Dukovac, Mato

Mato Dukovac

Nar. 23.9.1918 in Surcinu in Zemunu with Dukovac become the pilot of the glider before he was admitted to the 67th class of the Royal yugoslav military academy in 1937. He graduated from the 1.4.1940 in the rank of porporucnik and was selected for pilot training - that ended in October 1940.
In the fighting with Germany, became involved as a member of the 2. eskadrilla from the airport in Velika Gorica.
29.4.1941 entered in the rank of porucnika into the ranks of the air force of the Croatian state. In October he was posted to a German school And a/B 120. In April 1942 he took on the additional fighter training in June has been translated into JFS 4. Followed by transfer to 15 (Kroat)./JG 52 in October. Before the unit returned to Croatia downed Dukovac one lone I-16. During the second deployment on the eastern front reached 14 confirmed and six unconfirmed victories. For the third time on the eastern front got in the rank of nadporucnika and as commander of the 15.Staffel 21.October 1943. His last victory achieved 25.2.1944 sestřelem Yak-9, he was then in his fifth mission that day, wounded in a duel with Airacobrami. His total score has reached to a total of 37 confirmed and 8 probable aerial victories, which earned him a promotion to the rank of the dresser on 13.7.1944. Dukovac remained the commander of the units operating from different airports in eastern Europe than 20.9.1944 defection by crossing into the soviet rear.
Dukovac returned to Belgrade in December 1944 in hodnsti kapetan of the Yugoslav air force, for conversion to fighters As, he served as an instructor at 1. fighter squadrons stationed in Zadar from April 1945.
8.8.1945 defected again, this time passing by on the machine Tiger Moth to Italy. After a stay in a refugee camp joined the ranks of the Syrian air force in 1946. In the course of arab-israeli hostilities of 1948, was in the rank of captain-pilot in the ranks of the 1. fighter squadron stationed at Estabal in the Lebanese valley Biká, where he flew combat missions on the machines T-6 Texan. Then subsequently emigrated to Canada and began a career of a trader.
Mato Dukovac died in Toronto in September 1990.
In the course of 255 sorties in WWII had 62 aerial battles in which he overcame one by one I-16, the MiG-3, Spitfire, La-5, yak-9, Pe-2 and A-20, the two Yaks-1 and two DB-3, three P-39 Airacobry, twelve Il-2 and eighteen LaGG-3 - which earned him the first position among the Croatian pilots in the Second world war. In addition to the both classes Iron cross was awarded the German cross in gold.

Source: Croatian Aces of World War 2 - Osprey 49.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Dukovac-Mato-t50601#194268 Version : 0
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