The story
Yugoslav planners expected their big airfields to be knocked out early in a war, so they wanted an aircraft that could fight from short, rough strips in the mountains, and even from snow on skis. The Kraguj, Serbo-Croatian for sparrowhawk, was the answer: a single-seat light attack and reconnaissance aircraft with a 340 hp Lycoming, two machine guns, and rockets or bombs under the wings. Soko built just over 40 at Mostar between 1964 and 1977, and the Yugoslav Air Force retired them in 1989. A handful survive in private hands, and a few still fly: a Serbian aero club's Kraguj flew at Ečka in 2021, and a British-based one displayed at the Shuttleworth Military Airshow in 2023.
The Kraguj was shaped by partisan warfare: it was meant to keep fighting from grass fields close to the front if the air force lost its bases.
Quick answers
How do you identify a J-20 Kraguj?
A compact, low-wing single-seater with fixed tailwheel landing gear, a long nose and a three-blade propeller. Survivors usually wear Yugoslav Air Force markings: a red star roundel and a blue, white and red fin flash.
What does a J-20 Kraguj sound like?
A big six-cylinder Lycoming turning a three-blade propeller: a loud, rasping note for a small aircraft.
How fast is the J-20 Kraguj?
Top speed is 159 kts.
How many people does the J-20 Kraguj carry?
Typical configuration: Single pilot; 2 machine guns plus underwing rockets or bombs.
How far can the J-20 Kraguj fly?
Range is about 430 nmi.
How big is the J-20 Kraguj?
It is 26 ft 0 in long and 34 ft 11 in across the wings.
When did the J-20 Kraguj first fly?
Its first flight was in 1962.
How many J-20 Kragujs have been built?
41-43 built.
How rare is a J-20 Kraguj in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first J-20 Kraguj catch is worth 250 points.
