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Bf 109G-6, WNr. 163162, 2
a
Squadriglia, 2
o
Gruppo Caccia, Verona-Villafranca,
Italy, October 1944
Bf 109G-6, WNr. 161742, Rtk. Rudolf Božik, Combined Flight, Slovak National Uprising,
Tri Duby airflield, Slovakia, September 1944
The Aeronautica Nazionalle Repubblicana (ANR)
was the air force possessed by the Italian
Socialist Republic, which was formed in late
September 1943 in the northern part of Italy and
was an ally of the German Third Reich. At first
the ANR deployed Italian-built fighters, later
receiving German Bf 109Gs. From October 1944,
the 109s bore a combination of German insignia
and the insignia of the Italian Socialist Republic.
On the nose was painted a cartoon of a red devil,
emblem of 2a Squadriglia, which was called
Diavoli Rossi.
Rudolf Božík was born on July 10, 1920,
in Hrnčiarovce nad Parnou. In January 1940,
he voluntarily enlisted in the Slovak army and
completed his basic military and pilot training in
Piešťany. In June 1943 he was sent to the Eastern
Front. He flew with the Letka 13 (Squadron
13, subordinated to II./JG 52) in Anapa, over
Kuban and the Black Sea. On July 26, 1943, he
achieved his first two kills. He scored six more
by September 26, 1943, on that day he crashed
during takeoff and suffered a severe spinal injury.
At the end of October 1943, he was transported
to Slovakia for treatment. From January 31, 1944,
he served at Vajnory airfield, again in Letka 13,
which was withdrawn from the Eastern Front
to defend Bratislava from American air raids.
On June 26, 1944, he damaged one B-17, but in
dogfights with American escorts, Letka 13 was
decimated. Only four Bf 109G-6s could be used for
the Slovak National Uprising (SNP). The Bf 109G-6
had the standard Mtt Regensburg RLM 74/75/76
camouflage. The original Slovakian crosses were
oversprayed with insurgent markings. The red
section was always on the right. The markings
on the wing had a red outline, sometimes
a blue outline is mentioned, so both variants are
offered in the decal. The insignia on the tail have
a blue outline. Božik is credited with three kills of
German aircraft during the SNP. After the SNP he
was transported to the USSR and joined the 2nd
Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment.
KITS 01/2024
INFO Eduard
47
January 2024