The Soko J-20 Kraguj is a single-engine, low-wing single-seat aircraft with an all metal airframe. Operationally the aircraft was used in ground attacks, close air support (CAS), reconnaissance and counter insurgency (COIN) roles owing to its speed capabilities and armament capacity. The aircraft was designed by and manufactured by SOKO in Mostar within the former Yugoslavia and first flew in 1962, entering military service in 1964. 30140 was a second generation (P-2) Kraguj built in 1976 with the serial number 024. The aircraft took 3 flights of one hour during the factory testing phase.
On the 25th May 1977 the aircraft was assigned to 462nd elba (Squadron) alongside 30141. During Yugoslav service the Kragujs were used primarily for reconnaissance and training and avoided operational frontline service due to the stability of the country during these years. Sometime between 1977 and 1981 the aircraft was assigned to the 461st Light Aviation Squadron.
In 1981 a change in doctrine resulted in the downscaling of Kraguj squadrons, the Kraguj was relegated to a strictly training function and the shutdown of the light aviation squadrons began. In December the 461st was disbanded and 30140 was delivered to the 467th squadron. The 467th utilised the Kraguj as a ground attack training aircraft until its disbandment on August 22, 1984. 30140 was then transferred from the 467th alongside 30149 (G-SOKO) to the 462nd where these two aircraft would join 30146 (G-BSXD) for the rest of their service. The Squadron was stationed at Tuzla airport and for four years trained reserve pilots without any incidents. in 1988 all Kraguj activities were ceased and the aircraft were handed over to the 399th Air Force at Tuzla. During its service 30140 saw 824 hours of operation.
On November 17, 1988 the General Staff of the SFRY Armed Forces made the decision to retire the Kraguj from frontline service, General Veljko Kadijević declared the aircraft obsolete and redundant in the JNA (Yugoslav armed forces).
However, on Feburary 1989 the General Staff amended the decision and assigned seven aircraft of the 423rd to the territorial defence of Montenegro and twelve from the 474th to the territorial defence of Slovenia. The remaining sixteen aircraft including 30146 (G-BSDX) and 30149 (G-SOKO) were to be preserved at the MJRV (now the Aeronautical Museum Belgrade) many of which were further distributed to technical colleges.
In early 1991 Slovenia began moving toward secession from Yugoslavia. To prevent the twelve 474th Kragujs in Slovenian service from being used against them, the Yugoslavian government began considering a military operation. Six pilots from the 252nd at Titograd airport (Podgorica) were retrained to fly the Kraguj and sent to Brnik airport to meet with six more pilots from the 423rd. On June 23rd the pilots under the protection of the 63rd Parachute Brigade seized the aircraft at Brnik flying them back to Batajnica, where some joined the 252th, the rest flew back to Titograd including 30140 to rejoin the 423rd. The flight hours in Slovenian service are unknown.
During the Croatian War of Independence in March 1991, the Kragujs, including 30140 were involved in their first extensive military operations, serving in a reconnaissance and fire support role. Intense fighting over the Dubrovnik battlefield until October saw 30141 shot down resulting in the grounding of the 423rd but not the 525nd. From the little we know of 30140, in September just prior, the aircraft carried out 3 sorties in unison with the other 9 aircraft of the squadron.
The aircraft continued service and in mid 1995, 30140 was assigned to the Army of the Republic of Srpska Krajina's 177th and saw operational service until the RSK was decisively defeated by the Croatian armed forces who captured the aircraft. on July 3rd 1996 the aircraft was sold to Shuttle Air and sent to the UK. On arrival in 1996 the aircraft was registered as G-RADA with Steerworld in London. The aircraft was owned for many years by Airfield Aviation Ltd and is now being restored by a group at Blackstone Aviation.
Many thanks to Dragan Kolundžić for his extensive research.
