Strana 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