List of author's articles

The fate of Romania in World War II is similar to the fate of other small states at this time. After the busy end of the 1930s, it came under the influence of Germany and entered the war with the USSR alongside it. So he wanted to regain the territory lost just in favor of the attacked. After that, however, the Romanian soldiers had to take part in further campaigns, which culminated in a defeat at Stalingrad. Since 1943, their own country has been the target of attacks by the US Strategic Air Force. Subsequent failures of Germany in 1944 brought the Romanians to the side of the Allies, who then ended the war in Czechoslovakia. And Romanian fighters took part in all these victories and losses. They won over 1,200 victories and one of the most successful was Dan Valentin Vizanty.

During the strange war, the British Purchasing Commission traveled through American aircraft factories in search of suitable aircraft for the RAF. Among other things, he got to the Bell company in Buffalo, which showed the British its prototype of a high-altitude fighter with excellent flight characteristics and speeds exceeding the then magical 400 miles per hour, ie 644 km / h. The British did not let themselves be persuaded for a long time, and on April 13, 1940, an order was signed for 675 pieces of a new fighter with the designation P-400, referring to the stated speed of the aircraft.

Boleslaw Gladych is one of Poland's leading aerial aces - he is ranked 5th with an official score of 14 certain kills, 2 probable kills and one team damage (counted as 1/2). He was credited with three more victories in the USA (10 in total in American service), but these were not recognised by the Polish Bajan Commission. All of Boleslaw Gladych's personal aircraft he flew since he started flying in the British Isles were marked with the emblem of a penguin with the signature "Pengie" (the nickname of his girlfriend, a Canadian from the WAAF). On several occasions he met the famous German fighter ace Georg-Peter Eder in the air, known for not attacking badly damaged enemy aircraft.

During the Second World War gained more than one thousand two hundred pilots of the RAF the status of fighter ace. Names like Malan, Bader, Johnson, Caldwell, or Deere knows about everyone who cares at least a little bit about aviation. However, only one of them has the right to boast that he was the first – Edgar James "Cobber" Kain.

He achieved one of the first victories among Czechoslovak pilots in the Battle of Britain, a DFC bearer, died in a collision with another machine in October 1940.

Czechoslovak army officer and military aviator. During World War II, he worked as a fighter in the Armée de l'air, where he became an ace, and later served in the Czechoslovak Royal Air Force.

This officer has given outstanding service as a flight commander in a fighter squadron. He has taken part in fighter patrols, armed reconnaissance and dive bombing missions since joining his present squadron and in the course of these operations has destroyed at least five enemy aircraft and damaged others. In addition Flight Lieutenant Boyle has destroyed many ground targets, including forty mechanical transport vehicles, three trains and six barges. He has set a fine example by his keenness and fine fighting spirit.

Australian fighter ace of World War II

This successful pilot was born on January 5, 1912 in Lansberg, Germany. After training as an electrician, he joined the Air Force and in the years 1930-1932 he graduated from the School for Professional Youth of the Air Force at VLU in Prostějov. He then served as a fighter in the 4th and 2nd Air Regiments. Here he flew on Avia Ba.33, Letov Š.20 and Š.31 and Škoda D.1 aircraft. Due to his excellent piloting skills, from 1934 until the occupation he worked as a flying pilot at the VTLÚ in Letňany.

Group Captain Denys Gillam, who died aged 75 in 1991, scored at least seven kills as a fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain and went on to win three DSOs and two DFCs.
Towards the end of the the Second World War he had an even more testing operational career, as RAF fighters and fighter bombers supported the Normandy landings from JUne 1944.

He achieved his greatest success on August 8. The Germans attacked a CW9 convoy (codenamed Peewit) in several waves that day, moving around the Isle of Wight. Peel's unit faced the first wave ...

The Norwegian king

After the fall of Norway, three M.F.11 aircraft managed to fly to Finland, which incorporated them into its air force and used them for maritime reconnaissance and convoy escort. The aircraft were popular there and the last one was scrapped in 1950! About 16 were captured by the Germans and the airworthy ones were used in auxiliary services and for training.

The Allison-powered versions of the legendary Mustang are unfairly neglected in the history of the 1939-1945 air war. They have seen limited combat use - but have stood the test of time. The most successful American Air Force deployment occurred over Burma, with the most victories going to James J. England, who subsequently closed his wartime career in Chinese skies.

Czechoslovak military pilot, fighter against Nazism in the ranks of the French Air Force, RAF and 1st Czechoslovak Mixed Air Division in the USSR. During the Battle of France he participated in the shooting down of five Luftwaffe aircraft for sure and another three probably. After the Communist takeover in 1948 he was placed out of service and, fearing imminent persecution, went into exile with his family, where he adopted the new name John Kent. He was a recipient of two Czechoslovak War Crosses, the Czechoslovak Medal for Valour, the Czechoslovak Medal for Merit, the SNP Order of the First Class, the French Croix de Guerre with two palms and two silver stars, the Legion of Honour and the Romanian Order of the Corona Romana.

Brave fighter, commander of the 313rd Fighter Squadron, which fell in 1943 in air combat with the Bf 110.

Another of our pilots at the RAF. He flew and fought, commanding the squadron of the Typhoons. He was shot down and captured, passed through the Stalag III camp, narrowly escaped death in a failed escape. He survived the war, but his homeland cursed him.

The Chaika has a back armour plate for the pilot so firing at them directly behind with Gladiator’s rifle-calibre guns is useless. Dogfighting them is the best chance to get a Chaika if you are good at it.

After the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the Czech retinue in Warsaw and drew attention to himself during intelligence missions. Already in November 1914 he received the Medal of St. George IV degree and then between June 1915 and September 1916 all four degrees of the Cross of St. George.

I led my swarm with a dive attack right in the middle of the enemy formation. I approached one of the Me 109 about 100 yards. For the first time, I used the K-14 sight and achieved only a few hits.

Biography of an excellent RAF pilot, one of those who fought for our country against the Nazis. Like many others, he did not return to his country.

The massacres of German and Italian airliners at the end of the African campaign are quite well known. However, similar hunts for "conveyors" took place later in the areas from which the Axis forces had to withdraw at speed. It happened during the fighting in Sicily and the most successful intervention against the air bridge took place on July 25, 1943 at the very end of the fighting.

If fate only grants me a short career as a combatant, I will thank the heavens for having been able to give my life to the liberation of FRANCE. Tell my mother that I have always been very happy and grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve GOD, MY COUNTRY and THOSE I LOVE, and that, whatever happens, I will always be close to her.

Si le destin ne m’accorde qu’une courte carrière de combattant, je remercierai le ciel d’avoir pu donner ma vie à la libération de la FRANCE. Qu’on dise à ma mère que j’ai toujours été très heureux et reconnaissant que l’occasion m’ait été donnée de servir DIEU, MON PAYS et CEUX QUE J’AIME, et que, quoi qu’il arrive, je serai toujours près d’elle.

This man from Pilsen was born 13.11.1914. He gained basic pilot training in the West Bohemian aeroclub at the airport Plzen-Bory. Then volunteered for the Air Force and in the years 1932-34 he attended training at the School for professional youth air force in the VLU in Prostějov.

New Zealand flying ace of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during the Second World War. He is credited with the destruction of eleven enemy aircraft and two damaged. He was the highest scoring New Zealand night-fighter pilot of the war.

Václav Bergman was a fighter of the 310th Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron of the RAF. He was one of the two Czechoslovak pilots (along with Karel Kuttelwascher) who received the British Distinguished Flying Cross twice for their services.

Biography of a Czech fighter pilot, a participant of the Battles of France and Britain and the most successful czechoslovak pilot on the most advanced French fighter D.520.

Biography of the Norwegian fighter pilot of the RAF, which - although did not become an ace - was recognized by the commander and Wing Commander of 124th Wing of the Typhoon aircraft.

The most successful Canadian night fighter