Ikarus S-49A White 31 Yugoslav Air Force 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment

These are 1/72 scale decals for Ikarus S-49A White 31, assigned to the 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Yugoslav Air Force (Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo i Protiv-Vazduhoplovna Odbrana — RV i PVO), wearing Light Gray upper surfaces over Light Blue (AMT-7) undersides with Yugoslav national markings and the 117th Regiment insignia.

The Ikarus S-49 was a domestically designed and built Yugoslav fighter — a remarkable achievement for a country that had emerged from World War II devastated and was navigating the treacherous political waters between the Soviet bloc and the West following Tito's break with Stalin in 1948. The S-49A was the initial production variant, powered by a license-built Hispano-Suiza engine and drawing on a mix of wartime design influences to produce a capable if conventional piston fighter. That Yugoslavia was building its own combat aircraft at all in the late 1940s speaks to the fierce industrial and national pride of the Tito government — determined to maintain an independent defense capability beholden to neither Moscow nor Washington.

The 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment was part of the RV i PVO — Yugoslavia's combined air force and air defense command — operating the S-49A in the early 1950s before the type was supplanted by jet aircraft. The Light Gray over Light Blue scheme with bold red-star national insignia and the Yugoslav tricolor fin flash make this a visually striking and historically significant subject. Includes two serial options: White 31 and 2331.

A rare and exotic subject for any Cold War, Balkan aviation, or obscure fighter collection. Please allow some time for decal printing and shipping.