PICTURES - Serbia's Stars in aerobatic display

One of the biggests attractions at AIR BORNE 2007 airshow in earlier this month (16-17 June) was the international debut flying performance of the recently formed Serbian jet display team The Stars  (aka Zvezde) at the Rakican airfield, near Murska Sobota, in the Republic of Slovenia.

The Stars are made up of four Soko G-2A Galeb jet planes previously used by the former Yugoslav Air Force for training and education of military pilots, and are part of Aeroclub Galeb.

The four aircraft were acquired by a group of Serbian aviation enthusiasts after being withdrawn from service in the late 1980s.

The enthusiasts repaired and returned the aircraft to service as part of a new display team.

The Flying Stars ceased to exist in 1999 when its seven Soko G-4 Super Galeb jet planes were destroyed at Podgorica military airfield, in Montenegro, during NATO bombardment of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

All team members of the Stars have also been members of the Flying Stars and a star has been painted on the upper side of the wings of G-2 planes.

The Stars team is made of active Serbian Air Force pilots leaded by Sasa Ristic who flies on YU-YAG accompanied by Dragan Zlokas (on YU-YAK), Istvan Kanas (on YU-YAF) and Sasa Grubac (on YU-YAD that is also team's solo display plane) and they perform at their domestic airfield at Cenej, near Novi Sad.

Source: FlightGlobal.com