KITS 05/2022

S-199.7, Ivan Pavel, Aviation Military Academy, Hradec Králové,

Czechoslovakia March 17, 1950

The seventh “Mezek” produced by Avia was test flown on

January 10, 1948, accepted by the military on February 3,

and flown to LP 7 (Aviation Regiment 7) on March 15 of the

same year. The aircraft was delivered with an oil cooler,

but after damage that occurred on April 1, 1949, it underwent a factory repair which included the installation of

a heat exchanger and sliding canopy. From February 7,

1950, it served with the Aviation Military Academy (LVA)

in Hradec Králové, where it received the A-784 code. On

March 17, 1950, it was damaged in a collision with another

aircraft (S-199.82). The student pilot, Ivan Pavel, made

an emergency belly landing. Subsequently, this aircraft

underwent a general overhaul during September-November that year and later served with No. 45 Air Artillery

Regiment in Pilsen from November 1953. The aircraft is

interesting for its white and blue spinner, which were the

colors of the academy.

S-199.210, Aviation Regiment 5, Dobřany (Líně) AB, Czechoslovakia, 1950

Nose-art was rare on Czechoslovak Air Force aircraft in

the 1950´s and 1960´s. Rigid discipline and regulations did

not favor such activities, but from time to time commanders apparently turned a blind eye to a certain level of

expressionism. Something like this may have happened in

1949 or 1950 at LP 5 (Aviation Regiment 5). A carefully

crafted heraldic silhouette in white appeared on the aircraft. We will probably never know which emblem was to

be subsequently added to it, because before the painting

could be finished, the aircraft suffered an emergency

landing. During subsequent repairs, the aircraft either received a new engine cowling or the in-progress nose-art

was deleted. One likely possibility of the original intent

might be the emblem of the local football club Baník Líně.

As a result, this aircraft can be modeled in both its real

form, i.e., with the white coat of arms only, or in the form

it probably would have taken, if higher powers had not

intervened. We don't know if the emblem would have been

painted on the starboard side as well, since only the port

side was photographed. However, decals are provided for

either version. The aircraft was subsequently used by

training units. It was handed over by LP 5 (Aviation Regiment No. 5) on July 8, 1950 to the Aviation Training School.

From April 1953, it served with No. 4 lsp (Aviation Training

Regiment 4) and then was transferred to No. 2 lsp (Aviation Training Regiment 2). Finally, at the end of 1954, it was

passed on to No. 1 lsp (Aviation Training Regiment 1) where

it completed its service career.

S-199.310, PFC Josef Mucha, Aviation School Regiment 5, Zvolen,

Sliač AB, Czechoslovakia, August 1952

This “Mezek” was assigned to LP 7 (Aviation Regiment

7) on August 4, 1948 and flew first with the Staff Flight

coded JP-1. Later, it was assigned to No. 3 Squadron and

the code was changed to KT-3. On March 9, 1949, it was

damaged during an emergency landing near Boskovice

and was sent in for factory repairs. Staff Captain Truhlář

conduct an acceptance flight on July 14, 1949, in Kunovice

and on August 17, 1950, the aircraft was transferred from

LP 1 (Aviation Regiment 1) to the Aviation School. Later,

after repairs at Avia, it was assigned to LSP 5 (Aviation

36

INFO Eduard

School Regiment 5), where it received the code UL-51.

On August 26, 1952, a take-off was aborted by PFC Josef

Mucha, causing damage. No further records are available.

This aircraft is listed among the ones delivered to Israel,

although the records of its service in Czechoslovakia contradict this. The same can be said for S-199s Nos. 302, 307

and 311. Of the five “Mezek” aircraft produced by Aero and

delivered to Israel as part of the second batch of fifteen

aircraft (ten being delivered by Avia), only the case of No.

287 is certain. As part of its service with the school regi-

ment, aircraft 310 was given yellow markings, indicating

its function as a trainer. These consisted of a band on the

spine at the rear fuselage and stripes on the upper sides of both wings. The wing stripes wrapped around the

leading edge before terminating behind it on the lower

surface. Interestingly, although the aircraft lacked the

wing-mounted machine guns, at least in available photographs, the spent cartridge collector bulges remained

below the wings.

May 2022