Tadija Sondermajer
Tadija Sondermajer | |
|---|---|
Тадија Сондермајер | |
Sondermajer, 1934 | |
| Born | 19 February 1892 |
| Died | 10 October 1967 |
| Nationality | Serbian |
| Alma mater | University of Belgrade |
| Occupations | |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse | Milica Petrović |
| Children | Stanislav, Mihailo |
| Parent(s) | Roman Sondermajer Stanislava Đurić |
| Relatives | Stanislav Sondermajer (brother) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Serbia France Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Years of service |
|
| Rank | Colonel (JKRV) |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | see below |
Tadija R. Sondermajer (Serbian Cyrillic: Тадија Сондермајер; 19 February 1892 – 10 October 1967) was a Serbian aviator, aeronautical engineer and a pioneer of Yugoslav aviation.
During World War I Sondermajer was the only fighter plane pilot from the Kingdom of Serbia to get selected to join Les Cigognes (The Storks), the elite French Air Force unit, fighting on the Western Front, most notably against the German squadron of the Red Baron. After the war he completed a record Paris-Bombay-Paris intercontinental flight, less than a month before Lindbergh's flight from New York to Paris. In 1927 Sondermajer founded Aeroput the first civil aviation company in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Between the wars he was promoted to colonel in the Royal Yugoslav Air Force Reserve.
Sondermajer received the highest Serbian, Yugoslav and French decorations for his war service and numerous peacetime decorations such as the Order of Karađorđe, the Gold Medal for Courage, and the French Legion of Honour.