During the early thirties, Yugoslav fighter squadrons were largely equipped with the Avia B. H. 33 biplane built under license by the Ikarus A. D. In 1931 six Hawker Furies had been ordered from U.K. and the Zmaj company produce Gourdou – Leseurre B.3 and Dewoitine D.27 fighters under French license, but many young engineers believed that Yugoslavia, possessing a healthy aircraft industry, should be capable of producing successful fighters of indigenous design. Accordingly, Kosta Sivcev and Ljubomir Ilic began the design of a cannon – armed, all – metal high – wing fighter monoplane as a private venture. Designed Ik –1, a prototype was ordered from the Ikarus A. D. in 1934, and was delivered for flight trials in April 1935.

Powered by an 860 h. p. Hispano – Suiza 12 Y c r s engine, the Ik–1 carried a 20mm H S. – 404 engine –mounted cannon and two 7.92mm Darne machine guns. Captain Leonid Bajdak who strongly favored the biplane over monoplane conducted tests at Zemun airport. During the second flight Bajdak put the I K –1 through a full range of aerobatics, but it failed to recover from a power dive during the third flight, and Bajdak, who parachuted to safety, reported that the aircraft was totally unsuited for use as a fighter. A detailed examination of the wreckage revealed the fact that the fabric covering of the port wing had failed as a result of negligence in sewing the seams, and therefore it was dedicated to proceed with a second prototype.

The second aircraft, which was designed Ik–2 was completed in June 1936, and featured metal skinned wings and a shallower radiator bath. A new test pilot, Dobnikar, undertook a preliminary flight trials of the Ik–2, and prototype was flown in mock combat with a Hawker Fury flown by Captain Bajdak, the Ik–2 out – performing the biplane on all counts. The outcome of these trails prompted the high command of the Yugoslav Air Force to order a production batch of 12 Ik –2 fighters, and these were all delivered by Ikarus during 1937.

When German forces invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941, eight Ik–2 fighters were steel serving with the 34^th squadron of the 4^th fighter regiment alongside six Hurricanes.

The Ik–2 s were used primarily to strafe the advancing German columns, and those fighters that survived were absorbed by the Croatian Air Force. One development of the basic design was proposed by Ikarus, this being the two – seat Ik–4 reconnaissance monoplane. However, the Yugoslav Air Force preferred the Henschel Hs 126, and the Ik–4 was not ordered.

When German forces invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941, eight Ik–2 fighters were steel serving with the 34^th squadron of the 4^th fighter regiment alongside six Hurricanes. The Ik–2 s were used primarily to strafe the advancing German columns, and those fighters that survived were absorbed by the Croatian Air Force. One development of the basic design was proposed by Ikarus, this being the two – seat Ik–4 reconnaissance monoplane. However, the Yugoslav Air Force preferred the Henschel Hs 126, and the Ik–4 was not ordered.

The second aircraft, which was designed Ik–2 was completed in June 1936, and featured metal skinned wings and a shallower radiator bath. A new test pilot, Dobnikar, undertook a preliminary flight trials of the Ik–2, and prototype was flown in mock combat with a Hawker Fury flown by Captain Bajdak, the Ik–2 out – performing the biplane on all counts. The outcome of these trails prompted the high command of the Yugoslav Air Force to order a production batch of 12 Ik –2 fighters, and these were all delivered by Ikarus during 1937.

When German forces invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941, eight Ik–2 fighters were steel serving with the 34^th squadron of the 4^th fighter regiment alongside six Hurricanes. The Ik–2 s were used primarily to strafe the advancing German columns, and those fighters that survived were absorbed by the Croatian Air Force. One development of the basic design was proposed by Ikarus, this being the two – seat Ik–4 reconnaissance monoplane. However, the Yugoslav Air Force preferred the Henschel Hs 126, and the Ik–4 was not ordered.