Rogožarski IK-3

Rogožarski IK-3.
The Rogožarski IK-3 was a 1930s Yugoslav monoplane single-seat fighter, designed as a successor to the Ikarus IK-2 fighter. Coming into service in 1940, it was considered comparable to foreign aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109E. Although the prototype crashed during testing, a total of twelve production aircraft had been delivered by July 1940. Six IK-3s were serviceable when the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia began on 6 April 1941. All six were in service with the 51st Independent Fighter Group at Zemun near Belgrade. Pilots flying the IK-3 claimed 11 aircraft shot down during the 11-day conflict. According to one account, to prevent them from falling into German hands, the surviving aircraft and incomplete airframes were destroyed by their crews and factory staff. Another account suggests that one aircraft survived the invasion and was later destroyed by sabotage. The IK-3 design was the basis for the post-war Yugoslav-built Ikarus S-49 fighter.