Decapitazione
Before dawn Italy’s heavy bomber force in southern Italy became airborne, entered formations and started tracking northeast over the Adriatic. At the same time at airfields in western Bulgaria the bombers and fighters of the Bulgarian Air Force were warming their engines in the pre-dawn chill. The target for both forces was the Yugoslav capital of Belgrade. Shortly after Italy’s medium and dive bombers became airborne, picking up their fighter escorts, and setting multiple courses for the identified Yugoslav airfields.
Yugoslav listening posts detected the heavy bombers crossing the coast and the Bulgarians crossing the border before dawn, and alerts were passed to Yugoslav fighter units throughout the country, although in the dark and with no further information few units sent up air patrols. As dawn broke the first wave of the Bulgarian Fiat BR.20M’s and their G.50 bis escorts arrived overhead Belgrade and started their bombing run over the city. In response the 32nd and 51st Fighter Groups scrambled from their fields around Belgrade to intercept with their Messerschmitt Bf 109’s and Rogožarski IK-3’s. from their top-cover position, the Bulgarian G.50’s dived in to engage and protect the bombers.
The Yugoslav pilots flying in basic wingman pairs climbing towards the bomber formations, rapidly closing from below and to the rear. The first aircraft to engage was 2nd Lt Dušan Borčić in an IK-3 from 51st Fighter Group, with a Bulgarian bomber being crippled and brought down before releasing its bombload. Repositioning for a second attacking run, Bulgarian fighters with the advantage of speed and height intercepted the IK-3’s, bringing down Borčić as the first Yugoslavian combat loss over Belgrade.
With the initial dynamic advantage of height and speed the more numerous Bulgarian fighters had advantage over the Yugoslav defenders, but once combat had been entered the G.50’s poorer performance and weaker armament became obvious. Both the bombers and fighters supplied to Bulgaria from Italy were older models and were now outclassed by the more modern fighters operated by Yugoslavia. The BR.20M’s were slow and lacked sufficient defensive armament to adequately protect themselves, while the G.50’s struggled with individual combat against the Bf 109’s and IK-3’s. The Bulgarian bombing run over the city centre of Belgrade was successful though, with significant damage and fires starting through the city. But the raid had come at a high price for the attackers, with 7 bombers lost over the city or during the return their fields in Bulgaria, while 9 fighters would not fly again.
The Yugoslav fighters had also suffered losses, and with the departure of the Bulgarian strike force the defensive force broke contact and retired for their home fields. The Italian planners had gambled on this, and the Italian heavy bomber force’s arrival had been timed exactly for this window in defensive screening. Without any fighter escort, the CANT Z.1007bis bombers from southern Italian bases were vulnerable and the crews on edge, but no fighters stationed in the vicinity of Belgrade had been held in reserve and all were now frantically committing to rearming and refuelling.
The inbound force was formed into two waves; the 47° Stormo aircraft positioned to the northeast of the city, and the 50° Gruppo aircraft positioned to the southwest. In the clear morning skies the Danube and Sava Rivers formed perfect lead-in lines to the centre of the city and the Belgrade Fortress at the river’s confluence. Flying along the Danube the growing smoke from the fires in the city marked the target for the first wave, and with precision the 1007’s unloaded their bombs in the centre of the city unopposed and unharmed, and set course home for Grottaglie.
Minutes after the first wave finished their run, the second wave following the Sava River, struck Belgrade from the southwest. Delivering their bombload in perfect bombing conditions, the aircraft of 50° Gruppo rained further destruction on Belgrade against no fighter opposition, and turned back for Italy.
Tracking south-westwards towards home, the retreating CANT’s passed near the airfields of the Yugoslav 5th Fighter Regiment. After their own gruelling morning of combat against Italian aircraft their Fury’s were returning for refuelling and rearming and were in no position to take on the high altitude heavy bombers rapidly heading back to Italy. Several aircraft did though break from their landing plans, and climbed to engage in forlorn attempts to strike at the aircraft that had devastated Belgrade. One Fury was able to make an attacking run on a Z.1007, but was enable to follow up as fuel starvation ended the attack and led to the Fury being damaged in a forced landing in a farmer’s field. A second aircraft managed to engage, with more fuel but with less ammunition. In desperation the Yugoslav pilot flew his Fury into the tail of one of the CANT’s, crippling both the bomber and his own aircraft. Losing directional control the bomber dropped from formation, with the Italian pilot barely able to make a controlled crash in the Yugoslav countryside below. With his Fury now little more than a poor glider, the Yugoslav pilot followed the CANT, putting his Fury down beside the Italian wreck and at the point of his service pistol capturing the crew.
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