# Czechoslovakia Air Force



## gekho (Jan 25, 2011)

The Czech Air Force, ICAO code CEF, is the air force branch of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. The Air Force, with the Ground Forces, comprises the main combat power of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic. It is a successor of the Czechoslovak Air Force (up to 1992). During the inter-war period a modern nation surrounded by potentially hostile neighbors, without access to the ocean, the Czechoslovak leadership needed to build a capable air force. So was born the motto "Air is our sea". The Czechoslovak government between the wars balanced a home-grown aviation industry with licensing engine and aircraft designs from allied nations. Several major aircraft companies, and a few engine companies, thrived in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. One well-known engine manufacturer was A. S. Walter located in Prague.

The Aero Company (Aero továrna letadel), was located in the Vysočany quarter of Prague. Its mixed construction (wood, metal and fabric covering) and all-metal aircraft were competitive in the early 1930s; however, by 1938, only its MB.200 (a licensed Bloch design) was not totally obsolete. Aero A-30The Avia Company (Avia akciová společnost pro průmysl letecký Škoda), a branch of the enormous Škoda Works (Škodovy závody) for heavy machinery and defence industrial organization, was different. Founded in 1919 in an old sugar factory in the eastern Prague suburbs of Letňany and Čakovice, Avia made entire airplanes, including motors, which were usually licensed Hispano-Suiza designs. The standard Czechoslovak pursuit plane of the late 1930s, the B-534 reached a total production of 514 units. It was one of the last biplane fighters in operational use, and also one of the best ever produced. The state-controlled Letov (Vojenská továrna na letadla Letov) was also situated in Letňany. It employed about 1,200 workers in the late 1930s, and it manufactured the Š-328 biplane, of which over 450 were produced. The entire airframe was welded together, not bolted or riveted. The Letov factory was the only Czechoslovak plant that manufactured metal propellers.

Shortly after the German occupation on 15th March 1939, the Czechoslovak Air Force disbanded. A lot of pilots decided to leave the republic and fight against the enemy abroad. The first country where they tried to fight was Poland. Some were accepted into the Polish Air Force while the rest of the airmen sailed to France. The short Polish war gave us the most famous four pilots Balejka, Frantisek, Kosar and Pavlovic. The next country where Czechoslovak airmen fought was France. There were tens of airmen posted to French air units, mainly fighter pilots. Two Czech fighters - Vasatko (15 victories) and Perina (14 victories) became famous in "The Battle of France". Twenty Five Czechoslovaks we killed during dogfights over France. After the fall of France, airmen evacuated to the last country which was still fighting against Germany - Great Britain. 

Czechoslovak airmen joined The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and they created two Czechoslovak air units in 1940 - Nos. 310 and 311. No 310 was a Czechoslovak Fighter Squadrons and No. 311 was a Czechoslovak Bomber Squadron. At all 88 Czechoslovak fighters took part in the "Battle of Britain" and Sgt Josef Frantisek became very famous with 17 victories which were claimed during one month. The last Czechoslovak air unit, No. 313 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron, was created in 1941 and one flight of No. 68 Night Fighter Squadron became Czechoslovak in 1942. Many of the Czechoslovak airmen had served during the entire war at many british squadrons and non-operational units. There were more than 2500 Czechoslovaks who joined the RAF and more then 500 of them were killed. All Czechoslovak squadrons returned to Czechoslovakia in August 1945 where they were transformed for peace time service.


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## gekho (Jan 25, 2011)

The Letov Š-31 was a fighter aircraft produced in Czechoslovakia in the early 1930s in a number of variants. All of the aircraft had metal tubular framing and fabric covering with a metal engine cowling. The first flight of the definitive Š.231 version was on March 17, 1933. After testing at the Czech flight facility at Prague-Lethany, modifications were undertaken to improve the machine’s performance. It entered production the following year and began equipping Czech fighter units in June 1936. The machines remained in front line fighter status with the Czechoslovak Air Force until the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939. Historical records are very vague, but apparently none of these machines were ever in combat with the far superior German aircraft during the German invasion or with any Allied aircraft during World War II when the Germans occupied Czechoslovakia and controlled of the Czech Air Force. A few of these hopelessly obsolete Letov Š.231s were still serving as trainers and as secondary fighters for the small Czech Air Force during the early months of World War II. The only recorded combat seen by any Letov Š.231 fighter was in the service of the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War.

While the Š.31, Š.131, Š.231, and Š.431 had engines of 480 to 680 hp, the Š.331 had a Walter K14 engine with 900 hp. This powerful engine gave it extremely high speed and outstanding performance for an aircraft of the early 1930s. In May 1935, the aircraft established a new Czechoslovak altitude record of 34,941 feet (10,650 m). The sole Š.331 and almost all of the Š.231s were sold to representatives of the Spanish Republican government. The Š.231s fared poorly in the Spanish Civil War. The operational performance and ultimate fate of the Š.331 is unrecorded


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## Wurger (Jan 25, 2011)

Nice stuff here. THX for sharing. 

But I would like to remind that images that are larger than 800 pixels in their width should be resized down to 800-820 pixels before uploading here. It will allow to watch any of them without the horizontal scrolling from right to left and back.


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## gekho (Jan 26, 2011)

The Aero A.300 was a Czechoslovakian bomber aircraft that first flew in 1938 as a much refined development of the A.304 (despite what the numbering would suggest). Despite showing much promise, development and production of the aircraft was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II.


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## Gnomey (Jan 26, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## gekho (Jan 27, 2011)

This early post-war utility light aircraft design proved a great export earner for Czechoslovakia; over 700 were built, of which more than 600 were exported. A good start was made with the Aero 45 's first public appearance, when an early model won the Norton- Griffiths Trophy in the National Air Races held at Coventry in 1949. Underlying the type's popularity and success was the design - the Aero 45 was an all-metal design, the cockpit had single or dual controls (in versions), and the rear bench carried up to three passengers or could be folded away to stow freight or luggage. The Aero 45 was progressively updated to Super 45 standard; the last version (the 145) had a larger powerplant, but retained the tail wheel. Production ended in 1963.


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## gekho (Jan 27, 2011)

Adaptation of the basic LaGG-3 airframe for a 14- cylinder two-row radial Shvetsov M-82 engine without major redesign of fundamental components resulted in the La-5 (examples converted from existing LaGG-3 airframes on the production line sometimes being referred to as LaG-5s). The prototype conversion was first flown in March 1942 with an M-82 rated at 1700hp for take-off, and the La-5 was cleared for service testing in the following September with an armament of two 20mm cannon. With completion of the conversion of existing LaGG-3 airframes, minor changes were introduced in new production aircraft, the principal of these being the cutting down of the aft fuselage decking and the introduction of a 360°-vision canopy. Late in 1942, the improved M-82F engine became available, producing 1650hp at 1650m, aircraft fitted with this engine being designated La-5F, and, from early 1943, fuel tankage was revised. From late March 1943, the fuel injection M-82FN engine offering 1850hp for take-off replaced the carburettor-equipped M-82F, and with this power plant the fighter became the La-5FN. When the La-5 was withdrawn from production late in 1944, a total of 9,920 aircraft of this type (including La-5UTI two-seat trainers) had been built.


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## gekho (Jan 28, 2011)

The Letov Š-4 was a Czechoslovak single-bay unstaggared biplane fighter and trainer in the 1920s. The Š-4 was first created in 1922 as an intended successor to the SPAD S.VII and S.XIII in service with the newly-created Czechoslovak Air Force. It first flew in 1922, with fabric-covered wooden wings and a metal fuselage and tail. The Czechoslovak Air Force ordered 20 Š-4s in 1922 and these were delivered in early 1923. The plane lived out the 1920s as a fighter and trainer, but by 1927 difficulties were being experienced due to the low manufacturing quality of the Š-4. As a result all remaining Š-4s were upgraded to Š-4a trainer aircraft in 1928.


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## gekho (Jan 28, 2011)

The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch (stork) was a small German liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II, and production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market. It remains famous to this day for its excellent STOL performance, and French-built later variants often appear at air shows. In 1944 the production was moved from the Leichtbau Budweis to the Mráz factory in Chocen which produced 138 examples of Fi 156, locally designated as K-65 Čáp. Production ended in 1949.


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## seesul (Jan 28, 2011)

Why are you interested in Czech Air Force?
I´m just curious as I´m Czech...


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## vikingBerserker (Jan 28, 2011)

Very cool posts.


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## imalko (Jan 29, 2011)

Czechoslovak pilots encountered Lavochkin La-5FN for the first time in April 1944, when a group of some 20 airmen (previously flying in RAF on Spitfires and Hurricanes) started retraining on Soviet aircraft at Ivanovo airfield some 350km north of Moscow. These airmen made the core of the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment (1. ČSSLP) formed in June 1944. Two pilots of Slovak nationality (A.Matušek and L.Dobrovodský), formerly members of Slovak Air Arms, who defected to the Soviets a year before also joined the new unit.

Upon the outbreak of Slovak National Uprising in August 1944 the Regiment was deployed in support of the insurgents operating from airfields Zolná and Try Duby in insurgent territory. During the 40 days of fighting pilots of 1. ČSSLP shot down 9 confirmed and 3 unconfirmed enemy aircraft and damaged further 7 enemy aircraft, six German aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Significant success was achieved in ground attack missions against advancing German forces. During this time the regiment suffered three fatal casualties. After the suppression of the uprising 1. ČSSLP was withdrawn from Slovakia.

During the fallowing winter new Czechoslovak fighter and ground attack aviation units were formed with Soviet help, including 2nd Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment also equipped with La-5FN fighters. All these units were gathered into 1st Czechoslovak Mixed Aviation Division under Soviet 8th Air Army and took part in final Soviet push through Czechoslovakia, distinguishing themselves especially in attacks on heavily defended Moravian Gate near Ostrava.

During their wartime service all Czechoslovak La-5FN fighters wore Soviet national insignia and standard Soviet late war camouflage colors and tactical markings (large white numbers on aft fuselage). Only after the war red stars were over painted with Czechoslovak roundels.

Note: Source of some pictures in the attachment "Slovenske letectvo 1939-1945" Volume 3, others found on the internet (exact source unknown).


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## gekho (Jan 31, 2011)

seesul said:


> Why are you interested in Czech Air Force?



I am interesting in all Air Forces, not only yours, my friend. And I also think Czech aircrafts are very interesting.


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## gekho (Jan 31, 2011)

The Avia 51 was a 1930s Czechoslovakian 6-passenger commercial transport designed by Robert Nebasá and built by Avia. The type was uneconomical in use and only three were built. The Avia 51 was a three-engined high-wing cantilever monoplane designed for the Czech national airlines CLS. It was built with a duraluminium monocoque fuselage and a fixed tailwheel landing gear. Powered by three Avia R-12 radial engine, two fitted into the leading edges of the wing and one nose-mounted. It had a two-man flightdeck and an enclosed luxury cabin for five or six passengers, it was not large enough to stand up (5ft 1in) but did have a separate lavatory compartment, it also had three luggage and mail compartments. The Avia 51 entered service on the Berlin-Prague-Vienna route but with only a small passenger capacity it proved uneconomical to operate. In 1937 the aircraft were sold to the Estonian government, one appeared operating for the Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War and it was reported the other two were lost at sea when the freighter carrying them to Bilbao was sunk.


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## gekho (Jan 31, 2011)

The Letov Kbely Š-50 is a twin-engined bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. Czech Ministry of Defense wrote out a requirement in 1936 for a reconnaissance and light bomber. This aircraft was manufactured in the Letov Kbely plant in Letnany a suburb of Prague in Czechoslovakia. The construction and design was led Alois Šmolík. The machine had a glazed area for the observer in the nose and the fuselage MG-turret. Each of the three man crew could control a machine-gun vz. 30. The bomber was also equipped with cameras, radio and had a bomb load up to 600 kg. The fuselage was space for extensive photo equipment. The machine used radial engines Avia Rk.17 which delivered 309 kW power.

The prototype of the engine used in 1937 at the national aviation exhibition in Prague and attracted great attention. This aircraft was the first truly modern aircraft which works of Letov Kbely had developed. The machine was aerodynamically competitive and stimulated much interest abroad. Test pilot Kovanda began with the Š-50 with the first test flights in November, 1938. Due to the German invasion and occupation, however, no further testing and production occurred. The prototype of the Letov Kbely Š-50 in 1938, with German civil flag was exhibited in Brussels. The German Air Force took over the machine and took it Rechlin Test Airfield north of Berlin. It was subsequently damaged and return to the original factory where it was destroyed in an accident.


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## gekho (Jan 31, 2011)

Senor Juan de la Cierva, a Spanish gentleman from Getafe invented, and patented, the autogyro, he preferred to spell it "Autogiro" - always with a capital "A", shortly after WWI. In the mid 1920s he moved to the UK where funding for his work was more readily obtainable. In the UK his designs progressed from the, Avro 504K based model C.6 to the model C.40. The C.30 and C.40 were designed, in the mid '30s, to Air Ministry Specifications 16/35 and 2/36 respectively. The C.30, intended to be a civil machine, was licensed by Cierva to Avro in the UK, Kellett in the US, Leo et Olivier (LeO) in France and Kayaba in Japan. There is an immediately recognizable similarity amongst all these different interpretations of Cierva's design. The kit subject, the Avro Rota I, was powered by an Armstrong-Siddeley 135 HP Genet Major seven cylinder radial engine, which has its "horse-collar" exhaust collector at the rear.. 
The lift producing rotor, or rotary wing, of an autogyro is unpowered. It is rotated only by propwash from the conventionally mounted engine and propeller when the aircraft is stationary. An autogyro must make a ground run to accelerate the rotor to flying RPM for takeoff. In flight the rotor is spun by the slipstream produced by movement through the air. The C.30, and many other autogyros, had a drive shaft from a gearbox below the rotor head connected to a power takeoff in the accessories section of the engine by a clutch. This permitted the pilot to engage the clutch and "pre-rotate" the rotor to flying RPM so that the autogyro could make a full power "jump" takeoff. The clutch had to be immediately disengaged after takeoff to avoid a, potentially uncontrollable, torque reaction yawing of the aircraft. As the rotor is unpowered in normal operations, there is no yawing torque reaction and thus no anti-torque tail rotor is required as on a helicopter with its powered rotor. Autogyros can glide, or "auto-rotate", with the engine shut off. The Germans used autogyro kites (actually gliders) towed by submarines to extend their observable horizon for scouting. In an emergency they could be released with the pilot gliding safely to a gentle water landing to be picked up later.


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## Gnomey (Jan 31, 2011)

Good stuff!


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## gekho (Feb 1, 2011)

The Tupolev ANT-40, also known by its service name Tupolev SB (Russian: Скоростной бомбардировщик - Skorostnoi Bombardirovschik - "high speed bomber"), and development co-name TsAGI-40, was a high speed twin-engined three-seat monoplane bomber, first flown in 1934. The design was very advanced, but lacked refinement, much to the dismay of crews and maintenance personnel - and of Stalin, who pointed out that "there are no trivialities in aviation". Numerically the most important bomber in the world in the late 1930s, the SB was the first modern stressed-skin aircraft produced in quantity in the Soviet Union and probably the most formidable bomber of the mid-1930s. Many versions saw extensive action in Spain, the Republic of China, Mongolia, Finland and at the beginning of the War against Germany in 1941. It was also used in various duties in civil variants, as trainers and in many secondary roles.


In 1937, negotiations were successfully concluded between the Soviet and Czechoslovak governments for the supply of SB bombers and a licence for local production in exchange for the right to produce the Skoda 75 mm Model 1936 mountain gun. The version of the SB to be supplied to , and subsequently license-built as the Avia B-71 was fundamentally the SB 2M-100A but fitted with the Avia-built Hispano-Suiza 12-Ydrs engine. A single 7.92 mm ZB-30 machine gun supplanted the twin ShKAS machine guns in the nose and similar weapons were provided for the dorsal and ventral stations. Sixty aircraft were to be flown to Czechoslovakia by mid-1938. The planned licensed production program took a decidedly leisurely course, despite the increasingly dangerous political situation. By 15 March 1939, when the German Wehrmacht occupied Bohemia and Moravia, not one Czech-built aircraft had been delivered.


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## gekho (Feb 1, 2011)

Designed by Frantisek Novotny as a successor to the Avia B.534 single-seat fighter biplane, the Avia B.35-3 single-seat fighter monoplane, which formed a part of the exhibit of the "German Protectorate"at the Salon de l’Aéronotique held in the Palais du Centenaire, Brussels, in July 1939. was the third and definitive prototype for the Avia B.135 fighter, and had not flown when exhibited at the Salon. Ing Novotny had initiated design of the B.35 in 1937. at which time it was envisaged that the fighter would be powered by an Avia licence-built version of the Hispano-Suiza 12Y-37 with an anticipated international rating of 1,000 hp. When the development contract for the fighter was placed with the Cakovice factory early in 1938, it was obvious that this power plant would not be available for installation until mid-1939, and it was decided to instal a standard B.534 engine in the first prototype, the B.35-l, this being a supercharged Hispano-Suiza I 2Ydrs 12-cylinder liquid-cooled engine with a normal sea level rating of 650 hp and 850 hp available for 30 min at 3 lOOm. From the outset it had been planned to incorporate fully-retractable main undercarriage members, but in order to hasten flight testing. this feature was relinquished for the prototype which, when flown for the first time in the late summer of 1938, was fitted with close-cowled fixed cantilever main undercarriage members.

The B.35-l had provision for two 7.72-mm Type 30 machine guns in the upper decking of the nose, and was of mixed construction, the elliptical wing having a wooden structure with plywood skinning and an outer covering of light alloy, and the fuselage being a welded steel-tube structure with light alloy panneling forward and fabric covering aft. All movable surfaces were fabric-covered, and the airscrew was of two-bladed, fixed-pitch type. Wing span and overall length were l0.25m and 8,5 m respectively, empty and loaded weights being 1 690 kg and 2 200 kg. and performance including maximum and cruising speeds of 495 km/h and 435 km/h, initial climb rate being 13 m/sec and service ceiling being 8 500 m. During a high-speed run over a measured 3-km course in November 1938, the B.35-l exceeded estimated maximum speed, but its pilot, Kovale, unused to flying a relatively highly loaded monoplane, put the prototype into a steep turn at low altitude at the end of the high speed run, lost lift and crashed, losing his life.

Work had begun on two further prototypes in the meantime and the first of these, the B.35-2, incorporating modifications resulting from experience with the first prototype, flew in February 1939. Retaining the fixed undercarriage of its predecessor, the B.35-2 differed primarily in having larger flaps and smaller ailerons. overall wing span being increased to 10.85 m The third prototype, the B.35-3. was the first aircraft to incorporate a retractable undercarriage, the main members folding outward into wing wells. Apart from the changes to the wing structure dictated by the well cut-outs, the B.35-3 was similar to the earlier prototypes but had provision for an engine-mounted 20-mm Hispano cannon. In March 1939, while the B.35-3 was still under construction, the Republic of Czechoslovakia had been dissolved by Germany, Slovakia declared an independent State. Bohemia and Moravia becoming protectorates. Nevertheless, earlier plans to exhibit the fighter at the Brussels Salon were fulfilled, and after its return to Cakovice, the B.35-3 began its flight test programme in August1939.


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## Lucky13 (Feb 1, 2011)

Awesome!


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## gekho (Feb 2, 2011)

The Avia B-158 was a prototype Czechoslovak twin-engined light bomber aircraft of the 1930s. Only a single example was built and it was abandoned following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in March 1939. In 1935, the Czech aircraft company Avia produced a design for a small twin engined bomber with a fixed undercarriage and powered by two 313 kW (420 hp) Avia Rk 17 radial engines. This design was abandoned in 1936, however, by a more powerful and advanced derivative, the Avia B-158, which was designed to meet a requirement from the Czechoslovak Ministry of National Defense (MNO) for a high performance medium bomber, capable of operation during both day and night, competing against Aero Vodochody's A.300.

In 1937, Avia started to build a single prototype of the B-158, a three-seat low-winged monoplane with inverted gull-wings, a retractable tailwheel undercarriage and 634 kW (850 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Ydrs engines, making its maiden flight in mid-1938. It was fitted with a twin tail to give a better field of fire for the dorsal gun position. While the competing Aero A.300 gave superior performance, neither had entered into production by the time Germany occupied Bohemia and Moravia. After testing by the Luftwaffe at their test centre at Rechlin, the prototype B-158 was scrapped in 1940.


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## gekho (Feb 2, 2011)

The Aero A.32 was a biplane built in Czechoslovakia in the late 1920s for army co-operation duties including reconnaissance and tactical bombing. While the design took the Aero A.11 as its starting point (and was originally designated A.11J), the aircraft incorporated significant changes to make it suited for its new low-level role. Like the A.11 before it, the A.32 provided Aero with an export customer in the Finnish Air Force, which purchased 16 aircraft in 1929 as the A.321F and A.32GR (which spent most of their service lives as trainers). They were assigned numbers AEj-49 - AEj-64 and were used until 1944. At least one fuselage has survived, preserved at the Finnish Air Force Museum. A total of 116 of all variants were built.


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## gekho (Feb 2, 2011)

Work on the Letov S-16 began in 1935 as an order of the Czech Ministry of National Defence who issued specs for a long-range bomber and recon aircraft. The reliable and easy to fly S-16s served successfully in the Czech Air force and as bombers they still formed part of the second-line airpower in 1938.


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## gekho (Feb 3, 2011)

The 1929 presented aero A-38 united different characteristics of earlier models. The tail unit and the bearing areas came from the aero A-23. Chassis and trunk come from the aero A-35. However the A-38 was no double-decker separates a Hochdecker with abgestrebten bearing areas (were taken over only the upper bearing areas). The trunk was extended, so that altogether eight passengers place found. The entrance took place via in each case a door on both sides of the trunk. The seats were arranged in Zweiererreihen. In the tail a toilet and a baggage compartment were accommodated.


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## gekho (Feb 3, 2011)

The Aero A.42 was a Czechoslovakian bomber aircraft of 1929 that was only ever produced in prototype form. For its day, it was an advanced design, with a sleek monoplane configuration. However, the Czech Air Force was not satisfied with it for a number of reasons, in particular, the aircraft's take-off and landing rolls were felt to be excessively long, and crew complained about the cramped cabin. The air force suggested a set of modifications to Aero, including replacing the wooden wing with a metal one, but Aero discontinued development. On September 20, 1930, one of the two prototypes set international speed records of 253.428 km/h over a 1,000 km (621 mile) closed circuit, carrying payloads of 500 kg (1,100 lb) and 1000 kg (2,200 lb).

One prototype was used by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1938, then by the Slovak Air Force. Probably it was scrapped in 1940. The A.42 was a single-engined high-wing cantilever monoplane, with a fixed landing gear.


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## gekho (Feb 3, 2011)

The Aero A.30 was a biplane light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft built in Czechoslovakia in the late 1920s. It originated as an attempt to improve the performance of the Aero A.11, but soon evolved into quite a different aircraft, larger and more powerful than its predecessor. The aircraft is readily distinguished from other related types by the difference in spans between its wings - the upper set being of much greater span than the lower. Prototypes of the A.30 were retrospectively designated A.130, with the A.230 the main production version. The A.330 and A.430 featured different, more powerful engines, but the latter of these did not enter production, serving instead as the prototype for the Aero A.100.


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## gekho (Feb 3, 2011)

The Letov Š-20 was a fighter aircraft produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1920s. It was a conventional, single-bay biplane with unstaggered wings braced by N-struts. In overall appearance, it greatly resembled contemporary SPAD fighters. The fuselage and empennage were of welded steel tube construction and covered in fabric. The wings had a tubular metal spar but were otherwise wooden, and also fabric-skinned. The Czechoslovakian Air Force bought 105 machines, and 10 examples were produced for Lithuania under the designation Š-20L. These remained in service until 1936 and 1935 respectively.

An Š-20 placed second in the single-engine category of the national President of the Republic air race in 1925, but fared better the following year. In the 1926 race, an Š-20 not only won this category but also set a new national airspeed record of 234 km/h (146 mph). This record was short-lived, however, since the prize for the fastest circuit was also won in an Š-20, and this raised the record to 245 km/h (153 mph). A single prototype of an unarmed advanced trainer version was built as the Š-21, but this did not sell.


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## Gnomey (Feb 3, 2011)

Nice stuff!


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## gekho (Feb 4, 2011)

More pics


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## gekho (Feb 4, 2011)

Probably the finest fighter biplane ever built, and one of the last mass-produced biplane fighters, the Avia B.534 first flew in August 1933, and an initial order for 100 machines was placed by the Czech Army Air Force. Early B.534s had an open cockpit, but a sliding hood was introduced on later aircraft. First deliveries were made in the second half of 1935. In 1937 a B.534 took part in the International Air Meeting at Zurich and outperformed everything except the Messerschmitt Bf 109 - even then it was only 11km/h slower than the German fighter. The B.534 was adopted by the Czech Army Air Force as its standard fighter type, and also served in Bulgaria and with the Luftwaffe, which used it as an advanced trainer. In 1939, after the German occupation of Bohemia and Moravia, large numbers of B.534s were acquired by the Slovak Air Force, which later used them against the Russians. Total B.534 production was 445 aircraft.


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## gekho (Feb 4, 2011)

The B-534 was first used in combat by the Slovenské vzdušné zbrane (Slovak Air Force). Germany took control of the “Czech” part of Czechoslovakia as Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, leaving the “Slovak” part, Slovakia, as a minor ally. Slovakia acquired some 80 B-534s and Bk-534s from the Czech air force and quickly had to use them against Hungary during the border war of 1939. Later, two squadrons of B-534s assisted the German Luftwaffe during the Invasion of Poland in September 1939. The same squadrons served with the Germans in Ukraine during summer 1941, with one squadron returning in 1942 for anti-partisan duty. Obsolescence, lack of spare parts and the old Czechoslovak air force’s curious fuel mixture (BiBoLi, or some other mix of alcohol, benzol and petrol) finally relegated the surviving B-534s to training duties.

This would have been the last of the B-534s in Slovak colors if not for the Slovak National Uprising of September–October 1944. The rest of the Slovak air assets did not turn-coat as expected and the leaders of the uprising were faced with using a rag-tag collection of leftover aircraft, including several B-534s at Tri Duby airfield. On 2 September 1944, Master Sergeant František Cyprich, just after testing a repaired B-534, downed a Junkers Ju 52 transport under Hungarian colors on its way to a base in occupied Poland. This was at once the first aerial victory for the Uprising and the last recorded biplane air-to-air victory. As the Slovak National Uprising was desperate for available aircraft, Sergeant Cyprich was derided by his colonel for not trying to force the Junkers Ju 52 to land and be captured instead. The last two B-534s at Tri Duby were burned as the base was evacuated on 25 October 1944.Bulgaria bought 78 B-534s in 1939, well after the partition. The last batch of these aircraft arrived in March 1942. On 1 August 1943, seven of these aircraft were able to make two passes at American B-24 Liberator bombers returning from the raid on Ploieşti. Hits were scored but no B-24s were shot down and some of the B-534s that received damage in the combat, cracked up on landing. After the anti-German coup of 9 September 1944, Bulgaria switched sides overnight and its B-534s were often used in ground attacks against German units. On 10 September 1944, six B-534s were involved in a brief melee with six German Bf 109s at low altitude. One B-534 was lost, but the Germans quickly broke off, wary of the low altitude and the B-534's maneuverability.


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## Wurger (Feb 4, 2011)




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## imalko (Feb 4, 2011)

> The rest of the Slovak air assets did not turn-coat as expected and the leaders of the uprising were faced with using a rag-tag collection of leftover aircraft...



Circumstances surrounding the outbreak of Slovak National Uprising are very complex to be described here in detail, but here are few words to comment the sentence I quoted above. One could notice that almost entire inventory of Slovak Air Arms (SVZ) during their existence was "leftover" from former Czechoslovak AF and therefore obsolete for effective use in the WW2. Percentage of modern aircraft obtained abroad was so low (30+ Bf 109E, 15 Bf 109G-6, 2 He 111H, 2 Ju 52, a hand full of Fw 189s and Ju 87D Stukas, and 6 SM.84s) that SVZ for most part had to rely on old Czechoslovak aircraft. This is main reason why insurgent Combined Squadron war poorly equipped by default. Also the Operative Group of Air Arms (Skupina Vzdušných Zbraní) assembled in eastern Slovakia collectively defected to the Soviet side few days before the outbreak of the Uprising to avoid capture as Germans started to disarm East Slovakian Army under General Malar. Out of all these aircraft (including number of modern types) only two Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 fighters returned to insurgent territory to reinforce the Combined squadron. Large number of SVZ aircraft was captured by the Germans. Typical is the example of events at Spišska Nova Ves airfield. Here five brand new Junkers Ju 87D Stukas fell into German hands amid the confusion of the first day of the Uprising.



> ...Sergeant Cyprich was derided by his colonel for not trying to force the Junkers Ju 52 to land and be captured instead.



Cyprich's action which resulted in downing the Hungarian Ju 52 on 2nd September is described in detail in "Slovenske letectvo 1939-1945" Volume 3, page 75 without any mention that Cyprich was allegedly reprimanded for shooting down and not "forcing to land" enemy aircraft.


Here are few pictures of Avia B.534 in service with Slovak Air Arms...


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## gekho (Feb 7, 2011)

By the beginning of the 1930s, Germany was starting to show its discontent with the Treaty of Versailles which did not permit either powered flight or military development. Thousands of pilots had been trained in the Hitler Youth Glider Clubs, those that would become the top scoring pilots of all times, such as the highest scoring fighter pilot in history, Erich ‘Bubi’ Hartman. A powered airplane was needed for them to keep progressing. To avoid an obvious violation of the Treaty, Germany invested in over-seas companies, such as SAAB, a Swedish subsidiary of the Heinkel company, then managed by Carl Clemens Bücker. Once it was obvious this plan wasn´t working out, Germany started acting more openly and moved the manufacture of aircraft back to Germany. Bücker moved back to his native country and brought Anders Andersson, a Swedish engineer at SAAB, with him.

Rather than working again for Heinkel, and foreseeing what was about to take place in Germany, Bücker decided to start his own company, ‘Bücker Flugzeugbau GmbH’ . Within six months of the requirements for a new powered trainer being issued, Anders Andersson had the prototype Bü 131A ‘Jungmann’, registered D-3150 and powered by a 80HP Hirth HM-60R, ready for its test flight. A light aerobatic biplane, with two seats in tandem, its construction incorporated the most innovative techniques. It was April the 27th 1934, and Joachim Von Köpen was at the stick. That requirement came from the Deutscher Luftsport Verband, DLV (German Association for the Aerial Sport), a civilian organization, for which Hermann Göring was ultimately responsible. Certain aspects of the program were delegated to some very capable leaders, such as Erhard Milch, who established the national priorities at a time when the Luftwaffe was still existing as a clandestine organization. That “civilian” DLV was the first school for most of the early German Aces of WWII, and the Bü 131 ‘Jungmann’ was their mount! The requirement was for a cheap to operate trainer airplane, hence the decision to initially install a 80HP engine. Its manufacture had to be easy, simple, cheap; the aircraft fast, light, strong... Bücker´s answer was the Bü 131 'Jungmann'.


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## gekho (Feb 7, 2011)

Developed from the successful Fokker F.VII, five of which were built in 1924-25, the Fokker F.VIIA flew on 12 March 1925 with a 298kW Packard Liberty engine. Following a demonstration tour of the United States, a number of orders were secured and further orders came from European operators. Almost 50 single-engined F.VIIAs were built, some of which were converted later to F.VIIA-3m standard with three engines. This variant, together with the slightly larger-span F.VIIB-3m, formed the backbone of many European airline operations in the early 1930s, with licence-production also being undertaken in Belgium, Italy, Poland and the UK. Although two F.VIIAs were supplied to the Royal Netherlands air force and one to the RAF, the only example known to have been used by the military in World War II was the 12th production F.VIIA which, after a chequered career in the Netherlands and Denmark, was presented to the Finnish Red Cross and operated in military markings in the Continuation War which began in 1941. Those operated by the Netherlands and Polish air forces were destroyed at an early stage of the German invasion of these two nations.


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## gekho (Feb 7, 2011)

More pics


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## Lucky13 (Feb 7, 2011)

Awesome!


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## Gnomey (Feb 7, 2011)

Interesting shots!


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## gekho (Feb 8, 2011)

The Aero A 100 was a Czechoslovakian two-seater light bomber and long-range reconnaissance aircraft of the Second World War in service from 1933 to the late 1940s. The Aero A 100 was powered by an Avia Vr-36 Vee piston engine giving a top speed of 270 kmh and a range of 917 km or a flying endurance of four hours. Armament consisted of two 7.92 mm calibre vz30 fixed forward-firing machine-guns in the forward fuselage with synchronisation equipment to allow them to fire through the propeller disc, and two 7.92 mm vz30 (Lewis) trainable rearward-firing machine-guns in the rear cockpit. In addition to the fixed armaments, up to 600 kg of disposable stores could also be carried in a lower fuselage weapons bay rated at 400 kg and on four under fuselage hard points each rated at 50 kg. Disposable stores generally consisted of three 100 kg bombs carried in the weapons bay and four 50 kg bombs carried on the hard points.


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## gekho (Feb 8, 2011)

The Aero A.101 was a biplane light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft built in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. It was an attempt to improve the Aero A.100 by enlarging it and fitting it with a more powerful engine. However, even with 33% more power, performance was actually inferior, and the Czech Air Force was not interested in the type. Production did result, however, when 50 were ordered by Spanish Republican forces for use in the Spanish Civil War. Some of these aircraft were captured by Nationalists while en route and used against their original buyers. Local demand eventually was forthcoming, and a re-engined version was produced as the Ab.101.


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## gekho (Feb 8, 2011)

More pics


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## gekho (Feb 8, 2011)

The Avia S.199 was a Czech version of the Messerschmitt Bf 109G-14 manufactured at previously German-controlled factories from the Messerschmitt blueprints. The standard airframe was combined with the only available engine, the Jumo 211F, and the result differed from the original German design by having a larger engine cowling and a tri-blade propeller. The S.199 had very difficult handling characteristics, especially during takeoff and landing, and very unforgiving controls, reasons for which it was dubbed "Mezek" (mule) by its Czech pilots. About 550 examples had been built by the time production ended in 1949.


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## imalko (Feb 8, 2011)

Nice! Always liked something about the appearance of S-199. Too bad it had such poor handling characteristics due to the inadequate engine. Actually Daimler-Benz DB605 engines were available in substantial number in Czechoslovakia immediately after the war, but situation changed after large supply of these engines was destroyed in a fire and explosion at a warehouse in Krásné Březno thus forcing the usage of alternative engine for Bf 109 airframe. Two seat trainer version of S-199 was also build in some numbers under designation Avia CS.199. 
Here are few more pictures...


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## gekho (Mar 30, 2011)

The Lisunov Li-2, originally designated PS-84 (NATO reporting name: Cab), was a license-built version of the Douglas DC-3. It was produced by the GAZ-84 works near Moscow, and subsequently at GAZ-34 in Tashkent. The project was directed by aeronautical engineer Boris Pavlovich Lisunov.The Soviet Union received its first DC-2 in 1935. Although a total of 18 DC-3s had been ordered on 11 April 1936, the Soviets purchased 21 DC-3s for operation by Aeroflot before World War II. The arrangement accompanied a free production license on 15 July 1936. Lisunov spent two years at the Douglas Aircraft Company, between 1938 and 1940 and modified the C-47 into a Soviet version, which was given the designation PS-84 - Passazhirskiy Samolyot 84, passenger airplane 84.

Despite the original intention to incorporate as few changes as necessary to the basic design, the GAZ-84 works documented over 1,200 engineering changes from the Douglas engineering drawings, and it was no small task for Vladimir Myasishchev to change all dimensions from U.S. customary units to metric units. Some of the changes were substantial, such as the use of the Russian Shvetsov ASh-62IR engines. The Russian standard design practice also usually mandated fully shuttered engines in order to cope with the extreme temperatures. A slightly shorter span was incorporated but many of the other alterations were less evident. The passenger door was moved to the right side of the fuselage, with a top-opening cargo door on the left side in place of the original passenger door. The structural reinforcement included slightly heavier skins necessitated since the metric skin gauges were not exact duplicates of the American alloy sheet metal. Standard Russian metric hardware was different and the various steel substructures such as engine mounts and landing gear, wheels, and tires were also quite different from the original design. Later modifications allowed the provision of ski landing gear in order to operate in remote and Arctic regions. The first PS-84s began to emerge from the GAZ-84 production line by 1939. Some military versions of the Li-2 also had bomb racks and a dorsal turret, unlike the military C-47 development of the DC-3.

The PS-84 had flown with Aeroflot primarily as a passenger transport before World War II. When Germany attacked the Soviet Union in 1941 many of the PS-84s were taken into military use and redesignated the Lisunov Li-2 in 1942. The military models were equipped with a 7.62 mm (.30 in) ShKAS machine gun, and later with a 12.7 mm (.50 in) UBK heavy machine gun. The aircraft were used for transport, partisan supply, bombing, and as ambulance aircraft. A version designated Li-2VV (Vojenny Variant = military variant) had a redesigned nose for extra defensive armament and could carry up to four 250 kg (551 lb) bombs under the wings. Smaller bombs could be carried inside the fuselage and thrown out the freight hatch by the crew. A total of 4,937 aircraft were produced of all Li-2 versions between 1940 and 1954 and it saw extensive use in Eastern Europe until the 1960s. The last survivors in use were noted in China and Vietnam during the 1980s. There were many versions, including airliner, cargo, military transport, reconnaissance, aerial photography, parachute drop, bomber, and high altitude variants. The Li-2 also saw extensive service in the Chinese Air Force in the 1940s and 1950s.


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## Wayne Little (Mar 30, 2011)




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## seesul (Mar 30, 2011)

gekho said:


> I am interesting in all Air Forces, not only yours, my friend. And I also think Czech aircrafts are very interesting.


 
O.K., roger


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## seesul (Mar 30, 2011)

imalko said:


> Czechoslovak pilots encountered Lavochkin La-5FN for the first time in April 1944, when a group of some 20 airmen (previously flying in RAF on Spitfires and Hurricanes) started retraining on Soviet aircraft at Ivanovo airfield some 350km north of Moscow. These airmen made the core of the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment (1. ČSSLP) formed in June 1944. Two pilots of Slovak nationality (A.Matušek and L.Dobrovodský), formerly members of Slovak Air Arms, who defected to the Soviets a year before also joined the new unit.
> 
> Upon the outbreak of Slovak National Uprising in August 1944 the Regiment was deployed in support of the insurgents operating from airfields Zolná and Try Duby in insurgent territory. During the 40 days of fighting pilots of 1. ČSSLP shot down 9 confirmed and 3 unconfirmed enemy aircraft and damaged further 7 enemy aircraft, six German aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Significant success was achieved in ground attack missions against advancing German forces. During this time the regiment suffered three fatal casualties. After the suppression of the uprising 1. ČSSLP was withdrawn from Slovakia.
> 
> ...


 
HI Igor,

one of those 20 Czechoslovakian 'RAF' pilots who went to USSR, were trained there and then landed with their La-5FNs behind enemy lines in Slovakia and fought agains Germans during Slovak national urprising was Joe Stehlik, an ace with 10+ kills achieved in France, England and Slovakia. He often flew 'white 12' (La-5FN) during the Slovak national urprising. It might be him during taking off on the last pic you´ve posted...
I was lucky enough that he moved at the end of 60´s to my born town and I had a chance to speak to him. I still regret he passed away so soon in 1991...
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/stories/s-ldr-josef-stehl-k-four-airforces-1603.html


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## imalko (Mar 30, 2011)

That's very interesting Roman. He must have some interesting stories to tell you. 
Too bad he passed away.


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## Gnomey (Mar 30, 2011)

Nice stuff!


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## gekho (Nov 12, 2011)

Designed by Walter Blume as the result of a 1936 Reich Air Ministry tender, the prototype, powered by a 179 kW (240 hp) Argus As 10c engine, first flew in 1938. In 1939, an initial batch of Ar 96A aircraft was produced. This was followed by the major production series, the more powerful Ar 96B, fitted with the Argus As 410 engine. The Ar 96 was used for advanced, night and instrument flying training. Shadow production was undertaken by Letov and the Avia factory in occupied Czechoslovakia, where manufacturing continued for some years after the war, being designated C-2. A wooden version known as the Ar 396 was built in France and was designated SIPA SS.11. Further developments were the SIPA 111 (armed version), and SIPA S-12, a metal version. 58 Machines were produced until 1958. The S.11 was operated with some success in Algeria carrying machine guns, rockets and light bombs. Czechoslovakian Air Force operated Avia C-2 variant postwar.

Source: Arado Ar 96 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## nuuumannn (Nov 12, 2011)

Great stuff, guys. This thread has the potential to go on for some time D) since Czech aviation is so diverse. Lots of interesting aeroplanes!


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## Gnomey (Nov 12, 2011)

Nice stuff!


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## Wayne Little (Nov 13, 2011)




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## gekho (Jan 26, 2012)

During the war the Germans set up a number of assembly plants in Czechoslovakia for the of the production Messerschmitt Me 262. After the war the manufacturing infrastructure remained intact, so production could start up again for the new owners. This decision was taken remarkable quickly after the Soviet "Liberation" on the 27/5/1945. The first Avia S 92.1 was assembled at Letnany Research Institute in 1945 (PL-01), with the air frame coming from Avia and the engines from the repair works in Malesice (the Junkers Jumo 004 now called the M-04). The S 92's first flight was on the 27/09/46, with Avia's chief pilot Antonin Kraus in control. That same year on December 10th the CS 92 took to the air for the first time.

Delivery of the first S 92 to the Czech air force was on 42/6/1948. With twelve being made in all, nine S 92 and three CS 92 equipping the 5th Fighter Flight, until they were grounded for use as instructional airframes in 1951. By the time Yugoslavia showed interest in buying the S 92, Avia was looking at closing down the production line to make way for new up to date aircraft and when Avia were given a licensed to make the Mig 15 (they were all ready making the Yak 23 as the S 101) the S 92 facilities were broken up.

Source: Avia S-92


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