before the first flight 22. April 1935.
Zemun airfield
Photo Yugoslav Aviation Museum
The basic requirements are engine
power, climb, speed, firepower and manoeuvrability .These requirements, with high
powered engine (at this time), dictated a
metal mainframe construction. Basic aerodynamics design work was completed by
early 1933.An Accurate wooden scale model
was tested at the Paris -Eiffel wind tunnel,
and some aerodynamic improvements were
incorporated. Initial proposal for building

the fighter was given by Air Force Command

on September 22nd 1933.
The prototype was ordered from IKARUS -Zemun factory in 1934. The prototype
was planned for completion at the end of
1934. The fighter was designated IK-L1,
letters I and K stands for Ili and Koa( Kosta Sivevs nickname), and L1 for LovacFighter and number 1 indicates the first
prototype.

Ikarus IK-L1 during development of the factory Ikarus-Zemun in 1934.

Photo Malcolm Passingham via Nenad Mikluev

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Ikarus IK-L1, with aerodynamic trim landing gear which have added some 8-10 km / h at a
maximum speed of aircraft Ik-L1. Airfield Zemun, April 1935.
Photo Malcolm Passingham /Vaclav Klepacki via Nenad Mikluev

Ikarus IK-L1, in advertisements published

in the Yearbook of the Yugoslav Aviation
in 1936.

Ikarus IK-L1 with aerodynamic trim removed landing gear, April 1935, Zemun airfield
Photo Yugoslav Aviation Museum
The main plane was completed in September 1934, but some modifications delayed
the first test flight until the April of 1935.The
test flight was made by Captain Leonid Bajdak, despite the stronger critics of the new
concept of IK-L1 fighter. Bajdak did not accept
the mandatory flight test programme and

chose his own, which consequently led to the

doom of IK-L1 prototype.
The first test flight was conducted on
April 22nd 1935 at Zemun airfield, with captain Leonid Bajdak at the controls. This first
flight was uneventful and IK-L1 proved its
original conception. The second test flight

The view from the side of the Ikarus IK-L1 before the first flight at the airport Zemun, 22 April 1935.
Photo Yugoslav Aviation Museum

was made the following day and Bajdak put

the plane into sharp manoeuvres and aerobatics. After the landing the wing fabric cover
was loose, but this was explained by not completely dried varnish. More aerobatics were
made on the third and final flight of IK-L1, on
April 24th.
Captain Bajdak again exceeded flight limits and at 1000 metres went into a shallow
dive , pulling out too sharply. Loose fabric cover at the starboard wing leading edge tore
and was flapping which could be clearly seen
from the ground. IK-L1 went into spinn and
Bajdak baled out safely. The plane crashed at
the Zemun airfield limits.
In Bajdaks post accident report, he states
that plane is well balanced, with precise response to the controls, but complains of poor
visibility from the cockpit. He also referred
that the take off run is too long (300m), but
this distance is normal for such a high speed
aircraft (over 400 km/h). This judgement is
given by Bajdak, a pilot habitual with obsolete biplanes only.
It was not possible to give any definitive
conclusion after just three test flights, and
Ikarus factory decided to build a second prototype, to prove the standard of its fabrication and to prove the skill of the designers.
The second prototype , the IK-02 was built in just 10 months with the plane being
test flight ready on August 24th 1936. The
difference between IK-L1 and IK-02 was the
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roplane was of metal construction, apart from the fabric covering of

the rear fuselage and tailplane.
The new test pilot was Porunik (Flight Lieutentant) Janko Dobnikar. The new test programme was held at the newly formed Test Group facilities at Zemun airfield. Janko Dobnikar gradually mastered the
aircraft , and during the display flights even completed an inverted
Immelmann turn and inverted loops. In mid- October 1936, IK-02 obtained a speed record of 435 km/h, the unofficial European speed record
for aeroplanes with fixed under carriages.
During 1937, the IK-02 was tested in 16 mock dog fights against
the Hawker Fury- the Ikarus plane winning in all aspects, outclimbing,
out turning and and faster than its opponent. Leonid Bajdak was still
not convinced in IK-02 supremacy and on one occasion expressed his
doubts too loudly. Dobnikar, provoked, could not resist and challenged
Bajdak to a duel.
The terms of the contest were: Climb to 4000 m over the Zemun
airfield, then race en route Belgrade-Novi Sad-Belgrade (140 km) and
dogfight over Zemun airfield. Bajdak in the Hawker Fury and Dobnikar
in IK-02 took off together. The IK-02 won this round reaching 4000m
first, then heading to Novi Sad, winning the second round too. The final round was held over the Zemun airfield, when skillful pilots
attempt to keep their opponent in gunsight. Despite the Bajdaks
attempts to position his Fury , Dobnikar caught his opponent and kept
him in his gunsight until the end of dogfight. Bajdak was finally forced
to give up and admit IK-02 victory.
The second prototype IK-02, was later assigned as No.1 and was
lost in June 1940. Flying in a thunderstorm the plane was hit by lightning, and caught fire. Captain Milan Bjelanovi was forced to parachute out from the burning plane. Bjelanovi landed safely, but
IK-02 was lost.
IK-02 testing proved the aeroplanes strengths and an initial order of 12 IK-2 ,as series production plane was designated, was placed
on November 20. 1937. Six IK-2 were delivered in December 1938
with another six on February 1939. By mid 1939, 12 IK-2 became operational and were assigned to Belgrade(Zemun) 6th Lovaki Puk
(Fighter regiment). In October 1939, the IK-2 unit moved to ZagrebBorongaj 4th Lovaki Puk and were concentrated in 34th Grupa,
107th eskadrila. As the threat of war increased, 4th Lovaki Puk was
despatched to Bosanski Aleksandrovac , near Banja Luka (now Bosnia) airfield, on March 13th 1941.
IK-2 War story
Peace time acctivities were terminated on April 6th 1941, when the
German-Italian invasion started. Only 8 IK-2s were operational, four
(2103,2104,2111,2113) were in repair workshops, in Zagreb and Zemun.
On the first day of war, 107 Eskadrila patrolled over the Bosnia district ,
guarding the 8th Bomber Puk , Nova Topola airfield. The second day
was uneventful, but on April 8th, pair of IK-2s chased a German recconaissance plane, without success . One IK-2 force landed at Bosanski
Aleksandrovac and was written off, leaving seven IK-2s operational.
April 9th was foggy and did not promise any flight activities, IK-2s
accomplished a patrol over the Nova Topola airfield, when at 14,00 hrs ,
27 German ME 109 Es were observed. IK2s were just on landing
approach, one plane overshot and attacked the Messerschmitts while
another landed for refuelling. In just one minute, a lone IK-2 pilot was
attacked by no less than nine Messerschmitts. Sergeant Branko Jovanovic, avoided enemy cannons by pure skill and IK-2 manoeuvrability
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Photo of Ikarus IK-02, the second prototype, with the signature of a test
pilot, Captain Janko Dobnikar, dated to the middle of October in 1936.
Photo Dobnikar collection

Ikarus IK-02, view from the front, center on the complicated structure
of the landing gear and wing struts.
Image created during testing in October in 1936. Airfield Zemun.
Photo Dobnikar collection

Ikarus IK-2, Br1, the first International aviation exhibition in Belgrade,

May to July in 1938.
Photo Alex Imrie collection via Nenad Mikluev
and managed to land safely. The remaining 4th Puk aircrafts, 8 Hurricanes MK I and five IK-2 were alarmed and took off for combat. The sky
over Nova Topola was full of Yugoslav and German aeroplanes, fighting
. After the less than 10 minutes, the German fighters broke off and headed toward Austria, leaving two Messerschmitts shot down and a few
badly damaged.
One IK-2 (flown by Sergeant Stikuc) and two Hurricanes were shot
down. Only six IK-2s remained, until April 10th, when one IK-2 force
landed due to engine failure. April 11th was the last day of IK-2 activities, when one IK-2 was flown to Veliki Radinci airfield,where it was bur-

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ned on April 13th by its own crew , together with 6th Puk Rogoarski
IK-3s, BF 109 E-Emils and other fighters.
The war story of IK-2 was not finished yet. German units captured
four IK-2 fighters (2103,2104,2111,2113), and one , No 2106 was found
damaged but repairable on the war airfield in Bosnia. The planes were
overhauled in repair workshops in Sarajevo and Zemun.
IK-2s were given to the newly created Croatian Independent State
air force. Serial numbered 2901,2902,2903,2904, with the fifth IK-2 serial unknown. These planes served at 2 Zrakoplovna Luka (Air base)
Rajlovac near Sarajevo in 6th Grupa 17. Jato ( 6th Group 17th Flight).
During late 1942 , they were transferred to 5. Jato(5th flight) in Banja
Luka, where they served until 1944. but due to a shortage of spare parts just two were operational. In 1944 all the IK-2 were withdrawn from
service and not a single sample survived the war.

Detail of the landing gear on the Ikarus IK-2, Br1, exposed to the first
International aviation exhibition in Belgrade, in 1938.
Photo - Nenad Mikluev collection

Detail of the nose fuselage and a cannon in the propeller shaft to the
Ikarus IK-2, Br1, International aviation exhibition, Belgrade, in 1938.
Photo Alex Imrie collection via Nenad Mikluev

Another view of the landing gear detail on Ikarus IK-2, Br1, Darne
machine gun position on the side of the hull and a small window on
the side, through which the pilot could not estimate the height of
flare on landing.
Photo Alex Imrie collection via Nenad Mikluev

IKARUS IK-L1 / IK-02 / IK-2 CONSTRUCTION

Fuselage:
Chrome-Molybden steel tube structure with sheet duraluminium
covering at engine and cockpit section, fabric covered aft cockpit section and tailplane. Pilot Plexiglass sliding canopy slid down into fuselage
sides, like car side windows.
Wings:
Gull wing (Pulawski wing) configuration,.The shoulder high wing,
all metal structure,with front and rear box spars , prototype(IK-L1) fabric covered, IK-02 and series production IK-2 have metal duraluminium skinning . Semi cantilever type with attachments of wing roots to
upper fuselage and wing struts to lower fuselage attachment points.
Ailerons were metal frame, fabric covered,located at dummy spars and
have twin features, working as ailerons , but could be deployed as landing flaps,to a maximum of 15 deg.
Tailplane:
All metal frame with fabric covering , aerodynamically and mass
balanced ,tailplane trim was adjustable in flight.
Landing gear:
Fixed main gear and steerable tailwheel. Main undercarriage employing Messier Oleo-Pneumatic shock absorbers and pilot operated
wheel brakes.Spats were installed on prototype and first series production plane, but were later removed.
Engine:
One 860 HP (at 3100m) Hispano Suiza HS 12 YCrs, liquid cooled 12
cylinder-upright Vee inline engine. Supercharger is set at 3100m .Ratier
three blade propeller was pitch adjustable type and was driven via reduction gear.
Engine cooling system was Chausson type and located under the
fuselage. Fuel and oil tanks were placed in the fuselage, in front of the
cockpit compartment.IK-L1 and IK-02 were powered by originally
French built HS engines, series produced IK-2s (12 planes) were powered by Czech licence built AVIA HS 12 YCrs engines.
Armament:
IK-L1 crashed before any armament was installed for trials.
IK-02 was armed with Oerlikon FF 20 mm cannon and two DARNE
M.30 7,7 mm machine guns.
IK-2 series production planes were armed with two fuselage side
mounted DARNE Mle 1930 7,7 mm machine guns with 250 rounds per
gun and one Hispano HS-9 , hub firing 20 mm cannon with 60 rounds.
In 1940, some IK-2s were rearmed with one 7,92 mm FN machine
gun replacing HS-9 20 mm cannon, but until February 1941, almost all

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Ikarus IK-2 Br.2110, Black 2, 6th Fighter

regiment at the airfield Zemun, 1939.
Photo ime Otri collection
Ikarus IK-2 during the early period of use in the 6th Fighter regiment in Zemun 1939.
Photo Dobnikar collection
were rearmed to original configuration. Standard RYAF gunsight installed on IK-2 was Kretien gunsight (similar to ALDIS tube gunsight)
or simple ring and bead gunsight.
Ikarus IK-L1/IK-02/IK-2 colours and
markings
The state of WW II RYAF colours data in
modelling and historical references are more
or less chaotic at best. Therefore, colours defined in this publication are useful primarily as
guides to further research, since little or no
colour correlation in Yugoslav sources can be
found.
Ikarus IK-2 became operational in 1939.
Overall silver scheme was retained as was

used on previous RYAF fighters in early 1930s.

The first prototype IK-L1, second prototype IK-02 and a whole series of 12 produced
planes was delivered in this simple scheme,
with 120 cm dia. RYAF Kosovo Cross insignia
placed in four positions on the wing, State
Flag (Light Blue/White/Red) was painted on
the rudder. Small black inscriptions, like IKARUS A.D. logo, type and engine data as well
as c/n were painted on the vertical tail.
In late 1939 all the remaining IK-2 fighters
were repainted in a new, camouflage scheme,
consisting of three topside camouflage paints
-Dark Green, Dark Brown, Ochre and Light Blue
Gray undersurface paint, similar to other RYAF
fighters , IK-3 and Hurricane MK I. .

Another view of the Ikarus IK-2 Br.2110, Black 2, during a brief service in the 6th Fighter regiment.
Photo ime Otri collection
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Captain arko Vukajlovi, C.O. of the 107th

Squadron 34th Fighter groups, 4th Fighter
regiment merely ahead of its IK-2 in the
summer in 1940. The airfield Borongaj.
Photo collection of family Vukajlovi

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Ikarus IK-2 No. 2104, charged through the nose, airfield Borongaj near Zagreb, in the winter
1940.
Photo ime Otri
Royal Yugoslav Air Force Ikarus IK-2 scheme as used by IKARUS factory paint mix receptures.
(Note, these Ikarus factory paints are close, but not identical with Rogoarski and
Zmaj factory paints , used on IK-3 and Hawker
Hurricanes)!
Svetlo sivo plava - Light Blue Gray FS
35352
Oker uta - Ochre Yellow FS 30219
Tamno zelena - Dark Green FS 34108
Tamno smea - Dark Brown FS 30108
Croat NDH AF Ikarus IK-2 scheme:
Tamno zelena N-17 - Dark Green FS 34096
Siva N-16 - Gray FS 35526* close match
Three colour paint pattern on RYAF is
sprayed with fine, soft edges between paint
patches. All the paints used are matt.

Cockpit colour is left in natural metal aluminium primer, and matt black instrument panel. All the stencilling was done in
black. Some planes, like No 2105/white 29
have natural metal/aluminium painted canopy frames.
Ikarus Ik-2 markings
Royal Yugoslav Air Force markings
-Oznaka Vazduhoplovstva Vojske Kraljevine
Jugoslavije -VVKJ , Kosovo Cross , was defined by strict rules and was, in late 1930s
standardised . Usually,silver painted IK-2
fighters wears 120 cm dia markings. These
were placed on the wings only, in four positions, two on topsides, two on undersides.
Peacetime overall silver scheme with large markings was changed to camouflaged

scheme Just before WW II, new VVKJ Markings and Camouflage rule was issued and marking size and its number was reduced, retaining one marking on wing topsides and undersides but this was not implemented on all
fighters in service.
Photo evidence confirms that IK-2 markings stayed intact on undersides and one
topside marking was overpainted, while
another was reduced to 70 cm dia, usually
placed at port wing top surfaces. Some planes had two small markings on wing topsides, and some had 100cm dia markings on
undersides.
Large black squadron numbers on overall
silver IK-2s were overpainted and did not
appear on camouflaged planes.
Some IK-2s painted in masking scheme,
wear white large squadron numbers, photo
confirmed are
No 29/2105, No 31/2107 and No 34/2110.
It is clear that the row of white numbers
corresponds to 4.th fighter regiment order of
battle and plane inventory, where 24 Hawker
Hurricanes belongs to 33rd and 34th Fighter
Group and 12 IK-2s were despatched to this
(34th) unit in late 1939.
Supposedly, operative IK-2s from Zagreb-Borongaj bear white numbers in 25-37
range.
A large state flag was painted on overall
Silver painted IK-2s, and a small one was painted on the camouflaged IK-2s.
Construction numbers- C/N, VeBR serials, factory and service inscriptions were
black on silver and camouflaged planes.The-

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IKARUS IK-2 production list

Ikarus type

c/n

VeBr./serial

Comment

IK-L1

1.st proto.

Crashed April 1935.

IK-02

No 2101

Crashed June 1940.

IK-2

c/n 2

No 2102

IK-2

c/n 3

No 2103

Croat N 2902

IK-2

c/n 4

No 2104

Croat N 2901

IK-2

c/n 5

No 2105

IK-2

c/n 6

No 2106

IK-2

c/n 7

No 2107

IK-2

c/n 8

No 2108

IK-2

c/n 9

No 2109

IK-2

c/n 10

No 2110

IK-2

c/n 11

No 2111

IK-2

c/n 12

No 2112

IK-2

c/n 13

No 2113

Damaged 10.10.40.repaired

white 29
Unknown Croat No

Captured by Croat units

white 31

Black 2 , later white 34

Croat N 2903
Croat N 2904

Ikarus IK-2/IK-02/IK-L1TECH CHART

IKARUS IK-L1

20

IKARUS IK-02

IKARUS IK-2 (series )

Engine

HS 12 YCrs 860 HP

HS 12 YCrs 860 HP

AVIA HS12YCrs 860HP

Wingspan

11,40 m

11,40 m

11,40 m

Lenght

7,88 m

7,88 m

7,88 m

Height

3,84 m

3,84 m

3,84 m

Wing area

18,00 m2

18,00 m2

18,00 m2

Empty weight

1440 kg

1502 kg

1502 kg

Take off weight

1650 kg

1875 kg

1875 kg

Fuel

150-200 Lit (reduced)

240 kg

240 kg

Oil

20 kg

20 kg

20 kg

Max speed (0m)

360 km/h

360 km/h

360 km/h

Max speed (3000m)

435 km/h

435 km/h

435 km/h

Cruise speed

250 km/h

250 km/h

250 km/h

Landing speed

130 km/h

130 km/h

130 km/h

Take off run

130 m

130 m

130 m

Landing run

300 m

300 m

300 m

Climb to 5000m

5 25

5 25

5 25

Endurance ( cruise )

2 hr 20 min.

2 hr 20 min.

Cruising altitude

4000 m

4000 m

Ceiling

12000 m

12000 m

Range

700 km

700 km

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Ikarus IK-2, No.2105-White 29, on exhibit in the French Pavilion of

the Zagreb Intarnational Fair in 1940.
Photo ex-AirSerbia Forum
se data were painted on both rudder and
fuselage sides.
There was a mix of inscription styles,
some planes were inscripted in cirylic letters,
some in latin.
Ikarus IK-L1 was c/n 01 and have cirylic
written IK-L1 Br-01 on rudder, while Ikarus IK02 bears mixed inscription, IK in cirylic and
N02 in latin letters.

Another photo of the same aircraft, Ikarus IK-2, No.2105-White 29,

the same exhibition, Zagreb, 1940.
Photo ex-AirSerbia Forum

Series produced IK-2, in silver scheme

bear IK-2 Br 01 and later were serialed in IK-2
Br 2101 - Br 2113.
These numbers were repeated on camouflaged planes, now written in latin letters,
No2101 - No2113.
Hispano Suiza- HS-YCrs engine type was
painted on the rudder, on all silver painted
planes.

Small black Ikarus factory logo was painted on both tailplane sides, on silver and camouflaged planes.
Also, the sole service inscription on the
IK-2 was a small, black DIZI OVDE (Lift Here)
placed on the rear fuselage bottom position,
just above protruding hole for IK-2 rear fuselage manipulation on the airfield.
Nenad M. Miklusev C.2010/2011.

A group of soldiers posing in front of Ikarus IK-2 No. 2107-White 31 in a hangar at the airfield Borongaj-1940s. Another Ikarus Ik-2, white 34 - No.
2110 can be seen in the background. Both belong to the 107th Squadron 34th Fighter groups, 4th Fighter regiment.
Photo Relja Nedi via Dragan Kolundi

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