Let Let Let - Warplanes

MM.2 is the advanced trainer designed by ing. Milosevic. This was result of the fact that in the mid thirties trainer airplanes in the Yugoslav Kingdom had their maximum speed of around 200 km/h and the modern combat planes are double faster. This means that new trained pilot is not prepared for the flying on the operational machines. In the 1936 Milosevic start in private to work on project of new advanced trainer for the Yugoslav aviation. This first plane was marked as M-1, M coming from the last name of designer. Design had proposed inline Renault engine and pilots in tandem. Construction of the plane and geometry was modern, with low wing and retractable landing gear. Estimated top speed was some 360 km/h at 2000m level. Maximum take off weight should be some 920 kg. But this project was not accepted in the Staff of Aviation in a reason that it had been planed to have material from import. Basic idea in the unstable political situation is to reduce import on minimum and supply from domestic manufacturer.

In this reason new design was made by converting of the first. Now the powerplant was chosen from domestic manufacture and that was Gnome Rhone K-7 radial engine. Plane is now become shorter, wing retained the same and weight was raised for 60 kg. Wheel track is also some modified and made some wider. New design got the M-2 mark. By the end of 1937 this plane was under hard development work and until the June 1939 all of the static calculation had done and the wooden model of the plane was made in “Albatros”. During this finalizing work on calculation some of corrections were made and fuselage was strengthened as well wings but also gross weight rose. Estimated top speed was 387 km/h.

In the May 1939 ings. Milosevic offer its defined project to the Staff of Aviation with note that this is the plane for advanced train, with low cost material and easy to handling and maintenance. But some other person was involved in this project ings. Manojlovic, who had very good relationship in the aviation stuff and make this plane to be accepted, No matter that he is signed as designer he had no deal in the designing of this plane. Now plane is marked MM.2 and wooden model of the plane was tested in wind tunnel in Paris in July 1939. As well more details were changed and maximum weight was again raised on 1300 and estimated speed was 400 km/h.

“Ikarus” had taken the project for prototype manufacture and the project is released at March 25. 1940. The plane was completely finished in the November of the same year. There was a some modification made in the widescreen which got flat plane instead of previously rounded. Weight test was made at the November 10. with the test of the armament mounting. Armament should consist of two Darne 7, 7 mm armament placed in the wing with total of 2175 rounds. On the lower fuselage could be attached bomb pylon with connection for four bombs cal. 10 kg. Airplane was of mixed construction with fuselage and wing centre section made of welded steel tube. Front piece of fuselage was metal plate with rear part fabric covered. Wings are constructed of wing center section and outer wings. Center section was of completely metal construction with metal panels while outer wings are of wooden construction. Cockpit was enclosed. Landing gear was mechanical type “Nardi” but there was plane for substitution with domestic built in series production. In “Ikarus” was made wooden propellers, one of 2, 45 m diameter and the other 2, 25 m diameter. Electrical installation was 24 V and in the series manufacture was planed “Telefunken” Fu GVII radio station.

First flight test was made in December 1940 and test pilot was Vasilije Stojanovic. Total of 45 factory test flight was made with 20 flying hours made. Plane was very stable with very good handling characteristics. It had short landing run and take off run. By the end of March 1941 plane was deployed to the Military Aviation. There were plans to release order of 50 planes but this was never released.

Plane was captured and later was handed to the new formed aviation of Croatia. This plane was used by Croatian major Pupis who use this plane as a personal plane for the route Zemun- Zagreb. In new service plane got registration number 6301. From March 1942 plane was allocated to the Rajlovac airfield. At the May 13. 1942 pilot Vid Saic destroyed plane on landing accident. Plane was 90% damaged and was written off as beyond repair.

Srecko Bradic

Photos- Vladimir Milosevic, Color profiles- Srecko Bradic

References:

Godisnjak Vazduhoplovstva 1941
Published material of Petar Bosnic
Information provided from the Vladimir Milosevic
Personal research