Air Force of the Albanian People's Army

The Air Force of the Albanian People's Army (Albanian: Forcat Ajrore të Ushtrisë Popullore të Shqipërisë) (FASH), was the Air Force of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, which was very active during the Cold War period.

Air Force of the Albanian People's Army
Forcat Ajrore të Ushtrisë Popullore të Shqipërisë
Flag of the Forcat Ajrore
Active24 April 1956 – 1991
CountryAlbania Albania
TypeAir force
RoleAerial warfare
Size11,000 personnel, 340 combat aircraft
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Edip Ohri
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
FighterYak-9, MiG-15, MiG-17, mig 19Shenyang J-6, Shenyang J-5, Chengdu J-7
HelicopterMi-1, Mi-4, mi-8 Z-5
TrainerYak-18, Yak-11, CJ-6
TransportY-5, An-2

History
Albanian Air Force soldiers during the 1970s

The Albanian People's Army Air Force was formed in 1947 with a gift of twelve Yakovlev Yak-3 fighters and a few Polikarpov Po-2 biplane trainers from the Soviet Union, with Soviet personnel seconded as instructors and advisers.[1]

The Albanian Air Force was officially established on April 24, 1951. The first aircraft were Soviet Yak-18 aircraft produced after World War II and initially used at Laprakë on the outskirts of the Albanian capital of Tirana. A few years later, the Albanian Air Force should also be equipped with jet fighters. The first squadron of MiG-15 fighter aircraft with the NATO code "Fagot", titled "Peza", was formed in 1955. This squadron was deployed at Kuçovo Airport.[2]

In later years, as part of military aid from the Soviet Union, the Albanian Air Force is also equipped with the MiG-17, NATO code "Fresco" and MiG-19, NATO code "Farmer" types, and in the early 1970s with MiG-21 fighter aircraft from Chinese production. The fighter jets that came from China had different brands than the Soviet ones, but in the Albanian Air Force they were always identified with the Soviet brand. In June 1957, the first transport regiment was created, armed with Mi-1 helicopters (3 pieces), new Mi-4 helicopters (3 pieces), as well as some Yak-18 and PO-2 propeller aircraft. In 1967, this regiment was expanded in capacity with the arrival of 30 Mi-4 helicopters.[3]

Combat operations

First Operation

The first operation of FASH were undertaken by the Albanian anti-aircraft regiment units and they hit and shot down a Greek Spitfire type plane that had violated Albanian airspace for a spying mission. The Greek plane was destroyed and the pilot was found dead.[4][5][6]

Second Operation

In August 1949, the anti-aircraft units of the same Regiment hit and shot down another Greek plane during the Albanian-Greek Border War (1949). The Greek plane, damaged by the Ali Demi anti-aircraft regiment fire, was forced to land in the field where it was captured by Albanian combat units. The Greek pilot was captured and imprisoned as a prisoner of war.[7][8]

Third Operation

In April 1952, a Greek pilot, Nikos Akrivojanis, was captured by Albanian Air Force soldiers. He is said to have landed as he wanted to flee Greece because of the government but he was accused of being in Albania for a covert operation.[9] He was tried on December 13, 1953 and executed and on August 16, 1954.[10][11]

First Albanian Air Force incident against the US Air Force

on December 23, 1957, an American Lockheed T-33 fighter jet violated Albanian airspace. Two MiG-15 aircraft took off from Kuçova airbase, piloted by Anastas Ngjela and Mahmut Hysa.

Major Howard J. Curran was intercepted and forced to land on the unfinished runway of the Rinas airport. The plane was seized and Curran was taken prisoner. He was later released on January 11, 1958, while the plane was placed in the Gjirokastra castle museum, where it is still today.[12]

References
  1. Wragg, David W. (1971). World's air forces. Reading: Osprey. ISBN 0-85045-038-1. OCLC 251153.
  2. "Ja si u krijuan Forcat Ajrore Shqiptare, para 65 viteve". Telegrafi. 2016.
  3. "This is how the Albanian Air Force was created 71 years ago". Bota Sot. 2022. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
  4. mbrojtja, revista (2016). "Organ Qendror i Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes" (PDF). Organ Qendror i Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes. 52: 30.
  5. """"SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM""": La Forca Ajrore (Forza Aerea in italiano), spesso abbreviata in FASH, è l'attuale aeronautica militare albanese". """SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM""". 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  6. "When Albania's fighter MiGs exterminated every Greek and Yugoslav 'fly' flying in Albanian airspace". Orikumi News. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  7. "A Greek plane flying to the villages of Hoxha and Markat was shot down by Albanian forces in the field of Finiq and the pilot". Memorie.al (in Albanian). 2021-09-06. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  8. "The Greek plane flying over the Albanian villages was shot down by the forces..."/ How the press of Tirana reported the clash with Greece in 1949". www.gazeta-shqip.com. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  9. Kourēs, Nikos (1997). Hellada-Tourkia : ho pentēkontaetēs "polemos". Athēna: Ekdotikos Organismos Livanē "Nea Synora". ISBN 960-236-847-0. OCLC 44425832.
  10. "Το Netflix και η σειρά που δεν έκανε για τον Έλληνα κατάσκοπο που εκτελέστηκε στην Αλβανία". Pentapostagma (in Greek). 2019-09-24. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  11. "Ο κατάσκοπος Ν. Ακριβογιάννης είχε μεγαλώσει στον Βόλο και εκπαιδεύτηκε από τη CIA". e-thessalia.gr (in Greek). 2019-09-29. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  12. "Koha kur avionët e Enverit luftonin me botën". Konica.al. 2019-11-24. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
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