Cuvari naseg neba
The Guardians of Our Sky
vintage illustrated Yugoslav Air Force monograph - RARE LUXURY EDITION - 1977
Signed personally by aviation general-colonel Enver Cemalovic, Yugoslav Air Force commander-in-chief and presented to general-colonel Milos Sumonja, on May 21, 1977 - the Day of the Air Force, making it unique historic piece
general Enver Cemalovic (born 1920, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina - died 1995, Zagreb, Croata) was Yugoslav Air Force commander in chef from 1972 to 1979. He retired in 1980.
general Milos Sumonja (born 1918 near Karlovac, Croatia - died 2006, Belgrade, Serbia) was Hero of Yugoslavia (narodni heroj), chief of staff of Yugoslav Armed Forces supreme commander Marshal Josip Broz Tito from 1953 to 1962 and chief of staff of Yugoslav Peoples Army JNA from 1967 to 1970. After retirement form armed forces, he served as Yugoslav Ambassador in Netherlands from 1977 to 1983. Following his death, his family decided to part with most of his extensive library of books from since this item has been in my possession.
Yugoslav Air Force (Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdusna odbrana - RVIPVO)
monograph book published in 1977, commemorating 35 years of Yugoslav
Air Force - at least from begging of partisan aviation in WW2, largely
ignoring previous history. In Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ) and its Yugoslav Peoples Army (JNA), book Cuvari naseg neba was considered to be "the bible of the air force", extensively covering
its history from 1942 to 1977, including WW2 operations, but also
involvement of Yugoslav pilots and officers in Spanish civil war. Lots
of individual biographies and details of all services and parts of
Yugoslav Air Force, including Aviation Academy VVA, Aeronautical Test
Center (VOC) etc. First part, featuring some 30 pages is dedicated to
Yugoslav president marshal Josip Broz Tito in usual cult of personality
manner, featuring Tito's speeches, Tito's orders and anniversary notes
related to Yugoslav Air Force on various occasions, Tito's flights in
air force planes...
Large format, 29x21 cm in size with 480 pages of text, document reprints and black and white photographs; there is separate section of 36 pages printed on high quality glossy paper featuring same number of large color photographs "from life and work of Yugoslav Air Force" as described. Text in Serbo-Croatian (Serbian / Croatian / Bosnian / Montenegrin) language, mostly written by prominent historians and RVIPVO and JNA officers of the era.
This is VERY RARE LUXURY EDITION hard to find today featuring hard fabric covered dust jacked, hardcover finished in "air force" blue gray leather (or faux leather polyurethane) with book title in form of sliver engraved logo and even dark blue bookmarker. Regular edition has fabric covered hardcover and laminated soft dust jacket
CONDITION: book is in overall pristine 'near mint' condition considering being more than 45 years old; there is some moderate - for its age - wear and dirt / grease marks on the fabric-covered hard dust jacket that apparently did very well its job of protecting the book inside of it. There are remains of tiny white stickers with owner's name (that is usually applied at handover ceremonies in order that officials know whose which book it is) - it is easily removable, but I left it as is due to its historic reference. Please see photos for details.
Valuable and unique rare collector's item but also a great reference book - a "MUST HAVE" for any serious Yugoslav / Eastern Europe / communist countries air force, aviation or military collector or enthusiast!
ONLY US$ 274.99 + shipping!
or best offer
Will ship worldwide carefully packed for optimum protection by REGISTERED AIRMAIL or EMS* COURRIER WITH TRACKING NUMBER PROVIDED
*available for selected countries only
FLAT RATE WORLDWIDE shipping/packing/handling by AIRMAIL: 39.90 US$
shipping/packing/handling for by EMS to EU, Switzerland, UK: 38.90 US$
shipping/packing/handling for by EMS to USA, Canada, Israel, UAE, China: 48.90 US$
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*due to packed weight of approx. 1650 g
IMPORTANT NOTICE: if applicable, custom and import charges are sole responsibility of the buyer. If in doubt, please check with your local custom office / authority. Shipment will be described as is i.e. "book". Private listing, sorry no returns/replacement
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