10/2024

INFO Eduard is a monthly scale model-historical magazine published in Czech and English by Eduard Model Accessories since 2010. The magazine is available for free on the Triobo platform and can be downloaded in PDF format. Eduard is a manufacturer of plastic models and accessories with over 30 years of tradition. Throughout its history in the plastic modeling industry, Eduard has become one of the world's leaders. Further details about the company and its product range can be found at www.eduard.com. You can subscribe to the INFO magazine and receive product information for free at: https://www.eduard.com/cs/info-eduard/

• Page 1

  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 October 2024

  # 176

• Page 2

  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 October 2024

  # 176

  © Eduard - Model Accessories, 2024

  FREE FOR DOWNLOAD, FREE FOR DISTRIBUTION!

  This material may only be used for personal use. No part of the text

  or graphic presentations can be used in another publication in any other media

  form or otherwise distributed without the prior written

  permission of Eduard - Model Accessories and authors involved.

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• Page 3

  eduard

  eduard

  OCTOBER 2024

  CONTENTS

  Published by Eduard-Model Accessories, spol. s.r.o.

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  SPACE

  BUILT

  ON APPROACH

  –

  November 2024

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  ARTICLES

  BOXART STORY

  L-410UVP Turbolet Limited 1/72

  THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD Limited 1/48

  P-51B/C Mustang w/ dorsal fin ProfiPACK 1/48

  L-39ZA Albatros ProfiPACK 1/48

  Bf 109G-10 1/72

  P-51D Mustang 1/48

  P-51B Mustang Birdcage canopy 1/48

  80th Anniversary of the Air Battle Over the Ore Mountains

  FIREWORKS OVER BUDAPEST

  THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD

  Air War over Ukraine

  -

  He Who Sows the Wind Reaps the

  Storm in the Kursk Region

  Máňa

  With the National Guard in China

  Do zteče!

  4

  6

  35

  38

  64

  76

  92

  102

  110

  126

• Page 4

  Dear Friends

  Although we all are told that lightning never strikes

  twice in the same spot, sometimes we feel like an

  exception has been made and history does repeat

  itself. Often bad history, it seems. I had exactly that

  feeling two weeks ago when it started raining and

  the floods came that devastated the east half of

  our country. Back in 2002, just before the second

  installment of E-day, conditions were very similar.

  At that time, the August floods swept through the

  entire country and, unfortunately, also the area of the

  Pilsen shooting range, where the first E-day events

  were held. Thanks to the efforts of members of the

  co-organizing modeling clubs, Pilsen and Kaznejov,

  the area was then cleaned up and prepared, allowing

  that year’s E-day to take place on time. Today we have

  nineteen more years under our belts and believe it or

  not, many of those who organized and rescued E-day

  in 2002 were with us at E-day this year, and many of

  them were involved in the organization aspects yet

  again. Fortunately, this year we did not have to save

  the event or the grounds. This year's flood was again

  devastating in many areas of our country, but after

  twenty-two years we are much further along. Thanks

  to more accurate weather forecasts, the country was

  much better prepared, and Central Bohemia and

  Milovice were not seriously affected. Nevertheless,

  many modelers were affected by the floods, such as

  those at Revi magazine in Ostrava who were flooded

  out, making it impossible for them to publish the

  current issue of the magazine and it also prevented

  them from attending the show. Many modelers helped

  during the floods, for example Pepa Choren, one of

  our best modelers. The YouTuber and firefighter by

  profession came to Milovice not from Most in

  northern Bohemia, where he lives, but from Silesia,

  where a team of firemen were tasked with helping

  in the cleanup of the aftermath of the catastrophic

  weather conditions. He went right back to work after

  the show.

  Perhaps at every E-day, maybe even at every

  modeling competition not limited to the Czech

  Republic, the question of what the future for modeling

  holds is discussed. This year was no different. It seems

  that the modeling community feels a certain sense of

  vulnerability. The approaching demise of modeling

  has been talked about for a long time, perhaps since

  the end of the nineties. The end is in sight according

  to the word on the street, sometimes it seems like

  the debaters are giving the hobby a year, two at most.

  In reality, however, the end is not in sight. Modelers

  abound and they're having a blast. You cannot ignore

  the fact that just in the Czech Republic alone, we

  have a model show practically every weekend, and

  in some weeks we even have two or three events.

  Of course, we are in a completely different place

  than we were in the 90s, to say nothing of the 80s.

  The world has changed and continues to change, and

  so do we. Our hobby and the industry that depends on

  it are producing new and consistently better products.

  When looking at what stores, admittedly mostly on

  line these days, it is true that most items get not

  much more than a passing glance. Still. there is no

  decline in activity nor a reduction in the assortment of

  product as a whole. To the contrary, we see incredible

  activity and a resulting flood of new items, produced

  month after month. And we at Eduard do our part. We

  certainly do not smell the stench of stagnation and

  subsequent extinction. We are experiencing golden

  times of activity, creativity and abundance.

  If we accept the theory of a famous egyptologist

  and now a sitting senator, that every civilization

  goes through the peak of its development and

  then collapses, then we are probably experiencing

  a golden age and perhaps the peak of the development

  of our hobby, but I also firmly believe that we are

  far from the end, that we still have a lot of cards

  up our sleeves, especially technological ones, and

  we still have a lot to invent, imagine, and to excite

  the modelers of today and the future. I also believe

  that, at least here in Europe, demographics are not

  foreshadowing anything negative. In Milovice this

  year, as in previous years, it certainly did not look like

  a retirement home. All age groups were represented

  both among the visitors and among the competing

  modelers, and we old farts were definitely not the

  majority. Perhaps, the vision of an early demise

  ultimately comes from the older minority, because

  that's simply the view of the world that older people

  often have, regardless of nationality, social status,

  marital status, and practiced hobbies. But here it

  also seems to me that, even at this point, the model

  world is not bad off. Both at model exhibitions and on

  discussion forums, optimistic individuals, constantly

  hungry for new things and dissatisfied with their

  quantity, dominate. Which is saying something in this

  day and age of abundance!

  So I read Professor Barta's book on the demise of

  civilizations, but after careful consideration I did not

  accept his conclusions. I'd say it's because a lot of his

  activity takes place in and around tombs. That view of

  the world from the grave is just so... let's say, ‘specific’.

  When you're in a grave, the inevitable conclusion is,

  well…..inevitable.

  This year, we did some video documenting at E-day,

  using several cameras, and we also had several

  photographers there, recording the Q and A sessions,

  discussions and workshops. We will present

  a complete report from the 21st year of E-day in

  a special edition of our newsletter that will come out

  in mid-October.

  Two weeks before E-day, there was one small,

  relatively short, but still important meeting.

  It concerned the money we collected four years ago

  in a fundraiser to support Václav Šorel, who was

  fighting a serious illness at the time. Vaclav finally

  lost his battle. After his passing, almost $33,000US

  remained in the account of the foundation fund. This

  money was transferred in mid-September to the

  newly established Vaclav Šorel Foundation, which is

  headed by his daughter, Magdalena Šorelova. I remain

  a member of the foundation's board of directors,

  along with Dr. Zdenek Šebesta. The foundation aims

  to support children's modeling activities, children's

  competitions, children's modeling representation

  and other activities related to the education of the

  young modeling generation. About the Vaclav Šorel

  Foundation proper, we will provide basic information

  about the activities and plans of the foundation,

  contacts, conditions for using support from the

  foundation fund and other important information

  in forthcoming issues of our newsletter. We believe

  that the foundation’s activities will also contribute to

  support modeling, sowing the seeds that will help it

  to remain with us for many years to come and will be

  enjoyed by many generations to follow.

  Well, I don’t see much of a need to go into any great

  details about this month’s releases, as they have been

  on sale and available for over a week now, and you

  can get a good look at them below, in the pages of

  this issue of our newsletter. So, I wish you all a good,

  enjoyable read.

  Happy Modeling,

  Vladimir Sulc

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard4

  October 2024

• Page 5

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard

  5

  October 2024

• 80th Anniversary of the Air Battle Over the Ore Mountains

  On Saturday, September 7, with some friends I attended an international aviation event , which commemorated the 80th anniversary of the air battle that took place on September 11, 1944, over Kovářská, Czech Republic, in the Ore Mountains. I have already visited several times Kovářská and its local museum, dedicated for many years to the air battle. This article is not only a summary of my impressions of the aviation event but also an outsider’s perspective on the broader context surrounding Kovářská and the battle itself.

  A Freezing Battlefield

  I have long been interested in history of aerial

  warfare, particularly from the Second World War,

  but it wasn’t until this year that I truly grasped

  the horrific conditions under which American

  bomber crews fought over Europe. Flying at alti-

  tudes comparable to the peaks of the Himalayas,

  they made their way to their targets and back to

  their bases while enduring flak, enemy fighter

  attacks, freezing cold, and thin air. Every missi-

  on was a freezing equivalent of the Battle of the

  Bulge. Unlike ground forces, they couldn’t take

  cover in trenches or hope for medical evacua-

  tion. They were virtually unprotected, with only

  the thin skin of their bombers‘ fuselage standing

  between them and the surrounding threats. You

  probably guessed correctly—I realized this while

  watching the series Masters of the Air.

  Bomber crews had to rely primarily on their

  gunners and their pilots‘ skills, and strict disci-

  pline in maintaining formation. The tight forma-

  tions of bombers instilled fear in German fighter

  pilots, often causing panic. Fighter escorts were

  not commonplace because, with few excepti-

  ons, American fighters did not provide direct,

  sustained escort to specific bomber groups.

  The fighters‘ range did not match that of the fou-

  r-engine bombers until early 1944. When a bom-

  ber was shot down over enemy territory, its crew

  members often had no idea where they were pa-

  rachuting, where their aircraft had crash-landed,

  or what awaited them on the ground.

  Many viewers held their breath while wat-

  ching the Masters of the Air series, particular-

  ly during the episode depicting the 100th Bomb

  Group‘s loss of nine aircraft on August 17, 1943,

  during the raid on Regensburg, or during the

  scenes of the October 10, 1943, raid on Münster.

  The „Bloody Hundredth“ lost twelve aircraft in that

  mission, and the only bomber to make it back to

  base—despite having two engines knocked out—

  was flown by Lt. Robert „Rosie“ Rosenthal, who

  would go on to become a legend within the unit.

  In the first half of 1944 the Luftwaffe was sys-

  tematically weakened by Allied bombing raids

  and, most notably, by the determined efforts of

  American fighter units to destroy enemy fighter

  aircraft anytime, anywhere, and at any altitude.

  The fighting over Normandy in the summer of

  1944 was a bloodbath for German fighter units.

  Yet, on rare occasions, they still managed to in-

  flict heavy losses on individual bomber formati-

  ons over Germany. Fighter escorts were simply

  not omnipresent. In addition, specialized Sturm-

  gruppen equipped with heavily armed and armo-

  red Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A aircraft joined the fight.

  Oil Campaign

  The German petrochemical industry was a key

  target for Allied bombers. Both the US 8th and

  15th Air Forces, along with the British RAF, con-

  ducted a similar number of raids on these tar-

  gets during the so-called Oil Campaign. Each air

  force carried out around 200 raids, collectively

  dropping over 200,000 tons of bombs on German

  petrochemical plants, with the RAF responsible

  for nearly half of that total. Despite the challen-

  ges of precision bombing, this campaign created

  immense difficulties for the Nazi regime. By the

  war’s end, the Luftwaffe did not face a shortage

  of aircraft or pilots, although the quality of pilot

  training had declined significantly. The main is-

  sue for Hitler’s armed forces was the lack of fuel.

  One significant event in this campaign occu-

  rred on September 11, 1944, when the US 8th Air

  Force conducted a major raid. The targets of its

  three bomber divisions were ten petrochemical

  plants, including those in Ruhland-Schwarzheide,

  Böhlen, Chemnitz, and Brüx (now Most), located

  in the Sudetenland, a former Czechoslovakian

  border region annexed by Germany in 1938 af-

  ter the Munich Agreement. Over 1,000 bombers,

  escorted by fighter aircraft from nearly every

  8th Air Force fighter group, flew deep into enemy

  territory. The Luftwaffe scrambled more than 350

  fighter aircraft, its largest deployment since the

  Normandy invasion, but suffered heavy losses in

  the ensuing battles.

  On Saturday, September 7, with some friends I attended

  an international aviation event , which commemorated the

  80th anniversary of the air battle that took place on Sep-

  tember 11, 1944, over Kovářská, Czech Republic, in the Ore

  Mountains. I have already visited several times Kovářská

  and its local museum, dedicated for many years to the air

  battle. This article is not only a summary of my impres-

  sions of the aviation event but also an outsider’s perspec-

  tive on the broader context surrounding Kovářská and the

  battle itself.

  Photo:

  Michael P. Faley,

  Jan Zdiarský and

  archive of the Museum

  of Air Battle over

  the Ore Mountains

  Some of the honorary guests associated with the 100th Bomb Group after the cere-

  mony at the memorial to fallen airmen in front of the school in Kovářská, 7 September

  2024.

  INFO Eduard6

  October 2024

• Page 7

  A Freezing Battlefield

  I have long been interested in history of aerial

  warfare, particularly from the Second World War,

  but it wasn’t until this year that I truly grasped

  the horrific conditions under which American

  bomber crews fought over Europe. Flying at alti-

  tudes comparable to the peaks of the Himalayas,

  they made their way to their targets and back to

  their bases while enduring flak, enemy fighter

  attacks, freezing cold, and thin air. Every missi-

  on was a freezing equivalent of the Battle of the

  Bulge. Unlike ground forces, they couldn’t take

  cover in trenches or hope for medical evacua-

  tion. They were virtually unprotected, with only

  the thin skin of their bombers‘ fuselage standing

  between them and the surrounding threats. You

  probably guessed correctly—I realized this while

  watching the series Masters of the Air.

  Bomber crews had to rely primarily on their

  gunners and their pilots‘ skills, and strict disci-

  pline in maintaining formation. The tight forma-

  tions of bombers instilled fear in German fighter

  pilots, often causing panic. Fighter escorts were

  not commonplace because, with few excepti-

  ons, American fighters did not provide direct,

  sustained escort to specific bomber groups.

  The fighters‘ range did not match that of the fou-

  r-engine bombers until early 1944. When a bom-

  ber was shot down over enemy territory, its crew

  members often had no idea where they were pa-

  rachuting, where their aircraft had crash-landed,

  or what awaited them on the ground.

  Many viewers held their breath while wat-

  ching the Masters of the Air series, particular-

  ly during the episode depicting the 100th Bomb

  Group‘s loss of nine aircraft on August 17, 1943,

  during the raid on Regensburg, or during the

  scenes of the October 10, 1943, raid on Münster.

  The „Bloody Hundredth“ lost twelve aircraft in that

  mission, and the only bomber to make it back to

  base—despite having two engines knocked out—

  was flown by Lt. Robert „Rosie“ Rosenthal, who

  would go on to become a legend within the unit.

  In the first half of 1944 the Luftwaffe was sys-

  tematically weakened by Allied bombing raids

  and, most notably, by the determined efforts of

  American fighter units to destroy enemy fighter

  aircraft anytime, anywhere, and at any altitude.

  The fighting over Normandy in the summer of

  1944 was a bloodbath for German fighter units.

  Yet, on rare occasions, they still managed to in-

  flict heavy losses on individual bomber formati-

  ons over Germany. Fighter escorts were simply

  not omnipresent. In addition, specialized Sturm-

  gruppen equipped with heavily armed and armo-

  red Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A aircraft joined the fight.

  Oil Campaign

  The German petrochemical industry was a key

  target for Allied bombers. Both the US 8th and

  15th Air Forces, along with the British RAF, con-

  ducted a similar number of raids on these tar-

  gets during the so-called Oil Campaign. Each air

  force carried out around 200 raids, collectively

  dropping over 200,000 tons of bombs on German

  petrochemical plants, with the RAF responsible

  for nearly half of that total. Despite the challen-

  ges of precision bombing, this campaign created

  immense difficulties for the Nazi regime. By the

  war’s end, the Luftwaffe did not face a shortage

  of aircraft or pilots, although the quality of pilot

  training had declined significantly. The main is-

  sue for Hitler’s armed forces was the lack of fuel.

  One significant event in this campaign occu-

  rred on September 11, 1944, when the US 8th Air

  Force conducted a major raid. The targets of its

  three bomber divisions were ten petrochemical

  plants, including those in Ruhland-Schwarzheide,

  Böhlen, Chemnitz, and Brüx (now Most), located

  in the Sudetenland, a former Czechoslovakian

  border region annexed by Germany in 1938 af-

  ter the Munich Agreement. Over 1,000 bombers,

  escorted by fighter aircraft from nearly every

  8th Air Force fighter group, flew deep into enemy

  territory. The Luftwaffe scrambled more than 350

  fighter aircraft, its largest deployment since the

  Normandy invasion, but suffered heavy losses in

  the ensuing battles.

  On Saturday, September 7, with some friends I attended

  an international aviation event , which commemorated the

  80th anniversary of the air battle that took place on Sep-

  tember 11, 1944, over Kovářská, Czech Republic, in the Ore

  Mountains. I have already visited several times Kovářská

  and its local museum, dedicated for many years to the air

  battle. This article is not only a summary of my impres-

  sions of the aviation event but also an outsider’s perspec-

  tive on the broader context surrounding Kovářská and the

  battle itself.

  Photo:

  Michael P. Faley,

  Jan Zdiarský and

  archive of the Museum

  of Air Battle over

  the Ore Mountains

  Some of the honorary guests associated with the 100th Bomb Group after the cere-

  mony at the memorial to fallen airmen in front of the school in Kovářská, 7 September

  2024.

  The Americans also experienced significant

  losses, with the number of aircraft lost being

  double that of previous weeks’ missions. Some

  bomber units faced severe trials. The 92nd Bomb

  Group was particularly hard-hit when Focke-

  -Wulfs from two Sturmgruppen broke through

  the fighter escort, destroying eight B-17s over

  Germany, with three more crashing in Allied

  territory. The 100th Bomb Group endured an even

  more brutal fight, making this mission the secon-

  d-worst in its history.

  Fighting Over Thuringia

  and the Ore Mountains

  From the British base at Thorpe Abbotts,

  a total of 36 bombers from the 349th, 350th,

  351st, and 418th Bomb Squadrons flew over ene-

  my territory. Aforementioned „Rosie“ Rosenthal,

  commander of the 350th Squadron, did not parti-

  cipate in this raid, having been wounded the day

  before during a combat mission over southwest

  Germany. He was in the hospital after an emer-

  gency landing in France.

  The 100th Bomb Group‘s target was the Brabag

  petrochemical plant in Schwarzheide near

  Ruhland. Their fighter escort first encountered

  German fighters over Oberhof in Thuringia. The

  formation of B-17 bombers was soon attacked by

  heavily armed Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R2s from

  II (Sturm)/JG 4 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 Gs from

  III/JG 4. Fourteen B-17s were shot down in suc-

  cession, with about half of them crashing in the

  town of Schmiedeberg (now Kovářská) or in its

  surrounding areas in the Ore Mountains (Czech:

  Krušné hory, German: Erzgebirge). Thirteen of

  the downed crews were from the „Bloody Hun-

  dredth,“ nine of which belonged to Rosenthal‘s

  350th Squadron. One bomber‘s rear fuselage lan-

  ded on the roof of a local school with an air-raid

  shelternestled in the basement. It was midday on

  Monday, and the children not only endured the

  terror of the battle overhead but also the shock

  of the bomber crashing into their school just abo-

  ve them. Miraculously, one airman survived the

  fuselage‘s impact on the roof.

  Shortly after the devastating strike on the

  Flying Fortresses, Mustang fighters arrived on

  the scene. Along with the bombers‘ gunners,

  they managed to bring down many German figh-

  ters, resulting in losses for JG 4 exceeding forty

  aircraft. Some of the German fighters crashed di-

  rectly in the Schmiedeberg area. The Americans

  lost four Mustangs while defending the bomber

  formation, and dozens of aircraft were dow-

  ned over the relatively small mountain terrain.

  Fifty-three American airmen were either killed

  in combat or died of injuries in German captivi-

  ty, while 48 others survived and returned from

  captivity after the war. Several bombers limped

  back to base with damage and wounded crew

  members onboard. Yet, despite these losses, the

  100th Bomb Group took off for another raid the

  very next day.

  JG 4, meanwhile, suffered heavy casualties,

  with 21 killed and 10 seriously or critically woun-

  ded in the fighting over the Ore Mountains.

  Kovářská

  For the inhabitants of Schmiedeberg, the air

  battle and its aftermath were a complete shock.

  Even the following day, wreckage from the planes

  continued to burn near their homes. Until then,

  the war had not directly touched this mountain

  region. However, local families had already suf-

  fered losses, with many men either killed or mi-

  ssing in action on the Eastern Front—this after

  most of the population had initially welcomed the

  annexation by the Reich in 1938.

  Schmiedeberg was founded in the 14th cen-

  tury, its population mainly consisting of Germans

  who had migrated to the Bohemian Kingdom from

  Western Europe to settle the border regions (so

  called Sudetenland). The original German name

  Schmiedeberg meant „smithy hill“. After the es-

  tablishment of Czechoslovakia in 1918, the Czech

  version of name, Šmídeberk, was also used,

  though German remained the common and offi-

  cial language for the German minority in Czecho-

  slovakia. Before World War II, Schmiedeberg was

  a prosperous town with over 5,000 inhabitants.

  After the war, the Czechoslovak authorities re-

  turned to the region, leading to the displacement

  of most of the German population of Czechoslo-

  vakia to Germany. In 1947, the town was renamed

  Kovářská, meaning „smith‘s“.

  New inhabitants arrived from other parts of

  Czechoslovakia, as well as from Hungary and

  Romania, as in other areas of the Sudetenland.

  A formation of B-17Gs belonging to the 350th BS, 100th Bomb Group.

  Monday, September 9, 2024 - A rainbow over the

  school in Kovarska, exactly where the rear of B-17G

  42-102657 crashed on September 11, 1944.

  INFO Eduard

  7

  October 2024

• Page 8

  Although the northern neighbour was now the

  socialist state of East Germany from 1949, the

  state border divided the mountain region. With

  the rise of the Kremlin-controlled communist

  government in Czechoslovakia and the onset of

  the Cold War, efforts were made to erase the me-

  mory of U.S. military involvement in the liberation

  of parts of Czech territory. While memories of the

  tragic air battle of September 11, 1944, were par-

  tially preserved on the German side of the Ore

  Mountains, few on the Czech side were aware of

  it, and it was not encouraged to take an interest

  in the American aerial combat with the Germans.

  As a result, the children of the new residents

  went to school in Kovářská with no knowledge of

  the dramatic event that had taken place in the

  autumn of 1944, right in their school building.

  Revived History

  Gradually, however, the events of the war be-

  gan to resurface. Wreckage of planes remained

  in the area, visible traces of damage lingered on

  houses, and some residents shared memories or

  passed along information. Aviation archaeology

  slowly became possible during the final two de-

  cades of the communist regime. A group of local

  enthusiasts, including my current colleague Jan

  Zdiarský, began investigating the details of the air

  battle—who had participated, where the wrec-

  kage of downed planes lay, and, often, where the

  remains of airmen were located. In 1984, a boys‘

  amateur search began, which led, more than

  a decade later, to the opening of a museum dedi-

  cated to the air battle. The year 1989 and the fall

  of the communist dictatorship brought freedom

  of travel and communication, making it possible

  to connect with veterans from both sides of the

  conflict. This allowed collaboration with rese-

  arch groups in the Czech Republic, neighboring

  Germany, and various memorials and archives,

  which together uncovered the full and unexpec-

  ted scale of the air battle, helping to piece to-

  gether the larger historical picture.

  On the 50th anniversary of the battle, Septem-

  ber 11, 1994, a monument to the downed airmen

  was unveiled in Kovářská. The local elementa-

  ry school, already known for the fact that the

  rear part of one of the downed B-17s had fallen

  on it during the battle, was given the honorary

  name „Sgt. J. C. Kluttz Elementary School,“ af-

  ter the B-17 tail gunner, who survived the crash.

  The memorial was unveiled by Czech aviation ve-

  terans, including members of the British Royal Air

  Force. Two of them, Gen. František Fajtl, DFC, and

  Col. Alois Šiška, removed the white cloth from the

  monument dedicated to their Allied comrades, as

  well as their former Luftwaffe enemies, at the pre-

  cise moment when the watch of one of the downed

  airmen had stopped fifty years earlier.

  The Museum of the Air Battle Over the Ore

  Mountains was founded in 1996, following more

  than twelve years of documentation and histo-

  rical research by the Letecko historická skupina

  Kovářská (Kovářská aviation historical group)

  and the SLET Plzeň. The third founding entity was

  the municipality of Kovářská, which provided the

  premises, financial support, and continues to be

  a key supporter of the museum‘s activities.

  On the eve of the main day of the meeting, on Friday, 7 September, the new part of the exhibition, which the muse-

  um had been preparing for several years, was officially opened.

  Two couples from the group of American guests at this year’s meeting. Lodi and Tim Claypole on the left and Cher-

  yl and Brad Hempy on the right. The display case behind Lodi Claypole belongs to the crew of Lt. Howard R. Schul-

  te, in which her father, Sgt. Lester Swink, served as radio operator. Brad Hempy’s uncle, Lt. Harry M. Hempy, along

  with his co-pilot Jack W. Janssen, brought their B-17 back to base from that battle with only two working engines.

  This B-17 is the subject of the display case that Brad Hempy is currently standing at. Both cases were previously

  represented in the display, but were given more space in the newly opened section where they were moved.

  Gunner Butler, a member of the current U.S. Air Force,

  stands near the wreckage of the tail of B-17G 42-97834

  in which his great-grandfather, S/Sgt. William E. Kenney,

  the rear gunner of the crew of Lt. Everitt, was seriously

  wounded.

  INFO Eduard8

  October 2024

• Page 9

  Although the northern neighbour was now the

  socialist state of East Germany from 1949, the

  state border divided the mountain region. With

  the rise of the Kremlin-controlled communist

  government in Czechoslovakia and the onset of

  the Cold War, efforts were made to erase the me-

  mory of U.S. military involvement in the liberation

  of parts of Czech territory. While memories of the

  tragic air battle of September 11, 1944, were par-

  tially preserved on the German side of the Ore

  Mountains, few on the Czech side were aware of

  it, and it was not encouraged to take an interest

  in the American aerial combat with the Germans.

  As a result, the children of the new residents

  went to school in Kovářská with no knowledge of

  the dramatic event that had taken place in the

  autumn of 1944, right in their school building.

  Revived History

  Gradually, however, the events of the war be-

  gan to resurface. Wreckage of planes remained

  in the area, visible traces of damage lingered on

  houses, and some residents shared memories or

  passed along information. Aviation archaeology

  slowly became possible during the final two de-

  cades of the communist regime. A group of local

  enthusiasts, including my current colleague Jan

  Zdiarský, began investigating the details of the air

  battle—who had participated, where the wrec-

  kage of downed planes lay, and, often, where the

  remains of airmen were located. In 1984, a boys‘

  amateur search began, which led, more than

  a decade later, to the opening of a museum dedi-

  cated to the air battle. The year 1989 and the fall

  of the communist dictatorship brought freedom

  of travel and communication, making it possible

  to connect with veterans from both sides of the

  conflict. This allowed collaboration with rese-

  arch groups in the Czech Republic, neighboring

  Germany, and various memorials and archives,

  which together uncovered the full and unexpec-

  ted scale of the air battle, helping to piece to-

  gether the larger historical picture.

  On the 50th anniversary of the battle, Septem-

  ber 11, 1994, a monument to the downed airmen

  was unveiled in Kovářská. The local elementa-

  ry school, already known for the fact that the

  rear part of one of the downed B-17s had fallen

  on it during the battle, was given the honorary

  name „Sgt. J. C. Kluttz Elementary School,“ af-

  ter the B-17 tail gunner, who survived the crash.

  The memorial was unveiled by Czech aviation ve-

  terans, including members of the British Royal Air

  Force. Two of them, Gen. František Fajtl, DFC, and

  Col. Alois Šiška, removed the white cloth from the

  monument dedicated to their Allied comrades, as

  well as their former Luftwaffe enemies, at the pre-

  cise moment when the watch of one of the downed

  airmen had stopped fifty years earlier.

  The Museum of the Air Battle Over the Ore

  Mountains was founded in 1996, following more

  than twelve years of documentation and histo-

  rical research by the Letecko historická skupina

  Kovářská (Kovářská aviation historical group)

  and the SLET Plzeň. The third founding entity was

  the municipality of Kovářská, which provided the

  premises, financial support, and continues to be

  a key supporter of the museum‘s activities.

  On the eve of the main day of the meeting, on Friday, 7 September, the new part of the exhibition, which the muse-

  um had been preparing for several years, was officially opened.

  Two couples from the group of American guests at this year’s meeting. Lodi and Tim Claypole on the left and Cher-

  yl and Brad Hempy on the right. The display case behind Lodi Claypole belongs to the crew of Lt. Howard R. Schul-

  te, in which her father, Sgt. Lester Swink, served as radio operator. Brad Hempy’s uncle, Lt. Harry M. Hempy, along

  with his co-pilot Jack W. Janssen, brought their B-17 back to base from that battle with only two working engines.

  This B-17 is the subject of the display case that Brad Hempy is currently standing at. Both cases were previously

  represented in the display, but were given more space in the newly opened section where they were moved.

  Gunner Butler, a member of the current U.S. Air Force,

  stands near the wreckage of the tail of B-17G 42-97834

  in which his great-grandfather, S/Sgt. William E. Kenney,

  the rear gunner of the crew of Lt. Everitt, was seriously

  wounded.

  In September 1997, the former opponents of

  the battle—German and American airmen—met

  in Kovářská for the first time in 53 years to inau-

  gurate the museum together. For the first time

  since World War II, they returned to the very

  places where they had experienced the horrific

  events of September 11, 1944. They stood again

  where they had parachuted from burning plan-

  es, or where their comrades had fallen. In many

  cases, something extraordinary happened—fri-

  endships were formed between former enemies,

  something they likely never imagined.

  I have attended several of these reunions, and

  each visit has been an enriching experience. The

  museum itself has expanded its exhibits eve-

  ry year for nearly three decades. I also had the

  privilege of speaking with some of the veterans.

  A conversation with Don Bradley, who participa-

  ted in the air battle as the 100th Bomb Group‘s

  on-board photographer, remains vivid in my me-

  mory. Equally unforgettable is Hellmut Detjens of

  III./JG 4, who recounted how he shot down one

  of the Flying Fortresses with his Messerschmitt.

  I also remember meeting people whose na-

  mes I did not know. One former German resident

  of Kovářská told me how, as a schoolboy, he

  experienced the raid while hiding in a corridor

  in the basement of the school building. On ano-

  ther occasion, I helped translate a conversation

  between a young American air officer and a vete-

  ran of JG 4. The elderly gentleman, deeply affec-

  ted by his wartime experiences, held a strong

  anti-war stance. As a survivor of Hitler’s war of

  conquest, he emphasized to his young American

  colleague that nations should never go to war,

  especially not over pretexts like oil.

  The organizers once invited me to bring in

  a veteran of JG 54, Mr. Heribert Koller, to speak.

  As with the other wartime airmen, the public

  showed great interest in him. After the talk, Mr.

  Koller surprised everyone by saying he wanted

  to take a picture of the audience. At his advanced

  age, he nimbly climbed onto a chair and immor-

  talized the astonished crowd with his camera.

  Many similar encounters have created a per-

  sonal connection to the town of Kovářská and the

  air battle for veterans, their families, residents

  from both the Czech and German sides of the

  The 80th anniversary event was well atten-

  ded. By some estimates, attendance exceeded

  4,000 visitors.

  During the ceremony at the

  Fallen Airmen’s Memorial, the

  names of all those who perished

  in the battle were read in alpha-

  betical order, without distinction

  of nationality. The names were

  read by family members of air-

  men shot down or participating

  in the battle.

  Pictured at right is John Gately,

  whose father participated in

  the battle as a tail gunner in

  the crew of Lt. Bennett and

  was among the lucky ones

  who returned to base that day.

  INFO Eduard

  9

  October 2024

• Page 10

  Ore Mountains, and aviation history enthusiasts.

  Kovářská has become one of the key places for

  families of veterans—not just from the 100th

  Bomb Group—to visit. However, time is relentless,

  and after eighty years, very few veterans remain.

  That’s why I’m even more fascinated when I see

  recent footage from the USA of 102-year-old

  John „Lucky“ Luckadoo, a former pilot from the

  100th BG, presenting historical topics. He stands

  tall, without a cane, speaking confidently into

  a microphone without notes. That’s the kind of

  form I hope to be in at 102 as well.

  80th Anniversary

  This year‘s international aviation meeting,

  commemorating the 80th anniversary of the air

  battle, attracted significant interest from both

  the Czech and German public. Although none

  of the veterans were able to attend in person,

  it was heartwarming to see their family mem-

  bers as honoured guests.

  The ceremony, symbolically opened after

  a parade of historic vehicles at the exact moment

  the tragic battle took place over the town, inclu-

  ded speeches in Czech, English, and German. The

  names of all the fallen airmen from both sides

  were also read aloud, with their descendants ta-

  king part in this moving tribute.

  Due to the overwhelming interest, it was ini-

  tially difficult to enter the museum, which had

  expanded its exhibition and added a charming

  aviation-themed café. The public‘s enthusiasm

  was evident, with displays of combat gear and

  military equipment from the Second World War

  set up in and around Kovářská.

  I was particularly interested in the presen-

  tations and equipment demonstrations by the

  international team of Army Nurse Corps volun-

  teers. This time, they focused on the work of U.S.

  Army flight nurses. Their presence is a highlight

  at many major events across Europe, and I highly

  recommend seeing them in action. Another me-

  morable display was the demonstration of U.S.

  survival equipment used after parachute jumps—

  something you don‘t often see. In fact, I suspect

  some modern air forces may not even have such

  advanced gear today.

  The program also featured an exhibition of

  plastic models, demonstrations of RC models,

  a group parachute jump, and musical performan-

  ces.

  In the afternoon, a convoy of historic vehic-

  les took the family members of the 100th Bomb

  Group to the site where one of the unit‘s bombers

  crashed. The families of three airmen who died in

  the crash were present, along with several do-

  zen members of the public attending the event.

  At a memorial service at the crash site, the Ame-

  rican guests received small pieces of the plane

  that had carried their ancestors on their last

  combat flight.

  I was intrigued by two presentations that took

  place under an overcrowded U.S. Army WWII tent,

  which from a distance appeared to stand on do-

  zens of human feet. In the first presentation, Jan

  Zdiarský, director of the Museum of the Air Battle

  over the Ore Mountains, described the bac-

  kground and course of the battle. Like every pre-

  sentation by Jan, this one was exceptional. For

  instance, I had not previously understood why

  one of the Me 163 Komet pilots had been invited

  among the air battle veterans. In fact, during the

  Reenactment groups from the Czech Republic and Germany have a strong presence at events in Kovářská. Some

  of them bring their original equipment and accessories to the extreme. Such as the group of fighter pilots orient-

  ed here on Jagdgeschwader 4 in the period summer/autumn 1944.

  The Allied armies, especially the US Army and its part, the USAAF, have a major presence in the reenactment.

  For example, this year’s premiere was the amazing reenactment by the ladies of the Flying Nurses, whose tents

  are in the background of the bottom photo.

  A discussion with 100th Bomb Group historian and expert advisor to the Masters of the Air movie series,

  Michael P. Faley, drew great interest. It was held in a large WWII US Army tent.

  INFO Eduard10

  October 2024

• Page 11

  Ore Mountains, and aviation history enthusiasts.

  Kovářská has become one of the key places for

  families of veterans—not just from the 100th

  Bomb Group—to visit. However, time is relentless,

  and after eighty years, very few veterans remain.

  That’s why I’m even more fascinated when I see

  recent footage from the USA of 102-year-old

  John „Lucky“ Luckadoo, a former pilot from the

  100th BG, presenting historical topics. He stands

  tall, without a cane, speaking confidently into

  a microphone without notes. That’s the kind of

  form I hope to be in at 102 as well.

  80th Anniversary

  This year‘s international aviation meeting,

  commemorating the 80th anniversary of the air

  battle, attracted significant interest from both

  the Czech and German public. Although none

  of the veterans were able to attend in person,

  it was heartwarming to see their family mem-

  bers as honoured guests.

  The ceremony, symbolically opened after

  a parade of historic vehicles at the exact moment

  the tragic battle took place over the town, inclu-

  ded speeches in Czech, English, and German. The

  names of all the fallen airmen from both sides

  were also read aloud, with their descendants ta-

  king part in this moving tribute.

  Due to the overwhelming interest, it was ini-

  tially difficult to enter the museum, which had

  expanded its exhibition and added a charming

  aviation-themed café. The public‘s enthusiasm

  was evident, with displays of combat gear and

  military equipment from the Second World War

  set up in and around Kovářská.

  I was particularly interested in the presen-

  tations and equipment demonstrations by the

  international team of Army Nurse Corps volun-

  teers. This time, they focused on the work of U.S.

  Army flight nurses. Their presence is a highlight

  at many major events across Europe, and I highly

  recommend seeing them in action. Another me-

  morable display was the demonstration of U.S.

  survival equipment used after parachute jumps—

  something you don‘t often see. In fact, I suspect

  some modern air forces may not even have such

  advanced gear today.

  The program also featured an exhibition of

  plastic models, demonstrations of RC models,

  a group parachute jump, and musical performan-

  ces.

  In the afternoon, a convoy of historic vehic-

  les took the family members of the 100th Bomb

  Group to the site where one of the unit‘s bombers

  crashed. The families of three airmen who died in

  the crash were present, along with several do-

  zen members of the public attending the event.

  At a memorial service at the crash site, the Ame-

  rican guests received small pieces of the plane

  that had carried their ancestors on their last

  combat flight.

  I was intrigued by two presentations that took

  place under an overcrowded U.S. Army WWII tent,

  which from a distance appeared to stand on do-

  zens of human feet. In the first presentation, Jan

  Zdiarský, director of the Museum of the Air Battle

  over the Ore Mountains, described the bac-

  kground and course of the battle. Like every pre-

  sentation by Jan, this one was exceptional. For

  instance, I had not previously understood why

  one of the Me 163 Komet pilots had been invited

  among the air battle veterans. In fact, during the

  Reenactment groups from the Czech Republic and Germany have a strong presence at events in Kovářská. Some

  of them bring their original equipment and accessories to the extreme. Such as the group of fighter pilots orient-

  ed here on Jagdgeschwader 4 in the period summer/autumn 1944.

  The Allied armies, especially the US Army and its part, the USAAF, have a major presence in the reenactment.

  For example, this year’s premiere was the amazing reenactment by the ladies of the Flying Nurses, whose tents

  are in the background of the bottom photo.

  A discussion with 100th Bomb Group historian and expert advisor to the Masters of the Air movie series,

  Michael P. Faley, drew great interest. It was held in a large WWII US Army tent.

  return of the American formation, he had shot

  down the last B-17 of that formation near Leipzig,

  after it had gone through the bloody slaughter

  over the Ore Mountains.

  The highlight of the day for me was a dis-

  cussion with Michael P. Faley, the historian of

  the 100th Bomb Group and a consultant for the

  Masters of the Air series. It was absolutely fas-

  cinating to hear how the families of the veterans

  were involved in the production of the series, of-

  ten uncovering the past of their siblings, fathers,

  and grandfathers for the first time since the

  war. The series was partly created during the

  COVID-19 pandemic, making communication with

  an international team that was often unable to

  meet in person quite challenging. Mike spoke ca-

  ndidly about the compromises the creators had

  to make in the script, as well as the portrayal of

  events that seemed incredible to the filmmakers.

  However, thanks to historical documents, Mr. Fa-

  ley was able to convince them. One such scene

  depicted „Rosie“ Rosenthal‘s maneuvering fight

  with German fighters during the raid on Münster

  on October 10, 1943.

  The organizers successfully accommodated

  an unexpectedly large number of visitors to the

  event, demonstrating that this anniversary holds

  significance not only for the Czech public but also

  resonates strongly with the German neighbours

  of this mountain region.

  In the years to come, I wish the museum team

  dedicated to this air battle many more discove-

  ries and new encounters with the descendants

  of the participants. One of the downed airmen

  is still missing, and his family is waiting for his

  return home after his last battle over the Ore

  Mountains in the heart of distant Europe. This

  remains as one of significant tasks for the mu-

  seum‘s volunteers and their friends in Kovářská.

  Since the 100th Bomb Group

  Foundation, of which Michael

  Faley is Vice President, was

  Eduard’s partner for the

  limited edition B-17F 1/48

  “The Bloody Hundredth 1943”,

  Mike received his personal

  box directly from Vladimir

  Šulc.

  The public program included a visit to the crash site of B-17G 42-97834, with family members of three crew-

  members from that aircraft. The photo below shows a display case dedicated to this aircraft and its crew.

  INFO Eduard

  11

  October 2024

• FIREWORKS OVER BUDAPEST

  In 1944 Hungarian oil took on an added importance in the planning of Germany’s oil plant dispersal program. Hungarian crude had always been of particular value in view of its 30 per cent gasoline content as compared with an average gasoline content of German and Austrian crude oils of not more than 10 per cent. In the Geilenberg dispersal program an important part in gasoline production was to be played by the plants designated as Ofen, which were primitive topping plants. Over twenty of these plants were planned and their most efficient feedstock would have been Hungarian crude by the use of which the gasoline offtake of these plants would ‘have been three times as large as the use of German crudes would have allowed. While the capacities of the Hungarian refineries were small compared to other larger refineries in other Axis held European countries, their value to the Axis was greatly out of proportion to their capacities because of their strategic locations and because Hungarian crude oil was being produced in excess of Hungarian refining capacity. Air offensive against Hungarian important strategical war targets started in February 1944, but the first raid on oil refinery was on 14 June 1944, performed by the USAAF during daylight. The first night attack of the RAF bombers was realized on night from 12 to 13. June 1944, when oil refinery was bombed. The raiders were the crews of 205. Group RAF. And more attacks on Hungarian oil refineries followed...

  HISTORY

  In 1944 Hungarian oil took on an added importance in the planning of Germany’s

  oil plant dispersal program. Hungarian crude had always been of particular value

  in view of its 30 per cent gasoline content as compared with an average gasoline

  content of German and Austrian crude oils of not more than 10 per cent. In the

  Geilenberg dispersal program an important part in gasoline production was to

  be played by the plants designated as Ofen, which were primitive topping plants.

  Over twenty of these plants were planned and their most efficient feedstock

  would have been Hungarian crude by the use of which the gasoline offtake of

  these plants would ‘have been three times as large as the use of German crudes

  would have allowed. While the capacities of the Hungarian refineries were small

  compared to other larger refineries in other Axis held European countries, their

  value to the Axis was greatly out of proportion to their capacities because of

  their strategic locations and because Hungarian crude oil was being produced in

  excess of Hungarian refining capacity. Air offensive against Hungarian important

  strategical war targets started in February 1944, but the first raid on oil refinery

  was on 14 June 1944, performed by the USAAF during daylight. The first night

  attack of the RAF bombers was realized on night from 12 to 13. June 1944, when oil

  refinery was bombed. The raiders were the crews of 205. Group RAF. And more

  attacks on Hungarian oil refineries followed...

  Sky over Budapest. Flares and markers

  from the bomber decks fall from the

  mountain, and anti-aircraft artillery head

  -

  lights and missile missiles illuminate the

  attackers from the ground.

  INFO Eduard12

  October 2024

• Page 13

  Attack of 205. Group RAF

  at the Shell refinery, Budapest

  In 1944, the 205th Group of the British Royal

  Air Force was included in the subordination

  of MASAF (Mediterranean Allied Strategic

  Air Force). As part of the British Bomber

  Command since its formation in 1941, it has

  been instrumental in destroying Rommel‘s

  supply lines by bombing the ports of Tripoli,

  Benghazi and Bizerte on the African continent.

  Its squadron, mostly armed with Wellington

  bombers of various versions, operated from

  the Egyptian base of Kabrit and Shallufa.

  After Rommel‘s troops were expelled from

  North Africa, the squadrons of the 205th RAF

  Group moved to Tunis. During the months of

  May and June 1943, they supported the Allied

  landings in Sicily and Italy by night bombing

  from the Kairouan base.

  After a successful invasion and the transfer

  of Allied air activity to air bases in Italy,

  during the winter, spring and summer of 1944,

  the 205th Group gradually came under the

  command of the US 15th Air Force. It thus

  became the only RAF unit in the history of

  the British Royal Air Force to fall under the

  operational control of another country. We

  must also mention at this point that in the RAF

  system, the Group was a higher organizational

  unit than the Wing - unlike the US Air Force.

  Following the liberation of southern Italy

  and the establishment of an air base in the

  Foggia area, units under the 205th RAF Group

  have relocated to their new locations:

  - 231. Wing was deployed at the base of

  Tortorella. It consisted of the 37th and 70th

  Squadron, which were armed with Wellington

  B.Mk.X bombers;

  - 236. Wing was deployed at the base of

  Foggia and consisted of 40th and 104th

  Squadron. Wellington B.Mk.X aircraft were

  also in service;

  - 240th Wing operated from the base of

  Amendola and consisted of the 178th Squadron,

  which was armed with Liberator B.Mk.VI and

  614th Squadron, which operated on the British

  bombers Handley Page Halifax B.Mk.II. At the

  end of June, the South African 31st Squadron,

  which had Liberator B.Mk.VI bombers, was

  temporarily active within the 240th Wing;

  - 330. Wing was deployed at Regina Base. His

  two subordinate 142nd and 150th Squadron

  were both in service again using bomber

  Vickers Wellington B.Mk.X.

  Another Wing was created in July. The 2nd

  SAAF (South African Air Force) Wing was

  deployed at Celone Airport and consisted of

  the 31st and 34th Squadrons, both armed with

  Liberator aircraft.

  The most important task of the 205th RAF

  Group in 1944 was the mining of the Danube

  under the code name „Operation Gardening“.

  However, in the spring and summer of 1944,

  the bombers also targeted the supply points of

  enemy units such as ports, marshalling yards

  and bridges, as well as refineries and fuel

  depots. Crews attacked targets in northern

  Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary

  and Austria.

  On the night of June 25-26, 1944, the 205th

  Group bombers were tasked with attacking the

  Shell Koolaz refinery in the Csepel district of

  Budapest. Let us make one remark here. The

  name Koolaz is taken from the Hungarian

  word from the word Kőolaj, which, however,

  does not mean anything other than crude oil

  in translation, and therefore the name would

  sound correct to Shell‘s crude oil refinery,

  Budapest. Shell began construction of

  a refinery in Csepel in 1929. Plans were

  provided by Dutch engineers, but the

  equipment came from Hungary. The refinery

  was put into production in 1930. Shell also

  added a warehouse with tanks for oil products,

  unloading and workshops to the refinery. Until

  the mid-1930s, the refinery produced a quarter

  of Hungarian oil production. But let‘s go back to

  the events of 1944.

  From the Italian bases, 75 Wellingtons

  belonging to the 231st, 236th and 330th

  Wing, 21 Liberators of the 240th Wing and

  six Halifaxes of the 614th Squadron took off.

  The crews of one Wellington, one Liberator

  and two Halifaxes had to return prematurely.

  HISTORY

  Airmen from the crews of the 37th Squadron leave the combat mission after returning tired

  to report to the intelligence officer.

  Aerial view and situational drawing of the Csepel peninsula on the Danube in Budapest, where several oil processing facilities were located next to each other.

  [Foto: USAAF a Janos Lazanyi]

  INFO Eduard

  13

  October 2024

• Page 14

  HISTORY

  The three photographs on the left side and the photograph above show the damage to the Shell refinery in Budapest Csepel after the RAF and USAAF bombing raids in the

  summer of 1944.

  The crew of one Wellington had to drop their

  bombs in an emergency.

  A total of 73 Wellingtons, 20 Liberators

  and two Halifaxes flew over the target,

  dropping 182.6 tons of bombs of various types,

  including several 4,000 pound (1,716 kg) bombs.

  The bombing took place from 23:35 on June

  25 until 00:10 June 26. The bomber crews

  reported the scattered impacts of individual

  bombs around the target in the areas of Csepel,

  Budafok, Újpest, Pestszenterzsébet, Ráckeve,

  Dunaharaszti. Numerous explosions and fires

  were observed, but the refinery experienced

  only minimal damage. Three Halifaxes

  illuminated the target by dropping marker

  INFO Eduard14

  October 2024

• Page 15

  lights. The strikes were recorded at the port

  pool and port facilities north of the target.

  In the still unfinished premises of the

  distribution company Magyar Olajművek Rt.

  five cubic meters of roofing materials were

  damaged by the attack and the main building

  was hit.

  For example, Weiss Manfréd Works, located

  south of the port, received 67 hits. In addition

  to the Shell refinery and the distribution

  company Magyar Olajművek Rt. Vacuum Oil

  Company, The Steaua Hungarian Petroleum Co.,

  Shell and Hungarian-Belgian Mineral Oil Co.

  also had storage facilities for rent. During the

  raid, the adjacent District IX (Ferencváros) and

  the Fanto refinery on Soroksári Street and the

  Hungarian Petroleum Industry on Kén Street

  were not significantly affected.

  Leaflets were also dropped over the target

  area.

  There was a slight, not very precise flak

  of various calibers in the target area. Three

  unidentified twin-engine enemy aircraft were

  spotted. There were air battles with enemy

  night fighters. Onboard gunners 231st Wing

  claimed one probable victory. The British lost

  six Wellingtons in this raid - three of the 231st

  Wing and three of the 330th Wing, and one

  Halifax of the 614th Squadron.

  Fourteen Wellingtons (LP257, LP255, LN750,

  LN810, ME875 „X“, MF121, LN790 „C“, LP182,

  MF116, LN958 „A“, MF130, LP502 „H“, ME989 and

  MF241 „B“) were prepared with crews of 37th

  Squadron for action against the Shell refinery

  in Budapest. Twelve of them got over the target,

  where their crews dropped 18.5 tons of bombs

  a minute to five minutes after midnight from

  a height of 9,000 - 11,500 feet. The impact of

  the bombs was observed in the northern part

  of Csepel Island and in the area of the Manfred

  Weiss Works factory.

  After the action, the 37th Squadron was

  missing two machines. The crew of P/O pilot

  Bruce Eassie (RAAF) took off at 21:01 from the

  airport. For no reason, their Vickers Wellington

  Mk.X LN958 „A“ crashed near Gárdony, near

  Lake Velence. However, the crew jumped on

  parachutes and together with the pilot were

  captured Sgt. J. Pettit, Sgt. R.L. Scott, Sgt. G.G.P.

  Hine, Sgt. R. Lowing and F/Sgt J.J. McClurg.

  After the initial internment in the Budapest

  prison, some airmen traveled, probably non-

  commissioned officers, including R.L. Scott on

  July 10 to the Stalag Luft IV camp in Tychow and

  at the end of the war they moved to Stalag Luft

  XI.B located near Hanover. Pilot Bruce Eassie

  spent captivity from Aug. 6. at the Stalag Luft

  III camp in Sagan and at the end of the war he

  also moved to Tarnstedt.

  The second lost squadron machine was the

  Wellington Mk.X ME875 „X“. The entire crew

  fell victim to a night fighter, probably Oblt.

  Knieling over the Hungarian city of Fürged.

  Pilot W/O Richard Brandon Mander (RNZAF),

  navigator Sgt. Laurence Forrester Grindle,

  radio operator Sgt. William George Amey,

  bombaimer F/Sgt. Edward Jones and gunner

  F/Sgt. Leonard Robert Jones. They are all

  buried in the military cemetery in Budapest.

  Another victim of the same German fighter

  was probably the crew from the 70th Squadron,

  commanded by pilot W/O Kevin James Hiskins

  (RAAF). After a night fighter attack, their

  burning Wellington LP228 „W“ landed in

  Erdösháza-puszta, near Martonvásár in

  Hungary. Together with the pilot died also

  bombaimer F/Sgt Sidney Raymond Lewis,

  navigator F/Sgt Roy David McAlister Howden

  (RAAF), W.Op / Air.G. W/O George Alexander

  Williams and gunner F/Sgt. Finlay Ewart

  Munro Crawford (RAAF). Hiskins is buried in

  grave II.A.6., other airmen in common grave

  II.A. places 7-10.

  HISTORY

  Oblt. Wolfgang Knieling. They award him 5 to 7 victories.

  He died on the night of August 7-8, 1944, when he was

  hit by the Wellington defensive fire near Graz. During

  his military career, he flew with II./NJG 1, III./NJG 3,

  4./NJG 5, Stab II./NJG 5 and Stab III./NJG 6.

  Pilot Bruce Eassie in a photo from enlisting

  in the military. (via RAAF archive)

  W/O Richard B. Mander (RNZAF), pilot of the 37th Squadron, captain of the Wellington Mk.X ME875 „X“, who died with his

  crew on June 26, 1944 near the city of Fürged and next to him a photograph of his tombstone in the cemetery in Budapest.

  INFO Eduard

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  Hiskins‘ crew was part of the twelve that

  the 70th Squadron sent into action that night.

  Between 21:04 - 21:17 took off and headed

  over Hungary and Budapest Wellington LP348

  „V“ (W/O K Turley), LN751 „T“ (Lt. GB Marquard),

  LN873 „B“ (F/S GA Seagrove), LP267 „N“

  ( P/O PD Nihill), LP130 „D“ (W/O GJ Custance),

  JA471 „A“ (F/S BJN Bensley), JA508 „Z“ (F/O CO

  Ellison), MF236 „R“ (S/L BM O´Connor), JA520

  „X“ (F/O DA Sandman), LN699 „C“ (Lt. NK Weeks)

  and HE493 „P“ (F/O HW James).

  The crew in the machine marked „W“

  under the command of F/S Hiskins stopped

  radiocorrespodence during the flight to the

  destination home. We have already mentioned

  the reason. The remaining 11 crews had good

  weather during their arrival ovrer the target.

  They identified a turning point according to

  a green marker on the ground. Above the

  target, however, the situation with the target

  designation has worsened. They could not

  identify markers from the 614th Squadron,

  nor did the main marker respond. Only

  the northern tip of the target was marked.

  Photograph from August 18, 1944, when the

  refinery repair began. [Foto: Ferenc Kamme

  -

  rer, Hungarian Oil and Gas Museum]

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard16

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  Therefore, seven crews bombed only the

  presumed location of the target. All 11 crews

  returned home, but W/O Custance on the LP130

  „D“ had an accident, when after a turn over the

  target and a subsequent descent collided with

  another arriving Wellington. The collision tore

  off 6-7 feet of his right wing. However, the pilot

  and co-pilot managed to haul the damaged

  machine to the home airport and land. Identity

  of the second participant of the collision is yet

  unknown. Either was the damage minimal and

  was not reported or what is more probable,

  it was one of the lost planes.

  Also nine crews of the 104th Squadron

  (LP131 „L“ F/S JJ Laughton, LP499 „B“ F/O EA

  Billen LN841 „C“ F/S Courtney, MF420 „N“ P/O

  PJT Pile, LP122 „V“ F/S RWG Taylor, LN977 „R“

  W/O CT Cutler, LN754 „W“ W/O DGD Whitehead,

  MF137 „H“ P/O KC Harrison, LP338 „G“ P/O TTC

  Stephenes) aimed at a refinery in Hungarian

  capital. They arrived over the target without

  any problems. However, the impact of the

  bombs was unconcentrated. Most of the planes

  bombed according to the focus on the fired

  flares and therefore inaccurate. The results

  were not observable. The markers marked

  only the northern part of the target. The work

  was disturbed by 25-30 headlights.

  From the 142nd Squadron took off from

  Amendola Airport between 20:20 and 21:00

  fifteen Wellington Mk.X. They were HZ516

  „O“ pilot F/S C Morgan, LN262 „P“ F/S D Dean,

  MF120 „Q“ F/O K Jones, LN700 „R“ Lt. K Kelly,

  LN767 „S“ F/S J Ashwell, „U“ (serial unknown)

  Cpt. VD Westhuisen, LP297 „V“ Lt. W Wallace,

  LN719 „A“ F/Lt. J Long, LN808 „B“ P/O E

  Galloway, LP117 „C“ F/S P Cooke, LN748 „E“ F/S

  Schonfield, LN914 „G“ Lt. J Koekemoer, LP189

  „H“ W/O S Bryant, MF371 „K“ F/S C Hill and LP467

  „L“ pilot F/O H Morton.

  The LN748 with the fuselage code „E“ carried

  a crew commanded by F/Sgt. JW Scholefield.

  However, it did not manage to reach the

  target. They were shot down by a night fighter,

  probably Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen from 8./NJG 6.

  A burning bomber landed at Dunaharaszti in

  Hungary. Along with the pilot, also died F/Sgt.

  J Thompson, Sgt. GR McKnight and Sgt.

  D Nelson. The only one who escaped by

  parachute was Sgt. J Robertson (RCAF) and

  ended up in captivity.

  The 150th Squadron lacked two bombers

  after returning from night action. Wellington

  Mk.X LN811 „L“ took off from Amendola Airport

  into the dark night at 20:46. During the fighting,

  he was hit by a flak and exploded. Radio

  perator F/Sgt. Stanley Jeacocke DFM (RAAF)

  was the only one to survive, remembering that

  night years later as follows:

  “After setting course from Lake Balaton to

  Budapest we encountered terrific Flak which

  appeared to be box barrage at first, but after

  taking evasive action proved to be predicted.

  We were using window which appeared to

  upset the accuracy for a couple of minutes

  but we were suddenly hit and I found myself

  lying on the floor of the aircraft beside the

  bed. I was on look out duties in the astrodome.

  I tried to struggle onto my feet but could not

  do so because of the speed at which we were

  going down. The port side was on fire. I believe

  from the port engine back as far as the tri-cell

  chute position. Not knowing that my telephone

  plug was out, I expected at any moment to

  hear the order to bale out and so continued

  trying to get on to my knees at least in order to

  crawl to the emergency exit when the bale out

  order should be given. The aircraft suddenly

  commenced to spin and I found it impossible

  to even roll myself over. I counted four spins

  F/Sgt. Stanley Jeacocke (RAAF) photographed

  in March 1944.

  Pilot P/O Robert Edward Seymour Shearer (RAAF)

  Page from a Logbook of Lt. Bryan Desmond „Davie“ Jones, 31. Squadron SAAF, who flew as a navigator

  and bombardier in the crew of Lt. Klette on board of Liberator EV941 „Q“ in the night to 26.6.1944.

  [Foto: via Darryl Jones]

  HISTORY

  F/Sgt. Finlay Ewart Munro Crawford (RAAF)

  Pilot W/O Kevin James Hiskins (RAAF).

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  and knew nothing further until I found myself

  conscious and falling through space. As I had

  been flying with my parachute on for the whole

  of the astrodome duties pulled the ripcord and

  it opened at somewhere between two and four

  thousand feet. While coming down I noticed

  a fire on the deck which later proved to be our

  aircraft. I believe the position of the crash was

  about ten miles from the northern tip of the

  lake Balaton and I know there was a three or

  four line railway connecting two towns about

  100 yards west of my position. I think I must

  have been blown out of the aircraft by the

  explosion of the photoflash or possibly the port

  fuel tanks. As I found my telephone cable and

  plug burnt into my left flying boot on landing

  and proving I was not on the inter-comm with

  the crew I don´t know if any of the rest of the

  crew up the front had been killed when we were

  hit but knowing from past conversations that

  I was the only one who used to fir my parachute

  over the defended areas I presume that all

  the crew would find it impossible to leave the

  aircraft. As there was a huge explosion about

  30 seconds after I landed which I believe to

  have been the bomb load I presume them to

  have been killed. I received no news of them

  later, even after visiting the casualty section

  of Air Min. An enemy motor vehicle visited

  the wreckage late the following afternoon

  but as I kept myself hidden in the wheat field

  I don´t know if they found any bodies. They

  remained about an hour or more there before

  I heard the vehicle driven away. I also heard

  civilian women talking and laughing amidst the

  noise of tearing up cloth which I believe was

  parachute silk.”

  Jeacocke was captured on June 30, 1944 and

  spent several days in solitary confinement in

  a Budapest prison before being transferred to

  the Stalag Luft VII prison camp in Germany.

  As already indicated, the remaining four

  airmen from the crew perished. Pilot F/O

  Thomas Bernard McAneney (RCAF), navigator

  F/Sgt. Frederick Stanley Sparrow, bombaimer

  F/Sgt. Thomas Bell and gunner Sgt. Edwin

  Charles Hum were exhumed at the cemetery

  in Tordas and were transferred to the military

  cemetery in Budapest (common grave II. C.

  5-8). The wreckage of their Wellington was

  found 4 miles (6.5 km) east of Tordas near

  Erdőmajorpuszta in Hungary. The locals took

  everything that was of any use. The starboard

  engine Hercules S.S.22689 was found in

  a landfill in Budapest and the identity of the

  wreckage was determined accordingly.

  The second lost machine was the Wellington

  Mk.X LP249 „Z“, which was operated by the

  crew of pilot P/O Robert Edward Seymour

  Shearer (RAAF), navigator F/Sgt. JW Chaplin,

  bombaimer W/O2 NTS Reed (RCAF), radio

  operator Sgt. J Jackson and gunner F/Sgt.

  Terence Desmod Murray (RAAF). After the

  start at 20:47 they headed for their target.

  During the flight over Hungary, they fell

  victim to German night fighters. Deadly shot

  helpless bomber crashed near the village

  of Dunaharaszti in Hungary, burying all five

  airmen in its wreckage. After being lifted from

  the wreck, their remains were transported to

  the military cemetery in Budapest.

  Let us add the list of twelve aircraft which

  took off for the 150th Squadron: LN797 „E“,

  MF284 „Y“, LP505, LP503, LP207 „J“, LP310,

  LP148 „P“, LP239 „Q“, JA191, LN756 „T“ , LP203

  and LP183 „O“.

  Of the eight 614th Squadron aircraft that

  took off to illuminate the target the Shell

  refinery in Budapest on the night of June 25-26,

  1944, two (the crews of W/O TE Scotland and

  F/S JE O´Brien) had to prematurely turn back.

  The paradox is that the ORB (Operation Record

  F/O Thomas Bernard McAneney, 24, pilot and Deputy

  Flight Commander, did not return from action on the

  night of June 25-26, 1944. Together with him in Wellington

  Mk.X LN811 „L“ died navigator F/Sgt. Frederick Stanley

  Sparrow, bomb aimer F/Sgt. Thomas Bell and gunner Sgt.

  Edwin Charles Hum. McAneney received pilot wings on

  April 9, 1942 in Brantford and moved overseas a month

  later. In November 1942, he was seriously injured during

  an emergency landing on the coast of England.

  Photograph of the original cross on McAneney‘s grave in the Budapest cemetery.

  The last entry in McAnneney‘s flight log is written by an official. In the morning, they completed a training flight

  with the crew with bombing training, and in the evening they took off on their last mission to Budapest.

  HISTORY

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  Book) lists both crews flying in the JP186. One

  aircraft did not reach the target and was lost.

  It was a Halifax II JP107, manned by captain

  W/O EG Gittings. The remaining five aircraft

  „attacked“ from a height of 15,000 feet. The

  three crews dropped their markers, but did not

  hit the target and illuminated the area about

  5 miles north. The main marker crew was not

  able to identify the aiming point during the

  three flights over the target, even though the

  northern end of the island was identified.

  Participating machines and crews: JP110

  (W/O WTH Fleckney), JP109 (W/O CM Hall),

  JP241 (P/O TW Parker), JP183 (F/O IH Bruce),

  JP288 (F/S TE Sparrow), returnees JP186 (F/S

  JE O´Brien) and JP186 (W/O TE Scotland), and

  missing JP107 “S” (W/O EG Gittings).

  Handley Page Halifax II JP107 „S“ was

  dispatched from the base Foggia No.1 / Celone

  at 20:35 and headed for Budapest. Above the

  target, the machine got into the headlights.

  And that made the work of night fighters easier.

  The exact aiming pilot was probably Oblt. Josef

  Kraft from 7./NJG 6. The hit Halifax fell to the

  ground 15 km north of the target, at 32 Arany

  János St. Tab. All six crew members, namely

  pilot P/O Eric George Gittings, navigator F/Sgt.

  Kenneth John Skinner, bombaimer P/O Gordon

  M. Williams, gunners F/Sgt. Samuel Cater, Sgt.

  Alec Shaw and F/Sgt. Albert SH Brown died and

  are buried in the military cemetery in Budapest.

  The seventh 205th Group RAF aircraft

  deployed after the action was the Wellington

  LP212 „N“, belonging to the 150th Squadron.

  After the attack of night fighters, the crew of

  Sgt. JE Richardson registered the shot in the

  hydraulic system. After a successful return to

  base, they had to make an emergency landing

  and the plane was scrapped.

  Fourteen Liberators of the 178th Squadron

  also performed between 20:29 and 03:25.

  a mission on a refinery in Budapest, where

  they dropped bombs from 12,200 to 15,000 feet

  between 00:02 and 00:07. One of the aircraft

  marked EV822 with crew of Lt. Hosken had to

  return prematurely due to a failure of one of

  the engines, which manifested itself an hour

  and a half after takeoff at 22:20. The crew

  dropped all 12 500 lb. bombs and at 23:37

  landed at the base.

  Only five aircraft could observe the results

  of their attack after the raid. Explosions were

  observed, which caused large fires.

  The participating aircraft and crews for the

  178th Squadron were as follows:

  F/O P.J. Bootham na stroji EW266 „L“,

  Lt. J.W. VanDerMerwe (EV974 „D“), P/O J.P.

  Blackenberg (KG828 „F“), Lt. N.E. Hayman

  (EV961 „C“), Sgt. A.D. Nicholas (EV906 „K“),

  F/Lt. D.A. Eardley (EW233 „H“), Lt. G. Rosenthal

  A highly feared adversary of all Allied bombers was the German flak (Fliegerabwehrkanone), which thickened

  the airspace over larger agglomerations and industrial areas to such an extent that it was almost impossible

  to escape from its precision fire without damage.

  Oblt. Josef Kraft was born in Vienna. During the Second

  World War, he achieved 56 victories, for which he was

  awarded the Knight‘s Cross with oak branches on April

  17, 1945. Flew at II./ NJG 4, II./ NJG 5, and NJG 6.

  HISTORY

  The Liberator EW233 „H“ was used by several crews within 178th Squadron RAF. The photo shows the crew

  of P/O Raw. [Foto: via J. Ansel]

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  (EW160 „B“), Sgt. F.M. Watson (EV839 „J“),

  S/Ldr. J.H.C. Lewis (BZ946„L“), Sgt. J.B. Rush

  (EW231 „R“), Lt. T.E. Knight (EW106 „U“),

  F/O K. Travena (KG835 „A“), Lt. G.C.E. Gibson

  (EV959 „T“), F/O G.E.S. McNaughton (BZ947 „N“)

  a F/O J.H. Hosken (EV822 „V“).

  As part of the 240th Wing, the South African

  31st Squadron also took part in the raid. For

  South Africans, this was the first raid on

  a target in Europe. The squadron offered

  command to deploy 10 machines, but from

  21:01 to 21:10 only the requested six crews on

  Liberator planes took off from the home airport.

  They were B-24 marked EW248 „P“ (Lt.Col. D

  Nel), EV970 „F“ (Maj. JA Mouton), EW104 „Y“

  (Lt. DJS Haggie), EW144 „A“ (Cpt. IJM Odendaal),

  EV941 „Q“ (Lt. PR Klette) and KG950 „V“ (Cpt. RB

  Bird). Through Mali Drvenik and Lake Balaton,

  they got over the target, where they dropped

  72 pieces of 500 lb. GP bombs.

  Operating Commander of 31st Squadron,

  Lawrence Isemonger, after years wrote about

  this event:

  “Our eight (sic.) Liberators attracted the

  attention of fifteen headlights, which was

  accompanied by heavy anti-aircraft fire; the

  bomb aimers were blinded. Photos from the

  raid showed that our bombs were scattered

  in various ways, and most of them landed at

  the Weiss armaments plant south of the target.

  All our 8 (sic.) Liberators have returned safely.”

  The bombing of the Shell Koolaz refinery

  was inaccurate. Most of the bombs landed

  on the target area and individual explosions

  were scattered throughout the city. Most of the

  bombs hit the Western and Eastern Railway

  Stations (Nyugeti and Keleti pályaudvar), as

  well as the Rákosrendező Railway Station

  and their surroundings. The bombs also hit

  residential areas in the suburbs of Csepel,

  where the refinery was located, as well as

  in the parts of Újpest, Pestszenterzsébet and

  Budafók.

  On June 15, the 8. Jagddivision was

  established. This measure was forced by the

  activities of the Strategic Allied Air Force,

  which attacked targets in Central Europe

  from the southern direction. Along with the

  air units of day fighters, two groups of night

  fighters were included in the 8. Jagddivision.

  They were III./NJG 6, which was armed with

  Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4. In June, this group

  was transferred to the Szombathely base. The

  second group in this section was II./NJG 101,

  which was equipped with Dorniers Do 217 N and

  operated from the airports Vienna - Seyring

  and later Budapest - Ferihégy.

  Both units were deployed against RAF

  bombers, which flew on the night of June

  25-26, 1944 at a refinery in Budapest.

  The memory of this period was described in

  his memoirs by Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen, pilot

  III./NJG 6:

  “At the beginning of June 1944, an order to

  transfer to Szombathely in Hungary struck

  us like a bolt from the blue. I‘ve never heard

  the name of this city. But Germany‘s borders

  changed from the ground up, and one was not

  surprised that Budapest was suddenly called

  a „Germanic fortress“ and that our brothers and

  sisters in Bačka were hailed as „compatriots

  who had returned to the great Empire.“ One of

  the friends described Szombathely as a suburb

  of Vienna, half an hour from Grinzing. The rest

  of Hungary is a country of noble Tokaj, fiery

  peppers and spirited Juliska. But who - what

  are we to pursue here at night? When one

  knows nothing certain, rumors spread like

  asparagus in a flower bed after the spring

  rain. I didn‘t worry, and after my „state visit“ to

  Switzerland, I was looking forward to the trip

  to Hungary (from our previous Hagenau base).

  In Szombathely - the German name

  Steinamanger - our Gruppe will be subject to

  the orders of the commander of the 8th Fighter

  Division, Oberst Handrick. He is a commander

  according to our taste: sporty, friendly and

  has his heart in the right place for his fighters.

  He explained to us what our task would be:

  to protect the capitals of Vienna and Budapest

  from the RAF‘s night raids from Italy, as well

  as to fight the planes arriving at night from

  the east and supplying the partisans. While

  in the West, night pursuit bound by guidance

  has been replaced by free prosecution „Wilde

  Sau“, we will fly according to the old system.

  The days of waiting are over. Nothing happens

  during these hot clear nights in Hungary

  with a starry sky. Every evening we sit in the

  barracks and wait for the fish to jump on the

  hook. The mood of the pilots and ground staff

  dropped to zero. Some talk about exile, others

  about spa relaxation ...

  ... On the night of June 26, 1944, an Englishman

  struck the Hungarian capital. Flying bombers

  have already been reported over the Adriatic.

  At 10:45 p.m. we took off from our airport.

  North of the city of Baja, far from the capital,

  we intercepted an English combat formation

  and decimated it. Only scattered bombs fell

  on Budapest, fires appeared only rarely. Our

  Gruppe scored 16 shots. Oberleutnant Sepp

  Kraft also claimed two victories during the

  attack - one Wellington and one Mitchell. We‘re

  a little surprised, Mitchell from Italy - that‘s not

  entirely possible. The unpleasant explanation

  comes right away. They call Budapest and ask

  if one of our fighters accidentally shot one

  Do 2 17. Ice silence. T he c ommander immediately

  compares the shooting time from the report

  with the shooting time Do 217. It can only be

  the shot down „Mitchell“, which claimed Sepp

  Obranná reakcia Luftwaffe

  (III./NJG 6 a II./NJG 101)

  Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen achieved 34 victories during World War II. The victory of June 26, 1944 was his 20th

  and first, but not the last, achieved over Hungary. On October 29, 1944, he received the Knight‘s Cross.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard20

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  Kraft. The actual shooting times are exactly the

  same and so are the location data. Fortunately,

  the four-member crew was rescued from

  a burning machine on parachutes, which

  saved the embarrassing session of the court

  martial. Lieutenant Colonel Sepp Kraft is

  depressed. But I can‘t hide some mischief, and

  I‘m just noticing by the way: well, so you were

  wrong about the ox with the horse! Once again,

  whoever laughs last laughs the best! ”

  The Red Army Air Force used the B-25

  Mitchell during this period to supply partisan

  units. Crews III./NJG 6 were alerted to the

  presence of Do 217 N in the common operating

  area. A similar concept of the B-25 and Do 217

  types - two engines, a double rudder - created

  a precondition for confusion in the darkness of

  night. The pilots had a B-25 model, on which

  they could study its silhouette from different

  angles. They realized that extra care would be

  needed to identify the adversary.

  Some pilots admitted the possibility of

  confusion more, others less. Oblt. Kraft

  was one of them: “Mitchell from Do 217 must

  recognize an infant!“

  Fortunately for all involved, this incident

  had no consequences. Shot down Do 217 N,

  belonging to II./NJG 101, was the only loss of

  the Luftwaffe in this deployment against the

  RAF.

  According to Wilhelm Johnen‘s memory,

  members of III./NJG 6 made 16 winning claims.

  The number of officially confirmed shots was

  realistic and corresponded to the total losses

  of the Royal Air Force.

  Two Dornier Do-217N night fighters were lost

  that night by 6./NJG 101, stationed in Parndorf,

  in the area of western Bohemia (the villages

  of Konratice and Horní Planá), but not due

  to combat deployment but due to adverse

  weather and technical problems.

  Crew Uffz. Kornen Günter and Obgf. Müller

  Georg died near the village of Konratice,

  district České Budějovice.

  The second crew pilot Uffz. Hans Werner

  Schmidt, Bordfunker Uffz. Heinz Jansen and

  on-board mechanic Obgf. Wilhelm Knufer went

  to the ground after their machine was struck

  by lightning. The pilot and the Bordfunker

  escaped with injuries, but the fire broke out.

  The mechanic died in the wreckage after he

  failed to jump out and use the parachute silk.

  The plane had to explode in the air as the

  debris is located in a large perimeter from the

  presumed epicenter of the impact in the Český

  Krumlov district.

  Conclusion

  The attack on the Shell refinery in Budapest

  was far from the last. Several more times,

  American and British bombers reached the

  capital of Hungary, but also other targets,

  whether in Hungary or the whole occupied

  Europe, in order to attack not only the oil-

  processing industry, which was the basis

  A visual aid for German fighters, depicting the weaknesses and defense of the Vickers Wellington bomber.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  21

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• Page 22

  for the war machine of the Third Reich, but

  also with attacks on the railway network,

  warehouses, military and industrial facilities,

  they disrupted the operation and strength of

  the German armed forces and thus contributed

  to the victory in Europe.

  Sources:

  The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK.

  - Operations record books: AIR-27-392-11, AIR-27-

  392-12, AIR-27-617-11, AIR-27-617-12, AIR-27-822-11,

  AIR-27-822-12, AIR-27-975-11, AIR-27-975-12, AIR-

  27-1012-11, AIR-27-1012-12, AIR-27-1120-11, AIR-27-

  1120-12, AIR-27-2121-9, AIR-27-2121-10,

  National Archives of Australia, Kingston

  Gunby D., Temple P.: RAF Bomber Losses in the

  Middle East & Mediterranean Volume 2: 1943-1945,

  Air-Britain. 1st. 2018

  Persons: David Gunby, Nový Zéland; Marian Hrodegh,

  Trenčín; Nandor Mohos, Maďarsko; Matti Salonen,

  Fínsko

  Photographs for which no other credit is indicated

  are from the author's archive.

  Detail on the nose of the night fighter Messerschmitt Bf 110 G from 7./NJG 6 (2Z + GR) from the previous page.

  The shooting armament of this machine consisted of two MG 151 cannons instead of the classic four MG 17 and

  was complemented by very advanced radar technology in the form of radar FuG 220 SN-2c. Notice the flame

  dumpers on the exhausts.

  HISTORY

  Night fighter Messerschmitt Bf 110 G from 7./NJG 6 marked (2Z + GR) at the airport in Hungary in 1944.

  INFO Eduard22

  October 2024

• Page 23

  Bf 109G-10

  Dual Combo 1/72

  Bf 109G-10/U4, WNr. 613165, 101. Puma vadászrepülö

  osztály, Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945

  Bf 109G-10, 1./KG(J) 6, Prague-Kbely, Protectorate

  of Bohemia and Moravia, March/April 1945

  Bf 109G-10, WNr. 491407, Capt. Cesare Marchesi, 3a

  Squadriglia, 1o Gruppo Caccia, ANR, Lonate Pozzolo,

  Italy, March 1945

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 782xxx, str. Vladimir Sandtner,

  2.ZLJ, Lučko, Croatia, April 1945

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  # R0022

  Bf 109G-10, WNr. 152xx6, 11./JG 300, Prague-Kbely,

  Czechoslovakia, May 1945

  Bf 109G-14/AS, WNr. 784938, III./JG 6, Bissel,

  Germany, January 1945

  Bf 109G-10, 13./JG 27, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany,

  March 1945

  Bf 109G-10, Hptm. Erich Hartmann, CO of I./JG 52,

  Görlitz, Germany, April 1945

  Bf 109G-10/U4, II./JG 52, Brno, Protectorate

  of Bohemia and Moravia, April 1945

  The Royal Class edition kit of the German ghter aircraft

  Bf 109G-10 in 1/72 scale. The kit offers markings for 10

  aircraft. The box contains plastic sprues for two complete

  kits, Bf 109G-10 version produced in Erla facory in Leipzig

  or Bf 109G-10 from Wiener Neustädter Fabrik or Bf 109G-10

  or Bf 109G-14/AS from Messerschmitt factory

  in Regensburg.

  plastic parts Eduard

  photo-etched set and painting mask

  10 marking options

  Eduard Brassin wheels (2 sets / 2 variants),

  exhaust stacks (2 sets)

  landing gear bays masking plugs by Omask

  BONUS: Magnet sticker - Bf 109G-10 Erla

  Werke manufacturer plate replica

  10 x 3,2 cm size

  Avia S-99, Police Air Patrol Unit, Czechoslovak

  Police Air Force, Prague-Kbely, 1947

• THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD

  Czechoslovak fighter pilots made their mark in the history of World War II air combat on several fronts, but the most significant was undoubtedly their service in the Royal Air Force. And the aircraft used by the Czechoslovaks in the most numerous numbers was the Spitfire Mk.V. It stayed in operational service of each Squadron and subsequently the entire Czechoslovak Wing until January 1944, when it was replaced by the Mk.IX version.

  In the first half of 1941, when Spitfire Mk.V fighters began to equip the

  fighter squadrons of the Britain’s RAF, a total of three fighter units with

  the designation ‘Czechoslovak’ operated within the service. These were

  squadrons No. 310, No. 312 and No. 313. The first two, founded in 1940, had

  Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIa and Mk.IIbs in their inventory. Only No. 313 Sqn,

  established on May 10, 1941 at Catterick, was armed with the Supermarine

  Spitfire, and it was not until August of 1941 that it went from flying the Mk.Ia

  to the Mk.IIa.

  At that time it was already clear that if No. 310 and No. 312 Sqn were to

  maintain their status as a fighter unit, they would necessarily need to

  convert to a more potent aircraft. At the same time, the pressure to create

  a higher Czechoslovak unit, a Wing, within which all three Czechoslovak

  fighter squadrons would operate together, grew stronger. The first

  prerequisite for its creation was the standardization of the equipment of

  all three squadrons.

  Gradual retrainingGradual retraining

  No. 310 Sqn and No. 312 Sqn personnel were required to convert from

  existing Hurricanes to the more powerful Spitfire, which offered greater

  potential for further development. On July 19, 1941, No. 310 Sqn moved to the

  base at Dyce in Scotland, where it carried out patrol duties with its Mk.IIa

  and Mk.IIb Hurricanes. In the second half of October 1942, the unit took over

  the first older Spitfires intended for conversion training. There was one

  Mk.Ia Spitfire and fifteen Mk.IIa fighters on hand. At the end of October

  1941, retraining on Spitfires began, while the unit continued to perform

  operational patrols in their Hurricanes. At the beginning of November 1941,

  the unit took over another four Spitfire Mk.IIas. In mid-November, the first

  Mk.Vb Spitfires, which were to become the unit’s new weapon, began to

  arrive.

  A portion of the pilots with the new fighters joined the operational patrol

  duties as early as November 25, 1941. However, some of them continued

  to fly operational flights with Hurricanes until December 9, 1941. From the

  following day, No. 310 Sqn performed operational patrols exclusively with

  new equipment, the Spitfire Mk.Vb. These were from the AD series produced

  at the Castle Bromwich factory and No. 310 Sqn was their first user

  (AD328, AD331, AD365, AD366, AD374, AD378, AD382, AD412, AD414, AD420,

  AD422, AD423, AD453, AD462, AD464, AD574, AD582). After re-equipping,

  No. 310 Sqn moved to Perranporth in Cornwall on December 24, 1941.

  No. 312 Sq. moved its Hurricane Mk.IIbs to Prestwick, Scotland, on August 19,

  1941, RAF Ayr, and on October 20, 1942, it received the first six older Spitfires

  destined for conversion training. There were five aircraft of the Mk.IIa

  version and one of the Mk.IIb version with wing cannons. The machines

  were assigned to B Flight and retraining of personnel began immediately.

  By October 25, 1941, however, the first Spitfire loss occurred at No. 312 Sqn,

  when P/O Hekl, during a training flight with P75410 coded DU

  -

  W, clipped

  a wing on the surface of Loch Doon and was killed as a result. In November

  1941, the unit took over from sister squadron No. 313 Sqn another three

  Mk.IIa Spitfires for the same purpose of converting. In early December

  1941, No. 312 Sqn received its first Spitfire Mk.Vbs, which were to become

  its new main armament. These were mostly new airframes produced by

  the Castle Bromwich factory from the AD (AD415, AD539, AD541, AD553,

  AD572) and BL ranges (BL252, BL254, BL260, BL289, BL293, BL343, BL381,

  BL470, BL487, BL512, BL516, BL529). The exception was the Eastleigh-built

  plane serialed AB172. The older aircraft from the W series (W3249, W3445)

  came from the same manufacturer, and R6833, originally produced as

  a Mk.Ia , which was rebuilt in 1940 and received a wing cannon, was a rarity.

  It was then used for testing and in February 1941 it was converted to a Mk.Vb.

  This was complemented by the addition of two Mk.IIb airframes, taken from

  No. 616 Sqn. After the rearmament was completed, No. 312 Sqn moved to

  Fairwood Common on January 1, 1942.

  Relatively speaking, the smoothest transition was experienced by No. 313

  Sqn, flying their Spitfire Mk.IIas from Portreath. The unit took delivery of

  its first Spitfire Mk.Vb in the second half of October. The re-armament took

  place on a continuous basis and the airmen with the new fighters were

  Czechoslovak fighter pilots made their mark in the history of World War II air combat on Czechoslovak fighter pilots made their mark in the history of World War II air combat on

  several fronts, but the most significant was undoubtedly their service in the Royal Air several fronts, but the most significant was undoubtedly their service in the Royal Air

  Force. And the aircraft used by the Czechoslovaks in the most numerous numbers was the Force. And the aircraft used by the Czechoslovaks in the most numerous numbers was the

  Spitfire Mk.V. It stayed in operational service of each Squadron and subsequently the entire Spitfire Mk.V. It stayed in operational service of each Squadron and subsequently the entire

  Czechoslovak Wing until January 1944, when it was replaced by the Mk.IX version. Czechoslovak Wing until January 1944, when it was replaced by the Mk.IX version.

  text text KAREL TŮMAKAREL TŮMA

  (photos by Karel Beinhauer, (photos by Karel Beinhauer,

  No. 313. Squadron RAF; via Radim Vojta)No. 313. Squadron RAF; via Radim Vojta)

  THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILDTHEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD

  Spitfires of No. 312 Squadron at Ibsley airfield in September 1943. Spitfires of No. 312 Squadron at Ibsley airfield in September 1943.

  In the foreground Spitfire BM567 DUIn the foreground Spitfire BM567 DU

  --

  Z which was very often flown Z which was very often flown

  by F/Lt Josef Stehlik. Photo Ing. Karel Beinhauerby F/Lt Josef Stehlik. Photo Ing. Karel Beinhauer

  Czechoslovak Pilots and the Spitfire Mk.V

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard24

  October 2024

• Page 25

  gradually involved in ongoing operational activities together with their

  original Mk.IIa aircraft. During the process of rearmament, No. 313 Sqn

  received new aircraft from the Castle Bromwich facility in the AD series

  (AD192, AD353, AD361, AD380, AD384, AD390, AD391, AD394, AD424, AD465,

  AD464, AD547), one AB series airframe (AB916), those from Eastleigh

  factory in the AA series (AA865, AA869) and AA series units coming out of

  Chattis Hill (AA757, AA765). These were supplemented by older W series

  machines (W3177, W3962, W3965, W3969) assembled at High Post Aerodrome

  and P8537 from the Castle Bromwich factory. No. 313 Sqn remained at

  Portreath after conversion until December 15, 1941 when it moved south

  to Hornchurch. By re-arming all three squadrons, one of the conditions

  for the future creation of a higher Czechoslovak Fighter Wing was fulfilled.

  At that time, few would have believed that the Spitfire Mk.V would remain

  the main piece of equipment of Czechoslovak fighter squadrons until the

  beginning of 1944, when the pilots received the much desired Spitfire Mk.IX.

  Czechoslovak pilots fought on Spitfire Mk.Vbs and Mk.Vcs for more than

  two years.

  With the strength of WingWith the strength of Wing

  Over the course of those two years, the stocks of Spitfire Mk.Vb and later

  Vc fighters were replenished at all three squadrons, and when moving to

  new areas of operation, these aircraft were also often exchanged with

  other units. And so machines from different series from basically all

  manufacturers gradually appeared in the inventory of the Czechoslovak

  fighter units. In the case of the Mk.Vb, these were machines produced

  by Castle Bromwich (series P, AB, AD, BL, BM, EN, EP), Eastleigh (series

  R, W, X, AA, AB), Chattis Hill (series W, AA, AB), High Post Aerodrome

  (W, AB series) and Westland (AR series). The Vc version aircraft came from

  the production facilities of Westland (series AR, EE), Eastleigh (series AA,

  AB), High Post Aerodrome (series AB) and Chattis Hill (series BP). On May 3,

  1942, the Czechoslovaks saw the creation of a higher Czechoslovak Fighter

  Wing, established at RAF Exeter (Exeter Czechoslovak Fighter Wing).

  It consisted of the above-mentioned Czechoslovak squadrons, Nos. 310, 312

  and 313, which in the period from May 7 to June 7, 1942 was supplemented

  by No. 154 Sqn. All three squadrons operated as the Exeter Czechoslovak

  Fighter Wing until June 26, 1943. After that, they separately stood down for

  a period of R and R. Czechoslovak units met up again in the period from

  September 18 to November 8, 1943, when together they formed the Ibsley

  Czechoslovak Fighter Wing. The Wing was commanded by W/Cdr Alois

  Vašátko (who from May 3 to June 23, 1942 flew a personal Spitfire Mk.Vb

  BM592 coded with his initials AV), W/Cdr Karel Mrázek (June 26, 1942 to

  March 31, 1943 with personal Spitfire Mk.Vbs EN765 and EP461 and Mk.Vcs

  AR502 and EE626, all coded KM) and W/Cdr František Doležal (March 31,

  1943 to February 1, 1944, Spitfire Mk.Vb EP461 and Vc EE626; both coded FD).

  During the period when Czechoslovak squadrons flew the Spitfire Mk.V,

  they took part in a number of important operations. For example, on August

  19, 1942, the pilots of Nos. 310 and 312 Sqn with the Spitfire Mk.V flew out

  of Redhill in support of Operation Jubilee and on the 9 of September, 1943,

  No. 313 Sqn from Hawkinge Airfield took part in support of Operation

  Starkey which saw black and white stripes used on the wings for the first

  time as a rapid identification feature. At the time of the use of the Spitfire

  Mk.Vb, personal artwork also appeared on Czechoslovak Spitfires, even if

  only for a short time. This happened at the beginning of 1942 at No. 313 Sqn,

  commanded at the time by S/Ldr Karel Mrázek. On several Spitfire Mk.Vbs,

  artwork inspired by characters from Walt Disney cartoons appeared at the

  request of the pilots. The author of the drawings was a pilot with the unit,

  Sgt Karel Pavlík, a calligrapher by profession in civilian life.

  Modifications and modernisationsModifications and modernisations

  The Spitfire Mk.V also underwent a number of upgrades during their

  relatively long service career with the Czechoslovak squadrons, increasing

  the combat value of the aircraft. For example, there was a modification to

  the fuel system, which allowed the use of auxiliary fuel tanks, which greatly

  increased the operational radius of the aircraft. A number of aircraft

  got their wings clipped, which increased their maneuverability during

  operations at lower flight levels. The system of supplying ammunition to

  the wing cannons was also changed, which increased the reliability of the

  weapons and the number of rounds carried, and there were many other

  modifications. The period of use of the Spitfire Mk.V by Czechoslovak units

  is, in addition to a number of successes, also associated with significant

  losses of flight personnel, which did not escape even the command corps.

  For the Czechoslovak Air Force, major losses came with the death of

  W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, the first commander of the Czechoslovak Fighter Wing,

  who died on June 23, 1942 in his personal Spitfire Mk.Vb BM592 coded AV

  after a collision with a German Fw 190 during Operation Ramrod 23 and also

  S/Ldr Jaroslav Himr, who died on the 27 of September, 1943 in the cockpit

  W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, DFC, commander of the Exeter

  (Czechoslovak) Wing, next to his Spitfire Mk.Vb EN765 marked

  with his personal monogram “KM”. July 1942.

  Close-up of the front of Dolezal’s Spitfire MK.Vb EP461 “FD” at

  Exeter airfield in May 1943. The Wing Commander’s emblem is

  drawn under the left cockpit visor of EP461. In the background are

  Spitfires of No.310 Squadron. The first in the line of Spitfires Mk.Vb

  is BM121 „NN

  -

  A“.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  25

  October 2024

• Page 26

  of Spitfire Mk.Vc BP8586 coded RY

  -

  H during Operation Ramrod 87, when he

  first shot down a German Bf 110G-2 from II./ZG 1 but was subsequently shot

  down by another Bf 110G from the same unit.

  At the end of January and beginning of February 1944, all three Czechoslovak

  fighter squadrons finally received their desired rearmament and exchanged

  their Spitfire Mk.Vb and Mk.Vc fighters for the more powerful Spitfire Mk.IX.

  Nevertheless, the Spitfire Mk.V, even if only for a short time, found itself into

  the inventory of No. 313 Sqn once more. It was between July 11 and October

  3, 1944 that the squadron operated as part of a down time in the north of

  Great Britain at Skeabrae and Sumburgh. Additionally, Czechoslovak pilots

  did not come into contact with the Spitfire Mk.V inside Czechoslovak units

  alone. A number of Czechoslovak pilots also flew with other units within

  the RAF (see below) and, besides operational squadrons, Czechoslovak

  pilots also flew the Spitfire Mk.V as part of training with OTUs, Operational

  Training Units, up to the very end of the war. This is part of the reason why

  the Spitfire Mk.V became the most used aircraft by Czechoslovak pilots in

  terms of quantity during the entire war, and they thus have an irreplaceable

  place in the history of Czechoslovak resistance in the air.

  The “thirteen thirty-three” planes from the first half of 1942 are

  known for their cartoon characters from Walt Disney comic

  books. The author of these drawings was Sgt. Karel Pavlik, who

  used his profession as a letter painter to decorate the individual

  Spitfires under the cockpit faceplate as the pilots wished.

  The drawing of Robber the kitten was painted by Karel Pavlik

  on a Spitfire AD380 RY

  -

  R.

  Czechoslovak Pilots With Other Units Czechoslovak Pilots With Other Units

  No.19 Squadron

  The unit began converting to Spitfire Mk.Vs in October 1941, and by June 1942, Sgt Lysický,

  Sgt Netopil, Sgt Sokol, F/Sgt Střihavka, P/O Bernard, F/O Borovec and Sgt Mečíř flew the

  Spitfire Mk.Vb.

  No.41 Squadron

  In April and May of 1942, F/Lt Vykoukal flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs with this unit.

  No.54 Squadron

  From September 1941, Sgt Plášil, F/Sgt Pavlů, Sgt Karásek and Sgt. Konvalina flew the

  Spitfire Mk.V while serving with this unit.

  No.65 Squadron

  The unit flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb after converting to it in October 1941, and a relatively large

  number of Czechoslovak pilots flew with the unit. These included Sgt Štulíř, Sgt Loucký, Sgt

  Kopeček, Sgt Karásek, Sgt Konvalina, Sgt Pavlů and Sgt Štefan.

  No.66 Squadron

  During his time with this unit, F/Lt Kruml flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb and Mk.Vc in November and

  December 1942.

  No.72 Squadron

  In the summer of 1941, Sgt Lamberton and Sgt. Valenta flew with this unit in the summer of

  1941.

  No.81 Squadron

  From April 1942, Spitfire Mk.Vbs were flown by F/Sgt Pípa and between July and August

  1942, by F/Sgt Maňák.

  No.111 Squadron

  This unit converted to the Spitfire Mk.Vb in September 1941. They were flown by F/Sgt (later

  P/O) Hrubý, Sgt Zouhar, F/O Kopecký, Sgt Zadrobílek, F/Sgt (later P/O) Příhoda and F/O

  Hartman.

  No.118 Squadron

  In May and June 1944, Sgt J. Čermák flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb.

  No.122 Squadron

  Between May and August 1943, Spifire Mk.Vb flights were conducted by F/Lt Kruml.

  No.124 Squadron

  This unit converted onto the Spitfire Mk.Vb in November 1941, and were flown by F/Lt Kulhá

  -

  nek, F/Lt Bartoň, F/O Bachůrek and Sgt. Kotiba

  No.129 Squadron

  Between May and July 1942, F/Lt Vancl flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb.

  No.131 Squadron

  In January and February 1943, P/O Hlaďo, F/Lt Kruml and P/o Smik flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs.

  No.167 Squadron

  Between March and May 1943, P/O Papoušek flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb and Mk.Vc.

  No.222 Squadron

  In June 1943, P/O Hlaďo and P/O Smik flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs. (The main fighter at the time

  with this unit was the Spitfire Mk.IX.)

  No.234 Squadron

  F/Lt Hýbler flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs with this unit in May 1942.

  No.501 Squadron

  This unit took on the Spitfire Mk.Vb in September 1941. Examples of the type were flown

  by F/Sgt Dvořák, Sgt Vendl, Sgt Vrtiš, F/O (later F/Lt Raba, Sgt Ročovský, Sgt Bauman and

  Sgt Jeřábek. Spitfire Mk.Vcs began to appear in May 1942, and the Czechoslovak pilots flew

  them as well.

  No.601 Squadron

  Sgt Mareš flew the unit’s Spitfire Mk.Vb which it converted to in March 1942.

  No.602 Squadron

  The Spitfire Mk.Vb was flown in this unit by Sgt Ptáček in February and March 1942.

  No.610 Squadron

  From the end of March to May 1942, Sgt Mareš and Sgt Kohout flew the unit’s Spitfire Mk.Vbs.

  During Operation Starkey, black-and-white invasion stripes

  were used for the first time on aircraft participating in low-

  altitude operations to distinguish their own and foreign

  machines. They looked different from those known from the

  later Normandy landings. The photo shows F/Lt Otmara Kučera

  in front of his personal Spitfire LF Mk.Vb EP110 “RY

  -

  R”.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard26

  October 2024

• Page 27

  Spitfires LF Mk. Vb from No. 313 Squadron take off from Hawkinge airfield as part of Operation Starkey on September9, 1943. The unit

  moved to Hawkinge airfield, which was under the command of 11 Group, Fighter Command, in mid-August 1943 after a recuperation stay

  and patrol in the north over the Orkneys. The squadron thus became involved in the operational flights of Operation Starkey as part of the

  Hawkinge Wing.

  Spitfires of No. 310 Squadron at Exeter airfield in spring

  1943. Closest in the photo is the front part of Dolezal’s

  Spitfire Mk.Vb EP461. The black “FD” marking on the

  lower engine cowling is clearly visible.

  Members of the ground staff of No. 313 Squadron with Spitfire AD380 RY

  -

  R. Interesting features of this aircraft are the drawing of Robber

  the kitten painted by Karel Pavlík under the front plate and the different shade of the code letters RY

  -

  R, with the first letter R in Sky color

  and the following letters Y

  -

  R in Sky Blue. Also, the propeller cone and ring in front of the VOP is in Sky Blue with the s/n AD385 at the top.

  The original Sky color is visible underneath. The serial number AD385 was never actually used with No. 313 Squadron, it was probably

  a misspelling when the camouflage was corrected. The actual serial number of this Spitfire was AD380.

  HISTORY

  INFO Eduard

  27

  October 2024

• Air War over Ukraine - He Who Sows the Wind Reaps the Storm in the Kursk Region

  Ukraine has been attempting retaliation on enemy territory since the first day of Russian aggression. Initially, these were sporadic missile, or drone strikes on key targets, gradually intensifying and now amounting to a strategic offensive. There have also been several ground raids by Russian legions fighting against Putin’s regime, though they always quickly retreated back to Ukrainian territory. However, during the observed period (from August 1 to August 31), the war fully expanded into the Russian territory.

  Miro Barič

  He Who Sows the Wind Reaps the Storm in the Kursk Region

  It began on Tuesday, August 6, when the

  Russian border in the Kursk region was crossed

  at multiple locations. This time, it was not

  a small raid, even though Russian authorities

  initially downplayed the situation. For the first

  time, Ukrainian soldiers (not just members of

  Russian legions) attacked Russian territory,

  using heavy equipment. The offensive was

  carefully planned and, importantly, kept secret,

  with even Ukraine’s Western allies unaware of

  it. Russian units at the borders had warned of

  a possible attack, but their leadership ignored

  the warnings.

  Ukraine took advantage of the fact that

  Russia had only weak forces at the Kursk

  region’s borders, consisting partly of

  conscripts in the basic military service and

  partly of soldiers recovering from losses in

  previous battles on the eastern Ukrainian

  front. Most either fled or were captured.

  Ukrainians first infiltrated Russian territory

  with special units, attacking Russian supplies

  and using jamming devices against Russian

  drones. Russian drones did not fly in the early

  days, while Ukrainian drones largely destroyed

  the reinforcements Russia was sending.

  The initial Ukrainian attack was carried out

  by small units with a few armored vehicles

  that moved quickly and ambushed Russian

  forces, with the main forces following behind.

  This resulted in maneuver warfare, to which

  Russia struggled to find an adequate response.

  On the eastern front in Ukraine, Russian forces

  ty pic al ly procee d by f irst bombarding Uk rainian

  positions with glide bombs from aircraft, then

  attacking with waves of infantry. In the Kursk

  region, this was not possible since Ukrainian

  units were constantly moving, and Russian

  glide bombs can only target stagnant targets.

  As a result, Russia resorted to its usual tactic—

  razing villages and towns to prevent the

  Ukrainians from establishing positions there,

  though now this was happening on Russian soil.

  One of Ukraine's objectives was to create

  a buffer zone so that Russia could not

  bombard the Ukrainian border. Other goals

  included inflicting damage and losses on

  the Russian army, disrupting Russian supply

  routes, and improving Ukraine's negotiating

  position in potential peace talks. Ukraine also

  sought to force Russia to relocate its forces

  from other regions to the Kursk area. Russia

  did this, but only from less critical parts of

  the front. Russian troops remained in their

  most important offensive direction, toward

  Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, where they

  continued to attack. However, Russia was

  unable to send reinforcements to Pokrovsk as

  quickly as they might have wished. By the end

  of the period, their advance in Pokrovsk had

  significantly slowed.

  During this time, both sides were intensely

  engaged: Russia was attacking in the eastern

  Ukrainian Donetsk region, while Ukraine

  maintained the initiative in the Russian Kursk

  region. By the end of the month, Ukraine had

  occupied the town of Sudzha and several

  dozen other villages, most of whose civilian

  population had been evacuated. Ukraine

  captured over 600 Russian soldiers, initially

  facing challenges in relocating such a large

  number of prisoners to the interior. Among the

  captives were evidently important individuals,

  as Russia requested a prisoner exchange for

  the first time, having shown little interest in

  this before Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk

  region.

  Ukraine has been attempting retaliation on enemy territory since the first day of

  Russian aggression. Initially, these were sporadic missile, or drone strikes on key

  targets, gradually intensifying and now amounting to a strategic offensive. There

  have also been several ground raids by Russian legions fighting against Putin’s

  regime, though they always quickly retreated back to Ukrainian territory. However,

  during the observed period (from August 1 to August 31), the war fully expanded into

  the Russian territory.

  The first F-16 fighter jets

  appeared over Ukraine at the

  turn of July and August.

  Air War over Ukraine

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard28

  October 2024

• Page 29

  Losses in the Kursk Region

  A significant portion of air operations and

  losses during the observed period occurred in

  connection with the fighting in the Kursk region,

  particularly on the Russian side. Due to issues

  with drone jamming, Russia attempted to repel

  the Ukrainian attack mainly with helicopters

  and aircraft. On the first day of the Ukrainian

  offensive, Tuesday, August 6, the first Russian

  Kamov Ka-52 helicopter was shot down.

  The pilot died in the crash, and the navigator

  was injured. On the same day, a Ukrainian FPV

  drone in the Kursk region struck a Russian

  Mi-28 helicopter, damaging its tail rotor, but

  the crew managed to make an emergency

  landing. This was the first time in history that

  a drone intentionally hit an enemy aircraft in

  flight. Shortly after, a similar attack occurred

  when a Ukrainian drone hit a Mi-8 helicopter,

  although details on this incident are scarce,

  despite it being captured on video.

  On Saturday, August 10, another Ka-52

  helicopter was shot down by portable missiles

  in the Kursk region. The crew, Lieutenant

  Colonel Nikolai Shulgin and Captain Erlan

  Medeuov from the 440th Independent

  Helicopter Regiment in Vyazma, did not survive.

  The Ukrainian soldier in the Kursk region.

  Wreckage of a Ka-52 helicopter

  that was shot down on August 6 in

  the Kursk region.

  Ukrainian equipment in the Kursk

  region uses markings in the form

  of white triangles.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

  29

  October 2024

• Page 30

  Ukraine claimed further successes in

  the Kursk region, stating they had also hit

  aircraft, though only the aforementioned

  losses are confirmed. By the end of the period,

  a photo surfaced of a severely damaged

  MI-8MTV-5 helicopter, likely suitable only

  for cannibalization for spare parts. This may

  be the helicopter struck by the FPV drone

  mentioned earlier.

  Indirectly related to the war in Ukraine was

  the loss of a Tu-22M3 bomber on Thursday,

  August 15, near Mikhailovka in the Irkutsk

  region, due to an accident. These aircraft are

  heavily used in attacks on Ukrainian cities, and

  the high operational pace leads to the crew

  and material fatigue, increasing the number

  of accidents. The aircraft bore the designation

  RF-94238 with fuselage number “Red 78.”

  Its four-member crew ejected before the crash,

  but navigator Nikita Jerevalov did not survive.

  Attacks on the Airports

  In addition to air losses, Russia’s air force

  also suffered ground damage. The Ukrainian

  offensive against Russian airports continued

  successfully. On Friday, August 2, a massive

  drone attack hit the Morozovsk airbase in

  the Rostov region. Extensive fires broke out,

  hitting a munitions warehouse, and a Su-34

  fighter-bomber burned down on the tarmac.

  On Friday, August 9, Ukrainian drones

  targeted the Lipetsk airbase in the Lipetsk

  region, adjacent to Kursk. A strong explosion

  forced the evacuation of residents from four

  neighboring villages. Ukraine claimed its

  drones hit a warehouse containing 700 glide

  bombs.

  This Russian convoy on the way to the Kursk region was destroyed by Ukrainian missiles. In the chaos at the start

  of the offensive, however, several convoys were hit by the Russians themselves, even by Ka-52 helicopters.

  Another Ka-52 was shot down on August 10, when it was hit at close range

  by portable missiles.

  A Su-34 that burned down on August 2 at the Morozovsk base. Ammunition depot destroyed on August 2 at the Morozovsk base.

  Wreckage of a Tu-22M3 bomber with tail number "red 78," which crashed

  on August 15 in the Irkutsk region.

  A heavily damaged Russian Mi-8MTV-5 helicopter,

  which had to make an emergency landing sometime

  in August, though further details are unknown.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard30

  October 2024

• Page 31

  The most significant damage occurred on

  Thursday, August 22, when Ukrainian drones

  attacked the Marinovka base in the Volgograd

  region. Metal shelters for aircraft were hit,

  with the confirmed destruction of a Su-34 and

  a non-operational Su-24M, and three other

  aircraft were damaged.

  Ukrainian Losses

  Russia also continued its attacks on

  Ukrainian airbases. On Monday, August 12,

  a rocket strike hit the Myrhorod base in the

  Poltava region, severely damaging a Su-27.

  On Friday, August 16, an Iskander-M ballistic

  missile destroyed a MiG-29 at an airfield in

  Dnipro.

  On August 12, Ukraine suffered a particularly

  sad loss when a MiG-29 with the call sign

  "White 72" was shot down near Kramatorsk,

  killing Captain Oleksandr Myhulya from

  the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, who had

  completed 160 combat flights. Russia claimed

  the MiG was downed by a Su-30 fighter.

  Ukraine also suffered one non-combat

  aviation loss during training. A Mi-2MSB

  helicopter from the 203rd Training Aviation

  Brigade crashed, killing Major Nazar Prokazjuk

  and a cadet from the National Air Force

  University in Kharkiv.

  F-16’s First Combat and First Loss

  On Monday, August 26, the Ukrainian Air

  Force suffered a major loss. It wasn’t just

  the destruction of an F-16 from the small

  contingent (reported as 10 aircraft) that

  had arrived in Ukraine only a month earlier.

  Far more tragic was the death of the respected

  Attack on the Marinovka base on August 22. Destroyed aircraft shelters at the Marinovka base.

  During the observed period, Ukrainian drones also hit a large fuel depot in Proletarsk in the Rostov region.

  It burned for over a week.

  Captain Oleksandr Myhulya of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade of Ukraine and the wreckage

  of the MiG-29 fighter jet in which he died on August 12.

  Ukrainian operator Oleksandr

  next to the IRIS

  -

  T air defense

  system with marked successes

  against Russian cruise missiles.

  Notice that the fifth symbol from

  the right is doubled. At that time,

  the Ukrainians hit one Russian

  missile with a rocket, and its

  explosion destroyed another

  Russian missile.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

  31

  October 2024

• Page 32

  pilot, Colonel Oleksiy Mes, call sign "Moonfish."

  On that day, Russia launched one of its largest

  attacks since the war began, sending more

  than 200 missiles and drones toward Ukraine,

  targeting 15 of its 24 regions. F-16s participated

  in this defense, likely marking their first

  combat action. President Volodymyr Zelensky

  announced the next day, Tuesday, August 27,

  that the F-16s had achieved their first aerial

  victories against Russian missiles. However,

  on Thursday, August 29, it was revealed that

  one F-16 was lost during this action, along with

  its pilot.

  The news was confirmed by MP Mariana

  Bezuhla, who stated that Oleksiy Mes

  was shot down by a Patriot missile due to

  poor coordination among Ukrainian forces.

  Ukrainian Air Force Commander Lieutenant

  General Mykola Oleshchuk responded sharply

  to the MP's remarks, but the next day, on Friday,

  September 30, President Zelensky dismissed

  him from his post, appointing Lieutenant

  General Anatoliy Kryvonozhko as the new

  commander of Ukraine's Air Force.

  Even a month later, it is still unclear what

  exactly happened. During his combat mission,

  Mes destroyed three cruise missiles and one

  kamikaze drone. While he was approaching

  another target, communication was lost. The

  plane crashed, and the pilot died. Several

  possible causes have been suggested,

  including friendly fire from a Patriot missile,

  a technical malfunction, or a collision with

  debris from a destroyed Russian missile,

  a known risk in such missions. Ukraine had

  already lost four fighters (two MiG-29s and

  two Su-27s) this way.

  The destruction of Ukraine’s first F-16 and

  the death of Oleksii Mes holds not only military

  significance but also great symbolic meaning.

  At the start of the war, Mes commanded a unit

  equipped with MiG-29 fighter jets. He was one

  of the voices in the campaign that advocated

  for the delivery of F-16 aircraft from Western

  allies. Together with Major Andrii Pilshchykov,

  who had the call sign "Juice," they lobbied in

  the U.S. during the summer of 2022.

  Tragically, Pilshchykov died before this

  dream could materialize - on August 25,

  2023 perishing in a training flight collision

  between two L-39 Albatros aircraft. At that

  time, in August 2023, Mes became one of

  the first Ukrainian pilots to begin training in

  the West. In the fall of 2023, he transitioned

  from a simulator to the cockpit of a real F-16,

  becoming the very first Ukrainian pilot to do

  so. He also played a major role in integrating

  these fighter jets into Ukraine’s air force.

  Mes died exactly one year and one day after his

  comrade Pilshchykov.

  The first F-16 fighter jets appeared over Ukraine

  at the turn of July and August.

  Andriy Pilshchykov and Oleksiy Mes

  lobbied for the delivery of F-16s. The first

  one died on August 25, 2023, and the second

  one exactly one year and one day later.

  Oleksiy Mes during the training on F-16.

  The Ukrainian Air Force published a series of photos of the Su-27.

  A new photograph of the ex-Slovak MiG-29 fighter

  jet in Ukrainian service.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard32

  October 2024

• Page 33

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  Having launched the signature bomber for use in the European Theatre, Boeing embarked on a voyage into

  the unknown. Bringing together numerous untried technologies the Boeing Aircraft Company launched its

  most significant bomber, the B-29 Superfortress. Although beset by development problems and having

  suffered the loss of the prototype and its Chief Test Pilot Eddie Allan, the company pushed on to create the

  first long-range strategic bombers. Once the Pacific Islands had been captured the B-29 Bomb Groups

  began bombing raids on the Japanese Home Islands. On the other side of the Himalayas further bomb

  groups launched attacks against targets in Japan. As combat experience grew the focus turned to

  destroying as much as possible of its production facilities, mainly by firebombing areas known to have

  these targets. And then the world changed forever. The use of two atom bombs against Hiroshima and

  Nagasaki had shown the power of the atom. When the Japanese finally surrendered the Cold War

  arrived to take its place. War in Korea followed, being the swan song for the B-29 while its younger

  sibling, the B-50, assumed the mantle of Strategic Defence, a position it held until the B-47 Stratojet

  arrived. One of the largest aircraft of World War II, the B-29 remained in service in various roles throughout the

  1950s, being retired in the early 1960s after 3,970 had been built. The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 with the service name

  ‘Washington from 1950 to 1954’ while the re-engined B-50 Superfortress Lucky Lady II became the first aircraft to fly around the world

  non-stop, during a 94-hour flight in 1949. The Soviet Union produced 847 Tupolev Tu-4s, an unlicensed

  reverse-engineered copy of the B-29. This latest in the essential Warpaint series offers a comprehensive look at

  the famous bomber in all its guises, with history, development, service details, and colour artwork and scale plans

  by Sam Pearson.

  Boeing

  BB--2299

  and

  BB--5500

  Superfortress

  By Kev Darling

  B-29 Superfortress 44-70072 X-55 named Limber Richard of the 5th

  Bombardment Squadron, 9th Bombardment Group, flying toward Japan

  with other squadron bombers in 1945. The bombing missions against

  Japan a 3,500 mile round trip, could last as long as sixteen hours. Also

  shown is at least one B-29 of the 1st BS of the same group, complete

  with black and yellow rear fuselage and fin bands. (USAF via DRJ)

  WARPAINT SERIES No.143

  paint Master 21/06/2024 14:48 Page 118

  During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would become the Mirage F1 as a private

  venture, alongside the larger Mirage F2. Work on the F1 eventually took precedence over the more costly

  F2, which was cancelled during the late 1960s. The Armée de l'Air took great interest in the fledgling F1 to

  meet its requirement for an all-weather interceptor aircraft. The Mirage F1 was of similar size to the Mirage

  III and Mirage 5 and was powered by the same SNECMA Atar engine that had been used on the

  larger Dassault Mirage IV, however, unlike its predecessors, it had the layout of a swept wing, but mounted

  high on the fuselage, and a conventional tail surface as used by the F2. Although it had a smaller wingspan

  than the Mirage III, the Mirage F1 nevertheless proved to be superior to its predecessor, carrying more

  fuel while possessing a shorter take-off run and greater manoeuvrability. This latest addition to the

  Warpaint series includes all the usual reference and historical material that has made the series the go-

  to source for modellers and aviation enthusiasts alike. This book is written by Andy Evans and is

  superbly illustrated by Sam Pearson.

  All these titles are available in printed format via our on demand printing service. Please contact our office for further information.

  £25.00

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  GGUUIIDDEELLIINNEE PPUUBBLLIICCAATTIIOONNSS LLIIMMIITTEEDD

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  A French Air Force Mirage F1 returns to its mission

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  WARPAINT SERIES No.142

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  Warpaint 143 B-29 & B-50 + Mirage F1.qxp_Warpaint Advert 22/06/2024 09:42 Page 1

• Page 34

• Page 35

  #2148

  BOXART STORY

  The L-410UVP, serial number 810731, was

  manufactured by LET Kunovice, on 25 November

  1981. It was equipped with the standard

  camouflage for this type, i.e. two shades of green

  on the upper and side surfaces, and light grey

  underneath. At the time when it was intended for

  transporting NATO observers during exercises

  on the territory of Czechoslovakia, the nose, part

  of the tail surfaces and the ends of the wings

  were painted yellow. Subsequently, during an

  inspection at the factory, it was fitted with 'VIP

  camouflage' in white and grey with tricolour on

  the fuselage sides.

  In the middle of 2005, the aircraft was handed

  over to the Pardubice Centre of Aviation Training

  (CLV) of the state enterprise LOM PRAHA, where

  it complemented the already used L-410UVP

  -

  T

  aircraft,fuselage number 0928, for training

  University of Defence Brno students intended for

  the transport aviation. Pilots Štěpán Ručka and

  Petr Kříženecký took over the "new" aircraft from

  Kbely. However, they did not flew off on their first

  attempt, because the aircraft showed significant

  control defects, perhaps due to previous damage

  during ground handling. However, after several

  adjustments, the aircraft was finally taken over,

  although for the rest of its flying life it suffered

  permanent consequences in the form of constant,

  albeit small, slipping. Any change in speed or

  wing configuration thus required re-adjustment

  of the rudder and aileron trims. Over time, the

  aircraft was nicknamed "Máňa“ (pronounced

  Mania, meaning "Little Mary").

  In 2012, the aircraft "0731"underwent the

  R2 revision at the manufacturer. Due to the

  extent of the work being carried out, there was

  a discussion in CLV on the subject of a new

  camouflage to fit within our fleet. Out of many

  ideas from pilots and technicians, the current

  look of the "CLV" L-410s was finally chosen.

  That's why the aircraft "0928" received it as well

  in 2017 during its R2 revision in Kunovice.

  An interesting feature is the inscription on

  the bottom of the fuselage - AEROTRAINING,

  which was supposed to be the call sign of the

  aircraft used in CLV. The call sign of this aircraft

  for communication with air traffic control

  authorities at that time was "Aerotraining 731".

  On 22 October 2020 the aircraft landed for

  the last time in Pardubice, it was then with the

  crew of Antonín Karmazín, Jiří Červený and Jiří

  Seidl. The need for another R2 revision and the

  engines and propellers overhaul, together with

  the necessary modernisation of the avionic

  equipment, meant very high costs. Therefore, the

  decision was made to decommission the aircraft

  and no longer operate it.

  In the end, "Máňa" ended its aviation journey

  in the Aviation Museum in Kunovice. The aircraft

  was transported there on two trucks on March 7,

  2024, where it was displayed to the public after

  assembly with the help of the production plant

  employees. "Máňa" flew a total of 7,479 hours

  and 25 minutes and safely completed 13,892

  landings.

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  Máňa

  Text: Jaroslav Špaček

  INFO Eduard

  35

  October 2024

• Page 36

  BOXART STORY #82108

  World War II gave rise to many unusual

  situations, events, and units. Among these

  was the Connecticut National Guard's

  reconnaissance aviation unit, which ultimately

  achieved over 70 confirmed aerial victories on

  the Chinese battlefield.

  The first U.S. aviation unit with the number 118

  was the 118th Aero Squadron, formed on August

  31, 1917, at Kelly Field, Texas. After moving to

  France, it was redesignated as the 639th Aero

  Squadron in February 1918 and served as

  a transport and supply unit.

  In 1923, the 118th Observation Squadron was

  established as part of the Connecticut National

  Guard. Initially equipped with Curtiss JN-4

  "Jenny" and Curtiss OX-12 aircraft, it assisted

  during floods and worker riots. Gradually, it

  began using O-17 Courier aircraft, Douglas O-38

  and O-46, O-47 medium planes, and Stinson

  O-49, among others.

  In March 1941, the 118th OS was placed under

  Army command and moved to Jacksonville

  Army Airfield in Florida, where it participated in

  anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic. After

  the attack on Pearl Harbor, it continued this

  mission from Charleston, South Carolina. Its

  equipment eventually included not only L-4 and

  L-5 observation aircraft but also P-40, A-20,

  and P-39 combat aircraft. In the first half of

  the year, however, it was ordered to relocate to

  India and later to China.

  By June 1944, this unit, now designated the

  118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS),

  became the fourth fighter squadron within the

  23rd Fighter Group, carrying on the legacy of

  Chennault's "Flying Tigers." Under the command

  of Maj. E.O. McComas, the squadron began flying

  combat missions with P-40Ns from Kweilin

  Airfield, China. In late 1944, it rearmed with

  P-51B and especially C versions. The squadron's

  first two victories came when 1/Lt Oran Stanley

  Watts shot down two Oscars near Anking on

  July 7. The main adversaries of the American

  pilots on this battlefield were Japanese Army

  aviators flying Ki-43 and Ki-44 planes, with

  some Ki-84s appearing later in the war. Watts

  went on to achieve five victories, becoming

  one of the unit's three aces, Maj McComas and

  1/Lt Russell D. Williams also achieving five

  kills each. Members of the 118th TRS returned

  to the U.S. after completing 100 combat sorties,

  typically after about six months of operational

  intensity.

  When the 118th TRS arrived on the Asian

  battlefield, Chinese and Allied forces were

  facing Japan's Operation Ichi-Go, aimed at

  establishing a land link between the occupied

  eastern part of China and present-day Vietnam.

  The second goal of the operation was to seize

  Allied airfields from which the U.S. Air Force

  was launching raids on Japan. For the 23rd FG,

  this meant operating under extremely difficult

  logistical conditions and undergoing several

  evacuations of their own bases.

  By October 20, the 118th TRS had flown nearly

  6,000 operational hours, shot down 24 aircraft,

  probably destroyed 15 others, and damaged

  22 in aerial combat. Its pilots had also destroyed

  14 bridges and damaged 27 more, destroyed 296

  vehicles and damaged 422, sunk 404 cargo

  vessels and damaged 1,439, and killed over

  3,000 soldiers and 1,500 draft horses.

  In November 1944, the 74th FS and 118th

  TRS found themselves in an extraordinary

  situation, tasked with operating from areas

  surrounded by Japanese forces. Maj McComas'

  brightly colored Mustangs flew from Suichuan

  Airfield. Until January 1945, the pilots attacked

  enemy logistics on land, sea, and rail, scoring

  numerous additional aerial victories and

  destroying aircraft on the ground.

  By 1945, Japanese Army aerial activity in

  China had dwindled, with anti-aircraft fire

  becoming the main danger to Mustang pilots.

  During one such action in the spring of 1945,

  a Mustang was photographed bearing the

  names "Dottie N' Butch" and "Roxie" on its

  nose. This aircraft's chief mechanic was R.D.

  Anderson, and it was assigned to two pilots,

  Lt. L.D. Monaghan and Lt. G.J. Kaplanek.

  The final commander of the 118th TRS, Maj

  Martin Lubner, who had six confirmed victories

  and three probable ones from his time with the

  76th FS, was photographed in his flight gear

  with this aircraft.

  Central European readers may find it

  interesting that Gerald J. Kaplanek was the

  son of a Czech father and a Polish mother.

  Another pilot with Czech ancestry, Edward

  J. Vanecek, also served with the unit. He died in

  April 1944 in a crash in India. More details about

  this unique unit can be found on the website

  www.118trs.com.

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  With the National Guard in China

  INFO Eduard36

  October 2024

• Do zteče!

  „Do zteče ostře!“ ("Attack hard!") This is how the pilots of Czech L-39s, conducting combat test firing, asked by radio the ground controller for permission to launch unguided rockets, fire a cannon or drop bombs. As the controller was usually designated a flying personnel, he was located within the firing range area at a safe distance from the impact area but within sight of it during the firing. The leader of the pair, after receiving clearance from the controller, only issued the instruction "Ready" to the wingman pilot. The rockets were then fired simultaneously by the pilots on the instruction "Fire!" by the leader. Subsequently, the rocket controller made an immediate assessment of the accuracy of the hits and then informed the pilots by radio.

  #7047

  BOXART STORY

  „Do zteče ostře!“ ("Attack hard!") This is how

  the pilots of Czech L-39s, conducting combat

  test firing, asked by radio the ground controller

  for permission to launch unguided rockets, fire

  a cannon or drop bombs. As the controller was

  usually designated a flying personnel, he was

  located within the firing range area at a safe

  distance from the impact area but within sight

  of it during the firing. The leader of the pair,

  after receiving clearance from the controller,

  only issued the instruction "Ready" to the

  wingman pilot. The rockets were then fired

  simultaneously by the pilots on the instruction

  "Fire!" by the leader. Subsequently, the rocket

  controller made an immediate assessment of

  the accuracy of the hits and then informed the

  pilots by radio.

  The military areas of Jince, Libava and

  Boletice were used for such rocket tests. Each

  live firing was very important for the pilots.

  Especially for the necessary acquisition of

  the pilot class and thus confirmation of the

  achievement of combat skills on a given type

  and of course proper financial evolution in the

  form of an increase in the pilot's monthly salary.

  For ground personnel, aerial gunnery tests

  have always meant a higher workload than

  everyday duty. Especially for the armourers.

  On the day of preliminary preparation, they

  concentrated their efforts, in addition to the

  preparation of the aircraft and the testing of

  the weapon systems, on the hanging of the

  rocket pods and the actual preparation of

  the aerial weaponry. The aircraft flew mostly

  armed with a combination of the GS-23 cannon

  along with S-5 rockets, or the GS-23 cannon

  along with bombs. Because of the complexity

  of this training, range flights were scheduled

  in weekly blocks.

  The training missions of armed Albatros flying

  on the range had important safety specifics.

  For example, the armorers performed the

  arming of the aircraft only as the last specialty

  in line, when the radio operators and avionics

  specialists, along with the aircraft technician,

  had already completed their preparations.

  Warning flags were placed in front of and

  behind the aircraft during weapons loading.

  This meant that no ground personnel or airport

  security assets were allowed in these areas.

  Once the aircraft was armed, only the pilot and

  his technician could approach it.

  After landing the aircraft back at the base,

  the pilots taxied to the designated "discharge

  point" and pointed the aircraft in a safe direction.

  At this point, a pair of armourers were already

  waiting to check the "safety" of the weapons

  used while the engine was running. In practice,

  this meant that no rocket could be left in the

  rocket pods and no rounds could be left in the

  air cannon. Otherwise, the pilot was informed of

  the balance of ammunition in the weapon. This

  was the signal for him to shut down the engine.

  The armourers then began troubleshooting.

  The boxart of the new Eduard kit, shows

  just the moment when a pair of Albatroses

  launches unguided S-5 rockets from UB-16

  rocket pods over one of the aforementioned

  shooting ranges. Outside of the rocket pods, the

  aircraft is equipped with a pair of additional fuel

  tanks, in order to extend its operational range

  (the ability to perform several runs in

  succession) in the shooting range area.

  The livery of the boxart Albatros shows its

  appearance in the last stage of service with

  the 222nd Training Squadron in Náměšt' nad

  Oslavou. During its service at this base, it was

  lovingly cared for by the aircraft technician

  Michal F., who is now an Eduard employee and

  designer of the camouflage schemes and decals.

  Logically, the realization of the schemes for this

  kit fell to him and his 3903 was not to be missed

  in the selection. In addition, this aircraft carried

  several shades of paint it received during

  various maintenance and revisions, but still

  carried the original factory livery. This makes

  its markings attractive for modellers. During

  service with the 222nd Training Squadron, this

  Albatros received a slight addition in the form

  of stripes applied to the vertical stabilizer.

  There is a humorous story associated with

  these stripes which is mentioned in the kit’s

  instruction sheet.

  Just for completeness, let us add that the

  aircraft was produced in October 1986 and

  made its last flight from the Čáslav airport on

  24.10.2016. From the above it follows that its

  duty was terminated after 30 years of service

  due to the exhaustion of its technical service

  life. During this service it flew 3600 flight hours.

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  Do zteče!

  Text: Zdeněk Nožička

  INFO Eduard

  37

  October 2024

• Page 38

  #2148

  L-410UVP TURBOLET

  1/72

  The Limited edition kit of the Czechoslovak twin-engine

  transport aircraft L-410UVP Turbolet in 1/72 scale.

  plastic parts: Gavia/Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: yes (exhausts; undercarriage

  wheels, undercarriage struts, front

  u/c bay, propellers)

  Product page

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard38

  October 2024

• Page 39

  CN 810731, LOM Praha, Flight Training Center, Pardubice, Czech Republic, 2019

  CN 800525, 5. Luftwaffe Division, Luftwaffe, Germany, 1996

  This L-410UVP, which was later nicknamed Máňa

  (means Mary homely), was finalized on November

  25, 1981 and in December it was handed over to

  the army aviation, which assigned it to the

  3 Transport Aviation Regiment in Prague-Kbely.

  The aircraft underwent several changes of color

  and served as a VIP passeneger (salon) transport

  aircraft. As part of the reorganization of the

  Czech Air Force in the mid-1990s, the aircraft

  was transferred to the 61 Transport Squadron at

  the newly formed 6 Transport Air Base. In 2002,

  it moved to Pardubice to the 34 Special Air Force

  Base (overhauled subsequently in 2004) and

  assigned to the newly formed Flight Training

  Center. At that time, it sported the standard white

  and grey livery and for some time also the “Máňa”

  inscription above the cockpit. At the turn of 2011

  and 2012, this Turbolet underwent a technical

  revision in Kunovice, during which the technical

  life was spanned for another 4800 hours or 10

  years of operation. At the same time, it received

  a new blue livery, in which it lived to the end of

  its service in 2022. During that time, it flew 7,479

  hours and made 13,892 landings. In February

  2024, it was decided that the aircraft would be

  loaned to the Kunovice Aviation Museum to be

  exhibited there.

  In late 1980s, the first L-410UVPs were delivered

  to the Army of then German Democratic Republic.

  These were finished in an eleven-seat salon

  version and the first aircraft were delivered in

  camouflage consisting of irregular stains of khaki

  and green. After German reunification in the

  early 1990s, the Bundesluftwaffe retained these

  aircraft for the 5. Luftwaffe Division which was

  tasked with the transport of government officials.

  The aircraft were overhauled and given a white

  and grey livery with a distinctive stripe of two

  shades of blue. The other L-410UVPs delivered to

  the GDR were mostly of parachute version and

  these were partly sold to Guatemala and partly

  donated to the air forces of the Baltic republics.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  39

  October 2024

• Page 40

  CN 810731, Special Operations squadron, 3 Air Transport Regiment,

  Praha-Kbely, Czechoslovakia, 1990

  CN 851527, Slov-Air, Czechoslovakia, 1990

  At the end of the 1980s, the Turbolet serial number

  810731 was used in a saloon version for transpor-

  ting foreign arms inspectors of the Conference

  on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE)

  by the Special Operations Squadron, which was

  part of the 3 Transport Aviation Regiment in Pra-

  ha-Kbely. The camouflage was complemented by

  large areas of yellow on the wings, tail and nose

  of the aircraft. Most of the stencilling was not re-

  covered in these areas.

  The state-owned Slov-Air company, which repla-

  ced the former ČSA Agrolet in 1969, was the first

  Czechoslovak user of the L-410. It added the first

  aircraft to its fleet in the second half of 1971. The

  aircraft, still in the L-410A version, were used

  for domestic transport and were handed over

  to ČSA in 1975. This aircraft was purchased by

  the Aviation Inspectorate Bureau and flown by

  the crew of Miroslav Srnec and Pavel Plaček

  on November 15, 1985, with the matriculation

  OK

  -

  PXI. Shortly afterwards, the Bureau revised

  its intentions (the aircraft was to serve for ca-

  libration purposes) and in November 1986 it was

  offered for sale or transfer. Moravan company

  and Kunovice aero club were interested, the-

  re was also a Yugoslavian bidder and also the

  army or ČSA were considered. Finally, Slov-Air

  acquired the aircraft in October 1988. On Octo-

  ber 24, 1988, the aircraft was matriculated as

  OK

  -

  PDI and used for the JZD AK Slušovice (aero

  services of the agriculture company Slušovice),

  and later also transported Slovak government

  representatives. In 1992 the aircraft was written

  off after the nose gear was damaged during lan-

  ding. The aircraft was then parked for a long time

  at the Žilina airport, after which it was transpor-

  ted to Bratislava and used for airport firefighters

  training.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard40

  October 2024

• Page 41

  CN 831138, Pyrlandia-Boogie, Ostróv Wielkopolski, Poland, 2006

  CN 8100731, 24 Air Transport Base, Praha-Kbely, Czech Republic, 2010

  This L-410UVP was not made for the customer,

  but for factory purposes. It was used to test

  modifications of the newly prepared UVP

  -

  E

  version. The aircraft with the OK-178 mark was

  flown on January 10, 1984. This was followed

  by tests of brakes, different shapes of wingtip

  tanks and installation of five-bladed propellers.

  In 1985, the aircraft was exhibited in Paris as

  “fake” UVP

  -

  E. The aircraft was also given the civil

  matriculation OK

  -

  OZG, then returned to OK-178

  and was converted back to the standard L-410UVP.

  It then received the new OK

  -

  NZG marking and

  was leased to Slov-Air for two months at the

  end of 1991. It then went into private hands

  with Delta System Air, where it was rebranded

  OK

  -

  NDG. In Norimberk on January 28, 1994,

  it suffered broken wing end due to the strong

  wing. After the repair the crew of Jiří Nečas and

  Albert Orlita flew it to Bratislava. It was operated

  as OK

  -

  NDG by ABA Air and from March 2000 it

  was grounded in Otrokovice for almost a year.

  The next owner was the company Job Air from

  Mošnov, which gave the aircraft a yellow paint

  job with a blue stripe. At the beginning of 2003

  it was sold to Polska, where it flew at Pyrlandia

  Boogie with the matriculation SP

  -

  KPS and served

  to sky-divers. However, as of September 16, 2013,

  it was back in the Czech Republic, this time with

  the matriculation OK

  -

  PRH, which was changed

  to OM

  -

  PRH on July 13, 2016 and then to OM

  -

  HFP,

  operated in attractive livery by Praga Aviation.

  The aircraft is currently parked at Kunovice

  airport. It recorded 6,021 flight hours and 9,066

  landings.

  In 2004, Turbolet CN 8100731, whose history is

  also described in markings A and C, underwent

  an overhaul and was discharged from the army,

  where it served until then, to the Flight Training

  Centre at Pardubice Airport. As part of the

  general overhaul, the original camouflage livery

  was replaced by an elegant white and grey paint

  with a stripe down the length of the aircraft

  in the colors of the national tricolor. Shortly

  afterwards, the inscription “Máňa” appeared on

  both sides above the cockpit side windows. This

  nickname has stuck ever since, although after

  another revision it was given a blue livery and

  the inscription disappeared.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  41

  October 2024

• Gallery L-410UVP no. 810731

  Galery L-410UVP no. 810731Galery L-410UVP no. 810731

  Photo: Petr Kolmann and Jaroslav Špaček

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard42

  October 2024

• Page 43

  This and previous page: L-410 "0731" of the CLV Pardubice / LOM

  PRAHA during flight duties at Pardubice airport.

  The aircraft was decorated like a reindeer during one of the Christmas parties in the hangar.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  43

  October 2024

• Page 44

  The "0731" nose detail with logos of the CLV and LOM PRAHA.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard44

  October 2024

• Page 45

  Two maintenance shots of

  the aircraft in the Pardubice

  airport hangar. The lower photo

  shows the aircraft on 9 March

  2024 during its disassembly

  for transport to the Kunovice

  Aviation Museum.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  45

  October 2024

• Page 46

  New sprues A

  Recommended: for

  L-410UVP 1/72

  3DL72045 L-410UVP SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  Product page

  OVERTREES

  #2148X

  L-410UVP

  TURBOLET

  1/72

  Product page

  OVERLEPT

  #2148-LEPT1

  L-410UVP TURBOLET

  1/72

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard46

  October 2024

• Page 47

  #11180

  THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD

  The Limited edition kit of British fighter aircraft Spitfire Mk.Vb

  in 1/48 scale. The kit offers to build Spitfires Mk.Vb, which were

  flown by Czechoslovak pilots serving in the RAF during the defence

  of Great Britain and attacks on targets in occupied Europe.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 12

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/48

  Dual Combo

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  47

  October 2024

• Page 48

  BM592, W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon,

  United Kingdom, June 1942

  EN765, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon,

  United Kingdom, June -July 1942

  Alois "Amos" Vašátko was the third most

  successful Czechoslovak fighter pilot of World

  War II with 14 confirmed and four probable kills,.

  During the Battle of France, he shot down twelve

  enemy aircraft plus two probably, making him

  the most successful Czechoslovak pilot and

  the fifth most successful ace of the Armée de

  l'air. After the defeat of France, he served with

  No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, with which

  he participated in the Battle of Britain. After the

  Czechoslovak Wing was formed, he became its

  commander on May 1, 1942. The fateful evening

  of June 23, 1942, when 36 Spitfires escorted the

  Bostons for a raid on Morlaix airfield, proved

  fatal for him. During the ensuing dogfight,

  Vašátko collided with an Fw 190A-3 of Uffz.

  W. Reuschling from 7./JG 2 and died. Vasatko's

  personal Spitfire Mk.Vb s/n BM592 was a brand

  new aircraft, delivered to Wing on June 20, 1942.

  As the appearance of it has not been documented,

  its appearance can only be reconstructed,

  especially from the appearance of the first

  personal Spitfire of Vašátko´s successor, Karel

  Mrázek, which in turn is very well documented.

  The command aircraft were taken care of by the

  No. 310 Squadron personnel, and it is possible to

  deduce what Vašátko´s BM592 might have looked

  like. The AV personal codes were most likely

  placed between the cockpit and the Sky-coloured

  stripe, and the AV personal letters were repeated

  on the underside of the engine cowling. No other

  markings were probably applied.

  After the sudden death of the first commander

  of the Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, W/Cdr

  Alois Vašátko, on June 23, 1942, the existing

  commander of No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron,

  W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, was appointed in his place.

  His first personal Spitfire in his new command

  was a Spitfire Mk.Vb s/n EN765, with which

  he made a total of 29 non-operational flights.

  W/Cdr Mrázek took advantage of the privilege

  that came with this position and had his initials

  applied to his new Spitfire as code letters, i.e. KM.

  According to surviving photographs, it is clear

  that the letters KM were displayed in Sky paint

  on both sides between the fuselage cockpit and

  the stripe of Sky paint in front of the tail surfaces.

  They were also found in a smaller form on the

  lower engine cowling. The coloring of the upper

  surfaces was the standard Day Fighter Scheme

  shades of Dark Green and Ocean Grey, the lower

  surfaces were in Medium Sea Grey. Karel Mrázek

  was one of the most capable young officers of the

  pre-war air force. During his wartime career he

  shot down four enemy aircraft, one probably and

  three damaged. He was the only Czechoslovak

  fighter pilot to clash with pilots from the Italian

  Expeditionary Corps Corpo Aereo Italiano, and he

  emerged from the battle successfully, managing

  to shoot down two Fiat Cr.42s. His leadership

  skills were recognized with high awards of DFC

  and DSO.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard48

  October 2024

• Page 49

  EP461, W/Cdr František Doležal, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon,

  United Kingdom, April-July 1943

  AD325, F/Lt Emil Foit, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Perranporth, Cornwall, United Kingdom,

  December 1941-February 1942

  The first user of Spitfire EP461 was a veteran

  of the Battle of Britain and France, S/Ldr Jack

  Rose, Acting Squadron Leader of Exeter Station.

  Although without the appropriate rank, he filled

  in for W/Cdr Mrazek both functionally and as Wing

  Commander. In the period August-November 1942

  Jack Rose led 15 sweeps as Wing Commander

  and marked his Spitfire with his initials JR.

  S/Ldr Frantisek "Dolly" Doležal, Commander of

  No. 310 Squadron, also used EP461 occasionally

  in December 1942 and early January 1943 without

  changing his markings. In January the JR became

  KM and was used by W/Cdr Karel Mrázek as his

  last personal Spitfire in the Czechoslovak Wing.

  On April 1, 1943, W/Cdr František Doležal became

  the new Wing Commander and took over the

  EP461 from Mrázek. At the time, the aircraft

  had its wingtips cut and a new round rear-view

  mirror installed. The Wing Commander's badge

  was painted under the left windshield. The

  code letters FD were in front of the fuselage

  cockade on both sides and their appearance

  varied on the starboard and port. The FD marking

  was placed also on the bottom of the engine

  cowling. The serial number EP461 was largely

  repainted in Ocean Grey camouflage paint on the

  right side after numerous changes of the code.

  W/Cdr Frantisek Doležal achieved his last aerial

  victory with this Spitfire when he damaged an

  Fw 190A from 8./JG 2 Richthofen on May 3, 1943.

  He ended the war with a total score of six

  confirmed victories, four probable and four

  enemy aircraft damaged. He was one of the first

  to return to Czechoslovakia after the war as

  early as May 17, 1945, but died aboard a transport

  Siebel on October 4, 1945.

  Emil Foit was born in 1913 in Brno and after

  graduating from the business academy and

  military schools he became a fighter pilot. After

  the occupation of Czechoslovakia in May 1939

  he made his way to Great Britain via Poland

  and Sweden and then France in August, where

  he joined the Foreign Legion. He served in Tunis,

  Blida in Algeria and Oran. After the surrender of

  France, he went via Casablanca and Gibraltar to

  the UK, where he was accepted into the RAF in

  August 1940. He underwent brief combat training

  with Hurricanes, served briefly with the British

  No. 85 Squadron and in October 1940 was posted

  to Duxford with No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron.

  From February 1942 to November 1942, he was

  B Squadron Commander. From January 1943

  to January 1944, he served as commander of

  No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. During air

  combat he shot down three enemy aircraft and

  damaged five. He received numerous medals and

  decorations for his combat activities, including

  the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). On his

  return to his homeland in 1945 he was appointed

  commander of the 10 Air Regiment at Kbely. After

  February 1948 he went into exile in Great Britain

  and served again in the RAF. Emil Foit died in

  1976 in England. The Spitfire AD325, which he

  flew at the turn of 1941-1942, was a brand new

  aircraft, delivered to No. 310 Squadron during

  the rearmament to the Mk.Vb version. It bore the

  donation inscription WESTMORLAND II on the tank

  cover and most likely had the Czechoslovakian

  emblem on the engine cowling.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  49

  October 2024

• Page 50

  AR423, F/Lt František Trejtnar, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Ibsley, Hampshire, United Kingdom,

  September 1943-February 1944

  AD572, F/O František Peřina, No. 312 Squadron, RAF Harrowbeer, Devon, United Kingdom,

  February-June 1942

  František Trejtnar was born on March 7, 1917.

  He graduated from the aviation school in Prostějov

  and became a pilot in the Czechoslovak army.

  After the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia by

  Germans in 1939, he went to Poland. In a short

  time, he went to France, where he was accepted

  into the Foreign Legion. When the war broke out

  with the German attack on Gdansk, Poland, on

  September 1, 1939, he was transferred to the

  forming Czechoslovak Foreign Army in France

  and sent to retraining as a pilot. After the fall

  of France, he left Port Vendres for Gibraltar and

  from there he sailed to Liverpool aboard Neuralia

  ship. In the UK he was accepted into the Royal Air

  Force at the end of July 1940. In early November

  1940 he was posted to No. 310 (Czechoslovak)

  Squadron at Duxford. He fought with the unit

  throughout his wartime career, during which he

  scored one Fw 190 shot down and two damaged.

  On June 23, 1942, during a combat with an Fw 190,

  František Trejtnar and his opponent went deep

  into English territory. Czech pilot was shot down

  during the engagement, had to bail out and broke

  his leg when he hit the ground on the parachute.

  The disoriented German pilot, Oblt. Armin Faber,

  landed his Fw 190 to the amazement of all at

  the British base at Pembrey. The Britons thus

  got their hands on a completely undamaged

  Fw 190A-3, which they subsequently subjected to

  a series of tests and practice dogfights. František

  Trejtnar flew the AR423 Spitfire shown here

  regularly from September 1943 to February 1944

  as B Squadron Commander of No. 310 Squadron.

  The tank cover bore the donation inscription The

  ROBINSON Fighter.

  František Peřina was the first Czechoslovak

  fighter pilot, who achieved five confirmed kills

  and became ace. Born in 1911 in the village of

  Morkůvky near Břeclav, he left for Poland after

  the Munich dictate, from where he later headed

  by ship to France, where he retrained on Curtiss

  Hawk H-75 fighters. In December 1939 he became

  one of the first twenty Czechoslovak fighters

  sent to the Western Front. He was assigned to

  the famous Groupe de Chasse 1/5, where he flew

  mostly as the wingman of commander of the

  1st Escadrille, Capitaine Jean Accart. During the

  three weeks of the French campaign, he shot

  down 11 aircraft confirmed and two probably.

  After the surrender of France, he continued on

  to the UK via Gibraltar by boat. He was accepted

  into the RAF at the rank of Pilot Officer and in

  September 1940 was posted to the recently

  formed No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. In its

  ranks he participated first in the Battle of Britain

  and later in offensive sweeps over the occupied

  continent. During these actions he closed his

  combat score by shooting down an Fw 190. During

  World War II he was credited with shooting down

  12 aircraft confirmed, two probably and one

  aircraft damaged. After the war he returned

  to his homeland but was forced to emigrate in

  1949 after the Communists took over. He spent

  several years as a pilot in the British Royal

  Air Force, later flying in Canada and the USA.

  He lived in the United States until 1993, when

  he returned permanently to the Czech Republic.

  He died on May 6, 2006 at the age of 95. František

  Peřina flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb AD572 shown here

  regularly from February to June 1942 and shot

  down one Fw 190 on June 6, 1942.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard50

  October 2024

• Page 51

  EP785, P/O Ladislav Světlík, No. 312 Squadron, RAF Churchstanton, Somerset,

  United Kingdom, January-April 1943

  AD380, F/O Alois Hochmal, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom,

  October 1941-April 1942

  Pilsen native Ladislav Světlík was born on

  March 23, 1917. He took advantage of the 1000

  new pilots for the country campaign and learned

  to fly. Between 1936 and 1937 he completed

  military training in Prostějov and then served

  as a fighter pilot. After the German occupation,

  he went to France via Poland, where he joined

  the Foreign Legion. After reassignment to the

  Air Force, he was retrained at Chartres on the

  Curtiss Hawk H-75 and scored four confirmed

  and three probable kills in combat against

  the German Luftwaffe. After the fall of France,

  he moved to the UK. Here he was assigned to No.

  312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. Despite the amount

  of combat missions he completed, he scored only

  one more kill when on May 23, 1944, in his new

  Spitfire Mk.IXc, he shot down an Fw 190 flown by

  German ace Lt. Georg Kiefner. After completing

  his second combat tour in July 1944, he was

  ferrying Vickers Wellingtons and at the very end

  of the war he served with No. 147 Squadron as

  a transport pilot. He returned to Czechoslovakia in

  August 1945 and served with the Army Transport

  Group until 1946. He then joined Czechoslovakian

  Airlines. After February 1948, he became one

  of the pilots who carried out a coordinated

  emigration with the use of three transport

  aircraft. He returned to the UK and rejoined the

  Royal Air Force. He died on July 27, 2008 in New

  Zealand. He was promoted in memoriam to the

  rank of Colonel in 1991. An interesting feature of

  Spitfire Mk.Vb EP785, which Ladislav Světlík flew

  regularly in the spring of 1943, is the depiction of

  the No. 312 Squadron emblem on the tank cover.

  The emblem is not known to have been drawn on

  any other Mk.Vb Spitfire serving with the unit.

  Not every pilot who fought in World War II can

  boast the title of fighter ace, participation in

  exceptional actions, a significant number of

  flying hours or high honors. A large number of

  them achieved, for example, only a third of the

  aerial victory, or flew their entire war career

  without recording any combat. And it was with

  the enormous contribution of hundreds of these

  unassuming heroes and patriots who did not

  accept the occupation of their homeland, that

  Czechoslovakia was liberated during World War II.

  The aircraft of No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron

  date from the first half of 1942, when the unit

  was part of the Hornchurch Wing, famous for its

  Walt Disney cartoon characters. The author of

  these drawings was Sgt. Karel Pavlík, a native

  of Pilsen, who used his original profession as

  a letter painter to decorate individual Spitfires

  with drawings under the windshield, as

  requested by the pilots. The drawing of Robber

  the kitten was painted by him on Spitfire AD380

  RY

  -

  R. An interesting feature of this Spitfire’s

  livery are the code letters RY

  -

  R. The first letter

  R was in Sky color and the following letters Y

  -

  R

  in Sky Blue. Also, the stripe in front of the tail

  surfaces was in Sky Blue. At the top of this was

  the s/n AD386, with the original Sky color shining

  through underneath. The aircraft of serial number

  AD386 never served with No. 313 Squadron,

  it was probably a misspelling during a previous

  camouflage repair. The actual serial number of

  this Spitfire was AD380 and the aircraft served

  with No. 313 Squadron from October 28, 1941,

  to April 24, 1942 and was most often flown by

  F/O A. Hochmal, F/Sgt V. Foglar and Sgt O. Kresta.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  51

  October 2024

• Page 52

  EP110, F/Lt Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hawkinge, Kent,

  United Kingdom, August-September 1943

  BM210, S/Ldr František Fajtl, CO of No. 122 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Devon,

  United Kingdom, May 1942

  The Spitfire LF Mk.Vb EP110 flown by B Flight

  Commander of No. 313 Squadron RAF, Otmar

  Kučera, DFC, had the code RY

  -

  R and here is

  portrayed its appearance during Operation

  Starkey on September 9, 1943. During this

  operation, black and white invasion stripes

  were used for the first time to distinguish own

  and foreign aircraft. They were also painted on

  aircraft that were to take part in low-altitude

  operations that day. But the stripes looked

  different from the well-known “invasion” ones of

  the later Normandy landings. No. 313 Squadron

  moved to Hawkinge Airfield, which was under the

  command of No. 11 Group, Fighter Air Command,

  in mid-August 1943 after a recuperation stay

  and patrolling in the north over the Orkneys.

  The squadron thus became involved in operational

  flights of the deceptive Operation Starkey as part

  of the Hawkinge Wing. During these operations,

  the unit also scored one air combat victory

  thanks to its commander S/Ldr. Jaroslav Himr.

  František Fajtl was born on August 20, 1912, in

  Donín, Louny district. He graduated from the

  Military Academy in Hranice and graduated in

  1935 as an air force lieutenant. In June 1939 he

  fled to France via Poland, where he joined Armée

  de l’Air as a sergeant. He fought in the Bloch

  MB.152 and Morane-Saulnier MS.406 and when

  France fell, he retreated to North Africa and

  from there made his way to England via Gibraltar.

  In the ranks of No. 1 and No. 17 Squadron he

  took part in the Battle of Britain. In 1941 he

  became commander of No. 313 Squadron, and

  a year later he became the first Czechoslovak to

  take command of an English squadron, namely

  No. 122 (City of Bombay) Squadron. Already on

  May 5, 1942, he was shot down over France and

  made an emergency landing in the occupied

  territory. In dramatic circumstances, he made it

  across France and the Pyrenees to Spain, where

  he was captured and imprisoned in the Miranda

  concentration camp. On his release he returned

  to England, was promoted to the rank of Wing

  Commander and, at his own request, returned to

  combat as CO of No. 313 Squadron. In January 1944

  he was appointed commander of a group of pilots

  who went to the Soviet Union. After retraining

  as a La-5FN, he led the 1st Czechoslovak

  Independent Fighter Regiment in the USSR.

  Like other pilots fighting on the Western Front,

  he was discharged from the army after the

  war and imprisoned. Afterwards he worked

  as a labourer and as a clerk. He was not fully

  rehabilitated until after the fall of communism.

  He died at the age of 94. In all, he shot down

  four enemy planes during his wartime career,

  certainly, and damaged two.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard52

  October 2024

• Page 53

  R7192, P/O Josef Příhoda, No. 111 Squadron, RAF Debden, Essex,

  United Kingdom, February 1942

  AR435, Sgt. František Loucký, No. 65 Squadron, RAF Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom, July 1942

  Josef Příhoda trained as a mechanic, but in

  1935 he volunteered for the air force. Gradually,

  he completed pilot training and a fighter course

  at Aviation Regiment 4 in Hradec Králové. After

  the occupation of the country on March 15, 1939,

  he got to France via Poland, but with the

  necessary Foreign Legion entry. During

  September, finally, he was accepted into the

  Armée de l’Air and training began. However, both

  the designated ERC 571 and the GC III/4, located

  in North Africa, had obsolete aircraft and did

  not get into action. The fall of France meant

  evacuation to the UK, where Josef Příhoda joined

  the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Rated

  Sergeant he retrained on Hurricanes and in

  October 1940 joined No. 1 Squadron, with which

  he intervened in the crucial Battle of Britain. This

  was followed by night operations and offensive

  actions over occupied Europe. In late September

  1941 he transferred to No. 111 Squadron flying

  with Spitfires. In mid-April 1942, already with

  a reputation as a very experienced pilot, he joined

  No. 313 Squadron. On October 23, he received the

  DFC Distinguished Flying Cross for outstanding

  combat action, including five confirmed and

  two probable kills. He took part in many actions

  over enemy territory and was killed in Operation

  Ramrod 56, which targeted the Brest submarine

  base. His Spitfire crashed in the sea. The Spitfires

  of No. 111 Squadron, with which Příhoda flew in

  late 1941-1942, wore night livery at the time with

  a new modified C1 emblem on the fuselage in

  a reduced form. With this livery Spitfire R7192,

  JU

  -

  Y, Příhoda shot down one Bf 109 and damaged

  another on February 12, 1942.

  František Loucký began his combat activity within

  the RAF on September 17, 1941, with No. 65 (East

  India) Squadron flying Spitfires Mk.Vb. František

  Loucký flew, among others, Spitfires codenamed

  YT

  -

  E. The first one was serial number W3456,

  the second AB133 and the third AR435. The AB133

  and AR435 Spitfires bore Loucký’s nickname

  Lucky painted under the windshield, while the

  AR435 was accompanied by a small Czechoslovak

  insignia. In June 1942, Loucký was transferred to

  Czechoslovak No. 312 Squadron. There he flew

  missions against targets in occupied Western

  Europe, participated in air cover of bombers,

  attacks against ships, etc. In the autumn of 1943,

  he volunteered for the Czechoslovak fighter unit

  in the USSR. This 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment

  was sent to help the Slovak uprising (SNP) on

  September 17, 1944. During the SNP battles, he

  was severely wounded by enemy anti-aircraft fire

  while attacking German tanks near Ružomberok

  and was airlifted to the USSR for treatment.

  He returned to the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter

  Aviation Regiment after his recovery on

  November 23, 1944 and on December 7. 1944

  he was transferred to the newly formed 2nd

  Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment, where

  he served in training as a gunnery officer of the

  unit and also flew to Prague-Letňany Airport

  on May 16, 1945. Due to persistent difficulties

  resulting from war injuries, he was discharged

  from active military service on June 29, 1946.

  In 1947 he published a book “I Stayed Alone”.

  After his death, his book about the fallen airmen

  of the Czechoslovak Foreign Resistance “Many

  Did Not Fly”, was published.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  53

  October 2024

• Page 54

  FE1207 Spitfire Mk.V seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644113 Spitfire Mk.V LööK (Brassin)

  648640 Spitfire Mk.V engine (Brassin)

  648663 Spitfire Mk.V cockpit (Brassin)

  648664 Spitfire Mk.V wheels (Brassin)

  648667 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts rounded (Brassin)

  648668 Spitfire Mk.V three-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648669 Spitfire Mk.V six-stacks exhausts fishtail (Brassin)

  648738 Spitfire Mk.V landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  D48088 Spitfire Mk.V stencils (Decal Set)

  D48101 Spitfire Mk.V national insignia (Decal Set)

  EX914 Spitfire Mk.V TFace (Mask)

  Recommended: for

  Spitfire Mk.Vb 1/48

  OVERTREES

  OVERTREES

  #82156X

  Spitfire Mk.Vb

  late 1/48

  #82159X

  Spitfire Mk.Vb

  mid 1/48

  OVERLEPT

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  THEY FOUGHT TO

  REBUILD 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  #644113

  #648738

  #648663

  #648640

  #648664

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard54

  October 2024

• Page 55

  #82108

  P-51B/C Mustang with dorsal fin

  The ProfiPACK edition of the kit of the US WWII fighter aircraft P-51B/C Mustang

  in 1/48 scale. The kit offers to build Mustang version B and C with dorsal fin

  in one of the five USAAF markings and one from the RAF.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/48

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  55

  October 2024

• Page 56

  P-51B-1-NA, s/n 43-12375, Capt. Don M. Beerbower, 353rd FS, 354th FG, 9th AF,

  A-2 Cricqueville, France, June 1944

  P-51C-10-NT, s/n 43-25054, Lt. Robert M. Scott, 79th FS, 20th FG, 8th AF, Kings Cliffe,

  Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, November 1944

  Don Merrill Beerbower named his Mustang,

  which he flew with the 353rd FS, 354th FG,

  in honor of his daughter Bonnie B. He flew his

  first combat mission on December 1, 1943 and

  scored his first victory over a Bf 109 on January

  5, 1944. He was promoted to the rank of Captain

  on January 15, 1944 and achieved ace status on

  February 20, 1944, by shooting down another

  Bf 109. After the invasion of Normandy in June

  1944, the unit moved to Cricqueville airfield,

  a forward field airfield in Normandy, northern

  France. Beerbower became a double ace on

  August 8, 1944, after achieving his tenth victory.

  Although fellow pilots were switching to the newer

  P-51Ds, Beerbower decided to keep his B version

  aircraft because it was lighter, had higher speed

  as well as climb rate and better maneuverability.

  Beerbower scored his last victory on July 7, 1944,

  which he achieved by shooting down a Focke-

  Wulf Fw 190, bringing his total number of aerial

  victories to 15. He destroyed two more aircraft on

  the ground. On August 9, 1944, Beerbower led his

  squadron on an armed reconnaissance mission

  during which he located an enemy airfield. To test

  air defensive capabilities, he conducted an attack,

  destroying an enemy aircraft and an AA position.

  On the second attack his aircraft received hits to

  the wing and fuselage. Unfortunately, he struck

  the tail surfaces while exiting the aircraft on

  a parachute and was tragically killed. He was

  posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service

  Cross and Silver Star for his last mission.

  A Mustang of four forms, that’s what you could

  call the color history of this P-51C s/n 43-25054.

  At the start, when the aircraft lacked the fin,

  Lt. W. H. Lewis was flying it. At that time,

  the aircraft was camouflaged with Olive Drab

  paint on the upper surfaces and bore the

  inscription Hells Belle and a small devil painting.

  After the fin was applied and the Olive Drab

  camouflage was partially removed especially in

  the fuselage area, the aircraft received black and

  white stripes on the nose and the Beaverhead

  Filly lettering was painted on the port side.

  The Mustang thus painted was flown by Lt. Keith

  C. Price, who scored his only kill in it. Lt. Robert

  M. Scott was the next pilot to take over this

  aircraft and had the inscription Shoot You’re Faded

  painted on the port side of its engine cowling.

  The inscription Berties Bet was later added.

  Throughout its wartime career, this Mustang was

  cared for by the same mechanic and armorer,

  Sgt. E. Schrader and Sgt. A. Kublin. Under their

  care, this Mustang flew over 700 hours during

  the war and lived to see the end of it. It finally

  crashed near Munich after the war.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard56

  October 2024

• Page 57

  Mustang Mk.III, s/n FZ111, F/L Mieczysław Gorzula, No. 309 (Polish) Squadron,

  RAF Andrews Field, United Kingdom, April-May 1945

  P-51B-15-NA, s/n 43-24877, Lt. Harold P. Kick, 325th FS, 318th FG, 15th AF,

  Lesina, Italy, November 1944

  F/Lt Mieczysław Gorzula was one of the few

  British RAF pilots flying Mustang aircraft who

  managed to shoot down a Me 262 jet fighter

  in aerial combat at the end of World War II.

  On April 9, 1945, while escorting Lancaster

  bombers heading for Hamburg, he led a blue

  section of three Mustangs as commander of

  B Flight of No. 309 Squadron. Soon after the

  bombers left the target the formation was

  attacked by several Me 262s. Gorzula managed

  to approach one of them and shoot it down.

  His Mustang Mk.III serial number FZ111, which

  he regularly flew, bore a drawing of his beloved

  Englishwoman Jean on the left side of the nose.

  The ace with six victories and 325th FS

  commander Roy Burton Hogg was flying Mustang

  number 69, named Penrod. Captain Hogg joined

  the 325th FS in March 1943 and recorded his

  victories with three different types of aircraft

  (two with the P-40, two with the P-47 and two

  with this Mustang). After the unit was partially

  re-equipped with the new D version Mustangs,

  Lt. Harold Kick took over the aircraft and renamed

  it Chinese Laundry. This inscription adorned the

  left side of the engine cowling, with the great It’s

  a Dog inscription on the right side. It was one of

  the last three P-51Bs left in service with the 15th

  AF.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  57

  October 2024

• Page 58

  P-51C-10 NT, s/n 44-11096, 26th FS, 51st FG, 14th AF, Kunming, China, 1944

  P-51C, Lt. G. J. Kaplanek and L. D. Monaghan, 118th TRS, 23rd FG, 14th AF,

  Chengkung, China, May 1945

  Mustangs of the 26th FS carried the typical

  shark’s mouth and were often decorated with

  various inscriptions. The 51st Fighter Group spent

  most of World War II defending both ends of an

  air supply route between India and China called

  The Hump. The unit was activated in January 1941,

  almost a year before the Americans entered the

  war. It was one of the first groups sent from the

  United States to India after the attack on Pearl

  Harbor. In September 1942, it moved to Dinjan,

  Assam, and began operations in October. Dinjan

  was within range of Japanese aircraft, so the

  51st FG spent part of the period defending supply

  routes and its own bases. It also took part in

  the fighting during the Japanese offensive in

  northern Burma in 1943. In October 1943, the

  51st FG was transferred to the 14th AF in China.

  Its mission was to defend the Chinese end of

  The Hump and also to support the Chinese Army.

  It also carried out attacks on Japanese ships.

  The unit returned to India in September 1945 and

  to the United States in November.

  The history of the 118th TRS, in the form of the 118th

  Aero Squadron, began on August 31, 1917, when

  it flew in France. In 1923, it was redesignated

  as the 118th Observation Squadron within the

  Connecticut National Guard. After the Japanese

  attack on Pearl Harbor, its activities consisted

  of anti-submarine patrolling off the Atlantic

  coast. In August 1942, it was withdrawn from that

  tasking and prepared for deployment overseas.

  In October 1943, already as the 118th Tactical

  Reconnaissance Squadron, it was assigned

  to the 23rd Fighter Group, flying as part of the

  14th AF over the CBI (China-Burma-India) area.

  There it operated first with P-40s in the defense

  of airfields in India, from which B-29s operated.

  On its return to the US, it was reassigned to the

  Connecticut Air National Guard. The unit is still

  active, now flying as the 118th Airlift Squadron

  with C-130H Hercules aircraft. The distinguishing

  feature of the 118th TRS Mustangs was the black,

  yellow-lined lightning bolt on the fuselage

  and small lightning bolts on the wing tips.

  The machine with the number 586 on the stern

  bore the inscription Dottie’N’Butch on the left side

  of the engine cowl and Roxie on the right side of

  it. The upper surfaces of the fuselage and wings

  were camouflaged with Olive Drab paint and the

  surface was heavily weathered.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard58

  October 2024

• Page 59

  FE1449 P-51B/C seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644268 P-51B/C LööK (Brassin)

  644278 P-51B/C framed canopy LööKplus (Brassin)

  644279 P-51B/C Malcolm Hood canopy LööKplus (Brassin)

  648986 P-51B/C wheels diamond tread (Brassin)

  648987 P-51B/C wheels oval tread (Brassin)

  648988 P-51B/C wheels cross tread (Brassin)

  648989 P-51B/C wheels block tread (Brassin)

  648990 P-51B/C wheels diamond tread 2 (Brassin)

  648991 P-51B/C wheels block tread 2 (Brassin)

  648992 P-51B/C exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648993 P-51B/C exhaust stacks w/fairing (Brassin)

  648994 P-51B/C undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648997 P-51B/C gun bays PRINT (Brassin)

  6481001 P-51B/C 108gal drop tanks PRINT (Brassin)

  6481002 P-51B/C seat Type 1 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481003 P-51B/C seat Type 2 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481004 P-51B/C engine (Brassin)

  6481005 P-51B/C 75gal drop tank early PRINT (Brassin)

  6481006 P-51B/C Hamilton Standard propeller (Brassin)

  6481007 P-51B/C Hamilton Standard propeller uncuffed (Brassin)

  6481008 P-51B/C bazooka rocket launcher (Brassin)

  6481009 P-51B/C/D seat Type 3 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481010 P-51B/C wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  6481031 P-51B/C gun sights PRINT (Brassin)

  6481040 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 2 PRINT (Brassin)

  6481041 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 3 PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48177 P-51B/C SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  EX1036 P-51B/C framed canopy TFace (Mask)

  EX1037 P-51B/C Malcolm Hood canopy TFace (Mask)

  EX1038 P-51B/C US national insignia (Mask)

  EX1051 P-51B/C framed canopy (Mask)

  EX1052 P-51B/C Malcolm Hood canopy (Mask)

  Pro Spitfiry Mk.Vb 1/48

  DOPORUČUJEME:

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  dorsal fin & Malcolm

  Hood canopy 1/48

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  dorsal fin & Birdcage

  canopy 1/48

  OVERLEPT

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  P-51B/C

  1/48

  Product page Product page

  Product page

  #6481004

  #6481010

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  #6481041

  #648994

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  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  59

  October 2024

• Page 60

  #7047

  L-39ZA Albatros

  1/72

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of the Czechoslovak subsonic

  jet trainer L-39ZA Albatros in 1/72 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard60

  October 2024

• Page 61

  L-39ZA, s/n 915254, 222 Training Squadron, Náměšť nad Oslavou AFB,

  Czech Republic, 2008-2010

  L-39ZA, No. s/n 232436, 2436, 1 Fighter Squadron, Žatec AFB, Czechoslovakia, 1991-1993

  The Albatros s/n 233903 made its first flight

  on October 13, 1986. The aircraft served with

  30 Air Attack Regiment at Pardubice, then at

  32 Air Tactical Base Náměšť nad Oslavou (later

  redesignated 22 Air Base) and finished its

  career with 21 Air Tactical Base Čáslav. Among

  the highlights of its operations is a test flight

  with modified AI-25TL engine after a series of

  so-called titanium fires in the second half of the

  1990s. Col (Ret.) Oldřich Pelčák, an astronaut of

  the reserve crew, participated in these tests.

  On October 24, 2016, Albatros No. 3903 made

  its last flight. After 30 years of operation, it

  accumulated 3644 hours and 40 minutes of

  flight time. The surface of the aircraft showed

  significant signs of repairs, during which paints

  of different shades were used. The “zebra” stripes

  on the top of the fin appeared in mid-October

  2009 as an initiative by ground staff. The idea

  was made for the joke, combining the symbols

  of the squadrons of AFB Čáslav, i. e., tiger and

  a winged horse Pegasus in their emblem.

  The stripes were sprayed on three aircraft,

  namely 3903, 2344 and 2436. But only 3903 had

  them in green, as it flew with a green top of the

  fin. Nonetheless the stripes did not last too long

  on the aforementioned aircraft as they were

  ordered to be removed by high brass – to the

  displeasure of the ground staff.

  The L-39ZA Albatros s/n 232436 was delivered

  to the 2 Squadron, 30 Air Regiment in Hradec

  Králové on December 28, 1982. During the

  autumn of 1984 it was transferred to the 11 Sqn

  in Žatec and consequently was relocated to

  the 5 Sqn at Pilsen-Líně airbase at the end of

  November 1984. It was used in the system of the

  western border air defense, in one case with the

  use of live weapons. This incident occurred on

  September 28, 1985, when Lt. Piskatý took off to

  take an action against US AH-1S Cobra helicopter.

  The pilot of the Albatros fired S-5 unguided

  missiles at the helicopter in the area of Knížecí

  Pláně over Šumava mountains. Three years

  later, on April 10, 1988, the same aircraft, flown

  by Col Petřík, took off against West German sport

  aircraft with a pair of inexperienced pilots who

  were forced to land at the airport in Karlovy Vary.

  After the first overhaul at LOT Trenčín in 1989,

  the 2436 received “tiger” markings and

  participated in events in the UK. After the

  disbandment of the 5 Sqn in 1991 and then the

  11 Sqn in 1993, it changed several units. It served

  with the 4 Independent Fighter Squadron, initially

  based in Přerov and then in Čáslav. From January

  1995 it served with the 41 Fighter Sqn at the

  4 Fighter AB in Čáslav and on January 30,

  2001, it was transferred to the 32 Tactical

  Air Base in Náměšt' nad Oslavou. After

  a collision on September 15, 2007, the 2436 was

  decommissioned with a total of 3,926 hours flown

  and 5,138 landings. Since 2018 it has been in the

  collections of VHÚ Praha.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  61

  October 2024

• Page 62

  L-39ZA, s/n 035019, 213 Training Squadron, Čáslav AFB,

  Czech Republic, 2008-2010

  L-39ZA, s/n 035147, No. 147, 299 brTA, Graf Ignatievo AB, Bulgaria, 2015

  On November 4, 1968, a test pilot of the VZLU

  Ing. Rudolf Duchoň made a maiden flight of

  the first prototype of the Aero L-39 Albatros

  trainer marked X-02. On the occasion of the

  50th anniversary of this event, the Albatros

  035019, belonging to the 213 Training Squadron

  of the 21 Tactical Air Base in Čáslav, received an

  anniversary marking, which was a modification

  of the X-02 prototype’s livery from the period of

  its first flights, i.e. white-gray-red-black colors.

  On the left side of the vertical fin a depiction of

  a Slovak Air Force pilot in his current gear was

  painted with a reflection of the new generation

  L-39 on the visor of his helmet. On the right side

  there was portrayed Rudolf Duchoň, as he was

  taken on the photo on the day of the first L-39

  takeoff.

  The Bulgarian Air Force ordered thirty-six L-39ZAs,

  which were delivered by the manufacturer Aero

  Vodochody between 1986 and 1990. They were

  used for advanced pilot training and as light

  attack aircraft by air units at Kamenets, Bezmer/

  Yambol and Graf Ignatievo airfields. Between 1995

  and 2000, a number of L-39s were relocated to

  fighter bases to operate alongside fighter aircraft.

  These bases were located at Cheshengirovo,

  Dobrich and Ravents airfields. In 1997, six

  of these were sold to Cambodia and in 2001,

  six more were sold to the USA. A small number

  of L-39 trainers are permanently stationed at

  Graf Ignatievo to supplement training activities

  and often participate in combined missions with

  MiG-29s and F-16s.

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard62

  October 2024

• Page 63

  L-39ZA, s/n 533218, No. 145, Military Flight Academy, Grupul 20,

  Borcea-Fetesti AB, Romania, 2012

  L-39ZA/ART, s/n 533218, 411 Sqn, 3 Air Division, 41 Wing,

  Chiang Mai AB, Thailand, 2014

  L-39 ZA aircraft operated in the Romanian

  Air Force from 1982 to 2007. The first L-39 ZA

  Albatros arrived in Romania in early December

  1981 and immediately joined the newly established

  20 Fighter and Fighter-Bomber Group’s flight

  school, operating out of Boboc Airport. A total of

  32 units of the L-39ZA variant were purchased.

  The aircraft with fuselage number 145 entered

  service on April 6, 1985 and made its last flight

  in December 2007. It was then sold to a private

  entity.

  The Royal Thai Air Force operated L-39ZA/

  ART aircraft at two airbases. The majority of

  them were stationed at Korat Air Base in the

  central part of Thailand, which serves as an

  RTAF showcase, hosting foreign delegations

  and conducting joint exercises with neighboring

  countries. The second base was Takhli, located

  about 200 km to the west, where the aircraft

  were used for operational flights. The L-39ZA

  aircraft were initially used by the 101 and 102

  Squadrons in Korat, then by the 401 Squadron

  in Thakli, and the 411 Squadron in Chiang Mai.

  The RTAF received a total of 40 L-39 aircraft

  by 1994, with about five lost in accidents.

  On the occasion of anniversaries, some aircraft

  were presented in special liveries featuring

  emblems of all four squadrons. On March 31, 2021,

  the Royal Thai Air Force held the ceremony on

  the occasion of the Aero L-39ZA/ART retirement

  from the active duty. The last operator was the

  411 Squadron, 41 Wing, based in Chiang Mai.

  OVERTREES

  #7040X

  L-39

  1/72

  OVERLEPT

  #7047-LEPT1

  L-39ZA

  1/72

  Product page Product page

  672351 L-39 wheels PRINT (Brassin)

  672357 L-39 ejection seats PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL72046 L-39ZA SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  EX605 L-39 TFace (Mask)

  Recommended: for

  L-39ZA ALBATROS 1/72

  #672351

  KITS 10/2024

  INFO Eduard

  63

  October 2024

• Page 64

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seat belts for Bulldog Mk.II in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Collection of 4 sets for B-24J in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - superchargers

  644284

  Bulldog Mk.II LööK

  1/48 Airfix

  644285

  B-24J LööKplus

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard64

  October 2024

• Page 65

  644286

  A-10C LööKplus

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  Collection of 4 sets for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - rotary gun flash supressor

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL seatbelts

  for B-24H in 1/72 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  674019

  B-24H LööK

  1/72 Airfix

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  65

  October 2024

• Page 66

  BRASSIN

  6481033

  P-51B Birdcage canopy cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - cockpit for P-51B with framed so-called

  birdcage canopy in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 46 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - engines for B-24J in 1/48 scale.

  The set consists of 4 engines. Made by direct

  3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hobby Boss

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 8 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  6481029

  B-24J engines PRINT

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  INFO Eduard66

  October 2024

• Page 67

  BRASSIN

  6481035

  A-10C ejection seat PRINT

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  Brassin set - ejection seat for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - pilot seat for Fw 190A in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  6481038

  Fw 190A seat w/ integral belts PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  67

  October 2024

• Page 68

  6481041

  P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 3 PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-51B or P-51C

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-51B or P-51C

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  6481040

  P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 2 PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  INFO Eduard68

  October 2024

• Page 69

  6481042

  SM.79 wheels

  1/48 Flashback

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for SM.79

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

  a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Flashback

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the propellers for SM.79 in 1/48 scale.

  The set consists of three props with spinners.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Flashback

  Set contains:

  - resin: 9 parts

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  6481043

  SM.79 propellers

  1/48 Flashback

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  69

  October 2024

• Page 70

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for B-24H

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

  a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672380

  B-24H wheels

  1/72 Airfix

  Product page

  Brassin set - wheel bays for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  Set consists of a main wheel bay. Made by direct

  3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672360

  P-51D wheel bays PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard70

  October 2024

• Page 71

  Brassin set - a deployed parachute for F-4E

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Fine Molds

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 5 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672382

  F-4E parachute PRINT

  1/72 Fine Molds

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - undercarriage legs for P-51D in 1/72 scale.

  Set consists of main legs and wheel well doors.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672384

  P-51D undercarriage legs PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  71

  October 2024

• Page 72

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - ejection seats for Tornado

  in 1/72 scale. Set consists of 2 seats.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Revell

  Set contains:

  - resin: 8 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  672387

  Tornado ejection seats

  1/72 Revell

  Product page

  Brassin set - engines for B-24H in 1/72 scale.

  The set consists of 4 engines. Made by direct

  3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 16 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672386

  B-24H engines PRINT

  1/72 Airfix

  Product page

  INFO Eduard72

  October 2024

• Page 73

  www.eduard.com/bfc

  BUNNY BUNNY FIGHTERFIGHTER

  CLUB

  Eduard's special membership club for all modeling enthusiasts!

  15% Permanent Club discount at Eduard Store – you will receive permanent 15% discount on all Eduard

  products and also discount on various other non-Eduard products. Fixed, permanent, forever!

  Unique valuable Club kits and accessories – you will gain access to unique and nowhere else to be sold

  products, specially made for BFC members.

  Even better prices at Eduard events stand – do you know that Eduard usually has huge discounts on

  their products at fairs and events all over the world? BFC members will have even higher discount at

  these events.

  Club T-shirt – you will receive fancy BFC T-shirt with unique design and special barcode

  (used for event discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only available

  to the members of BFC.

  Free entry fee on E-day – you will not have to pay a penny to visit Eduard's E-day.

  That means lot of fun at E-day for two days and entry kit, absolutely free!

  * E-day - INTERNATIONAL SCALE KIT EXHIBITION - IPMS Czech Republic Championship

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 6, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (two different types of wheels, landing flaps, dust filter with

  eyelid, intake ring and RP-3 60lb rockets), 3D decals for main and si

  -

  dewalk instrument and control panels with photo-etched details and

  seat belts.

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 4, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (undercarriage wheels, cockpit, exhaust nozzle, FOD).

  How to become a member of BFC?How to become a member of BFC?

  Simply by purchasing the Activation product. You will be given 15% discount on (almost) every Eduard

  product in your shopping cart. To apply this discount, the Activation product has to be in your shopping

  cart. Activation product is excluded from this calculation.

  Activation products:Activation products:

  Tempest Mk. V + T-shirt 1/48MiG-21MF + T-shirt 1/72

• Page 74

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51B or P-51C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - gun bays

  - wheel bays

  - engine

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN648131

  P-51B/C ADVANCE

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard74

  October 2024

• Page 75

  Collection of 9 sets for A-10C in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Great Wall Hobby

  - AGM-65 Maverick

  - TER

  - LAU-3/A

  - GBU-10 Paveway II

  - AIM-9M/L Sidewinder

  - Mk.82 bombs w/airbrake early

  - GBU-12 bomb

  - Sniper ATP

  - AN/ALQ-131 (deep) ECM pod

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  SIN648133

  A-10C armament

  1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard

  75

  October 2024

• Page 76

  OCTOBER 2024

  USS Midway CV-41 part 2

  1/350 Trumpeter

  #53315

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard76

  October 2024

• Page 77

  Humvee M1097A2

  1/35 ICM

  #36522

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  77

  October 2024

• Page 78

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  Sd.Kfz.234/2

  1/35 MiniArt

  #36523

  INFO Eduard78

  October 2024

• Page 79

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  Leopard 2 A7V

  1/35 Tamiya

  #36524

  INFO Eduard

  79

  October 2024

• Page 80

  A-4M mod. 1970

  1/48 Magic Factory

  #491479

  #FE1479

  #FE1481

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard80

  October 2024

• Page 81

  A-4M mod. 1975

  1/48 Magic Factory

  #491480

  #FE1480

  #FE1481

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  81

  October 2024

• Page 82

  P-39Q

  P-39Q landing flaps

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  #491477

  #481150

  #FE1477

  #FE1478

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard82

  October 2024

• Page 83

  F-35B

  1/72 Tamiya

  #73832

  #SS832

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  83

  October 2024

• Page 84

  Chinook HC.1

  1/72 Airfix

  #73831

  #SS831

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard84

  October 2024

• Page 85

  Chinook HC.1 cargo seatbelts STEEL

  Chinook HC.1 cargo seats STEEL

  1/72 Airfix

  1/72 Airfix

  #73833

  #73834

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  85

  October 2024

• Page 86

  INFO Eduard86

  October 2024

• Page 87

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  87

  October 2024

• Page 88

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard88

  October 2024

• Page 89

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  89

  October 2024

• Page 90

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard90

  October 2024

• Page 91

  The famous WWII American fighter P-51D Mustang in the service with the mighty

  Eighth Air Force Fighter Units. All the markings are of the famous fighter aces.

  www.eduard.com

  1/72

  # 2147

  • New Eduard design and tooling

  • Photo-etched and pre-painted

  • parts for the finest detail

  • Die cut masks for easy painting

  • Decals for 12 marking options

  P-51D-5, s/n 44-13321, Maj. George Preddy Jr., 487

  th

  FS,

  352

  nd

  FG, 8

  th

  AF, Bodney, United Kingdom, July 1944

  P-51D-20, 44-72218, Lt Col. John D. Landers, CO of 78

  th

  FG,

  Duxford, United Kingdom, March 1945

  P-51D-10, 44-14223, Lt. Col. Elwyn G. Righetti, CO of 55

  th

  FG,

  8

  th

  AF, Wormingford, United Kingdom, January 1945

  P-51D-10, 44-14372, Capt. Kirk B. Everson, 504

  th

  FS, 339

  th

  FG,

  8

  th

  AF, Fowlmere, United Kingdom, April 1945

  P-51D-5, s/n 44-13677, flown Lt. William G. Cullerton,

  357

  th

  FS, 355

  th

  FG, Steeple Morden, United Kingdom, 1944

  P-51D-25, 44-73060, Col. Glenn E. Duncan, 350

  th

  FS,

  353

  rd

  FG, Raydon, United Kingdom, April 1945

  P-51D-10, 44-14164, Lt. Urban L. Drew, 375

  th

  FS, 361

  st

  FG,

  Little Walden, October 1944

  P-51D-5, 44-13761, Capt. Jack M. Ilfrey, 79

  th

  FS, 20

  th

  FG, 8

  th

  AF,

  USAAF Station 367 Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire,

  Great Britain, autumn 1944

  P-51D-5, 44-13316, Leonard K. Carson, 362

  nd

  FS,

  357

  th

  FG, 8

  th

  AF, USAAF Station 373 Leiston, Suffolk,

  Great Britain, June 1944

  P-51D-15, 44-15152, Maj. Donald J. Strait, 361

  st

  FS,

  365

  th

  FG, United Kingdom, February 1945

  P-51D-10, 44-14733, Capt. Ray S. Wetmore,

  370

  th

  FS / 359

  th

  FG, March 1944

  P-51D-10, 44-14221, flown by Maj. Pierce W. McKennon,

  CO of 335

  th

  FS, 4

  th

  FG, 8

  th

  AF, Debden,

  United Kingdom, April 1945

• Page 92

  3DL48196 P-39Q SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48197

  A-4M mod. 1970 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  Product page

  Product page

  easy

  application

  INFO Eduard92

  October 2024

• Page 93

  SPACE

  3DL48198 A-4M mod. 1975 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  3DL72043

  Chinook HC.1 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  93

  October 2024

• Page 94

  3DL72045 L-410UVP SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  SPACE

  3DL72044 F-35B SPACE 1/72 Tamiya

  Product page

  INFO Eduard94

  October 2024

• Page 95

  SPACE

  3DL72046 L-39ZA SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  DECAL SET

  D32023

  Bf 109G stencils

  1/32 Revell/Hasegawa

  INFO Eduard

  95

  October 2024

• Page 96

  BIG ED

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30 %.

  BIG49420 SMB-2 Super Mystere 1/48 Special Hobby

  BIG49421

  B-26B Marauder PART I 1/48 ICM

  BIG49422

  B-26B Marauder PART II 1/48 ICM

  481143 SMB-2 Super Mystere landing flaps

  491456 SMB-2 Super Mystere Israeli AF

  FE1457 SMB-2 Super Mystere seatbelts Israeli AF STEEL

  EX1048 SMB-2 Super Mystere TFace

  491454 B-26B Marauder cockpit & nose interior

  FE1455 B-26B Marauder seatbelts STEEL

  EX1044 B-26B Marauder

  481144 B-26B exterior

  481145 B-26B bomb bay

  491455 B-26B rear interior

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard96

  October 2024

• Page 97

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

  but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30 %.

  BIG ED

  BIG49423 B-24J PART I 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG49424

  B-24J PART II 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG72182

  A-6E 1/72 Trumpeter

  491450 B-24J cockpit & engines

  491451 B-24J nose & radio compartment

  FE1451 B-24J seatbelts STEEL

  EX1041 B-24J

  481140 B-24J undercarriage

  481141 B-24J bomb bay

  481142 B-24J bomb racks

  72738 A-6E electronic equipment

  73825 A-6E

  CX663 A-6E

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  97

  October 2024

• Page 98

  MASKS

  EX1067 P-39Q

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1069 B-17F (alternate nose,

  frame X) TFace

  1/48 Eduard

  EX1070 A-4M TFace

  1/48 Magic Factory

  CX670 Chinook HC.1

  1/72 Airfix

  CX671 F-35B

  1/72 Tamiya

  CX672 F-35B RAM coating

  1/72 Tamiya

  CX673 P-51D

  1/72 Eduard

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace

  EX1069 B-17F (alternate nose, frame X) TFace

  CX670 Chinook HC.1

  EX1069 B-17F (alternate nose, frame X) TFace

  CX670 Chinook HC.1

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace

  EX1067 P-39Q

  EX1067 P-39Q

  IT FITS!

  INFO Eduard98

  October 2024

• Page 99

  MASKS

  EX1070 A-4M TFace

  CX671 F-35B

  EX1070 A-4M TFace

  CX671 F-35B

  EX1070 A-4M TFace EX1070 A-4M TFace

  INFO Eduard

  99

  October 2024

• Page 100

  RELEASES

  OCTOBER 2024

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  2148 L-410UVP Turbolet 1/72 Limited

  11180 THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD Dual Combo 1/48 Limited

  82108 P-51B/C Mustang w/ dorsal fin 1/48 ProfiPACK

  7047 L-39ZA 1/72 ProfiPACK

  53315 USS Midway CV-41 part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  36522 Humvee M1097A2 1/35 ICM

  36523 Sd.Kfz.234/2 1/35 MiniArt

  36524 Leopard 2 A7V 1/35 Tamiya

  481150 P-39Q landing flaps 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491477 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491479 A-4M mod. 1970 1/48 Magic Factory

  491480 A-4M mod. 1975 1/48 Magic Factory

  72741 F-35B exhaust nozzle 1/72 Tamiya

  73831 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  73832 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  73833 Chinook HC.1 cargo seatbelts STEEL 1/72 Airfix

  73834 Chinook HC.1 cargo seats STEEL 1/72 Airfix

  FE1477 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1478 P-39Q seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1479 A-4M mod. 1970 1/48 Magic Factory

  FE1480 A-4M mod. 1975 1/48 Magic Factory

  FE1481 A-4M seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Magic Factory

  SS831 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  SS832 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  EX1067 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1068 P-39Q TFace 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1069 B-17F (alternate nose, frame X) TFace 1/48 Eduard

  EX1070 A-4M TFace 1/48 Magic Factory

  CX670 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  CX671 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  CX672 F-35B RAM coating 1/72 Tamiya

  CX673 P-51D 1/72 Eduard

  BIG-EDBIG-ED

  BIG ED

  BIG49420 SMB-2 Super Mystere 1/48 Special Hobby

  BIG49421 B-26B Marauder PART I 1/48 ICM

  BIG49422 B-26B Marauder PART II 1/48 ICM

  BIG49423 B-24J PART I 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG49424 B-24J PART II 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG72182 A-6E 1/72 Trumpeter

  INFO Eduard100

  October 2024

• Page 101

  RELEASES

  BRASSIN

  LöökPLUS

  BIG SIN

  SPACE

  644284 Bulldog Mk.II LööK 1/48 Airfix

  674019 B-24H LööK 1/72 Airfix

  6481029 B-24J engines PRINT 1/48 Hobby Boss

  6481033 P-51B Birdcage canopy cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481035 A-10C ejection seat PRINT 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  6481038 Fw 190A seat w/ integral belts PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481040 P-51B/C seat w/

  integral belts Type 2 PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481041 P-51B/C seat w/

  integral belts Type 3 PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481042 SM.79 wheels 1/48 Flashback

  6481043 SM.79 propellers 1/48 Flashback

  672360 P-51D wheel bays PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672380 B-24H wheels 1/72 Airfix

  672382 F-4E parachute PRINT 1/72 Fine Molds

  672384 P-51D undercarriage legs PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672386 B-24H engines PRINT 1/72 Airfix

  672387 Tornado ejection seats 1/72 Revell

  644285 B-24J LööKplus 1/48 Hobby Boss

  644286 A-10C LööKplus 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  SIN648131 P-51B/C ADVANCED 1/48 Eduard

  SIN648133 A-10C armament 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  3DL48196 P-39Q SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48197 A-4M mod. 1970 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  3DL48198 A-4M mod. 1975 SPACE 1/48 Magic Factory

  3DL72043 Chinook HC.1 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  3DL72044 F-35B SPACE 1/72 Tamiya

  3DL72045 L-410UVP SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  3DL72046 L-39ZA SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  OCTOBER 2024

  DECAL SET

  D32023 Bf 109G stencils 1/32 Revell/Hasegawa

  INFO Eduard

  101

  October 2024

• Page 102

  BUILT

  built by Braňo Herain

  #R0022

  MARKING H

  Product page

  Bf 109G-10

  1/72

  INFO Eduard102

  October 2024

• Page 103

  BUILT

  Bf 109G-10, WNr. 152xx6, 11./JG 300, Prague-Kbely, Czechoslovakia, May 1945

  The aircraft found in front of the hangar at Prague-

  Kbely airport in the end of war comes from the

  production series 152xxx produced in Erla factory

  in Leipzig. The aircraft from this manufacturing

  batch had wings featuring larger bulges on

  the upper sides enabling the installation of

  the larger wheels i.e., the same type used on

  Bf 109G-10 planes manufactured at WNF factory

  and it’s Diana branch. The fuselage and wings

  were probably spray painted in RLM 81/82 colors

  even though some researchers incline towards

  a single color camouflage variation sprayed

  in RLM 81. The wing lower surfaces were not

  painted at all with the exemption of parts coming

  from subcontractors which were painted in RLM

  76. The engine cowling, coming from a different

  airframe, is camouflaged in RLM 74/75/76 colors.

  Of the serial number painted on the vertical tail

  surface only first three digits (152) and the last

  one (6) are legible.

  INFO Eduard

  103

  October 2024

• Page 104

  BUILT

  Bf 109G-10

  1/72

  built by Braňo Herain

  #R0022

  Product page

  INFO Eduard104

  October 2024

• Page 105

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  105

  October 2024

• Page 106

  1/48

  P-51D Mustang

  built by Mariusz Hasiuk

  #82102

  Accessories used:

  648487 P-51D Hamilton Standard propelle (Brassin)

  648517 P-51D gun bays (Brassin)

  648555 P-51D engine (Brassin)

  648570 P-51D gun sights (Brassin)

  648647 P-51D wheels block tread 2 (Brassin)

  648742 P-51D wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

  648872 P-51D/ K radiator PRINT (Brassin)

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard106

  October 2024

• Page 107

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  107

  October 2024

• Page 108

  1/48

  P-51B Mustang

  Birdcage canopy

  Accessories used:

  648991 P-51B/C wheels block tread 2 (Brassin)

  648997 P-51B/C gun bays PRINT (Brassin)

  6481004 P-51B/C engine (Brassin)

  6481006 P-51B/C Hamilton Standard propeller (Brassin)

  built by Paolo Portuesi

  #82107

  MARKING A

  Product page

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard108

  October 2024

• Page 109

  P-51B-15-NA, 43-24857, Capt. Robert M. Barkey, 318th FS, 325th FG, 15th AF, Lesina, Italy, June 1944

  Robert Barkey, after initial training, was assigned

  to a unit called the “Checkertail Clan” (319th FS,

  325th FG) flying P-40s in Africa. After retraining

  on P-47s in late 1943, he was transferred to

  Italy with the unit. Barkey’s first victory came

  on February 22, 1944, when he shot down two

  Bf 109s, both flown by the aces of the elite German

  JG 26. After the unit switched to P-51B Mustangs,

  Barkey scored his fifth and final victory on June

  6, 1944. He retired with the rank of Major in 1961.

  During World War II, he flew 53 combat sorties

  and achieved five confirmed victories and one

  probable victory. Barkey’s Mustang number

  90 bore his wife Dorothy’s name on the left side

  of the engine cowling.

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  109

  October 2024

• Page 110

  ON APPROACH

  NOVEMBER 2024

  644287

  P-39Q LööK

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  674022

  Bf 109G-14/AS LööK

  1/72 Eduard

  BIG5374 USS Ranger CV-4 1/350 Trumpeter

  BIG49425 A-10C 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  BIG49426 B-17F regular nose PART I 1/48 Eduard

  BIG49427 B-17F alternate nose (frame X) PART I 1/48 Eduard

  BIG49428 B-17F PART II 1/48 Eduard

  BIG72183 B-24H 1/72 Airfix

  644287 P-39Q LööK 1/48 Arma Hobby

  674022 Bf 109G-14/AS LööK 1/72 Eduard

  6481032 P-51B Malcolm Hood canopy cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481036 P-38F/G left engine PRINT 1/48 Tamiya

  6481039 P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 1 PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481044 Bulldog gun barrels PRINT 1/48 Airfix

  6481045 Bulldog wheels 1/48 Airfix

  6481046 Bulldog seat PRINT 1/48 Airfix

  6481047 F4U-1A seat w/ integral belts PRINT 1/48 Magic Factory

  6481048 F4U-2 seat w/ integral belts PRINT 1/48 Magic Factory

  6481049 P-39 exhaust stacks fishtail PRINT 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481050 P-39 exhaust stacks rounded PRINT 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481053 P-39 gun barrels 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481054 P-39 seat PRINT 1/48 Arma Hobby

  672388 Bf 109G-10 cockpit PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672390 F-35B wheels 1/72 Tamiya

  672391 F-35B ejection seat PRINT 1/72 Tamiya

  674020 Bf 109G-10 LööKplus 1/72 Eduard

  674021 B-24H LööKplus 1/72 Airfix

  SIN67225 F-35C armament 1/72 Italeri

  BIG ED (November)

  BRASSIN (November)

  LöökPlus (November)

  BIGSIN (November)

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL seatbelts

  for Bf 109G-14/AS in 1/72 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seat belts for P-39Q in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  6481032

  P-51B Malcolm Hood canopy cockpit PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  Brassin set - cockpit for P-51B with bubble so-called

  Malcolm Hood canopy in 1/48 scale. Made by direct

  3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 43 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  INFO Eduard110

  October 2024

• Page 111

  6481036

  P-38F/G left engine PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  6481039

  P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 1 PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  6481044

  Bulldog gun barrels PRINT

  1/48 Airfix

  Brassin set - fully detailed left engine for P-38F

  or P-38G in 1/48 scale. Set contanins the cowling

  as well. Made by 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 43 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-51B or P-51C

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - gun barrels for Bulldog

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  ON APPROACH

  INFO Eduard

  111

  October 2024

• Page 112

  ON APPROACH

  NOVEMBER 2024

  6481045

  Bulldog wheels

  1/48 Airfix

  6481046

  Bulldog seat PRINT

  1/48 Airfix

  6481047

  F4U-1A seat w/ integral belts PRINT

  1/48 Magic Factory

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bulldog

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - pilot seat for Bulldog in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - pilot seat for F4U-1A in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Magic factory

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  INFO Eduard112

  October 2024

• Page 113

  ON APPROACHNOVEMBER 2024

  6481048

  F4U-2 seat w/ integral belts PRINT

  1/48 Magic Factory

  6481049

  P-39 exhaust stacks fishtail PRINT

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481050

  P-39 exhaust stacks rounded PRINT

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Brassin set - pilot seat for F4U-2 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Magic factory

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for P-39 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for P-39 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  INFO Eduard

  113

  October 2024

• Page 114

  ON APPROACH

  6481053

  P-39 gun barrels

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Brassin set - gun barrels for P-39 in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672388

  Bf 109G-10 cockpit PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Brassin set - cockpit for Bf 109G-10

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 11 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  6481054

  P-39 seat PRINT

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Brassin set - pilot seat for P-39 in 1/48 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard114

  October 2024

• Page 115

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for F-35B in 1/72 scale.

  The set consists of the main wheels and a nose wheel.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672390

  F-35B wheels

  1/72 Tamiya

  Brassin set - ejection seat for F-35B in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 3 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  672391

  F-35B ejection seat PRINT

  1/72

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  115

  October 2024

• Page 116

  ON APPROACH

  674020

  Bf 109G-10 LööKplus

  1/72 Eduard

  Collection of 3 sets for Bf 109G-10 in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - propeller

  - undercarriage wheels

  674021

  B-24H LööKplus

  1/72 Airfix

  Collection of 3 sets for B-24H in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts)

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard116

  October 2024

• Page 117

  SIN67225

  F-35C armament

  1/72 Italeri

  Collection of 4 sets for F-35C in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Italeri

  - AIM-120C AMRAAM

  - GBU-12

  - GBU-31(V)3/B JDAM

  - AIM-9X

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

  but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30 %.

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  ON APPROACHNOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  117

  October 2024

• Page 118

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53316 USS Midway CV-41 part 3 1/350 Trumpeter

  36525 Studebaker US6-U3 1/35 ICM

  481151 Mi-24P cargo interior 1/48 Trumpeter

  481152 P-39N landing flaps 1/48 Arma Hobby

  481153 F-4C exterior 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  481154 F-4C air brakes 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  491482 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  491484 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491486 F-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  73835 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  73836 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  73837 F-35C 1/72 Italeri

  ZOOMS

  FE1482 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1483 Mi-24P seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1484 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1485 P-39N seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1486 F-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  FE1487 F-4C seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  SS835 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  SS836 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  SS837 F-35C 1/72 Italeri

  MASKS

  EX1071 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1073 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1074 P-39N TFace 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1075 F-4C TFace 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  CX674 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  CX675 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  CX676 Bf 109G wings leading edge wavy lines 1/72

  SPACE

  3DL48199 Mi-24P SPACE 1/48 Trumpeter

  3DL48200 Mustang Mk.III SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48201 P-39N SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48202 F-4C SPACE 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  3DL72047 F-15C SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  3DL72048 F-15D SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  3DL72049 F-35C SPACE 1/72 Italeri

  ON APPROACH

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard118

  October 2024

• Page 119

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53316 USS Midway CV-41 part 3 1/350 Trumpeter

  36525 Studebaker US6-U3 1/35 ICM

  481151 Mi-24P cargo interior 1/48 Trumpeter

  481152 P-39N landing flaps 1/48 Arma Hobby

  481153 F-4C exterior 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  481154 F-4C air brakes 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  491482 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  491484 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  491486 F-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  73835 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  73836 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  73837 F-35C 1/72 Italeri

  ZOOMS

  FE1482 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1483 Mi-24P seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Trumpeter

  FE1484 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1485 P-39N seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Arma Hobby

  FE1486 F-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  FE1487 F-4C seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  SS835 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  SS836 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  SS837 F-35C 1/72 Italeri

  MASKS

  EX1071 Mi-24P 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1072 Mi-24P TFace 1/48 Trumpeter

  EX1073 P-39N 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1074 P-39N TFace 1/48 Arma Hobby

  EX1075 F-4C TFace 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  CX674 F-15C 1/72 Fine Molds

  CX675 F-15D 1/72 Fine Molds

  CX676 Bf 109G wings leading edge wavy lines 1/72

  SPACE

  3DL48199 Mi-24P SPACE 1/48 Trumpeter

  3DL48200 Mustang Mk.III SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48201 P-39N SPACE 1/48 Arma Hobby

  3DL48202 F-4C SPACE 1/48 Hobby 2000/Academy

  3DL72047 F-15C SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  3DL72048 F-15D SPACE 1/72 Fine Molds

  3DL72049 F-35C SPACE 1/72 Italeri

  ON APPROACH

  GUSTAV pt.3 #2150Bf 109G-6/AS and Bf 109G-14/AS 1/72

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  119

  October 2024

• Page 120

  ON APPROACH

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard120

  October 2024

• Page 121

  ON APPROACH

  Mustang Mk.III 1/48

  #82109

  FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing,

  Holmsley South, United Kingdom, June 1944

  FB387, PK

  -

  G, S/Ldr Eugeniusz Horbaczewski,

  CO of No. 315 Squadron, Brenzett, Kent, August 1944

  FB260, G/Cpt Brian A. Eaton, CO of No. 329 Wing,

  Italy, Autumn 1944

  FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing,

  Coolham, United Kingdom, April-May 1944

  FZ181, F/Sgt A. J. Fellows, No. 19 Squadron,

  Funtington, United Kingdom, April-May 1944

  HB900, F/Lt Reginald A. Wild DFC, No. 112 Squadron,

  Creti LG, Italy, July 1944

  FB254, W/O J. S. Duncan, No. 260 Squadron, Cutella LG, Italy, April-May 1944

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  121

  October 2024

• Page 122

  ON APPROACH

  P-51D-5 Mustang

  1/72

  #70171

  s/n 44-13321, Lt. George E. Preddy, 487th FS,

  352nd FG, 8th AF, Bodney, United Kingdom,

  July 1944

  s/n 44-13606, Capt. Claude J. Crenshaw, 369th FS,

  359th FG, 8th AF, East Wretham, United Kingdom,

  September 1944

  s/n 44-13318, Lt. Col. Thomas L. Hayes Jr.,

  CO of 364th FS, 357th FG, 8th AF, Leiston,

  United Kingdom, August 1944

  s/n 44-13859, Lt. Walter Mullins, 55th FS, 20th FG,

  8th AF, Kings Cliffe, United Kingdom, September 1944

  s/n 44-13321, Capt. John M. Simmons Jr., 317th FS,

  325th FG, 15th AF, Lesina, Italy, September 1944

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard122

  October 2024

• Page 123

  Bf 109G-4, WNr. 19527, Fw. Viktor Petermann,

  5./JG 52, Anapa, the Soviet Union, June 1943

  Bf 109G-4/Trop, WNr. 10795, Oblt Wolfgang Tonne,

  CO of 3./JG 53, Bizerta, Tunis, February 1943

  Bf 109G-4/R6, Obfw. Rainer Pöttgen, 3./JG 27,

  Fels am Wagram, Austria, February 1944

  Bf 109G-4/R6, Hptm. Waldemar Wübke, CO of 7./JG 54, Lille-Vendeville, France, March 1943

  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109G-4

  1/48

  #84203

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  123

  October 2024

• Page 124

  ON APPROACH

  F6F-3

  1/48

  Re-Release

  #8227

  Lt. J. E. Lochridge, VF-34,

  Nissan Island, 1944

  Lt. Oscar I. Chenoweth, VF-38, Segi Point

  airstrip, New Georgia Island, September 1943

  Ens. Gordon A. Stanley, VF-27,

  USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944

  VF-8, USS Intrepid (CV-11), Summer 1943

  OTU VF-2, NAS Melbourne,

  United States of America, October 1944

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard124

  October 2024

• Page 125

  ON APPROACH

  DH-2

  1/48

  Re-Release #8094

  NOVEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  125

  October 2024

• Page 126

  FEAST OF MODELLING SOULS by Jan Zdiarský

  Those of you who were not in Milovice last

  weekend, or who missed the information about

  the biggest Czech and certainly one of the big-

  gest European modelling meetings, know from

  the editorial of this issue of Info magazine that

  another E

  -

  Day is over.

  As it has been the case for the last few years

  in a row, I had, among other things, the task of

  coordinating the participation of model clubs.

  This meant balancing their requirements and

  requests with the possibilities and, in short,

  ensuring that, in addition to the competition mo-

  dels, the exhibition could be graced by presenta-

  tions from clubs across the Czech Republic, but

  also from Slovakia and Italy. And that all enjoy

  the right conditions to do so, and also that we do

  not create chaos, especially during their start-up.

  Such club exhibitions are then very varied.

  There are excellently built models, unfinished

  projects, chronicles of clubs, photographs, bowls

  of sweets and other goodies for passers-by, nice

  tablecloths and statuettes, prizes from other

  competitions...

  Although thematic exhibitions - SIGs - have

  been declining over the years, club presenta-

  tions have been increasing. We had only one SIG

  this year, focused on SCI

  -

  FI models. There were

  thirty-one exhibiting clubs at this year’s E

  -

  Day,

  occupying tables totaling more than 70 meters

  in length. This year we had to cancel the partici-

  pation of several Moravian clubs, whose mem-

  bers were dealing with completely different con-

  cerns after the huge floods.

  Anyway, the purpose of what I am writing is not

  to give statistics of participation, although even

  that is worthy of publication. I would like to share

  something else with you. It’s a mixture of the

  feelings I get from these club shows. This year,

  more than in the previous two years, club rep-

  resentatives have asked me at pre-registrationto

  be able to get a spot next to a particular friendly

  club they were adjacent to, say, a year ago. E

  -

  Day,

  more than other competitions, gives them room

  to share time with each other - during the Friday

  afternoon, then all day on Saturday. And needless

  to say, that continues in a pub after the hall closes

  on Friday night.

  E

  -

  Day thus creates great conditions for es-

  tablishing and strengthening friendships, which

  are important in any such hobby. Unless you are

  a solitary modeler. People from different clubs

  not only exchange experiences, tips and new

  modelling techniques, they also bring baked buns

  and cakes, coffee in a thermos and of course

  a bottle or a flask for their friends. What if the

  tank hall was freezing and cold, right?

  Most of the modelers participating in club

  presentations also had their models registered

  in the Czech Model Masters competition itself.

  So for them, it meant mostly going through regis-

  tration on Friday afternoon with their models and

  then putting together their club’s shrine so that,

  if possible, it would stand out above the rest.

  Then the next day, arrange some deals at the

  vendor booths, attend workshops and talks, and

  otherwise get on with the business discussions

  of modeling, gluing, sealing, sanding, spraying

  and other occult alchemy, and that’s the talk.

  I didn’t think so much about it before, if you are

  one of the organizers of such an event, you look

  at the events around you with different eyes than

  normal participants, but it was the requirements

  for the placement of specific clubs together that

  led me to do it this year - to pay more attention to

  what is happening at the club tables and behind

  them. And there my eyes discovered an oasis

  of peace and quiet amidst the hustle and bus-

  tle that such a show brings with it. And in doing

  so, I came to understand that a club show is not

  just a presentation opportunity for its creators -

  the space that clubs get at E

  -

  Day also creates

  a great backdrop in which modelers relaxed,

  talked quietly, and where they retreated to when

  they needed a break from the crowd. There they

  experienced peace and quiet in the company of

  like-minded people they might only see once

  or twice a year - at E

  -

  Days and some halfway

  contest. They sat there contentedly enjoying their

  modeling holiday with the feelings that peo-

  ple probably experience when they roll out on

  a beach chair. But beyond that, there are friends

  from far away places around them, thousands

  of topics to talk about, and world-class models

  within a few steps. And that’s certainly one of

  the important things why modelers love coming

  to E

  -

  Day. It’s a feast for their souls. And for our

  part, it’s a bit of a thank you for allowing com-

  panies like us to exist through their hobby and

  their interest. We need each other. And I would

  say we like each other. At least this year’s E

  -

  Day

  reaffirmed that for me.

  INFO Eduard126

  October 2024

• Editorial

  
  

  Dear Friends

  Although we all are told that lightning never strikes twice in the same spot, sometimes we feel like an exception has been made and history does repeat itself. Often bad history, it seems. I had exactly that feeling two weeks ago when it started raining and the floods came that devastated the east half of our country. Back in 2002, just before the second installment of E-day, conditions were very similar. At that time, the August floods swept through the entire country and, unfortunately, also the area of ​​the Pilsen shooting range, where the first E-day events were held. Thanks to the efforts of members of the co-organizing modeling clubs, Pilsen and Kaznejov, the area was then cleaned up and prepared, allowing that year’s E-day to take place on time. Today we have nineteen more years under our belts and believe it or not, many of those who organized and rescued E-day in 2002 were with us at E-day this year, and many of them were involved in the organization aspects yet again. Fortunately, this year we did not have to save the event or the grounds. This year's flood was again devastating in many areas of our country, but after twenty-two years we are much further along. Thanks to more accurate weather forecasts, the country was much better prepared, and Central Bohemia and Milovice were not seriously affected. Nevertheless, many modelers were affected by the floods, such as those at Revi magazine in Ostrava who were flooded out, making it impossible for them to publish the current issue of the magazine and it also prevented them from attending the show. Many modelers helped during the floods, for example Pepa Choren, one of our best modelers. The YouTuber and firefighter by profession came to Milovice not from Most in northern Bohemia, where he lives, but from Silesia, where a team of firemen were tasked with helping in the cleanup of the aftermath of the catastrophic weather conditions. He went right back to work after the show.

   Perhaps at every E-day, maybe even at every modeling competition not limited to the Czech Republic, the question of what the future for modeling holds is discussed. This year was no different. It seems that the modeling community feels a certain sense of vulnerability. The approaching demise of modeling has been talked about for a long time, perhaps since the end of the nineties. The end is in sight according to the word on the street, sometimes it seems like the debaters are giving the hobby a year, two at most. In reality, however, the end is not in sight. Modelers abound and they're having a blast. You cannot ignore the fact that just in the Czech Republic alone, we have a model show practically every weekend, and in some weeks we even have two or three events. Of course, we are in a completely different place than we were in the 90s, to say nothing of the 80s. The world has changed and continues to change, and so do we. Our hobby and the industry that depends on it are producing new and consistently better products. When looking at what stores, admittedly mostly on line these days, it is true that most items get not much more than a passing glance. Still. there is no decline in activity nor a reduction in the assortment of product as a whole. To the contrary, we see incredible activity and a resulting flood of new items, produced month after month. And we at Eduard do our part. We certainly do not smell the stench of stagnation and subsequent extinction. We are experiencing golden times of activity, creativity and abundance.

   If we accept the theory of a famous egyptologist and now a sitting senator, that every civilization goes through the peak of its development and then collapses, then we are probably experiencing a golden age and perhaps the peak of the development of our hobby, but I also firmly believe that we are far from the end, that we still have a lot of cards up our sleeves, especially technological ones, and we still have a lot to invent, imagine, and to excite the modelers of today and the future. I also believe that, at least here in Europe, demographics are not foreshadowing anything negative. In Milovice this year, as in previous years, it certainly did not look like a retirement home. All age groups were represented both among the visitors and among the competing modelers, and we old farts were definitely not the majority. Perhaps, the vision of an early demise ultimately comes from the older minority, because that's simply the view of the world that older people often have, regardless of nationality, social status, marital status, and practiced hobbies. But here it also seems to me that, even at this point, the model world is not bad off. Both at model exhibitions and on discussion forums, optimistic individuals, constantly hungry for new things and dissatisfied with their quantity, dominate. Which is saying something in this day and age of abundance!

   So I read Professor Barta's book on the demise of civilizations, but after careful consideration I did not accept his conclusions. I'd say it's because a lot of his activity takes place in and around tombs. That view of the world from the grave is just so... let's say, ‘specific’. When you're in a grave, the inevitable conclusion is, well…..inevitable.

   This year, we did some video documenting at E-day, using several cameras, and we also had several photographers there, recording the Q and A sessions, discussions and workshops. We will present a complete report from the 21st year of E-day in a special edition of our newsletter that will come out in mid-October.

   Two weeks before E-day, there was one small, relatively short, but still important meeting. It concerned the money we collected four years ago in a fundraiser to support Václav Šorel, who was fighting a serious illness at the time. Vaclav finally lost his battle. After his passing, almost $33,000US remained in the account of the foundation fund. This money was transferred in mid-September to the newly established Vaclav Šorel Foundation, which is headed by his daughter, Magdalena Šorelova. I remain a member of the foundation's board of directors, along with Dr. Zdenek Šebesta. The foundation aims to support children's modeling activities, children's competitions, children's modeling representation and other activities related to the education of the young modeling generation. About the Vaclav Šorel Foundation proper, we will provide basic information about the activities and plans of the foundation, contacts, conditions for using support from the foundation fund and other important information in forthcoming issues of our newsletter. We believe that the foundation’s activities will also contribute to support modeling, sowing the seeds that will help it to remain with us for many years to come and will be enjoyed by many generations to follow.
  

   Well, I don’t see much of a need to go into any great details about this month’s releases, as they have been on sale and available for over a week now, and you can get a good look at them below, in the pages of this issue of our newsletter. So, I wish you all a good, enjoyable read.

   

  Happy Modeling,

  Vladimir Sulc

  
  

• FIREWORKS OVER BUDAPEST

  Sky over Budapest. Flares and markers from the bomber decks fall from the mountain, and anti-aircraft artillery headlights and missile missiles illuminate the attackers from the ground.

  
  

  The greatest RAF attack on the Hungarian capital

   Text: Peter Kaššák

   

  In 1944 Hungarian oil took on an added importance in the planning of Germany’s oil plant dispersal program. Hungarian crude had always been of particular value in view of its 30 per cent gasoline content as compared with an average gasoline content of German and Austrian crude oils of not more than 10 per cent. In the Geilenberg dispersal program an important part in gasoline production was to be played by the plants designated as Ofen, which were primitive topping plants. Over twenty of these plants were planned and their most efficient feedstock would have been Hungarian crude by the use of which the gasoline offtake of these plants would ‘have been three times as large as the use of German crudes would have allowed. While the capacities of the Hungarian refineries were small compared to other larger refineries in other Axis held European countries, their value to the Axis was greatly out of proportion to their capacities because of their strategic locations and because Hungarian crude oil was being produced in excess of Hungarian refining capacity. Air offensive against Hungarian important strategical war targets started in February 1944, but the first raid on oil refinery was on 14 June 1944, performed by the USAAF during daylight. The first night attack of the RAF bombers was realized on night from 12 to 13. June 1944, when oil refinery was bombed. The raiders were the crews of 205. Group RAF. And more attacks on Hungarian oil refineries followed...

    

  Attack of 205. Group RAF at the Shell refinery, Budapest

   In 1944, the 205th Group of the British Royal Air Force was included in the subordination of MASAF (Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force). As part of the British Bomber Command since its formation in 1941, it has been instrumental in destroying Rommel‘s supply lines by bombing the ports of Tripoli, Benghazi and Bizerte on the African continent. Its squadron, mostly armed with Wellington bombers of various versions, operated from the Egyptian base of Kabrit and Shallufa.

  After Rommel‘s troops were expelled from North Africa, the squadrons of the 205th RAF Group moved to Tunis. During the months of May and June 1943, they supported the Allied landings in Sicily and Italy by night bombing from the Kairouan base.

  After a successful invasion and the transfer of Allied air activity to air bases in Italy, during the winter, spring and summer of 1944, the 205th Group gradually came under the command of the US 15th Air Force. It thus became the only RAF unit in the history of the British Royal Air Force to fall under the operational control of another country. We must also mention at this point that in the RAF system, the Group was a higher organizational unit than the Wing - unlike the US Air Force.

  Airmen from the crews of the 37th Squadron leave the combat mission after returning tired to report to the intelligence officer.

  
  

  Following the liberation of southern Italy and the establishment of an air base in the Foggia area, units under the 205th RAF Group have relocated to their new locations:

  - 231. Wing was deployed at the base of Tortorella. It consisted of the 37th and 70th Squadron, which were armed with Wellington B.Mk.X bombers;

  - 236. Wing was deployed at the base of Foggia and consisted of 40th and 104th Squadron. Wellington B.Mk.X aircraft were also in service;

  - 240th Wing operated from the base of Amendola and consisted of the 178th Squadron, which was armed with Liberator B.Mk.VI and 614th Squadron, which operated on the British bombers Handley Page Halifax B.Mk.II. At the end of June, the South African 31st Squadron, which had Liberator B.Mk.VI bombers, was temporarily active within the 240th Wing;

  - 330. Wing was deployed at Regina Base. His two subordinate 142nd and 150th Squadron were both in service again using bomber Vickers Wellington B.Mk.X.

  Another Wing was created in July. The 2nd SAAF (South African Air Force) Wing was deployed at Celone Airport and consisted of the 31st and 34th Squadrons, both armed with Liberator aircraft.

  The most important task of the 205th RAF Group in 1944 was the mining of the Danube under the code name „Operation Gardening“. However, in the spring and summer of 1944, the bombers also targeted the supply points of enemy units such as ports, marshalling yards and bridges, as well as refineries and fuel depots. Crews attacked targets in northern Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary and Austria.

  On the night of June 25-26, 1944, the 205th Group bombers were tasked with attacking the Shell Koolaz refinery in the Csepel district of Budapest. Let us make one remark here. The name Koolaz is taken from the Hungarian word from the word Kőolaj, which, however, does not mean anything other than crude oil in translation, and therefore the name would sound correct to Shell‘s crude oil refinery, Budapest. Shell began construction of a refinery in Csepel in 1929. Plans were provided by Dutch engineers, but the equipment came from Hungary. The refinery was put into production in 1930. Shell also added a warehouse with tanks for oil products, unloading and workshops to the refinery. Until the mid-1930s, the refinery produced a quarter of Hungarian oil production. But let‘s go back to the events of 1944.

  Aerial view and situational drawing of the Csepel peninsula on the Danube in Budapest, where several oil processing facilities were located next to each other. [Foto: USAAF a Janos Lazanyi]

  
  

  From the Italian bases, 75 Wellingtons belonging to the 231st, 236th and 330th Wing, 21 Liberators of the 240th Wing and six Halifaxes of the 614th Squadron took off. The crews of one Wellington, one Liberator and two Halifaxes had to return prematurely. The crew of one Wellington had to drop their bombs in an emergency.

  A total of 73 Wellingtons, 20 Liberators and two Halifaxes flew over the target, dropping 182.6 tons of bombs of various types, including several 4,000 pound (1,716 kg) bombs. The bombing took place from 23:35 on June 25 until 00:10 June 26. The bomber crews reported the scattered impacts of individual bombs around the target in the areas of Csepel, Budafok, Újpest, Pestszenterzsébet, Ráckeve, Dunaharaszti. Numerous explosions and fires were observed, but the refinery experienced only minimal damage. Three Halifaxes illuminated the target by dropping marker lights. The strikes were recorded at the port pool and port facilities north of the target. In the still unfinished premises of the distribution company Magyar Olajművek Rt. five cubic meters of roofing materials were damaged by the attack and the main building was hit.

  For example, Weiss Manfréd Works, located south of the port, received 67 hits. In addition to the Shell refinery and the distribution company Magyar Olajművek Rt. Vacuum Oil Company, The Steaua Hungarian Petroleum Co., Shell and Hungarian-Belgian Mineral Oil Co. also had storage facilities for rent. During the raid, the adjacent District IX (Ferencváros) and the Fanto refinery on Soroksári Street and the Hungarian Petroleum Industry on Kén Street were not significantly affected.

  Leaflets were also dropped over the target area.

  There was a slight, not very precise flak of various calibers in the target area. Three unidentified twin-engine enemy aircraft were spotted. There were air battles with enemy night fighters. Onboard gunners 231st Wing claimed one probable victory. The British lost six Wellingtons in this raid - three of the 231st Wing and three of the 330th Wing, and one Halifax of the 614th Squadron.

  The three photographs on the left side and the photograph above show the damage to the Shell refinery in Budapest Csepel after the RAF and USAAF bombing raids in the summer of 1944. 

  Photograph from August 18, 1944, when the refinery repair began. [Foto: Ferenc Kammerer, Hungarian Oil and Gas Museum]

  
  

  Fourteen Wellingtons (LP257, LP255, LN750, LN810, ME875 „X“, MF121, LN790 „C“, LP182, MF116, LN958 „A“, MF130, LP502 „H“, ME989 and MF241 „B“) were prepared with crews of 37th Squadron for action against the Shell refinery in Budapest. Twelve of them got over the target, where their crews dropped 18.5 tons of bombs a minute to five minutes after midnight from a height of 9,000 - 11,500 feet. The impact of the bombs was observed in the northern part of Csepel Island and in the area of the Manfred Weiss Works factory.

  After the action, the 37th Squadron was missing two machines. The crew of P/O pilot Bruce Eassie (RAAF) took off at 21:01 from the airport. For no reason, their Vickers Wellington Mk.X LN958 „A“ crashed near Gárdony, near Lake Velence. However, the crew jumped on parachutes and together with the pilot were captured Sgt. J. Pettit, Sgt. R.L. Scott, Sgt. G.G.P. Hine, Sgt. R. Lowing and F/Sgt J.J. McClurg. After the initial internment in the Budapest prison, some airmen traveled, probably non-commissioned officers, including R.L. Scott on July 10 to the Stalag Luft IV camp in Tychow and at the end of the war they moved to Stalag Luft XI.B located near Hanover. Pilot Bruce Eassie spent captivity from Aug. 6. at the Stalag Luft III camp in Sagan and at the end of the war he also moved to Tarnstedt.

  Pilot Bruce Eassie in a photo from enlisting in the military. (via RAAF archive)

  
  

  The second lost squadron machine was the Wellington Mk.X ME875 „X“. The entire crew fell victim to a night fighter, probably Oblt. Knieling over the Hungarian city of Fürged. Pilot W/O Richard Brandon Mander (RNZAF), navigator Sgt. Laurence Forrester Grindle, radio operator Sgt. William George Amey, bombaimer F/Sgt. Edward Jones and gunner F/Sgt. Leonard Robert Jones. They are all buried in the military cemetery in Budapest.

  W/O Richard B. Mander (RNZAF), pilot of the 37th Squadron, captain of the Wellington Mk.X ME875 „X“, who died with his crew on June 26, 1944 near the city of Fürged and next to him a photograph of his tombstone in the cemetery in Budapest.

  Oblt. Wolfgang Knieling. They award him 5 to 7 victories. He died on the night of August 7-8, 1944, when he was hit by the Wellington defensive fire near Graz. During his military career, he flew with II./NJG 1, III./NJG 3, 4./NJG 5, Stab II./NJG 5 and Stab III./NJG 6.

  
  

  Another victim of the same German fighter was probably the crew from the 70th Squadron, commanded by pilot W/O Kevin James Hiskins (RAAF). After a night fighter attack, their burning Wellington LP228 „W“ landed in Erdösháza-puszta, near Martonvásár in Hungary. Together with the pilot died also bombaimer F/Sgt Sidney Raymond Lewis, navigator F/Sgt Roy David McAlister Howden (RAAF), W.Op / Air.G. W/O George Alexander Williams and gunner F/Sgt. Finlay Ewart Munro Crawford (RAAF). Hiskins is buried in grave II.A.6., other airmen in common grave II.A. places 7-10.

  Hiskins‘ crew was part of the twelve that the 70th Squadron sent into action that night. Between 21:04 - 21:17 took off and headed over Hungary and Budapest Wellington LP348 „V“ (W/O K Turley), LN751 „T“ (Lt. GB Marquard), LN873 „B“ (F/S GA Seagrove), LP267 „N“ ( P/O PD Nihill), LP130 „D“ (W/O GJ Custance), JA471 „A“ (F/S BJN Bensley), JA508 „Z“ (F/O CO Ellison), MF236 „R“ (S/L BM O´Connor), JA520 „X“ (F/O DA Sandman), LN699 „C“ (Lt. NK Weeks) and HE493 „P“ (F/O HW James).

  The crew in the machine marked „W“ under the command of F/S Hiskins stopped radiocorrespodence during the flight to the destination home. We have already mentioned the reason. The remaining 11 crews had good weather during their arrival ovrer the target. They identified a turning point according to a green marker on the ground. Above the target, however, the situation with the target designation has worsened. They could not identify markers from the 614th Squadron, nor did the main marker respond. Only the northern tip of the target was marked. Therefore, seven crews bombed only the presumed location of the target. All 11 crews returned home, but W/O Custance on the LP130 „D“ had an accident, when after a turn over the target and a subsequent descent collided with another arriving Wellington. The collision tore off 6-7 feet of his right wing. However, the pilot and co-pilot managed to haul the damaged machine to the home airport and land. Identity of the second participant of the collision is yet unknown. Either was the damage minimal and was not reported or what is more probable, it was one of the lost planes.

  F/Sgt. Finlay Ewart Munro Crawford (RAAF)

  Pilot W/O Kevin James Hiskins (RAAF).

  F/Sgt. Stanley Jeacocke (RAAF) photographed in March 1944.

  Pilot P/O Robert Edward Seymour Shearer (RAAF)

  Page from a Logbook of Lt. Bryan Desmond „Davie“ Jones, 31. Squadron SAAF, who flew as a navigator and bombardier in the crew of Lt. Klette on board of Liberator EV941 „Q“ in the night to 26.6.1944. [Foto: via Darryl Jones]

  
  

  Also nine crews of the 104th Squadron (LP131 „L“ F/S JJ Laughton, LP499 „B“ F/O EA Billen LN841 „C“ F/S Courtney, MF420 „N“ P/O PJT Pile, LP122 „V“ F/S RWG Taylor, LN977 „R“ W/O CT Cutler, LN754 „W“ W/O DGD Whitehead, MF137 „H“ P/O KC Harrison, LP338 „G“ P/O TTC Stephenes) aimed at a refinery in Hungarian capital. They arrived over the target without any problems. However, the impact of the bombs was unconcentrated. Most of the planes bombed according to the focus on the fired flares and therefore inaccurate. The results were not observable. The markers marked only the northern part of the target. The work was disturbed by 25-30 headlights.

  From the 142nd Squadron took off from Amendola Airport between 20:20 and 21:00 fifteen Wellington Mk.X. They were HZ516 „O“ pilot F/S C Morgan, LN262 „P“ F/S D Dean, MF120 „Q“ F/O K Jones, LN700 „R“ Lt. K Kelly, LN767 „S“ F/S J Ashwell, „U“ (serial unknown) Cpt. VD Westhuisen, LP297 „V“ Lt. W Wallace, LN719 „A“ F/Lt. J Long, LN808 „B“ P/O E Galloway, LP117 „C“ F/S P Cooke, LN748 „E“ F/S Schonfield, LN914 „G“ Lt. J Koekemoer, LP189 „H“ W/O S Bryant, MF371 „K“ F/S C Hill and LP467 „L“ pilot F/O H Morton.

  The LN748 with the fuselage code „E“ carried a crew commanded by F/Sgt. JW Scholefield. However, it did not manage to reach the target. They were shot down by a night fighter, probably Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen from 8./NJG 6. A burning bomber landed at Dunaharaszti in Hungary. Along with the pilot, also died F/Sgt. J Thompson, Sgt. GR McKnight and Sgt. D Nelson. The only one who escaped by parachute was Sgt. J Robertson (RCAF) and ended up in captivity.

  The 150th Squadron lacked two bombers after returning from night action. Wellington Mk.X LN811 „L“ took off from Amendola Airport into the dark night at 20:46. During the fighting, he was hit by a flak and exploded. Radio perator F/Sgt. Stanley Jeacocke DFM (RAAF) was the only one to survive, remembering that night years later as follows:

  “After setting course from Lake Balaton to Budapest we encountered terrific Flak which appeared to be box barrage at first, but after taking evasive action proved to be predicted. We were using window which appeared to upset the accuracy for a couple of minutes but we were suddenly hit and I found myself lying on the floor of the aircraft beside the bed. I was on look out duties in the astrodome. I tried to struggle onto my feet but could not do so because of the speed at which we were going down. The port side was on fire. I believe from the port engine back as far as the tri-cell chute position. Not knowing that my telephone plug was out, I expected at any moment to hear the order to bale out and so continued trying to get on to my knees at least in order to crawl to the emergency exit when the bale out order should be given. The aircraft suddenly commenced to spin and I found it impossible to even roll myself over. I counted four spins and knew nothing further until I found myself conscious and falling through space. As I had been flying with my parachute on for the whole of the astrodome duties pulled the ripcord and it opened at somewhere between two and four thousand feet. While coming down I noticed a fire on the deck which later proved to be our aircraft. I believe the position of the crash was about ten miles from the northern tip of the lake Balaton and I know there was a three or four line railway connecting two towns about 100 yards west of my position. I think I must have been blown out of the aircraft by the explosion of the photoflash or possibly the port fuel tanks. As I found my telephone cable and plug burnt into my left flying boot on landing and proving I was not on the inter-comm with the crew I don´t know if any of the rest of the crew up the front had been killed when we were hit but knowing from past conversations that I was the only one who used to fir my parachute over the defended areas I presume that all the crew would find it impossible to leave the aircraft. As there was a huge explosion about 30 seconds after I landed which I believe to have been the bomb load I presume them to have been killed. I received no news of them later, even after visiting the casualty section of Air Min. An enemy motor vehicle visited the wreckage late the following afternoon but as I kept myself hidden in the wheat field I don´t know if they found any bodies. They remained about an hour or more there before I heard the vehicle driven away. I also heard civilian women talking and laughing amidst the noise of tearing up cloth which I believe was parachute silk.”

  Jeacocke was captured on June 30, 1944 and spent several days in solitary confinement in a Budapest prison before being transferred to the Stalag Luft VII prison camp in Germany.

  As already indicated, the remaining four airmen from the crew perished. Pilot F/O Thomas Bernard McAneney (RCAF), navigator F/Sgt. Frederick Stanley Sparrow, bombaimer F/Sgt. Thomas Bell and gunner Sgt. Edwin Charles Hum were exhumed at the cemetery in Tordas and were transferred to the military cemetery in Budapest (common grave II. C. 5-8). The wreckage of their Wellington was found 4 miles (6.5 km) east of Tordas near Erdőmajorpuszta in Hungary. The locals took everything that was of any use. The starboard engine Hercules S.S.22689 was found in a landfill in Budapest and the identity of the wreckage was determined accordingly.

  F/O Thomas Bernard McAneney, 24, pilot and Deputy Flight Commander, did not return from action on the night of June 25-26, 1944. Together with him in Wellington Mk.X LN811 „L“ died navigator F/Sgt. Frederick Stanley Sparrow, bomb aimer F/Sgt. Thomas Bell and gunner Sgt. Edwin Charles Hum. McAneney received pilot wings on April 9, 1942 in Brantford and moved overseas a month later. In November 1942, he was seriously injured during an emergency landing on the coast of England.

  Photograph of the original cross on McAneney‘s grave in the Budapest cemetery.

  The last entry in McAnneney‘s flight log is written by an official. In the morning, they completed a training flight with the crew with bombing training, and in the evening they took off on their last mission to Budapest.

  
  

  The second lost machine was the Wellington Mk.X LP249 „Z“, which was operated by the crew of pilot P/O Robert Edward Seymour Shearer (RAAF), navigator F/Sgt. JW Chaplin, bombaimer W/O2 NTS Reed (RCAF), radio operator Sgt. J Jackson and gunner F/Sgt. Terence Desmod Murray (RAAF). After the start at 20:47 they headed for their target. During the flight over Hungary, they fell victim to German night fighters. Deadly shot helpless bomber crashed near the village of Dunaharaszti in Hungary, burying all five airmen in its wreckage. After being lifted from the wreck, their remains were transported to the military cemetery in Budapest.

  Let us add the list of twelve aircraft which took off for the 150th Squadron: LN797 „E“, MF284 „Y“, LP505, LP503, LP207 „J“, LP310, LP148 „P“, LP239 „Q“, JA191, LN756 „T“ , LP203 and LP183 „O“.

  Of the eight 614th Squadron aircraft that took off to illuminate the target the Shell refinery in Budapest on the night of June 25-26, 1944, two (the crews of W/O TE Scotland and F/S JE O´Brien) had to prematurely turn back. The paradox is that the ORB (Operation Record Book) lists both crews flying in the JP186. One aircraft did not reach the target and was lost. It was a Halifax II JP107, manned by captain W/O EG Gittings. The remaining five aircraft „attacked“ from a height of 15,000 feet. The three crews dropped their markers, but did not hit the target and illuminated the area about 5 miles north. The main marker crew was not able to identify the aiming point during the three flights over the target, even though the northern end of the island was identified.

  Participating machines and crews: JP110 (W/O WTH Fleckney), JP109 (W/O CM Hall), JP241 (P/O TW Parker), JP183 (F/O IH Bruce), JP288 (F/S TE Sparrow), returnees JP186 (F/S JE O´Brien) and JP186 (W/O TE Scotland), and missing JP107 “S” (W/O EG Gittings).

  Handley Page Halifax II JP107 „S“ was dispatched from the base Foggia No.1 / Celone at 20:35 and headed for Budapest. Above the target, the machine got into the headlights. And that made the work of night fighters easier. The exact aiming pilot was probably Oblt. Josef Kraft from 7./NJG 6. The hit Halifax fell to the ground 15 km north of the target, at 32 Arany János St. Tab. All six crew members, namely pilot P/O Eric George Gittings, navigator F/Sgt. Kenneth John Skinner, bombaimer P/O Gordon M. Williams, gunners F/Sgt. Samuel Cater, Sgt. Alec Shaw and F/Sgt. Albert SH Brown died and are buried in the military cemetery in Budapest.

  Oblt. Josef Kraft was born in Vienna. During the Second World War, he achieved 56 victories, for which he was awarded the Knight‘s Cross with oak branches on April 17, 1945. Flew at II./ NJG 4, II./ NJG 5, and NJG 6.

  
  

  The seventh 205th Group RAF aircraft deployed after the action was the Wellington LP212 „N“, belonging to the 150th Squadron. After the attack of night fighters, the crew of Sgt. JE Richardson registered the shot in the hydraulic system. After a successful return to base, they had to make an emergency landing and the plane was scrapped.

  Fourteen Liberators of the 178th Squadron also performed between 20:29 and 03:25. a mission on a refinery in Budapest, where they dropped bombs from 12,200 to 15,000 feet between 00:02 and 00:07. One of the aircraft marked EV822 with crew of Lt. Hosken had to return prematurely due to a failure of one of the engines, which manifested itself an hour and a half after takeoff at 22:20. The crew dropped all 12 500 lb. bombs and at 23:37 landed at the base.

  Only five aircraft could observe the results of their attack after the raid. Explosions were observed, which caused large fires.

  The participating aircraft and crews for the 178th Squadron were as follows:

  F/O P.J. Bootham na stroji EW266 „L“, Lt. J.W. VanDerMerwe (EV974 „D“), P/O J.P. Blackenberg (KG828 „F“), Lt. N.E. Hayman (EV961 „C“), Sgt. A.D. Nicholas (EV906 „K“), F/Lt. D.A. Eardley (EW233 „H“), Lt. G. Rosenthal (EW160 „B“), Sgt. F.M. Watson (EV839 „J“), S/Ldr. J.H.C. Lewis (BZ946„L“), Sgt. J.B. Rush (EW231 „R“), Lt. T.E. Knight (EW106 „U“), F/O K. Travena (KG835 „A“), Lt. G.C.E. Gibson (EV959 „T“), F/O G.E.S. McNaughton (BZ947 „N“) a F/O J.H. Hosken (EV822 „V“).

  The Liberator EW233 „H“ was used by several crews within 178th Squadron RAF. The photo shows the crew of P/O Raw. [Foto: via J. Ansel]

  
  

  As part of the 240th Wing, the South African 31st Squadron also took part in the raid. For South Africans, this was the first raid on a target in Europe. The squadron offered command to deploy 10 machines, but from 21:01 to 21:10 only the requested six crews on Liberator planes took off from the home airport. They were B-24 marked EW248 „P“ (Lt.Col. D Nel), EV970 „F“ (Maj. JA Mouton), EW104 „Y“ (Lt. DJS Haggie), EW144 „A“ (Cpt. IJM Odendaal), EV941 „Q“ (Lt. PR Klette) and KG950 „V“ (Cpt. RB Bird). Through Mali Drvenik and Lake Balaton, they got over the target, where they dropped 72 pieces of 500 lb. GP bombs.

  Operating Commander of 31st Squadron, Lawrence Isemonger, after years wrote about this event:

  “Our eight (sic.) Liberators attracted the attention of fifteen headlights, which was accompanied by heavy anti-aircraft fire; the bomb aimers were blinded. Photos from the raid showed that our bombs were scattered in various ways, and most of them landed at the Weiss armaments plant south of the target. All our 8 (sic.) Liberators have returned safely.”

  The bombing of the Shell Koolaz refinery was inaccurate. Most of the bombs landed on the target area and individual explosions were scattered throughout the city. Most of the bombs hit the Western and Eastern Railway Stations (Nyugeti and Keleti pályaudvar), as well as the Rákosrendező Railway Station and their surroundings. The bombs also hit residential areas in the suburbs of Csepel, where the refinery was located, as well as in the parts of Újpest, Pestszenterzsébet and Budafók.

   A highly feared adversary of all Allied bombers was the German flak (Fliegerabwehrkanone), which thickened the airspace over larger agglomerations and industrial areas to such an extent that it was almost impossible to escape from its precision fire without damage.

   
  

  Defensive reaction of the Luftwaffe 
  (III./NJG 6 and II./NJG 101) 

  On June 15, the 8. Jagddivision was established. This measure was forced by the activities of the Strategic Allied Air Force, which attacked targets in Central Europe from the southern direction. Along with the air units of day fighters, two groups of night fighters were included in the 8. Jagddivision. They were III./NJG 6, which was armed with Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4. In June, this group was transferred to the Szombathely base. The second group in this section was II./NJG 101, which was equipped with Dorniers Do 217 N and operated from the airports Vienna - Seyring and later Budapest - Ferihégy.

  Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen achieved 34 victories during World War II. The victory of June 26, 1944 was his 20th and first, but not the last, achieved over Hungary. On October 29, 1944, he received the Knight‘s Cross.

  
  

  
  

  Both units were deployed against RAF bombers, which flew on the night of June 25-26, 1944 at a refinery in Budapest. The memory of this period was described in his memoirs by Oblt. Wilhelm Johnen, pilot III./NJG 6:

  “At the beginning of June 1944, an order to transfer to Szombathely in Hungary struck us like a bolt from the blue. I‘ve never heard the name of this city. But Germany‘s borders changed from the ground up, and one was not surprised that Budapest was suddenly called a „Germanic fortress“ and that our brothers and sisters in Bačka were hailed as „compatriots who had returned to the great Empire.“ One of the friends described Szombathely as a suburb of Vienna, half an hour from Grinzing. The rest of Hungary is a country of noble Tokaj, fiery peppers and spirited Juliska. But who - what are we to pursue here at night? When one knows nothing certain, rumors spread like asparagus in a flower bed after the spring rain. I didn‘t worry, and after my „state visit“ to Switzerland, I was

  
  

  On 28 April 1944 Johnen downed another Halifax at 01:31 southwest of Strasbourg for his 19th victory. It was part of a force of 322 heavy bombers sent to attack Friedrichshafen. As Johnen closed to attack the bomber—Halifax III ND759 R-Robert from No. 35 Squadron RAF flown by Warrant Officer Bob Peter (RAAF)—he was also hit by return-fire. ohnen was also forced to land his damaged Bf 110G-4, C9+EN (Werknummer—Factory Number 740 055), at Zürich-Dubendorf and was captured by personnel of the Swiss Air Force and was interned.  It caused an international incident but he was repatriated with his crew some days later.

  
  

   looking forward to the trip to Hungary (from our previous Hagenau base). In Szombathely - the German name Steinamanger - our Gruppe will be subject to the orders of the commander of the 8th Fighter Division, Oberst Handrick. He is a commander according to our taste: sporty, friendly and has his heart in the right place for his fighters. He explained to us what our task would be: to protect the capitals of Vienna and Budapest from the RAF‘s night raids from Italy, as well as to fight the planes arriving at night from the east and supplying the partisans. While in the West, night pursuit bound by guidance has been replaced by free prosecution „Wilde Sau“, we will fly according to the old system. The days of waiting are over. Nothing happens during these hot clear nights in Hungary with a starry sky. Every evening we sit in the barracks and wait for the fish to jump on the hook. The mood of the pilots and ground staff dropped to zero. Some talk about exile, others about spa relaxation ...

  ... On the night of June 26, 1944, an Englishman struck the Hungarian capital. Flying bombers have already been reported over the Adriatic. At 10:45 p.m. we took off from our airport. North of the city of Baja, far from the capital, we intercepted an English combat formation and decimated it. Only scattered bombs fell on Budapest, fires appeared only rarely. Our Gruppe scored 16 shots. Oberleutnant Sepp Kraft also claimed two victories during the attack - one Wellington and one Mitchell. We‘re a little surprised, Mitchell from Italy - that‘s not entirely possible. The unpleasant explanation comes right away. They call Budapest and ask if one of our fighters accidentally shot one Do 217. Ice silence. The commander immediately compares the shooting time from the report with the shooting time Do 217. It can only be the shot down „Mitchell“, which claimed Sepp Kraft. The actual shooting times are exactly the same and so are the location data. Fortunately, the four-member crew was rescued from a burning machine on parachutes, which saved the embarrassing session of the court martial. Lieutenant Colonel Sepp Kraft is depressed. But I can‘t hide some mischief, and I‘m just noticing by the way: well, so you were wrong about the ox with the horse! Once again, whoever laughs last laughs the best! ”

  The Red Army Air Force used the B-25 Mitchell during this period to supply partisan units. Crews III./NJG 6 were alerted to the presence of Do 217 N in the common operating area. A similar concept of the B-25 and Do 217 types - two engines, a double rudder - created a precondition for confusion in the darkness of night. The pilots had a B-25 model, on which they could study its silhouette from different angles. They realized that extra care would be needed to identify the adversary.

  Night fighter Messerschmitt Bf 110 G from 7./NJG 6 marked (2Z + GR) at the airport in Hungary in 1944.

  
  

  Some pilots admitted the possibility of confusion more, others less. Oblt. Kraft was one of them: “Mitchell from Do 217 must recognize an infant!“

  Fortunately for all involved, this incident had no consequences. Shot down Do 217 N, belonging to II./NJG 101, was the only loss of the Luftwaffe in this deployment against the RAF.

  According to Wilhelm Johnen‘s memory, members of III./NJG 6 made 16 winning claims. The number of officially confirmed shots was realistic and corresponded to the total losses of the Royal Air Force.

  Two Dornier Do-217N night fighters were lost that night by 6./NJG 101, stationed in Parndorf, in the area of western Bohemia (the villages of Konratice and Horní Planá), but not due to combat deployment but due to adverse weather and technical problems.

  Crew Uffz. Kornen Günter and Obgf. Müller Georg died near the village of Konratice, district České Budějovice.

  The second crew pilot Uffz. Hans Werner Schmidt, Bordfunker Uffz. Heinz Jansen and on-board mechanic Obgf. Wilhelm Knufer went to the ground after their machine was struck by lightning. The pilot and the Bordfunker escaped with injuries, but the fire broke out. The mechanic died in the wreckage after he failed to jump out and use the parachute silk. The plane had to explode in the air as the debris is located in a large perimeter from the presumed epicenter of the impact in the Český Krumlov district.

   Detail on the nose of the night fighter Messerschmitt Bf 110 G from 7./NJG 6 (2Z + GR) from the previous page. The shooting armament of this machine consisted of two MG 151 cannons instead of the classic four MG 17 and was complemented by very advanced radar technology in the form of radar FuG 220 SN-2c. Notice the flame dumpers on the exhausts.

  
  

  Conclusion

  The attack on the Shell refinery in Budapest was far from the last. Several more times, American and British bombers reached the capital of Hungary, but also other targets, whether in Hungary or the whole occupied Europe, in order to attack not only the oil-processing industry, which was the basis for the war machine of the Third Reich, but also with attacks on the railway network, warehouses, military and industrial facilities, they disrupted the operation and strength of the German armed forces and thus contributed to the victory in Europe.

   A visual aid for German fighters, depicting the weaknesses and defense of the Vickers Wellington bomber.

   

  Sources:

  The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK. - Operations record books: AIR-27-392-11, AIR-27-392-12, AIR-27-617-11, AIR-27-617-12, AIR-27-822-11, AIR-27-822-12, AIR-27-975-11, AIR-27-975-12, AIR-27-1012-11, AIR-27-1012-12, AIR-27-1120-11, AIR-27-1120-12, AIR-27-2121-9, AIR-27-2121-10,

  National Archives of Australia, Kingston

  Gunby D., Temple P.: RAF Bomber Losses in the Middle East & Mediterranean Volume 2: 1943-1945, Air-Britain. 1st. 2018

  Persons: David Gunby, Nový Zéland; Marian Hrodegh, Trenčín; Nandor Mohos, Maďarsko; Matti Salonen, Fínsko

  Photographs for which no other credit is indicated are from the author's archive.

• THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD

  Spitfires of No. 312 Squadron at Ibsley airfield in September 1943. In the foreground Spitfire BM567 DU-Z which was very often flown by F/Lt Josef Stehlik. Photo Ing. Karel Beinhauer

  
  

  Czechoslovak Pilots and the Spitfire Mk.V

  Text: KAREL TŮMA
  (photos by Karel Beinhauer, No. 313. Squadron RAF; via Radim Vojta)

   

  Czechoslovak fighter pilots made their mark in the history of World War II air combat on several fronts, but the most significant was undoubtedly their service in the Royal Air Force. And the aircraft used by the Czechoslovaks in the most numerous numbers was the Spitfire Mk.V. It stayed in operational service of each Squadron and subsequently the entire Czechoslovak Wing until January 1944, when it was replaced by the Mk.IX version. 

   

  In the first half of 1941, when Spitfire Mk.V fighters began to equip the fighter squadrons of the Britain’s RAF, a total of three fighter units with the designation ‘Czechoslovak’ operated within the service. These were squadrons No. 310, No. 312 and No. 313. The first two, founded in 1940, had Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIa and Mk.IIbs in their inventory. Only No. 313 Sqn, established on May 10, 1941 at Catterick, was armed with the Supermarine Spitfire, and it was not until August of 1941 that it went from flying the Mk.Ia to the Mk.IIa.

  At that time it was already clear that if No. 310 and No. 312 Sqn were to maintain their status as a fighter unit, they would necessarily need to convert to a more potent aircraft. At the same time, the pressure to create a higher Czechoslovak unit, a Wing, within which all three Czechoslovak fighter squadrons would operate together, grew stronger. The first prerequisite for its creation was the standardization of the equipment of all three squadrons.

   W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, DFC, commander of the Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, next to his Spitfire Mk.Vb EN765 marked with his personal monogram “KM”. July 1942.

  Close-up of the front of Dolezal’s Spitfire MK.Vb EP461 “FD” at Exeter airfield in May 1943. The Wing Commander’s emblem is drawn under the left cockpit visor of EP461. In the background are Spitfires of No.310 Squadron. The first in the line of Spitfires Mk.Vb is BM121 „NN-A“. 

  
  

  Gradual retraining

  No. 310 Sqn and No. 312 Sqn personnel were required to convert from existing Hurricanes to the more powerful Spitfire, which offered greater potential for further development. On July 19, 1941, No. 310 Sqn moved to the base at Dyce in Scotland, where it carried out patrol duties with its Mk.IIa and Mk.IIb Hurricanes. In the second half of October 1942, the unit took over the first older Spitfires intended for conversion training. There was one Mk.Ia Spitfire and fifteen  Mk.IIa fighters on hand. At the end of October 1941, retraining on Spitfires began, while the unit continued to perform operational patrols in their Hurricanes. At the beginning of November 1941, the unit took over another four Spitfire Mk.IIas. In mid-November, the first Mk.Vb Spitfires, which were to become the unit’s new weapon, began to arrive.

  A portion of the pilots with the new fighters joined the operational patrol duties as early as November 25, 1941. However, some of them continued to fly operational flights with Hurricanes until December 9, 1941. From the following day, No. 310 Sqn performed operational patrols exclusively with new equipment, the Spitfire Mk.Vb. These were from the AD series produced at the Castle Bromwich factory and No. 310 Sqn was their first user (AD328, AD331, AD365, AD366, AD374, AD378, AD382, AD412, AD414, AD420, AD422, AD423, AD453, AD462, AD464, AD574, AD582). After re-equipping, No. 310 Sqn moved to Perranporth in Cornwall on December 24, 1941.

  Members of the ground staff of No. 313 Squadron with Spitfire AD380 RY-R. Interesting features of this aircraft are the drawing of Robber the kitten painted by Karel Pavlík under the front plate and the different shade of the code letters RY-R, with the first letter R in Sky color and the following letters Y-R in Sky Blue. Also, the propeller cone and ring in front of the VOP is in Sky Blue with the s/n AD385 at the top. The original Sky color is visible underneath. The serial number AD385 was never actually used with No. 313 Squadron, it was probably a misspelling when the camouflage was corrected. The actual serial number of this Spitfire was AD380.

  
  

  No. 312 Sq. moved its Hurricane Mk.IIbs to Prestwick, Scotland, on August 19, 1941, RAF Ayr, and on October 20, 1942, it received the first six older Spitfires destined for conversion training. There were five aircraft of the Mk.IIa version and one of the Mk.IIb version with wing cannons. The machines were assigned to B Flight and retraining of personnel began immediately. By October 25, 1941, however, the first Spitfire loss occurred at No. 312 Sqn, when P/O Hekl, during a training flight with P75410 coded DU-W, clipped a wing on the surface of Loch Doon and was killed as a result. In November 1941, the unit took over from sister squadron No. 313 Sqn another three Mk.IIa Spitfires for the same purpose of converting. In early December 1941, No. 312 Sqn received its first Spitfire Mk.Vbs, which were to become its new main armament. These were mostly new airframes produced by the Castle Bromwich factory from the AD (AD415, AD539, AD541, AD553, AD572) and BL ranges (BL252, BL254, BL260, BL289, BL293, BL343, BL381, BL470, BL487, BL512, BL516, BL529). The exception was the Eastleigh-built plane serialed AB172. The older aircraft from the W series (W3249, W3445) came from the same manufacturer, and R6833, originally produced as a Mk.Ia , which was rebuilt in 1940 and received a wing cannon, was a rarity. It was then used for testing and in February 1941 it was converted to a Mk.Vb. This was complemented by the addition of two Mk.IIb airframes, taken from No. 616 Sqn. After the rearmament was completed, No. 312 Sqn moved to Fairwood Common on January 1, 1942.

  Relatively speaking, the smoothest transition was experienced by No. 313 Sqn, flying their Spitfire Mk.IIas from Portreath. The unit took delivery of its first Spitfire Mk.Vb in the second half of October. The re-armament took place on a continuous basis and the airmen with the new fighters were gradually involved in ongoing operational activities together with their original Mk.IIa aircraft. During the process of rearmament, No. 313 Sqn received new aircraft from the Castle Bromwich facility in the AD series (AD192, AD353, AD361, AD380, AD384, AD390, AD391, AD394, AD424, AD465, AD464, AD547), one AB series airframe (AB916), those from Eastleigh factory in the AA series (AA865, AA869) and AA series units coming out of Chattis Hill (AA757, AA765). These were supplemented by older W series machines (W3177, W3962, W3965, W3969) assembled at High Post Aerodrome and P8537 from the Castle Bromwich factory. No. 313 Sqn remained at Portreath after conversion until December 15, 1941 when it moved south to Hornchurch. By re-arming all three squadrons, one of the conditions for the future creation of a higher Czechoslovak Fighter Wing was fulfilled. At that time, few would have believed that the Spitfire Mk.V would remain the main piece of equipment of Czechoslovak fighter squadrons until the beginning of 1944, when the pilots received the much desired  Spitfire Mk.IX. Czechoslovak pilots fought on Spitfire Mk.Vbs and Mk.Vcs for more than two years.

  The “thirteen thirty-three” planes from the first half of 1942 are known for their cartoon characters from Walt Disney comic books. The author of these drawings was Sgt. Karel Pavlik, who used his profession as a letter painter to decorate the individual Spitfires under the cockpit faceplate as the pilots wished. The drawing of Robber the kitten was painted by Karel Pavlik on a Spitfire AD380 RY-R. 

   

  With the strength of Wing

  Over the course of those two years, the stocks of Spitfire Mk.Vb and later Vc fighters were replenished at all three squadrons, and when moving to new areas of operation, these aircraft were also often exchanged with other units. And so machines from different series from basically all manufacturers gradually appeared in the inventory of the Czechoslovak fighter units. In the case of the Mk.Vb, these were machines produced by Castle Bromwich (series P, AB, AD, BL, BM, EN, EP), Eastleigh (series R, W, X, AA, AB), Chattis Hill (series W, AA, AB), High Post Aerodrome (W, AB series) and Westland (AR series). The Vc version aircraft came from the production facilities of Westland (series AR, EE), Eastleigh (series AA, AB), High Post Aerodrome (series AB) and Chattis Hill (series BP). On May 3, 1942, the Czechoslovaks saw the creation of a higher Czechoslovak Fighter Wing, established at RAF Exeter (Exeter Czechoslovak Fighter Wing). It consisted of the above-mentioned Czechoslovak squadrons, Nos. 310, 312 and 313, which in the period from May 7 to June 7, 1942 was supplemented by No. 154 Sqn. All three squadrons operated as the Exeter Czechoslovak Fighter Wing until June 26, 1943. After that, they separately stood down for a period of R and R. Czechoslovak units met up again in the period from September 18 to November 8, 1943, when together they formed the Ibsley Czechoslovak Fighter Wing. The Wing was commanded by W/Cdr Alois Vašátko (who from May 3 to June 23, 1942 flew a personal Spitfire Mk.Vb BM592 coded with his initials AV), W/Cdr Karel Mrázek (June 26, 1942 to March 31, 1943 with personal Spitfire Mk.Vbs EN765 and  EP461 and Mk.Vcs AR502 and EE626, all coded KM) and W/Cdr František Doležal (March 31, 1943 to February 1, 1944,  Spitfire Mk.Vb EP461 and Vc EE626; both coded FD).

  During the period when Czechoslovak squadrons flew the Spitfire Mk.V, they took part in a number of important operations. For example, on August 19, 1942, the pilots of Nos. 310 and 312 Sqn with the Spitfire Mk.V flew out of Redhill in support of Operation Jubilee and on the 9 of September, 1943, No. 313 Sqn from Hawkinge Airfield took part in support of Operation Starkey which saw black and white stripes used on the wings for the first time as a rapid identification feature. At the time of the use of the Spitfire Mk.Vb, personal artwork also appeared on Czechoslovak Spitfires, even if only for a short time. This happened at the beginning of 1942 at No. 313 Sqn, commanded at the time by S/Ldr Karel Mrázek. On several Spitfire Mk.Vbs, artwork inspired by characters from Walt Disney cartoons appeared at the request of the pilots. The author of the drawings was a pilot with the unit, Sgt Karel Pavlík, a calligrapher by profession in civilian life.

   Spitfires LF Mk. Vb from No. 313 Squadron take off from Hawkinge airfield as part of Operation Starkey on September9, 1943. The unit moved to Hawkinge airfield, which was under the command of 11 Group, Fighter Command, in mid-August 1943 after a recuperation stay and patrol in the north over the Orkneys. The squadron thus became involved in the operational flights of Operation Starkey as part of the Hawkinge Wing.

  
  

  Modifications and modernisations

  The Spitfire Mk.V also underwent a number of upgrades during their relatively long service career with the Czechoslovak squadrons, increasing the combat value of the aircraft. For example, there was a modification to the fuel system, which allowed the use of auxiliary fuel tanks, which greatly increased the operational radius of the aircraft. A number of aircraft got their wings clipped, which increased their maneuverability during operations at lower flight levels. The system of supplying ammunition to the wing cannons was also changed, which increased the reliability of the weapons and the number of rounds carried, and there were many other modifications. The period of use of the Spitfire Mk.V by Czechoslovak units is, in addition to a number of successes, also associated with significant losses of flight personnel, which did not escape even the command corps. For the Czechoslovak Air Force, major losses came with the death of W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, the first commander of the Czechoslovak Fighter Wing, who died on June 23, 1942 in his personal Spitfire Mk.Vb BM592 coded AV after a collision with a German Fw 190 during Operation Ramrod 23 and also S/Ldr Jaroslav Himr, who died on the 27 of September, 1943 in the cockpit of Spitfire Mk.Vc BP8586 coded RY-H during Operation Ramrod 87, when he first shot down a German Bf 110G-2 from II./ZG 1 but was subsequently shot down by another Bf 110G from the same unit.

  At the end of January and beginning of February 1944, all three Czechoslovak fighter squadrons finally received their desired rearmament and exchanged their Spitfire Mk.Vb and Mk.Vc fighters for the more powerful Spitfire Mk.IX. Nevertheless, the Spitfire Mk.V, even if only for a short time, found itself into the inventory of No. 313 Sqn once more. It was between July 11 and October 3, 1944 that the squadron operated as part of a down time in the north of Great Britain at Skeabrae and Sumburgh. Additionally, Czechoslovak pilots did not come into contact with the Spitfire Mk.V inside Czechoslovak units alone. A number of Czechoslovak pilots also flew with other units within the RAF (see below) and, besides operational squadrons, Czechoslovak pilots also flew the Spitfire Mk.V as part of training with OTUs, Operational Training Units, up to the very end of the war. This is part of the reason why the Spitfire Mk.V became the most used aircraft by Czechoslovak pilots in terms of quantity during the entire war, and they thus have an irreplaceable place in the history of Czechoslovak resistance in the air.

   During Operation Starkey, black-and-white invasion stripes were used for the first time on aircraft participating in low-altitude operations to distinguish their own and foreign machines. They looked different from those known from the later Normandy landings. The photo shows F/Lt Otmara Kučera in front of his personal Spitfire LF Mk.Vb EP110 “RY-R”.

  Spitfires of No. 310 Squadron at Exeter airfield in spring 1943. Closest in the photo is the front part of Dolezal’s Spitfire Mk.Vb EP461. The black “FD” marking on the lower engine cowling is clearly visible.

  
  

  
  

  Czechoslovak Pilots With Other Units
  

   

  No.19 Squadron

  The unit began converting to Spitfire Mk.Vs in October 1941, and by June 1942, Sgt Lysický, Sgt Netopil, Sgt Sokol, F/Sgt Střihavka, P/O Bernard, F/O Borovec and Sgt Mečíř  flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb.

   

  No.41 Squadron

  In April and May of 1942, F/Lt Vykoukal flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs with this unit.

   

  No.54 Squadron

  From September 1941, Sgt Plášil, F/Sgt Pavlů, Sgt Karásek and Sgt. Konvalina flew the Spitfire Mk.V while serving with this unit.

   

  No.65 Squadron

  The unit flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb after converting to it in October 1941, and a relatively large number of Czechoslovak pilots flew with the unit. These included Sgt Štulíř, Sgt Loucký, Sgt Kopeček, Sgt Karásek, Sgt Konvalina, Sgt Pavlů and Sgt Štefan.

   

  No.66 Squadron

  During his time with this unit, F/Lt Kruml flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb and Mk.Vc in November and December 1942.

   

  No.72 Squadron

  In the summer of 1941, Sgt Lamberton and Sgt. Valenta flew with this unit in the summer of 1941.

   

  No.81 Squadron

  From April 1942, Spitfire Mk.Vbs were flown by F/Sgt Pípa and between July and August 1942, by F/Sgt Maňák.

   

  No.111 Squadron

  This unit converted to the Spitfire Mk.Vb in September 1941. They were flown by F/Sgt (later P/O) Hrubý, Sgt Zouhar, F/O Kopecký, Sgt Zadrobílek, F/Sgt (later P/O) Příhoda and F/O Hartman.

   

  No.118 Squadron

  In May and June 1944, Sgt J. Čermák flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb.

   

  No.122 Squadron

  Between May and August 1943, Spifire Mk.Vb flights were conducted by F/Lt Kruml.

   

  No.124 Squadron

  This unit converted onto the Spitfire Mk.Vb in November 1941, and were flown by F/Lt Kulhánek, F/Lt Bartoň, F/O Bachůrek and Sgt. Kotiba

   

  No.129 Squadron

  Between May and July 1942, F/Lt Vancl flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb.

   

  No.131 Squadron

  In January and February 1943, P/O Hlaďo, F/Lt Kruml and P/o Smik flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs.

   

  No.167 Squadron

  Between March and May 1943, P/O Papoušek flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb and Mk.Vc.

   

  No.222 Squadron

  In June 1943, P/O Hlaďo and P/O Smik flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs. (The main fighter at the time with this unit was the Spitfire Mk.IX.)

   

  No.234 Squadron

  F/Lt Hýbler flew Spitfire Mk.Vbs with this unit in May 1942.

   

  No.501 Squadron

  This unit took on the Spitfire Mk.Vb in September 1941. Examples of the type were flown by F/Sgt Dvořák, Sgt Vendl, Sgt Vrtiš, F/O (later F/Lt Raba, Sgt Ročovský, Sgt Bauman and Sgt Jeřábek. Spitfire Mk.Vcs began to appear in May 1942, and the Czechoslovak pilots flew them as well.

   

  No.601 Squadron

  Sgt Mareš flew the unit’s Spitfire Mk.Vb which it converted to in March 1942.

   

  No.602 Squadron

  The Spitfire Mk.Vb was flown in this unit by Sgt Ptáček in February and March 1942.

   

  No.610 Squadron

  From the end of March to May 1942, Sgt Mareš and Sgt Kohout flew the unit’s Spitfire Mk.Vbs.

• Air War over Ukraine

  The first F-16 fighter jets appeared over Ukraine at the turn of July and August.

  
  

  He Who Sows the Wind Reaps the Storm in the Kursk Region

  Text: Miro Barič

  
  

  Ukraine has been attempting retaliation on enemy territory since the first day of Russian aggression. Initially, these were sporadic missile, or drone strikes on key targets, gradually intensifying and now amounting to a strategic offensive. There have also been several ground raids by Russian legions fighting against Putin’s regime, though they always quickly retreated back to Ukrainian territory. However, during the observed period (from August 1 to August 31), the war fully expanded into the Russian territory.

  It began on Tuesday, August 6, when the Russian border in the Kursk region was crossed at multiple locations. This time, it was not a small raid, even though Russian authorities initially downplayed the situation. For the first time, Ukrainian soldiers (not just members of Russian legions) attacked Russian territory, using heavy equipment. The offensive was carefully planned and, importantly, kept secret, with even Ukraine’s Western allies unaware of it. Russian units at the borders had warned of a possible attack, but their leadership ignored the warnings.

  Ukraine took advantage of the fact that Russia had only weak forces at the Kursk region’s borders, consisting partly of conscripts in the basic military service and partly of soldiers recovering from losses in previous battles on the eastern Ukrainian front. Most either fled or were captured. Ukrainians first infiltrated Russian territory with special units, attacking Russian supplies and using jamming devices against Russian drones. Russian drones did not fly in the early days, while Ukrainian drones largely destroyed the reinforcements Russia was sending.

  The initial Ukrainian attack was carried out by small units with a few armored vehicles that moved quickly and ambushed Russian forces, with the main forces following behind. This resulted in maneuver warfare, to which Russia struggled to find an adequate response. On the eastern front in Ukraine, Russian forces typically proceed by first bombarding Ukrainian positions with glide bombs from aircraft, then attacking with waves of infantry. In the Kursk region, this was not possible since Ukrainian units were constantly moving, and Russian glide bombs can only target stagnant targets. As a result, Russia resorted to its usual tactic—razing villages and towns to prevent the Ukrainians from establishing positions there, though now this was happening on Russian soil.

  One of Ukraine's objectives was to create a buffer zone so that Russia could not bombard the Ukrainian border. Other goals included inflicting damage and losses on the Russian army, disrupting Russian supply routes, and improving Ukraine's negotiating position in potential peace talks. Ukraine also sought to force Russia to relocate its forces from other regions to the Kursk area. Russia did this, but only from less critical parts of the front. Russian troops remained in their most important offensive direction, toward Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, where they continued to attack. However, Russia was unable to send reinforcements to Pokrovsk as quickly as they might have wished. By the end of the period, their advance in Pokrovsk had significantly slowed.

  During this time, both sides were intensely engaged: Russia was attacking in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region, while Ukraine maintained the initiative in the Russian Kursk region. By the end of the month, Ukraine had occupied the town of Sudzha and several dozen other villages, most of whose civilian population had been evacuated. Ukraine captured over 600 Russian soldiers, initially facing challenges in relocating such a large number of prisoners to the interior. Among the captives were evidently important individuals, as Russia requested a prisoner exchange for the first time, having shown little interest in this before Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region.

  
  

  Losses in the Kursk Region

  A significant portion of air operations and losses during the observed period occurred in connection with the fighting in the Kursk region, particularly on the Russian side. Due to issues with drone jamming, Russia attempted to repel the Ukrainian attack mainly with helicopters and aircraft. On the first day of the Ukrainian offensive, Tuesday, August 6, the first Russian Kamov Ka-52 helicopter was shot down. The pilot died in the crash, and the navigator was injured. On the same day, a Ukrainian FPV drone in the Kursk region struck a Russian Mi-28 helicopter, damaging its tail rotor, but the crew managed to make an emergency landing. This was the first time in history that a drone intentionally hit an enemy aircraft in flight. Shortly after, a similar attack occurred when a Ukrainian drone hit a Mi-8 helicopter, although details on this incident are scarce, despite it being captured on video.

  On Saturday, August 10, another Ka-52 helicopter was shot down by portable missiles in the Kursk region. The crew, Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Shulgin and Captain Erlan Medeuov from the 440th Independent Helicopter Regiment in Vyazma, did not survive.

  Ukraine claimed further successes in the Kursk region, stating they had also hit aircraft, though only the aforementioned losses are confirmed. By the end of the period, a photo surfaced of a severely damaged MI-8MTV-5 helicopter, likely suitable only for cannibalization for spare parts. This may be the helicopter struck by the FPV drone mentioned earlier.

  Indirectly related to the war in Ukraine was the loss of a Tu-22M3 bomber on Thursday, August 15, near Mikhailovka in the Irkutsk region, due to an accident. These aircraft are heavily used in attacks on Ukrainian cities, and the high operational pace leads to the crew and material fatigue, increasing the number of accidents. The aircraft bore the designation RF-94238 with fuselage number “Red 78.” Its four-member crew ejected before the crash, but navigator Nikita Jerevalov did not survive.

  The Ukrainian soldier in the Kursk region

  Ukrainian equipment in the Kursk region uses markings in the form of white triangles.

  This Russian convoy on the way to the Kursk region was destroyed by Ukrainian missiles. In the chaos at the start of the offensive, however, several convoys were hit by the Russians themselves, even by Ka-52 helicopters.

  Wreckage of a Ka-52 helicopter that was shot down on August 6 in the Kursk region.

  Another Ka-52 was shot down on August 10, when it was hit at close range by portable missiles.

  Wreckage of a Tu-22M3 bomber with tail number "red 78," which crashed on August 15 in the Irkutsk region.

  A heavily damaged Russian Mi-8MTV-5 helicopter, which had to make an emergency landing sometime in August, though further details are unknown.

  
  

  Attacks on the Airports

  In addition to air losses, Russia’s air force also suffered ground damage. The Ukrainian offensive against Russian airports continued successfully. On Friday, August 2, a massive drone attack hit the Morozovsk airbase in the Rostov region. Extensive fires broke out, hitting a munitions warehouse, and a Su-34 fighter-bomber burned down on the tarmac.

  On Friday, August 9, Ukrainian drones targeted the Lipetsk airbase in the Lipetsk region, adjacent to Kursk. A strong explosion forced the evacuation of residents from four neighboring villages. Ukraine claimed its drones hit a warehouse containing 700 glide bombs.

  The most significant damage occurred on Thursday, August 22, when Ukrainian drones attacked the Marinovka base in the Volgograd region. Metal shelters for aircraft were hit, with the confirmed destruction of a Su-34 and a non-operational Su-24M, and three other aircraft were damaged.

  A Su-34 that burned down on August 2 at the Morozovsk base.

  Ammunition depot destroyed on August 2 at the Morozovsk base.

  Attack on the Marinovka base on August 22.

  Destroyed aircraft shelters at the Marinovka base.

  During the observed period, Ukrainian drones also hit a large fuel depot in Proletarsk in the Rostov region. It burned for over a week.

  
  

  Ukrainian Losses
  

  Russia also continued its attacks on Ukrainian airbases. On Monday, August 12, a rocket strike hit the Myrhorod base in the Poltava region, severely damaging a Su-27. On Friday, August 16, an Iskander-M ballistic missile destroyed a MiG-29 at an airfield in Dnipro.

  On August 12, Ukraine suffered a particularly sad loss when a MiG-29 with the call sign "White 72" was shot down near Kramatorsk, killing Captain Oleksandr Myhulya from the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, who had completed 160 combat flights. Russia claimed the MiG was downed by a Su-30 fighter.

  Ukraine also suffered one non-combat aviation loss during training. A Mi-2MSB helicopter from the 203rd Training Aviation Brigade crashed, killing Major Nazar Prokazjuk and a cadet from the National Air Force University in Kharkiv.

  Captain Oleksandr Myhulya of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade of Ukraine and the wreckage of the MiG-29 fighter jet in which he died on August 12.

  Ukrainian operator Oleksandr next to the IRIS-T air defense system with marked successes against Russian cruise missiles. Notice that the fifth symbol from the right is doubled. At that time, the Ukrainians hit one Russian missile with a rocket, and its explosion destroyed another Russian missile.

  
  

  F-16’s First Combat and First Loss

  On Monday, August 26, the Ukrainian Air Force suffered a major loss. It wasn’t just the destruction of an F-16 from the small contingent (reported as 10 aircraft) that had arrived in Ukraine only a month earlier. Far more tragic was the death of the respected pilot, Colonel Oleksiy Mes, call sign "Moonfish." On that day, Russia launched one of its largest attacks since the war began, sending more than 200 missiles and drones toward Ukraine, targeting 15 of its 24 regions. F-16s participated in this defense, likely marking their first combat action. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the next day, Tuesday, August 27, that the F-16s had achieved their first aerial victories against Russian missiles. However, on Thursday, August 29, it was revealed that one F-16 was lost during this action, along with its pilot.

  The news was confirmed by MP Mariana Bezuhla, who stated that Oleksiy Mes was shot down by a Patriot missile due to poor coordination among Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk responded sharply to the MP's remarks, but the next day, on Friday, September 30, President Zelensky dismissed him from his post, appointing Lieutenant General Anatoliy Kryvonozhko as the new commander of Ukraine's Air Force.

  Even a month later, it is still unclear what exactly happened. During his combat mission, Mes destroyed three cruise missiles and one kamikaze drone. While he was approaching another target, communication was lost. The plane crashed, and the pilot died. Several possible causes have been suggested, including friendly fire from a Patriot missile, a technical malfunction, or a collision with debris from a destroyed Russian missile, a known risk in such missions. Ukraine had already lost four fighters (two MiG-29s and two Su-27s) this way.

  The destruction of Ukraine’s first F-16 and the death of Oleksii Mes holds not only military significance but also great symbolic meaning. At the start of the war, Mes commanded a unit equipped with MiG-29 fighter jets. He was one of the voices in the campaign that advocated for the delivery of F-16 aircraft from Western allies. Together with Major Andrii Pilshchykov, who had the call sign "Juice," they lobbied in the U.S. during the summer of 2022.

  Tragically, Pilshchykov died before this dream could materialize - on August 25, 2023 perishing in a training flight collision between two L-39 Albatros aircraft. At that time, in August 2023, Mes became one of the first Ukrainian pilots to begin training in the West. In the fall of 2023, he transitioned from a simulator to the cockpit of a real F-16, becoming the very first Ukrainian pilot to do so. He also played a major role in integrating these fighter jets into Ukraine’s air force. Mes died exactly one year and one day after his comrade Pilshchykov.

  The first F-16 fighter jets appeared over Ukraine at the turn of July and August.

  Oleksiy Mes during the training on F-16.

  Andriy Pilshchykov and Oleksiy Mes lobbied for the delivery of F-16s. The first one died on August 25, 2023, and the second one exactly one year and one day later.

  The Ukrainian Air Force published a series of photos of the Su-27.

• Máňa

  Text: Jaroslav Špaček

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  Cat. No. 2148

  
  

  The L-410UVP, serial number 810731, was manufactured by LET Kunovice, on 25 November 1981. It was equipped with the standard camouflage for this type, i.e. two shades of green on the upper and side surfaces, and light grey underneath. At the time when it was intended for transporting NATO observers during exercises on the territory of Czechoslovakia, the nose, part of the tail surfaces and the ends of the wings were painted yellow. Subsequently, during an inspection at the factory, it was fitted with 'VIP camouflage' in white and grey with tricolour on the fuselage sides.

  In the middle of 2005, the aircraft was handed over to the Pardubice Centre of Aviation Training (CLV) of the state enterprise LOM PRAHA, where it complemented the already used L-410UVP-T aircraft,fuselage number 0928, for training  University of Defence Brno students intended for the transport aviation. Pilots Štěpán Ručka and Petr Kříženecký took over the "new" aircraft from Kbely. However, they did not flew off  on their first attempt, because the aircraft showed significant control defects, perhaps due to previous damage during ground handling. However, after several adjustments, the aircraft was finally taken over, although for the rest of its flying life it suffered permanent consequences in the form of constant, albeit small, slipping. Any change in speed or wing configuration thus required re-adjustment of the rudder and aileron trims. Over time, the aircraft was nicknamed "Máňa“ (pronounced Mania, meaning "Little Mary"). 

  In 2012, the aircraft "0731"underwent the R2 revision at the manufacturer. Due to the extent of the work being carried out, there was a discussion in CLV on the subject of a new camouflage to fit within our fleet. Out of many ideas from pilots and technicians, the current look of the "CLV" L-410s was finally chosen. That's why the aircraft "0928" received it as well in 2017 during its R2 revision in Kunovice.

  An interesting feature is the inscription on the bottom of the fuselage - AEROTRAINING, which was supposed to be the call sign of the aircraft used in CLV. The call sign of this aircraft for communication with air traffic control authorities at that time was "Aerotraining 731".

  On 22 October 2020 the aircraft landed for the last time in Pardubice, it was then with the crew of Antonín Karmazín, Jiří Červený and Jiří Seidl. The need for another R2 revision and the engines and propellers overhaul, together with the necessary modernisation of the avionic equipment, meant very high costs. Therefore, the decision was made to decommission the aircraft and no longer operate it.

  In the end, "Máňa" ended its aviation journey in the Aviation Museum in Kunovice. The aircraft was transported there on two trucks on March 7, 2024, where it was displayed to the public after assembly with the help of the production plant employees. "Máňa" flew a total of 7,479 hours and 25 minutes and safely completed 13,892 landings.

• With the National Guard in China

  Text: Jan Bobek

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  Cat. No. 82108

   

  World War II gave rise to many unusual situations, events, and units. Among these was the Connecticut National Guard's reconnaissance aviation unit, which ultimately achieved over 70 confirmed aerial victories on the Chinese battlefield.

  The first U.S. aviation unit with the number 118 was the 118th Aero Squadron, formed on August 31, 1917, at Kelly Field, Texas. After moving to France, it was redesignated as the 639th Aero Squadron in February 1918 and served as a transport and supply unit.

  In 1923, the 118th Observation Squadron was established as part of the Connecticut National Guard. Initially equipped with Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" and Curtiss OX-12 aircraft, it assisted during floods and worker riots. Gradually, it began using O-17 Courier aircraft, Douglas O-38 and O-46, O-47 medium planes, and Stinson O-49, among others.

  In March 1941, the 118th OS was placed under Army command and moved to Jacksonville Army Airfield in Florida, where it participated in anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, it continued this mission from Charleston, South Carolina. Its equipment eventually included not only L-4 and L-5 observation aircraft but also P-40, A-20, and P-39 combat aircraft. In the first half of the year, however, it was ordered to relocate to India and later to China.

  By June 1944, this unit, now designated the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS), became the fourth fighter squadron within the 23rd Fighter Group, carrying on the legacy of Chennault's "Flying Tigers." Under the command of Maj. E.O. McComas, the squadron began flying combat missions with P-40Ns from Kweilin Airfield, China. In late 1944, it rearmed with P-51B and especially C versions. The squadron's first two victories came when 1/Lt Oran Stanley Watts shot down two Oscars near Anking on July 7. The main adversaries of the American pilots on this battlefield were Japanese Army aviators flying Ki-43 and Ki-44 planes, with some Ki-84s appearing later in the war. Watts went on to achieve five victories, becoming one of the unit's three aces, Maj McComas and 1/Lt Russell D. Williams also achieving five kills each. Members of the 118th TRS returned to the U.S. after completing 100 combat sorties, typically after about six months of operational intensity.

  When the 118th TRS arrived on the Asian battlefield, Chinese and Allied forces were facing Japan's Operation Ichi-Go, aimed at establishing a land link between the occupied eastern part of China and present-day Vietnam. The second goal of the operation was to seize Allied airfields from which the U.S. Air Force was launching raids on Japan. For the 23rd FG, this meant operating under extremely difficult logistical conditions and undergoing several evacuations of their own bases.

  By October 20, the 118th TRS had flown nearly 6,000 operational hours, shot down 24 aircraft, probably destroyed 15 others, and damaged 22 in aerial combat. Its pilots had also destroyed 14 bridges and damaged 27 more, destroyed 296 vehicles and damaged 422, sunk 404 cargo vessels and damaged 1,439, and killed over 3,000 soldiers and 1,500 draft horses.

  In November 1944, the 74th FS and 118th TRS found themselves in an extraordinary situation, tasked with operating from areas surrounded by Japanese forces. Maj McComas' brightly colored Mustangs flew from Suichuan Airfield. Until January 1945, the pilots attacked enemy logistics on land, sea, and rail, scoring numerous additional aerial victories and destroying aircraft on the ground.

  By 1945, Japanese Army aerial activity in China had dwindled, with anti-aircraft fire becoming the main danger to Mustang pilots. During one such action in the spring of 1945, a Mustang was photographed bearing the names "Dottie N' Butch" and "Roxie" on its nose. This aircraft's chief mechanic was R.D. Anderson, and it was assigned to two pilots, Lt. L.D. Monaghan and Lt. G.J. Kaplanek. The final commander of the 118th TRS, Maj Martin Lubner, who had six confirmed victories and three probable ones from his time with the 76th FS, was photographed in his flight gear with this aircraft.

  Central European readers may find it interesting that Gerald J. Kaplanek was the son of a Czech father and a Polish mother. Another pilot with Czech ancestry, Edward J. Vanecek, also served with the unit. He died in April 1944 in a crash in India. More details about this unique unit can be found on the website www.118trs.com.

• Do zteče!

  Text Zdeněk Nožička

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  Cat. No. 7047

  
  

  „Do zteče ostře!“ ("Attack hard!") This is how the pilots of Czech L-39s, conducting combat test  firing, asked by radio the ground controller for permission to launch unguided rockets, fire a cannon or drop bombs. As the controller was usually designated a flying personnel, he was located within the firing range area at a safe distance from the impact area but within sight of it during the firing. The leader of the pair, after receiving clearance from the controller, only issued the instruction "Ready" to the wingman pilot. The rockets were then fired simultaneously by the pilots on the instruction "Fire!" by the leader. Subsequently, the rocket controller made an immediate assessment of the accuracy of the hits and then informed the pilots by radio.

  The military areas of Jince, Libava and Boletice were used for such rocket tests. Each live firing was very important for the pilots. Especially for the necessary acquisition of the pilot class and thus confirmation of the achievement of combat skills on a given type and of course proper financial evolution in the form of an increase in the pilot's monthly salary.

  For ground personnel, aerial gunnery tests have always meant a higher workload than everyday duty. Especially for the armourers. On the day of preliminary preparation, they concentrated their efforts, in addition to the preparation of the aircraft and the testing of the weapon systems, on the hanging of the rocket pods and the actual preparation of the aerial weaponry. The aircraft flew mostly armed with a combination of the GS-23 cannon along with S-5 rockets, or the GS-23 cannon along with bombs. Because of the complexity of this training, range flights were scheduled in weekly blocks.

  The training missions of armed Albatros flying on the range had important safety specifics. For example, the armorers performed the arming of the aircraft only as the last specialty in line, when the radio operators and avionics specialists, along with the aircraft technician, had already completed their preparations. Warning flags were placed in front of and behind the aircraft during weapons loading. This meant that no ground personnel or airport security assets were allowed in these areas. Once the aircraft was armed, only the pilot and his technician could approach it.

  After landing the aircraft back at the base, the pilots taxied to the designated "discharge point" and pointed the aircraft in a safe direction. At this point, a pair of armourers were already waiting to check the "safety" of the weapons used while the engine was running. In practice, this meant that no rocket could be left in the rocket pods and no rounds could be left in the air cannon. Otherwise, the pilot was informed of the balance of ammunition in the weapon. This was the signal for him to shut down the engine. The armourers then began troubleshooting.

  The boxart of the new Eduard kit, shows just the moment when a pair of Albatroses launches unguided S-5 rockets from UB-16 rocket pods over one of the aforementioned shooting ranges. Outside of the rocket pods, the aircraft is equipped with a pair of additional fuel tanks, in order to extend its operational range (the ability to perform several runs in succession) in the shooting range area.

  The livery of the boxart Albatros shows its appearance in the last stage of service with the 222nd Training Squadron in Náměšt' nad Oslavou. During its service at this base, it was lovingly cared for by the aircraft technician Michal F., who is now an Eduard employee and designer of the camouflage schemes and decals. Logically, the realization of the schemes for this kit fell to him and his 3903 was not to be missed in the selection. In addition, this aircraft carried several shades of paint it received during various maintenance and revisions, but still carried the original factory livery. This makes its markings attractive for modellers. During service with the 222nd Training Squadron, this Albatros received a slight addition in the form of stripes applied to the vertical stabilizer. There is a humorous story associated with these stripes which is mentioned in the kit’s instruction sheet.

  Just for completeness, let us add that the aircraft was produced in October 1986 and made its last flight from the Čáslav airport on 24.10.2016. From the above it follows that its duty was terminated after 30 years of service due to the exhaustion of its technical service life. During this service it flew 3600 flight hours.

• Markings for L-410UVP Turbolet 1/72

  CN 810731, LOM Praha, Flight Training Center, Pardubice, Czech Republic, 2019

  This L-410UVP, which was later nicknamed Máňa (means Mary homely), was finalized on November 25, 1981 and in December it was handed over to the army aviation, which assigned it to the 3 Transport Aviation Regiment in Prague-Kbely. The aircraft underwent several changes of color and served as a VIP passeneger (salon) transport aircraft. As part of the reorganization of the Czech Air Force in the mid-1990s, the aircraft was transferred to the 61 Transport Squadron at the newly formed 6 Transport Air Base. In 2002, it moved to Pardubice to the 34 Special Air Force Base (overhauled subsequently in 2004) and assigned to the newly formed Flight Training Center. At that time, it sported the standard white and grey livery and for some time also the “Máňa” inscription above the cockpit. At the turn of 2011 and 2012, this Turbolet underwent a technical revision in Kunovice, during which the technical life was spanned for another 4800 hours or 10 years of operation. At the same time, it received a new blue livery, in which it lived to the end of its service in 2022. During that time, it flew 7,479 hours and made 13,892 landings.  In February 2024, it was decided that the aircraft would be loaned to the Kunovice Aviation Museum to be exhibited there.

   

  CN 800525, 5. Luftwaffe Division, Luftwaffe, Germany, 1996
  

  In late 1980s, the first L-410UVPs were delivered to the Army of then German Democratic Republic. These were finished in an eleven-seat salon version and the first aircraft were delivered in camouflage consisting of irregular stains of khaki and green. After German reunification in the early 1990s, the Bundesluftwaffe retained these aircraft for the 5. Luftwaffe Division which was tasked with the transport of government officials. The aircraft were overhauled and given a white and grey livery with a distinctive stripe of two shades of blue. The other L-410UVPs delivered to the GDR were mostly of parachute version and these were partly sold to Guatemala and partly donated to the air forces of the Baltic republics.

   

  CN 810731, Special Operations squadron, 3 Air Transport Regiment, Praha-Kbely, Czechoslovakia, 1990
  

  At the end of the 1980s, the Turbolet serial number 810731 was used in a saloon version for transporting foreign arms inspectors of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) by the Special Operations Squadron, which was part of the 3 Transport Aviation Regiment in Praha-Kbely. The camouflage was complemented by large areas of yellow on the wings, tail and nose of the aircraft. Most of the stencilling was not recovered in these areas.  

   

  CN 851527, Slov-Air, Czechoslovakia, 1990
  

  The state-owned Slov-Air company, which replaced the former ČSA Agrolet in 1969, was the first Czechoslovak user of the L-410. It added the first aircraft to its fleet in the second half of 1971. The aircraft, still in the L-410A version, were used for domestic transport and were handed over to ČSA in 1975. This aircraft was purchased by the Aviation Inspectorate Bureau and flown by the crew of Miroslav Srnec and Pavel Plaček on November 15, 1985, with the matriculation OK-PXI. Shortly afterwards, the Bureau revised its intentions (the aircraft was to serve for calibration purposes) and in November 1986 it was offered for sale or transfer. Moravan company and Kunovice aero club were interested, there was also a Yugoslavian bidder and also the army or ČSA were considered. Finally, Slov-Air acquired the aircraft in October 1988. On October 24, 1988, the aircraft was matriculated as OK-PDI and used for the JZD AK Slušovice (aero services of the agriculture company Slušovice), and later also transported Slovak government representatives. In 1992 the aircraft was written off after the nose gear was damaged during landing. The aircraft was then parked for a long time at the Žilina airport, after which it was transported to Bratislava and used for airport firefighters training.

   

  CN 831138, Pyrlandia-Boogie, Ostróv Wielkopolski, Poland, 2006
  

  This L-410UVP was not made for the customer, but for factory purposes. It was used to test modifications of the newly prepared UVP-E version. The aircraft with the OK-178 mark was flown on January 10, 1984. This was followed by tests of brakes, different shapes of wingtip tanks and installation of five-bladed propellers. In 1985, the aircraft was exhibited in Paris as “fake” UVP-E. The aircraft was also given the civil matriculation OK-OZG, then returned to OK-178 and was converted back to the standard L-410UVP. It then received the new OK-NZG marking and was leased to Slov-Air for two months at the end of 1991. It then went into private hands with Delta System Air, where it was rebranded OK-NDG. In Norimberk on January 28, 1994, it suffered broken wing end due to the strong wing. After the repair the crew of Jiří Nečas and Albert Orlita flew it to Bratislava. It was operated as OK-NDG by ABA Air and from March 2000 it was grounded in Otrokovice for almost a year. The next owner was the company Job Air from Mošnov, which gave the aircraft a yellow paint job with a blue stripe. At the beginning of 2003 it was sold to Polska, where it flew at Pyrlandia Boogie with the matriculation SP-KPS and served to sky-divers. However, as of September 16, 2013, it was back in the Czech Republic, this time with the matriculation OK-PRH, which was changed to OM-PRH on July 13, 2016 and then to OM-HFP, operated in attractive livery by Praga Aviation. The aircraft is currently parked at Kunovice airport. It recorded 6,021 flight hours and 9,066 landings.

   

  CN 8100731, 24 Air Transport Base, Praha-Kbely, Czech Republic, 2010
  

  In 2004, Turbolet CN 8100731, whose history is also described in markings A and C, underwent an overhaul and was discharged from the army, where it served until then, to the Flight Training Centre at Pardubice Airport. As part of the general overhaul, the original camouflage livery was replaced by an elegant white and grey paint with a stripe down the length of the aircraft in the colors of the national tricolor. Shortly afterwards, the inscription “Máňa” appeared on both sides above the cockpit side windows. This nickname has stuck ever since, although after another revision it was given a blue livery and the inscription disappeared.

• Markings for THEY FOUGHT TO REBUILD 1/48

  BM592, W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, June 1942

  Alois "Amos" Vašátko was the third most successful Czechoslovak fighter pilot of World War II with 14 confirmed and four probable kills,. During the Battle of France, he shot down twelve enemy aircraft plus two probably, making him the most successful Czechoslovak pilot and the fifth most successful ace of the Armée de l'air. After the defeat of France, he served with No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, with which he participated in the Battle of Britain. After the Czechoslovak Wing was formed, he became its commander on May 1, 1942. The fateful evening of June 23, 1942, when 36 Spitfires escorted the Bostons for a raid on Morlaix airfield, proved fatal for him. During the ensuing dogfight, Vašátko collided with an Fw 190A-3 of Uffz. W. Reuschling from 7./JG 2 and died. Vasatko's personal Spitfire Mk.Vb s/n BM592 was a brand new aircraft, delivered to Wing on June 20, 1942. As the appearance of it has not been documented, its appearance can only be reconstructed, especially from the appearance of the first personal Spitfire of Vašátko´s successor, Karel Mrázek, which in turn is very well documented. The command aircraft were taken care of by the No. 310 Squadron personnel, and it is possible to deduce what Vašátko´s BM592 might have looked like. The AV personal codes were most likely placed between the cockpit and the Sky-coloured stripe, and the AV personal letters were repeated on the underside of the engine cowling. No other markings were probably applied.

   

  EN765, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, June -July 1942
  

  After the sudden death of the first commander of the Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, on June 23, 1942, the existing commander of No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, was appointed in his place. His first personal Spitfire in his new command was a Spitfire Mk.Vb s/n EN765, with which he made a total of 29 non-operational flights. W/Cdr Mrázek took advantage of the privilege that came with this position and had his initials applied to his new Spitfire as code letters, i.e. KM. According to surviving photographs, it is clear that the letters KM were displayed in Sky paint on both sides between the fuselage cockpit and the stripe of Sky paint in front of the tail surfaces. They were also found in a smaller form on the lower engine cowling. The coloring of the upper surfaces was the standard Day Fighter Scheme shades of Dark Green and Ocean Grey, the lower surfaces were in Medium Sea Grey. Karel Mrázek was one of the most capable young officers of the pre-war air force. During his wartime career he shot down four enemy aircraft, one probably and three damaged. He was the only Czechoslovak fighter pilot to clash with pilots from the Italian Expeditionary Corps Corpo Aereo Italiano, and he emerged from the battle successfully, managing to shoot down two Fiat Cr.42s. His leadership skills were recognized with high awards of DFC and DSO.

   

  EP461, W/Cdr František Doležal, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, April-July 1943
  

  The first user of Spitfire EP461 was a veteran of the Battle of Britain and France, S/Ldr Jack Rose, Acting Squadron Leader of Exeter Station. Although without the appropriate rank, he filled in for W/Cdr Mrazek both functionally and as Wing Commander. In the period August-November 1942 Jack Rose led 15 sweeps as Wing Commander and marked his Spitfire with his initials JR. S/Ldr Frantisek "Dolly" Doležal, Commander of No. 310 Squadron, also used EP461 occasionally in December 1942 and early January 1943 without changing his markings. In January the JR became KM and was used by W/Cdr Karel Mrázek as his last personal Spitfire in the Czechoslovak Wing. On April 1, 1943, W/Cdr František Doležal became the new Wing Commander and took over the EP461 from Mrázek. At the time, the aircraft had its wingtips cut and a new round rear-view mirror installed. The Wing Commander's badge was painted under the left windshield. The code letters FD were in front of the fuselage cockade on both sides and their appearance varied on the starboard and port. The FD marking was placed also on the bottom of the engine cowling. The serial number EP461 was largely repainted in Ocean Grey camouflage paint on the right side after numerous changes of the code. W/Cdr Frantisek Doležal achieved his last aerial victory with this Spitfire when he damaged an Fw 190A from 8./JG 2 Richthofen on May 3, 1943. He ended the war with a total score of six confirmed victories, four probable and four enemy aircraft damaged. He was one of the first to return to Czechoslovakia after the war as early as May 17, 1945, but died aboard a transport Siebel on October 4, 1945.

   

  AD325, F/Lt Emil Foit, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Perranporth, Cornwall, United Kingdom, December 1941-February 1942
  

  Emil Foit was born in 1913 in Brno and after graduating from the business academy and military schools he became a fighter pilot. After the occupation of Czechoslovakia in May 1939 he made his way to Great Britain via Poland and Sweden and then France in August, where he joined the Foreign Legion. He served in Tunis, Blida in Algeria and Oran. After the surrender of France, he went via Casablanca and Gibraltar to the UK, where he was accepted into the RAF in August 1940. He underwent brief combat training with Hurricanes, served briefly with the British No. 85 Squadron and in October 1940 was posted to Duxford with No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. From February 1942 to November 1942, he was B Squadron Commander. From January 1943 to January 1944, he served as commander of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. During air combat he shot down three enemy aircraft and damaged five. He received numerous medals and decorations for his combat activities, including the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). On his return to his homeland in 1945 he was appointed commander of the 10 Air Regiment at Kbely. After February 1948 he went into exile in Great Britain and served again in the RAF. Emil Foit died in 1976 in England. The Spitfire AD325, which he flew at the turn of 1941-1942, was a brand new aircraft, delivered to No. 310 Squadron during the rearmament to the Mk.Vb version. It bore the donation inscription WESTMORLAND II on the tank cover and most likely had the Czechoslovakian emblem on the engine cowling.

   

  AR423, F/Lt František Trejtnar, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Ibsley, Hampshire, United Kingdom, September 1943-February 1944
  

  František Trejtnar was born on March 7, 1917. He graduated from the aviation school in Prostějov and became a pilot in the Czechoslovak army. After the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia by Germans in 1939, he went to Poland. In a short time, he went to France, where he was accepted into the Foreign Legion. When the war broke out with the German attack on Gdansk, Poland, on September 1, 1939, he was transferred to the forming Czechoslovak Foreign Army in France and sent to retraining as a pilot. After the fall of France, he left Port Vendres for Gibraltar and from there he sailed to Liverpool aboard Neuralia ship. In the UK he was accepted into the Royal Air Force at the end of July 1940. In early November 1940 he was posted to No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron at Duxford. He fought with the unit throughout his wartime career, during which he scored one Fw 190 shot down and two damaged. On June 23, 1942, during a combat with an Fw 190, František Trejtnar and his opponent went deep into English territory. Czech pilot was shot down during the engagement, had to bail out and broke his leg when he hit the ground on the parachute. The disoriented German pilot, Oblt. Armin Faber, landed his Fw 190 to the amazement of all at the British base at Pembrey. The Britons thus got their hands on a completely undamaged Fw 190A-3, which they subsequently subjected to a series of tests and practice dogfights. František Trejtnar flew the AR423 Spitfire shown here regularly from September 1943 to February 1944 as B Squadron Commander of No. 310 Squadron. The tank cover bore the donation inscription The ROBINSON Fighter. 

  
  

  AD572, F/O František Peřina, No. 312 Squadron, RAF Harrowbeer, Devon, United Kingdom, February-June 1942

  František Peřina was the first Czechoslovak fighter pilot, who achieved five confirmed kills and became ace. Born in 1911 in the village of Morkůvky near Břeclav, he left for Poland after the Munich dictate, from where he later headed by ship to France, where he retrained on Curtiss Hawk H-75 fighters. In December 1939 he became one of the first twenty Czechoslovak fighters sent to the Western Front. He was assigned to the famous Groupe de Chasse 1/5, where he flew mostly as the wingman of commander of the 1st Escadrille, Capitaine Jean Accart. During the three weeks of the French campaign, he shot down 11 aircraft confirmed and two probably. After the surrender of France, he continued on to the UK via Gibraltar by boat. He was accepted into the RAF at the rank of Pilot Officer and in September 1940 was posted to the recently formed No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. In its ranks he participated first in the Battle of Britain and later in offensive sweeps over the occupied continent. During these actions he closed his combat score by shooting down an Fw 190. During World War II he was credited with shooting down 12 aircraft confirmed, two probably and one aircraft damaged. After the war he returned to his homeland but was forced to emigrate in 1949 after the Communists took over. He spent several years as a pilot in the British Royal Air Force, later flying in Canada and the USA. He lived in the United States until 1993, when he returned permanently to the Czech Republic. He died on May 6, 2006 at the age of 95. František Peřina flew the Spitfire Mk.Vb AD572 shown here regularly from February to June 1942 and shot down one Fw 190 on June 6, 1942.

   

  EP785, P/O Ladislav Světlík, No. 312 Squadron, RAF Churchstanton, Somerset, United Kingdom, January-April 1943
  

  Pilsen native Ladislav Světlík was born on March 23, 1917. He took advantage of the 1000 new pilots for the country campaign and learned to fly. Between 1936 and 1937 he completed military training in Prostějov and then served as a fighter pilot. After the German occupation, he went to France via Poland, where he joined the Foreign Legion. After reassignment to the Air Force, he was retrained at Chartres on the Curtiss Hawk H-75 and scored four confirmed and three probable kills in combat against the German Luftwaffe. After the fall of France, he moved to the UK. Here he was assigned to No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. Despite the amount of combat missions he completed, he scored only one more kill when on May 23, 1944, in his new Spitfire Mk.IXc, he shot down an Fw 190 flown by German ace Lt. Georg Kiefner. After completing his second combat tour in July 1944, he was ferrying Vickers Wellingtons and at the very end of the war he served with No. 147 Squadron as a transport pilot. He returned to Czechoslovakia in August 1945 and served with the Army Transport Group until 1946. He then joined Czechoslovakian Airlines. After February 1948, he became one of the pilots who carried out a coordinated emigration with the use of three transport aircraft. He returned to the UK and rejoined the Royal Air Force. He died on July 27, 2008 in New Zealand. He was promoted in memoriam to the rank of Colonel in 1991. An interesting feature of Spitfire Mk.Vb EP785, which Ladislav Světlík flew regularly in the spring of 1943, is the depiction of the No. 312 Squadron emblem on the tank cover. The emblem is not known to have been drawn on any other Mk.Vb Spitfire serving with the unit.

   

  AD380, F/O Alois Hochmal, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom, October 1941-April 1942
  

  Not every pilot who fought in World War II can boast the title of fighter ace, participation in exceptional actions, a significant number of flying hours or high honors. A large number of them achieved, for example, only a third of the aerial victory, or flew their entire war career without recording any combat. And it was with the enormous contribution of hundreds of these unassuming heroes and patriots who did not accept the occupation of their homeland, that Czechoslovakia was liberated during World War II. The aircraft of No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron date from the first half of 1942, when the unit was part of the Hornchurch Wing, famous for its Walt Disney cartoon characters. The author of these drawings was Sgt. Karel Pavlík, a native of Pilsen, who used his original profession as a letter painter to decorate individual Spitfires with drawings under the windshield, as requested by the pilots. The drawing of Robber the kitten was painted by him on Spitfire AD380 RY-R. An interesting feature of this Spitfire’s livery are the code letters RY-R. The first letter R was in Sky color and the following letters Y-R in Sky Blue. Also, the stripe in front of the tail surfaces was in Sky Blue. At the top of this was the s/n AD386, with the original Sky color shining through underneath. The aircraft of serial number AD386 never served with No. 313 Squadron, it was probably a misspelling during a previous camouflage repair. The actual serial number of this Spitfire was AD380 and the aircraft served with No. 313 Squadron from October 28, 1941, to April 24, 1942 and was most often flown by F/O A. Hochmal, F/Sgt V. Foglar and Sgt O. Kresta.

   

  EP110, F/Lt Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hawkinge, Kent, United Kingdom, August-September 1943
  

  The Spitfire LF Mk.Vb EP110 flown by B Flight Commander of No. 313 Squadron RAF, Otmar Kučera, DFC, had the code RY-R and here is portrayed its appearance during Operation Starkey on September 9, 1943. During this operation, black and white invasion stripes were used for the first time to distinguish own and foreign aircraft. They were also painted on aircraft that were to take part in low-altitude operations that day. But the stripes looked different from the well-known “invasion” ones of the later Normandy landings. No. 313 Squadron moved to Hawkinge Airfield, which was under the command of No. 11 Group, Fighter Air Command, in mid-August 1943 after a recuperation stay and patrolling in the north over the Orkneys. The squadron thus became involved in operational flights of the deceptive Operation Starkey as part of the Hawkinge Wing. During these operations, the unit also scored one air combat victory thanks to its commander S/Ldr. Jaroslav Himr.

   

  BM210, S/Ldr František Fajtl, CO of No. 122 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom, May 1942
  

  František Fajtl was born on August 20, 1912, in Donín, Louny district. He graduated from the Military Academy in Hranice and graduated in 1935 as an air force lieutenant. In June 1939 he fled to France via Poland, where he joined Armée de l’Air as a sergeant. He fought in the Bloch MB.152 and Morane-Saulnier MS.406 and when France fell, he retreated to North Africa and from there made his way to England via Gibraltar. In the ranks of No. 1 and No. 17 Squadron he took part in the Battle of Britain. In 1941 he became commander of No. 313 Squadron, and a year later he became the first Czechoslovak to take command of an English squadron, namely No. 122 (City of Bombay) Squadron. Already on May 5, 1942, he was shot down over France and made an emergency landing in the occupied territory. In dramatic circumstances, he made it across France and the Pyrenees to Spain, where he was captured and imprisoned in the Miranda concentration camp. On his release he returned to England, was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander and, at his own request, returned to combat as CO of No. 313 Squadron. In January 1944 he was appointed commander of a group of pilots who went to the Soviet Union. After retraining as a La-5FN, he led the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Fighter Regiment in the USSR. Like other pilots fighting on the Western Front, he was discharged from the army after the war and imprisoned. Afterwards he worked as a labourer and as a clerk. He was not fully rehabilitated until after the fall of communism. He died at the age of 94. In all, he shot down four enemy planes during his wartime career, certainly, and damaged two.

   

  R7192, P/O Josef Příhoda, No. 111 Squadron, RAF Debden, Essex, United Kingdom, February 1942
  

  Josef Příhoda trained as a mechanic, but in 1935 he volunteered for the air force. Gradually, he completed pilot training and a fighter course at Aviation Regiment 4 in Hradec Králové. After the occupation of the country on March 15, 1939, he got to France via Poland, but with the necessary Foreign Legion entry. During September, finally, he was accepted into the Armée de l’Air and training began. However, both the designated ERC 571 and the GC III/4, located in North Africa, had obsolete aircraft and did not get into action. The fall of France meant evacuation to the UK, where Josef Příhoda joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Rated Sergeant he retrained on Hurricanes and in October 1940 joined No. 1 Squadron, with which he intervened in the crucial Battle of Britain. This was followed by night operations and offensive actions over occupied Europe. In late September 1941 he transferred to No. 111 Squadron flying with Spitfires. In mid-April 1942, already with a reputation as a very experienced pilot, he joined No. 313 Squadron. On October 23, he received the DFC Distinguished Flying Cross for outstanding combat action, including five confirmed and two probable kills. He took part in many actions over enemy territory and was killed in Operation Ramrod 56, which targeted the Brest submarine base. His Spitfire crashed in the sea. The Spitfires of No. 111 Squadron, with which Příhoda flew in late 1941-1942, wore night livery at the time with a new modified C1 emblem on the fuselage in a reduced form. With this livery Spitfire R7192, JU-Y, Příhoda shot down one Bf 109 and damaged another on February 12, 1942.

   

  AR435, Sgt. František Loucký, No. 65 Squadron, RAF Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom, July 1942
  

  František Loucký began his combat activity within the RAF on September 17, 1941, with No. 65 (East India) Squadron flying Spitfires Mk.Vb. František Loucký flew, among others, Spitfires codenamed YT-E. The first one was serial number W3456, the second AB133 and the third AR435. The AB133 and AR435 Spitfires bore Loucký’s nickname Lucky painted under the windshield, while the AR435 was accompanied by a small Czechoslovak insignia. In June 1942, Loucký was transferred to Czechoslovak No. 312 Squadron. There he flew missions against targets in occupied Western Europe, participated in air cover of bombers, attacks against ships, etc. In the autumn of 1943, he volunteered for the Czechoslovak fighter unit in the USSR. This 1st Fighter Aviation Regiment was sent to help the Slovak uprising (SNP) on September 17, 1944. During the SNP battles, he was severely wounded by enemy anti-aircraft fire while attacking German tanks near Ružomberok and was airlifted to the USSR for treatment. He returned to the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment after his recovery on November 23, 1944 and on December 7. 1944 he was transferred to the newly formed 2nd Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment, where he served in training as a gunnery officer of the unit and also flew to Prague-Letňany Airport on May 16, 1945. Due to persistent difficulties resulting from war injuries, he was discharged from active military service on June 29, 1946. In 1947 he published a book “I Stayed Alone”. After his death, his book about the fallen airmen of the Czechoslovak Foreign Resistance “Many Did Not Fly”, was published.

• Markings for P-51B/C with dorsal fin 1/48

  P-51B-1-NA, s/n 43-12375, Capt. Don M. Beerbower, 353rd FS, 354th FG, 9th AF, A-2 Cricqueville, France, June 1944

  Don Merrill Beerbower named his Mustang, which he flew with the 353rd FS, 354th FG, in honor of his daughter Bonnie B. He flew his first combat mission on December 1, 1943 and scored his first victory over a Bf 109 on January 5, 1944. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on January 15, 1944 and achieved ace status on February 20, 1944, by shooting down another Bf 109. After the invasion of Normandy in June 1944, the unit moved to Cricqueville airfield, a forward field airfield in Normandy, northern France. Beerbower became a double ace on August 8, 1944, after achieving his tenth victory. Although fellow pilots were switching to the newer P-51Ds, Beerbower decided to keep his B version aircraft because it was lighter, had higher speed as well as climb rate and better maneuverability. Beerbower scored his last victory on July 7, 1944, which he achieved by shooting down a Focke-Wulf Fw 190, bringing his total number of aerial victories to 15. He destroyed two more aircraft on the ground. On August 9, 1944, Beerbower led his squadron on an armed reconnaissance mission during which he located an enemy airfield. To test air defensive capabilities, he conducted an attack, destroying an enemy aircraft and an AA position. On the second attack his aircraft received hits to the wing and fuselage. Unfortunately, he struck the tail surfaces while exiting the aircraft on a parachute and was tragically killed. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star for his last mission.

   

  P-51C-10-NT, s/n 43-25054, Lt. Robert M. Scott, 79th FS, 20th FG, 8th AF, Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, November 1944
  

  A Mustang of four forms, that’s what you could call the color history of this P-51C s/n 43-25054. At the start, when the aircraft lacked the fin, Lt. W. H. Lewis was flying it. At that time, the aircraft was camouflaged with Olive Drab paint on the upper surfaces and bore the inscription Hells Belle and a small devil painting. After the fin was applied and the Olive Drab camouflage was partially removed especially in the fuselage area, the aircraft received black and white stripes on the nose and the Beaverhead Filly lettering was painted on the port side. The Mustang thus painted was flown by Lt. Keith C. Price, who scored his only kill in it. Lt. Robert M. Scott was the next pilot to take over this aircraft and had the inscription Shoot You’re Faded painted on the port side of its engine cowling. The inscription Berties Bet was later added. Throughout its wartime career, this Mustang was cared for by the same mechanic and armorer, Sgt. E. Schrader and Sgt. A. Kublin. Under their care, this Mustang flew over 700 hours during the war and lived to see the end of it. It finally crashed near Munich after the war.

   

  Mustang Mk.III, s/n FZ111, F/L Mieczysław Gorzula, No. 309 (Polish) Squadron, RAF Andrews Field, United Kingdom, April-May 1945
  

  F/Lt Mieczysław Gorzula was one of the few British RAF pilots flying Mustang aircraft who managed to shoot down a Me 262 jet fighter in aerial combat at the end of World War II. On April 9, 1945, while escorting Lancaster bombers heading for Hamburg, he led a blue section of three Mustangs as commander of B Flight of No. 309 Squadron. Soon after the bombers left the target the formation was attacked by several Me 262s. Gorzula managed to approach one of them and shoot it down. His Mustang Mk.III serial number FZ111, which he regularly flew, bore a drawing of his beloved Englishwoman Jean on the left side of the nose.

   

  P-51B-15-NA, s/n 43-24877, Lt. Harold P. Kick, 325th FS, 318th FG, 15th AF, Lesina, Italy, November 1944
  

  The ace with six victories and 325th FS commander Roy Burton Hogg was flying Mustang number 69, named Penrod. Captain Hogg joined the 325th FS in March 1943 and recorded his victories with three different types of aircraft (two with the P-40, two with the P-47 and two with this Mustang). After the unit was partially re-equipped with the new D version Mustangs, Lt. Harold Kick took over the aircraft and renamed it Chinese Laundry. This inscription adorned the left side of the engine cowling, with the great It’s a Dog inscription on the right side. It was one of the last three P-51Bs left in service with the 15th AF.

   

  P-51C-10 NT, s/n 44-11096, 26th FS, 51st FG, 14th AF, Kunming, China, 1944
  

  Mustangs of the 26th FS carried the typical shark’s mouth and were often decorated with various inscriptions. The 51st Fighter Group spent most of World War II defending both ends of an air supply route between India and China called The Hump. The unit was activated in January 1941, almost a year before the Americans entered the war. It was one of the first groups sent from the United States to India after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In September 1942, it moved to Dinjan, Assam, and began operations in October. Dinjan was within range of Japanese aircraft, so the 51st FG spent part of the period defending supply routes and its own bases. It also took part in the fighting during the Japanese offensive in northern Burma in 1943. In October 1943, the 51st FG was transferred to the 14th AF in China. Its mission was to defend the Chinese end of The Hump and also to support the Chinese Army. It also carried out attacks on Japanese ships. The unit returned to India in September 1945 and to the United States in November.

   

  P-51C, Lt. G. J. Kaplanek and L. D. Monaghan, 118th TRS, 23rd FG, 14th AF, Chengkung, China, May 1945
  

  The history of the 118th TRS, in the form of the 118th Aero Squadron, began on August 31, 1917, when it flew in France. In 1923, it was redesignated as the 118th Observation Squadron within the Connecticut National Guard. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, its activities consisted of anti-submarine patrolling off the Atlantic coast. In August 1942, it was withdrawn from that tasking and prepared for deployment overseas. In October 1943, already as the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, it was assigned to the 23rd Fighter Group, flying as part of the 14th AF over the CBI (China-Burma-India) area. There it operated first with P-40s in the defense of airfields in India, from which B-29s operated. On its return to the US, it was reassigned to the Connecticut Air National Guard. The unit is still active, now flying as the 118th Airlift Squadron with C-130H Hercules aircraft. The distinguishing feature of the 118th TRS Mustangs was the black, yellow-lined lightning bolt on the fuselage and small lightning bolts on the wing tips. The machine with the number 586 on the stern bore the inscription Dottie’N’Butch on the left side of the engine cowl and Roxie on the right side of it. The upper surfaces of the fuselage and wings were camouflaged with Olive Drab paint and the surface was heavily weathered.

• Markings for L-39ZA Albatros 1/72

  L-39ZA, s/n 915254, 222 Training Squadron, Náměšť nad Oslavou AFB, Czech Republic, 2008-2010

  The Albatros s/n 233903 made its first flight on October 13, 1986. The aircraft served with 30 Air Attack Regiment at Pardubice, then at 32 Air Tactical Base Náměšť nad Oslavou (later redesignated 22 Air Base) and finished its career with 21 Air Tactical Base Čáslav. Among the highlights of its operations is a test flight with modified AI-25TL engine after a series of so-called titanium fires in the second half of the 1990s. Col (Ret.) Oldřich Pelčák, an astronaut of the reserve crew, participated in these tests. On October 24, 2016, Albatros No. 3903 made its last flight. After 30 years of operation, it accumulated 3644 hours and 40 minutes of flight time. The surface of the aircraft showed significant signs of repairs, during which paints of different shades were used. The “zebra” stripes on the top of the fin appeared in mid-October 2009 as an initiative by ground staff. The idea was made for the joke, combining the symbols of the squadrons of AFB Čáslav, i. e., tiger and a winged horse Pegasus in their emblem. The stripes were sprayed on three aircraft, namely 3903, 2344 and 2436. But only 3903 had them in green, as it flew with a green top of the fin. Nonetheless the stripes did not last too long on the aforementioned aircraft as they were ordered to be removed by high brass – to the displeasure of the ground staff.

   

  L-39ZA, No. s/n 232436, 2436, 1 Fighter Squadron, Žatec AFB, Czechoslovakia, 1991-1993
  

  The L-39ZA Albatros s/n 232436 was delivered to the 2 Squadron, 30 Air Regiment in Hradec Králové on December 28, 1982. During the autumn of 1984 it was transferred to the 11 Sqn in Žatec and consequently was relocated to the 5 Sqn at Pilsen-Líně airbase at the end of November 1984. It was used in the system of the western border air defense, in one case with the use of live weapons. This incident occurred on September 28, 1985, when Lt. Piskatý took off to take an action against US AH-1S Cobra helicopter. The pilot of the Albatros fired S-5 unguided missiles at the helicopter in the area of Knížecí Pláně over Šumava mountains. Three years later, on April 10, 1988, the same aircraft, flown by Col Petřík, took off against West German sport aircraft with a pair of inexperienced pilots who were forced to land at the airport in Karlovy Vary. After the first overhaul at LOT Trenčín in 1989, the 2436 received “tiger” markings and participated in events in the UK. After the disbandment of the 5 Sqn in 1991 and then the 11 Sqn in 1993, it changed several units. It served with the 4 Independent Fighter Squadron, initially based in Přerov and then in Čáslav. From January 1995 it served with the 41 Fighter Sqn at the 4 Fighter AB in Čáslav and on January 30, 2001, it was transferred to the 32 Tactical Air Base in Náměšt' nad Oslavou. After a collision on September 15, 2007, the 2436 was decommissioned with a total of 3,926 hours flown and 5,138 landings. Since 2018 it has been in the collections of VHÚ Praha.

  
  

  L-39ZA, s/n 035019, 213 Training Squadron, Čáslav AFB, Czech Republic, 2008-2010

  On November 4, 1968, a test pilot of the VZLU Ing. Rudolf Duchoň made a maiden flight of the first prototype of the Aero L-39 Albatros trainer marked X-02. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of this event, the Albatros 035019, belonging to the 213 Training Squadron of the 21 Tactical Air Base in Čáslav, received an anniversary marking, which was a modification of the X-02 prototype’s livery from the period of its first flights, i.e. white-gray-red-black colors. On the left side of the vertical fin a depiction of a Slovak Air Force pilot in his current gear was painted with a reflection of the new generation L-39 on the visor of his helmet. On the right side there was portrayed Rudolf Duchoň, as he was taken on the photo on the day of the first L-39 takeoff.

   

  L-39ZA, s/n 035147, No. 147, 299 brTA, Graf Ignatievo AB, Bulgaria, 2015
  

  The Bulgarian Air Force ordered thirty-six L-39ZAs, which were delivered by the manufacturer Aero Vodochody between 1986 and 1990. They were used for advanced pilot training and as light attack aircraft by air units at Kamenets, Bezmer/Yambol and Graf Ignatievo airfields. Between 1995 and 2000, a number of L-39s were relocated to fighter bases to operate alongside fighter aircraft. These bases were located at Cheshengirovo, Dobrich and Ravents airfields. In 1997, six of these were sold to Cambodia and in 2001, six more were sold to the USA. A small number of L-39 trainers are permanently stationed at Graf Ignatievo to supplement training activities and often participate in combined missions with MiG-29s and F-16s.

   

  L-39ZA, s/n 533218, No. 145, Military Flight Academy, Grupul 20, Borcea-Fetesti AB, Romania, 2012
  

  L-39 ZA aircraft operated in the Romanian Air Force from 1982 to 2007. The first L-39 ZA Albatros arrived in Romania in early December 1981 and immediately joined the newly established 20 Fighter and Fighter-Bomber Group’s flight school, operating out of Boboc Airport. A total of 32 units of the L-39ZA variant were purchased. The aircraft with fuselage number 145 entered service on April 6, 1985 and made its last flight in December 2007. It was then sold to a private entity.

   

  L-39ZA/ART, s/n 533218, 411 Sqn, 3 Air Division, 41 Wing, Chiang Mai AB, Thailand, 2014
  

  The Royal Thai Air Force operated L-39ZA/ART aircraft at two airbases. The majority of them were stationed at Korat Air Base in the central part of Thailand, which serves as an RTAF showcase, hosting foreign delegations and conducting joint exercises with neighboring countries. The second base was Takhli, located about 200 km to the west, where the aircraft were used for operational flights. The L-39ZA aircraft were initially used by the 101 and 102 Squadrons in Korat, then by the 401 Squadron in Thakli, and the 411 Squadron in Chiang Mai. The RTAF received a total of 40 L-39 aircraft by 1994, with about five lost in accidents. On the occasion of anniversaries, some aircraft were presented in special liveries featuring emblems of all four squadrons. On March 31, 2021, the Royal Thai Air Force held the ceremony on the occasion of the Aero L-39ZA/ART retirement from the active duty. The last operator was the 411 Squadron, 41 Wing, based in Chiang Mai. 

• Tail End Charlie

  Feast of modelling souls

  Text: Jan Zdiarský

  
  

  Those of you who were not in Milovice last weekend, or who missed the information about the biggest Czech and certainly one of the biggest European modelling meetings, know from the editorial of this issue of Info magazine that another E-Day is over.

  As it has been the case for the last few years in a row, I had, among other things, the task of coordinating the participation of model clubs. This meant balancing their requirements and requests with the possibilities and, in short, ensuring that, in addition to the competition models, the exhibition could be graced by presentations from clubs across the Czech Republic, but also from Slovakia and Italy. And that all enjoy the right conditions to do so, and also that we do not create chaos, especially during their start-up.

  Such club exhibitions are then very varied. There are excellently built models, unfinished projects, chronicles of clubs, photographs, bowls of sweets and other goodies for passers-by, nice tablecloths and statuettes, prizes from other competitions...

  Although thematic exhibitions - SIGs - have been declining over the years, club presentations have been increasing. We had only one SIG this year, focused on SCI-FI models. There were thirty-one exhibiting clubs at this year's E-Day, occupying tables totaling more than 70 meters in length. This year we had to cancel the participation of several Moravian clubs, whose members were dealing with completely different concerns after the huge floods.

  Anyway, the purpose of what I am writing is not to give statistics of participation, although even that is worthy of publication. I would like to share something else with you. It's a mixture of the feelings I get from these club shows. This year, more than in the previous two years, club representatives have asked me at pre-registrationto be able to get a spot next to a particular friendly club they were adjacent to, say, a year ago. E-Day, more than other competitions, gives them room to share time with each other - during the Friday afternoon, then all day on Saturday. And needless to say, that continues in a pub after the hall closes on Friday night.

  E-Day thus creates great conditions for establishing and strengthening friendships, which are important in any such hobby. Unless you are a solitary modeler. People from different clubs not only exchange experiences, tips and new modelling techniques, they also bring baked buns and cakes, coffee in a thermos and of course a bottle or a flask for their friends. What if the tank hall was freezing and cold, right?

  Most of the modelers participating in club presentations also had their models registered in the Czech Model Masters competition itself. So for them, it meant mostly going through registration on Friday afternoon with their models and then putting together their club's shrine so that, if possible, it would stand out above the rest. Then the next day, arrange some deals at the vendor booths, attend workshops and talks, and otherwise get on with the business discussions of modeling, gluing, sealing, sanding, spraying and other occult alchemy, and that's the talk.

  I didn't think so much about it before, if you are one of the organizers of such an event, you look at the events around you with different eyes than normal participants, but it was the requirements for the placement of specific clubs together that led me to do it this year - to pay more attention to what is happening at the club tables and behind them. And there my eyes discovered an oasis of peace and quiet amidst the hustle and bustle that such a show brings with it. And in doing so, I came to understand that a club show is not just a presentation opportunity for its creators - the space that clubs get at E-Day also creates a great backdrop in which modelers relaxed, talked quietly, and where they retreated to when they needed a break from the crowd. There they experienced peace and quiet in the company of like-minded people they might only see once or twice a year - at E-Days and some halfway contest. They sat there contentedly enjoying their modeling holiday with the feelings that people probably experience when they roll out on a beach chair. But beyond that, there are friends from far away places around them, thousands of topics to talk about, and world-class models within a few steps. And that's certainly one of the important things why modelers love coming to E-Day. It's a feast for their souls. And for our part, it's a bit of a thank you for allowing companies like us to exist through their hobby and their interest. We need each other. And I would say we like each other. At least this year's E-Day reaffirmed that for me.