Čakovec

46°23'43"N 016°30'05"E

runway: 03/21 - 1100x42m - grass

Čakovec airfield (Croatian: Zračna luka Čakovec, also known as Letjelište Pribislavec or Pribislavec airfield, ICAO: LDVC) is a small airfield 75 kilometers northeast of Zagreb.
It is not clear how old the airfield is exactly, but it dates back to at least 1948. It played a major role between 1991 and 1993, during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. In July 1991 it saw the formation of a lightweight multi purpose air unit of about squadron size. The unit consisted enterely of voluntary sports and Čakovec Aeroclub pilots, the first such unit in newly independent Croatia.

Its pilots 'liberated' aircraft from under the noses of the Yugoslav armed forces, including a An-2 'Cub', an UTVA-75 and a Piper PA-18 and flew them to Čakovec, often under ground fire. Hiding about 28 aircraft in the nearby woods by September, the unit gained official status on 16 October 1991 under command of the Commander of the Croatian Army, Gen. Antuna Tusa. The unit flew reconnaissance and training missions, sometimes as far as the Zeljava military airfield near Bihac, which was still operational with MiG-21 fighters.
As the Yugoslav commanders suspected the airfield was being used to train, observe and smuggle aircraft, it was attacked by MiG-21s. The unit was dissolved in 1992 and although it was officially under command of the Croat armed forces as 1 Squadron, its existence was never recognised as the birth of the Croatian Air Force. Still, the Croatian Air Force for quite some time had pilots that had received their initial training at Čakovec air field.


This Piper Cub was one of the aircraft pressed into service at Čakovec in 1991. It received this camouflage scheme, but in 1995, when this photo was taken at Čakovec, it had also received the high visibility civilian registration 9A-DBU and a large Croatian flag on the tail (source).

The airfield today is a small grass airfield with a single hangar and operations bulding. It is operated by the Čakovec Aeroclub.


Undated aerial photo of Čakovec airfield (Google Earth)