Lieutenant Jure Lasta
He was born 27.1.1915 in Cim near Mostar. From 1939 he worked first as an aircraft mechanic and later in the same year graduated from the 2nd pilot school in Kraljevo. He then enrolled in the 3rd pilot school in Niš, where he became a fighter pilot in November 1940. He joined the air force of the Independent State of Croatia with the rank of a pilot in May 1941. Already in July he moved to the HZL and was promoted to the rank of Narek. In December he was sent to 15(Kroat)./JG 52 based in Mariupol. On March 5, 1942 he achieved his first kill (I-16). Subsequently, he had to be hospitalized with jaundice. However, this did not prevent him from being promoted to zastavnika and later porucnika, and also from achieving eight kills. On 28.10.1942, the day he achieved his eighth kill, the engine of his stodevite exploded on the return flight to the base and the aircraft crashed near the Bjelaya River. Lasta was killed in the accident.
Source: Croatian Aces of World War 2 - Osprey, Aircraft of the Aces 49, ISBN 1-87176-435-3
http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/index.html
He was born 27.1.1915 in Cim near Mostar. From 1939 he worked first as an aircraft mechanic and later in the same year graduated from the 2nd pilot school in Kraljevo. He then enrolled in the 3rd pilot school in Niš, where he became a fighter pilot in November 1940. He joined the air force of the Independent State of Croatia with the rank of a pilot in May 1941. Already in July he moved to the HZL and was promoted to the rank of Narek. In December he was sent to 15(Kroat)./JG 52 based in Mariupol. On March 5, 1942 he achieved his first kill (I-16). Subsequently, he had to be hospitalized with jaundice. However, this did not prevent him from being promoted to zastavnika and later porucnika, and also from achieving eight kills. On 28.10.1942, the day he achieved his eighth kill, the engine of his stodevite exploded on the return flight to the base and the aircraft crashed near the Bjelaya River. Lasta was killed in the accident.
Source: Croatian Aces of World War 2 - Osprey, Aircraft of the Aces 49, ISBN 1-87176-435-3
http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/index.html