On December 9, 2011, an open day took place at 91 Zrakoplovna Baza at Zagreb-Pleso on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo i protuzračna obrana (Croatian Air Force and Air Defence, founded as Hrvatske Zračne Snage – Croatian Air Force). Even if the event turned out rather unspectacular given the importance of the air force for Croatia's struggle for independence, at least the entire current inventory could be seen.
A MiG-21UM welcomes visitors at the entrance to the base.
Ready for display: Bell 206 of the helicopter training squadron from Zadar.
Always happily shown: MiG-21UMD "Kockica".
The Air Tractor AT-802 and Canadair CL-415 fire-fighting aircraft had also flown in from Zadar.
Unfortunately not represented in the programme: the MiG-21UMD in camouflage, which the author has not yet been able to see in action.
Lined up on the flight line were: Pilatus PC-9, Zlin Z-242 (pictured), ...
... An-32 ...
... and, pleasingly, also a MiG-21bisD.
Preparing for the flying display: window cleaning on the MiG-21.
The flying programme was opened by a weak display by the Zlin, followed by the PC-9 (pictured), which did not show anything exciting either.
The best of all the mediocre displays was probably that of a Mi-171 from the neighbouring Zagreb-Lučko base.
After lengthy "tinkering" by the technicians, the MiG-21bisD then taxied out for take-off ...
... and took off for two or three uninspired flypasts.
When it was all over and the hangar doors opened to tow away the home-based aircraft, a MiG-21UMD stored there became visible.
The An-32 took personnel back to its home base, probably Zadar.
On leaving the base there was still the opportunity to look at the aircraft collection on the base. Among others, MiG-21UM 162 is displayed there, which the author was still able to see in action at Pula in 2001, ...
... a Mi-8, ...
... a UTVA-75, ...
... one of the Mi-24s that have meanwhile been completely retired, and ...
... MiG-21bis 102 "Osvetnik Dubrovnika", the only one of the three Yugoslav MiG-21bis that defected to Croatia to have survived the war.
