učitel

TyberiusClaudius napisal: …Frantisek to Czech, ale zawsze twierdził: I am Polish. The reason: In France Josef František chose to stay with Polish airmen group instead of joining the exiled Czechoslovak Air Force. The reason for that decision was a conflict with one Czech officer, who tried to arrest him for insubordination. This officer even ordered one French MP-corporal to arrest František, but there was written „Polish soldier“ in František´s pilot document, therefore French soldier said he couldn´t do it.

Gregski napisal: Učitel, oczywiście masz rację ale takie wielorakie wykorzystanie nie ograniczało się tylko do maszyn rozpoznawczych/łącznikowych. Yes, no doubt about it. But the theme is maszyny rozpoznawcze, no bombers, no fighters. I wanted only to remind, or to add, that there was a nuance, a small difference, between Hs 126 and FW 189, when I take into account główne zadania do jakich dany typ był zaprojektowany. Another speciality: I have written that Soviet designers have constructed - under the impressions of succees of German FW 189 – artillery observer and reconnaissance plane Sukhoi Su-12. It had a similar two-fuselage concept and cockpit glazing like FW 189, but it was more than two times heavier. Due to its robustness and its form, this design reminded rather American heavy fighter P-61 Black Widow.

Gregski napisal: Taki Storch to maszyna raczej łącznikowa. Na początku wojny do zadań rozpoznania taktycznego Niemcy używali Henschel 126 a później Focke-Wulf 189 i to głównie na kierunkach gdzie w powietrzu nie panowało lotnictwo Aliantów. Yes, I can only remind that Germans determinated originally the purpose (a small difference) between Henschel 126 and FW 189: According to original German booklet from 1942 - Deutsche, italienische, britisch-amerikanische und sowjetische Kriegsflugzeuge, Germans classified Hs 126 as Aufklärungsflugzeug (reconnaissance aircraft), while FW 189 as Aufklärer (reconnaissance special). Despite the fact that Germans used Hs 126 as multi-role plane, like towing glider, its original role –due to its design - was the artillery observer, as well as British Lysander or Polish Czapla. FW 189 was, according to its original design, a typical „spy“ plane, whereas Fi 156 was originally a liason plane. Of course, there was in a common practice that any of these types made each of mentioned roles, which was a common practice at operational airfields. But, it is a well known thing that (under the impressions of succees of German FW 189) Soviet Sukhoi´s OKB designed Su-12, artillerijskij korrektirovščik i razvědčik, an aircraft for artillery observing and reconnaissance roles, shortly after the war. Further evidence, that there´s very small difference between „reconnaissance plane“ and „scout/spy plane“, we can find in prewar Czechoslovak Air Force: Air doctrine had no term „reconnaissance unit (flight)“, only „observing flight“ and „scout/spy flight“. Czechoslovak multi-role biplane Letov Š-328 began to replace Aero A-11 at observation units, while scout/spy units remained a bit older Aero A-100/101. But, as soon as A-100 began to withdraw from units in late of 1930s, Š-328 replaced this type, too. (Advanced, scout/photogrammetric special – Praga E-51 – was still at a prototype stage.)

A word or two to Gregski´s authentic flight diary that he has erenow displayed. There is marked a mission on the 6th June 1944 and as the type is written – SPITFIRE XIX, and above is superscribed GRIFFON. It was probably one of the first operational flights of this type that began to use in the middle of 1944. It is generally known that Spitfire PR. Mk. XIX was the best British photo-reconnaissance plane, together with special photo-reconnaisance Mosquitos. But, such an aviation hybrid – somethig between unarmed Spitfire PR. Mk. X and powerful, operational Spitfire Mk. XIV. - caused that the result wasn´t always so good as the designers had imagined. It is a truth, British pilots didn´t like flying Spitfire Mk. XIX, and they prefered older Mk. X and XI. to newer type. Concerning the superscribed word „GRIFFON“ above the type of Spitfire, the pilot maybe wanted to underline the fact, that the GRIFFON-engine requires a quite different piloting: Mk. XIX was otherwise fast, but the Griffon was heavier, more thirsty, and its range was shorter by 500 kilometres. Its propeller had the opposite direction of rotation; therefore - during the start - the pilots had to eliminate the deviation of the aircraft from the track onto the opposite side than they were used to.

Yes, to have good and reliable engines – it was always the problem, at least for Russian-, Italian-, and Japanese Air Forces. They solved it with a help of a licensed production (also Czechs before the war), but it haven´t always led to optimal results. I think, the discussion the topic „P 37 Los – the heavy fighter“ should stop because it would be just cheating… Recently, I noticed 2 things concerning P-37, though there are details only: First - concerning the opening the canopy. During the First World War, first combat pilots were recruited to Air Forces from the cavalry, and they used to mount on a horse from left side (from the PORT). To this was adapted later opening the cabin – from the port of the aircraft, to right side. I have seen the youtube shot of the alarm start of P-37 Los, and – its crew got onto the plane from right side (from STARBOARD), and therefore a pilot opened the cabin to left side. This is such a curiosity of the design. Second – concerning the camouflage: unlike other Polish military planes of 1930s, P. 37 Los probable haven´t worn a typical Polish camouflage consisted of (Polish) khaki on upper side and pale blue on under side, but chocolate brown („milk chocolate“ – not so dark as French colour Chocolat) and silverish grey. Fragments of a crashed plane showed this fact, which was exploited for the building of the Los replica in Mielec (youtube: Grand opening – Mielec, September 2012) and also Wojciech Krajewski confirms it in other shot (youtube: Prawdziwe kolory bombowca).

In my opinion – P.37 Los could have been a quite good heavy fighter, but it would have had some more powerful power plants. But not only a powerful engine creates a good combat plane. For example, it is known, that Germans used bombing plane´s airframes Ju-88 A and Do-17 Z for their Nachtzerstörers. But a big role belongs to plane´s flight characteristics. Due this feature we can say that Ju-88 C was better night fighter than Do-17 Z-10, because Ju-88 A had better flight characteristics than Do-17 Z. No doubt. (Then Do-217 versions were better for a pilotage, but it was, naturally, a quite new plane in fact.) And concerning P.37, I can compare this fact with one conclusion, what I have sometimes read in a well-known publication Rumanian Air Force (Squadron/Signal publications) by Hungarian aviation historian Dénes Bernád. (Concerning air combat using in Aeronautica Regala Romana, it is a known thing that Rumanians used their Loses for actions in South Ukraine and Crimea.) About that Bernád have written on page 50 - a text placed under a photo of a single-handed P.37: „Although still considered a modern bomber at this time, the P.37 had a tendency to enter a tailspin without warning.“ I believe that this information was known for prewar Polish airmen that flew P.37 Los. Certainly, they must have known it, but I haven´t read it yet in Polish aviation materials.

One false information: .....who was murdered by Lisowczycy when Hieronym Kleczkowski´s troops were riding through Moravia towards Vienna at the beginning of January 1620. I have to correct one mistake publicated 25. 8. 2017 as above. The right information is that: ...who was murdered by Lisowczycy when Hieronym Kleczkowski´s troops were riding through Moravia towards Vienna at the beginning of February 1620.

I can add a word or two about GERMAN JET ACES IN ME 262: http: //wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/b/455/2/5 Several years ago I read the information that Heinz Bär (total 220 kills) succeeded 1 victory - from his 16 jet kills - with Me 262 C-1a "Heimatschützer I" with Walter HWK 109-509 rocket engine in the tail. This prototype airplane (V-186) had reached 922 km/h in 6000 m. I have written above the reference for the source (a picture). When I had interested in German top-scoring jet pilots, I found out that various sources give different victory-numbers. I think, it might have been caused by a chaos during last months of war. Most improbable jet ace seems to be Kurt Welter. He personally claimed about 30 night kills of Mosquitos in Me 262. Various sources give 68 or 63 total victories, including 56 at night. It is stated 29 or 20 night jet kills from his total score. Maybe he was leading jet ace, but there is a possibility that he did overclaim up to 10. Concerning Franz Schall (total 137 kills), he is mostly given on the 2nd place, right behind Bär, with his 14 kills, but some sources talk about 17 kills. Most sources correspond to information that Georg-Peter Eder (total 78 kills) achieved 12 jet victories, but some write about 25. Rudolf Rademacher (total 126 kills) had 8 kills confirmed, but some sources give 24. The others pilots are "trouble-free": Erich Rudorffer (total 222 kills) with 12 kills; Heinrich Ehrler (total 208 kills) with 8 kills; Theo Weissenberger (total 208 kills) with 8 kills; Walter Schuck (total 206 kills) with 8 kills; Adolf Galland (total 104 kills) with 7 kills; Johannes Steinhoff (total 176 kills) with 6 kills; Wolfgang Späte (total 99 kills) with 5 kills; Klaus Neumann (total 37 kills) with 5 kills; Alfred Schreiber (total 5 kills) with 5 kills - first jet ace; Franz Stigler (total 29 kills) with 4 kills; this pilot became known when he - still as Bf 109 G-6 pilot - escorted a havily damaged B-17 (pilot Charles Brown) to the British coast on 20th December 1943. Günther Lützow (total 105/108 or 110 kills) with 2 kills; Walter Krupinski (total 197 kills) with 2 kills; I have written some well-known names only. Exact list of confirmed German jet victories is displayed on pages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_German_World_War_II_jet_aces

Unlike Stanislaw Stroynowski, it isn´t known when and where Idzi Kalinowski ended his life. It is written that Kalinowski was famous for his robbery in autumn 1626, during the battle of Gniew, after the fighting with Sweden was restored. Lots of accucations were imposed, and a result was, that Kalinowski together with Śleżyński and many others were definitely expelled from the Royal Polish Army and he became infamis (for several times already). His next fate is unknown. (Once I read on the Internet that Kalinowski was hired for Prussian military service but the plausibility of the sources is uncertain.) ____________________________________________ Concerning Kalinowski´s death, there is a rather interesting report publicated in historic regional ethnographic journal, called Naše Valašsko (= "Our Wallachia"), a number from 1943. On the page 27 there is described a statement of a Wallachian rebel, Pavel Jančík from Kelč, who was tortured in Lipník on 20th April 1628: "I was three times among Wallachian rebels, one time I was looking for cattle, under Helšteyn (a castle); two times I was in Hranice with Janoštík from Vykanice near Rožnov, that time he was a heytman of them, when they drove cattle from Lipník, when they had killed Kalinovsky near Hranice." The main problem is, that the topic of the rebel´s statement is not dated - what time did he mean? Kalinowski was on mission against Moravian Wallachs in summer 1623, together with Lanikowski (in September 1623 he was in Poland), in winter and spring 1624 with Stroynowski (he returned in June 1624). Next mission - 1625? - lead Kalinowski to northern Italy (Liguria, Zuccarello, Milano, Lombardia, Riva di Chiavenna) and then, in 1626, during his journey to Poland, he tried to defeat Danish units together with a help of imperial units from the neighbourhood of Opava, Teschen and Opole and other Silesian towns. But, Kalinowski´s lisowczycy were defeated in the battle of Opava. After Kalinowski´s return to Poland he planned next mission, then in northern war theatre - against Sweden in Royal Prussia, with Mikolaj Moczarski´s cornets. But I have written it above already. I think, hard to say that Kalinowski could have fought in Moravia (near Hranice) still in 1627, because that year general Wallenstein and Marradas drew on the whole Danish Silesian contingent. And it is not known, that these imperial regiments would have included some Lisowczycy´s cornet in 1627. But they had an auxiliary and rapid cavalry - Dragi´s Croatian cavalry regiment, that formed in Valašské Meziříčí. Concerning the rebel, Pavel Jančík, I think, the events could date to January/February 1624, when Kalinowski was at his regiment´s settlement near Hranice. And the LIsowczyk, whom Janoštík´s rebels have killed, was no "Kalinowski", but some lisowski rytmistrz but porucznik. (And, recalled Wallachian heytman - "Janoštík" - it will mean probably Václav Januštík came from Kostelec. He was a son of Kostelec´s miller Jan Štika (from this "Januštík"), who was murdered by Lisowczycy when Hieronym Kleczkowski´s troops were riding through Moravia towards Vienna at the beginning of January 1620. Januštík became soon a brave Wallachian commander, heytman, and under his command Wallachian men managed to destroy two Polish cornets, directly under Stroynowski´s command, supposedly. It was at the beginning of March 1624. This first Wallachian success caused that radicalized Wallachians began to expel Polish garrisons from Wallachian little towns as Lukov, Fryšták and Kostelec.)

I can add air accidents of three aces-pilots who haven´t lost their life during the war but after the war: Heinrich Bär (1913 - 1957) known by his 220 or 221 victories including 16 kills in Me 262. He was killed in a flying accident in April 1957 near Braunschweig. During a test flight in a light aircraft, a LF-1 Zaunkönig, Bär put the airplane into a flat spin, but the plane spun down from 50 metres. Bär was unable to regain control and he lost his life in front of his family´s eyes. Dezsö Szentgyörgyi (1915 - 1971) was a top-scoring Hungarian fighter ace with 29 kills (including 6 U.S. planes). He survived communist prisons in 1950´s and after 1956 he started flying with the MALÉV airlines. In August 1971 he died in a crash accident near Copenhagen as a senior pilot of Ilyushin Il-18. He would have retired in less than three weeks only... Franco Bordoni-Bisleri (1913 - 1975) was with his 19 kills a top-scoring Regia Aeronautica ace, who survived the WWII. As a president of the Milano-Bresso Aeroclub he returned home from Rome to Milan aboard his SIAI Marchetti SF 260 tourism plane in September 1975. When he was overflying the Apennines, the thunderstorm caught him, and Bisleri crashed into Mount Anchetta near Chiavari. Instead of him, also his 10-year-old son died, and a friend of him.

The causes of these paradoxes are various and sometimes obvious, but I can say, among those planes could belong: Bell P-39 Airacobra (more successful plane in Soviet Air Force than in U.S.A.A.F.) Curtiss P-36 Mohawk (more successful plane in L´Armée de l´Air than in U.S.A.A.F.) Brewster Buffalo (more successful plane in Finnish Air Force than in U.S.A.A.F.) Morane-Saulnier MS.406 (more successful plane in Finnish Air Force than in L´Armée de l´Air) Vultee Vengeance (more successful plane in Indian and Australian Air Force than in U.S.A.A.F.) Bristol Beaufort (more successful plane in Australian Air Force than in R.A.F.) Heinkel He 112 (more successful plane in Romanian Air Force than in Luftwaffe) Fiat CR. 32 (more successful plane in Spanish Nationalist´s Air Force than in Regia Aeronautica)??? Fiat G.50 Freccia (more successful plane in Finnish Air Force than in Regia Aeronautica)???? PZL 37 „Loš“ (more successful plane in Romanian Air Force than in Polish Air Force)???? These are only several examples that I´ve meant.

- Poldas napisal: Samoloty czechosłowackiej produkcji to sobie za bardzo nie powalczyły, ale kojarzę iż jakieś Smoliki i Letovy do Polski przyleciały i były użytkowane bojowo w trakcie Kampanii Wrześniowej. - Yes, it´s truth. Avia B-534 and Letov Š-328 saw some action in Polish campaign. (Sgt. František Hanovec even shot down one Lublin R-XIII in B-534, together with other two Slovak pilots.) But - do you know any foreign air force, where were Avias and Letovs more successful than in Czech- or Slovak Air Forces?? (I don´t mean the Slovak National Revolt Air Force, naturally.) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - učitel napisal: Also a rare fact is a combat using of French light fighter Caudron CR. 714 Cyclone (Finnish Air Force obtained this type at number of six, but they stored them as useless in combat). But, when Polish airmen in France made some combat flights in these planes against Germans in 1940, they appreciated the Caudron performances as quite low, but the maneuverability seemed to be better than with MS. 406 C!! - Today, I consider those sentences (their conclusion) for nonsensical! When I wrote this opinion four years ago, I took over words concerning Cyclone´s maneuverability from some English text; and - as I suppose - they have made a bad translation of an original Polish text. In the second half of 1970´s I bought for air enthusiasts one well-known book - Andrzej Morgala: Polskie samoloty wojskowe 1939 - 1945 (Min. Obrony Nar., Warszawa 1976). I suppose, Mr. Morgala had then still a possibility to talk with some Polish veteran pilots who flew in Caudron Cyclone in Dywizjon Warszawski 1/145. Morgala well describes on pages 67-70 the history of using the type. I suppose, following sentences have become poorly understood: Nie znano jeszcze wówczas ujemnych cech tych maszyn i z entuzjazmem przyjmowano nowy sprzet, który mial odznaczać sie wyzszymi walorami bojowymi od posiadanych dotychczas Morane 406C1. Further, Morgala names some bad features of the Cyclone, described by Polish airmen in combat: - very low speed of climbing ("nie chcialy iść w góre"); - very frequent defects of the automat of propeller setting; - delicate undercarriage - mainly amortizers damaged very often; - frequent defects during chassis extension; - defects in engine protection during a swooping; - big pilot´s powers to control the rudders in the flight of maximal speed. So, Polish airmen - after those experiences - used to exploit this aircraft (having very delicate construction) as sport-club aircraft, trainers, not as full-value combat fighters. (A. Morgala)

After my opinion, one of the most beautiful Axis-fighters are Italian Reggiane Re.2005 Saggitario and Japanese Ki-61 II kai Hien.

After my opinion, one of the most beautiful Axis-fighters are Italian Reggiane Re.2005 Saggitario and Japanese Ki-61 II kai Hien.

My to nazywamy "czeski błąd": Last appendix to my sentences written on November 17, 2015: (Pol.) wojna (= the war) – (Czech) vojna (= military service, also an obsolete expression and a folk expression for the war) (Pol.) walka (= the fight /generally/) – (Czech) válka (= the war) (Pol.) bój (= the fight /concerning the level of the platoon, the company and the battalion?/ – (Czech) boj (= the fight /generally and in all cases/) and finally one smiley example: (Pol.) laska (= the stick /from a hazel branch/) – (Czech) láska (= the love) .............. - What a paradox!!

GREGSKI napisal: Co ciekawe według jego opisu wygrał dwa starcia z Mosquito ale po zaciętej walce. Natomiast z Lightingiem był remis. Dwie porażki i dwa zwycięstwa. Przyznam się, że mnie to nieco zdumiało bo wydawało mi się że jednosilnikowy Typhoon powinien sobie poradzić w tych warunkach z dwusilnikowymi przeciwnikami. This is the reason why British didn´t use Mosquito as a day fighter, but as an attack-point bomber and a night fighter. They had bad experiences with two-engined fighters as day fighters (based on actions of Westland Whirlwind as day fighters in 1940 and American Lightnings in R.A.F. a bit later). British opinions also could be affected by very bad using of heavy fighter Bf 110 during Battle of Britain as a day escort fighter. Unusual, but quite effective, is Mosquito using as an interceptor against German V-1 missiles. Brian Cull in his book (Diver! Diver! Diver!) writes that Mosquito´s pilots shot down together 586.5 flying bombs (mainly Mosquito versions Mk.13, 6, 17 and 19). This number includes mainly night kills, but taking into account, the first place belongs to Tempest V (851.75 kills) and the third place to Spitfires (together 543.25 kills: mainly Spitfire Mk. XIV – 377.5 kills, Mk. IX – 116.25 kills and Mk. XII – 41.5 kills), Mosquitos were placed on the second position. The interesting thing is, that Gloster Meteor Mk.I, predetermined to destruction of V-1s, achieved 12.5 kills of V-1 only! Surely, Mosquito was better than Bf 110 as the fighter. It was faster, and excellent for point bombing especially. But in the role of night fighter were both the fighters successful, after my opinion – Mosquito was better. The obsolescence of Bf 110 as a night fighter was the reason for He 219 developing. P-38 was rather hard for a pilot skill, but if a pilot learned to use best options both Lightning´s engines, P-38 also made its best. And this applies also for single-engined fighters, especially for Japanese pilots. It is an interesting thing that for German pilots, P-38s weren´t so dangerous as for Japanese ones. That fact is confirmed by lots of German fighter aces had been flying over West Europe. Hawker Typhoon was not so good fighter for dogfights in Western Europe. S/L James Sheddan wrote in his book (Tempest pilot) that Typhoon´s cannons were the only good thing in that plane. Its cannons were much better than cannons used in first Tempests. Further, British combat and test pilot, S/L Paul Richey, tested Typhoon against Oberleutnant Faber´s captured FW 190 in summer 1942. British test pilots appreciated FW 190 very well, and according to S/L Richey´s tests, Typhoons were predetermined for coastal air defence and attacks on German bombers, not for dogfights. (And, of course, for ground attack, but still later.)

Oberst Dr. Ernst Kupfer – former commander of SG 2 „Immelmann“ – became the first commander of battle airforce („Inspekteur der Schlachtflieger“) on 1st September 1943. Before he could realize his plans and ideas, he killed in aircraft accident on 6th November 1943, 60 km north of Thessaloniki in Greece during his duty flight with He 111 H. (His successor, very experienced stuka-pilot, oberst Hubertus Hitschhold, accelerated rearmament „schlacht“ units for Fw 190 F and G.) So, Kupfler´s fate has become like Mölders´ destiny, who killed 2 years earlier - on 22nd November 1941 near Wrocław, as Leuthen has already written.

The first German ace flying Bf 109 B in Spain was Uffz. Peter Boddem from 2/J.88. His first victory was Polikarpov I-16 shot down on 12th July 1937 and the next day one I-15 (this I-15 Chato was piloted by an American, Harold Edward Dahl). His fifth kill was on 13th August, already. Boddem´s last victory was I-15 (Number 10), on 9th September 1937. His rivals were Soviet planes: 7 x I-16, 2 x I-15 and 1 x SB-2. Leut. Peter Boddem died shortly after Legion Condor returning from Spain. It was on 20th March 1939, during an air accident with Ju 52. It is an interesting thing that Harold Dahl, Boddem´s first victim, survived the German´s kill. He became a war prisoner. Dahl remained in Spanish prison till 1940 and then he returned to the U.S.A. After WWII started, he decided to accept another mercenary job – a duty on R.C.A.F., where he flew as a pilot-instructor. He trained combat pilots for Europe fight at an airfield near Ontario. After war he lived in Switzerland and joined the Swissair company. But after 1953 he was back in America, he became a cargo pilot flying DC-3. On 14th February 1956 he was killed during an air crash in bad weather. In Spain he reported 9 kills, though only 5 were confirmed.

I wrote on 10th August 2015: S/Ldr C.J. Sheddan, DFC gained during WWII 5,5 plane kills and 7,5 V-1 missile kills, together 13 victories. His original occupation was a farm-tractor driver before the war. It is not known if he still lives. James Cornelius Sheddan: 1918 - 2010

The best Spanish Nationalist fighter pilot was Joaquin Garcia-Morato y Castano. During Spanish Civil War he shot down 40 Republican planes. He died very soon after the civil war – on the 3rd April 1939 – during his acrobatic show for movie news cameramans.

GREGSKI napisal: My to nazywamy "czeski błąd". Nie wiem dlaczego. Może Polacy mają problemy z czeskim wyrazami? One possibility is that many Polish words write in the same manner as Czech words, but their signifikance are different. It is called in grammar „semantic shift“. Between Czech and Slovac language, and Czech and Russian are also those „shifts“, but between Czech and Polish there are many… For example: (Pol.) chyba (= probably) – (Czech) chyba (= mistake) (Pol.) kolejny (= next) – (Czech) kolejový (= tracked) (Pol.) skutecznosc (= efficiency) – (Czech) skutečnost (= fact, reality) (Pol.) statek (= ship) – (Czech) statek (= farm) (Pol.) szukac (= search) – (Czech) šukat /vulg./ (= fuck) (Pol.) ostatni (= last) – (Czech) ostatní (= the other) (Pol.) czólg (= tank) – (Czech) čolek (= newt, salamander) (Pol.) konieczny (= necessary) – (Czech) konečný (= final) (Pol.) zachód (= west) – (Czech) záchod (= lavatory, toilet) (Pol.) panna (= miss) – (Czech) panna (= virgin) (Pol.) poludniowy (= southern) – (Czech) polední (= midday) (Pol.) pólnoczny (= northern) – (Czech) půlnoční (= midnight) (Pol.) mysliwiec (= fighter) – (Czech) myslivec (= gamekeeper, ranger) and many more... Quite interesting…

The fourth top-scoring WWII French pilot was Pierre le Gloan (18 confirmed kills). He died during his crash landing on 11th September 1943 at age of 30. During Battle of France he shot down 4 German planes (2 Do-17 and 2 He-111) whereas he flew MS.406. In early June 1940 his squadron rearmed to Dewoitine 520 and redislocated to Southeast France. Till 20th June he shot down together 7 Italian planes (3 Fiat BR.20 and 4 CR.42). Then he scored 5 planes during one combat flight. For this act he was promoted to the rank of sub-lieutenant. On 20th June his squadron moved to Syria. Colonial French forces soon cooperated with Axis air force and French Vichy Air Force had to defend against British and Free France attacks. During late spring and summer 1941 le Gloan shot down together 7 British planes (6 Hurricanes and 1 Gladiator) over Damascus, but he was also shot down and had to do crash landing. His unit was soon redislocated to Algeria. During Allied invasion to North Africa (the Operation Torch), in 23rd October 1942, Vichystic Air Force didn´t act against Allies (unlike Oran and Cassablanca´s units). In May 1943 his squadron was re-organized under Allied Free France Air Force and rearmed to Bell P-39 Airacobra. On the 11th September he flew on two-man patrol flight in Mediterranean Area. Suddenly, Gloan´s Airacobra Allison caught fire and the engine stopped soon. Le Gloan attempted to do an emergency landing onto his airfield, but his fighter exploded. It is said, Le Gloan forgot to drop his additional tank, which caused the explosion. … that "Gloan wasn´t used to use additional tanks" (because former French fighters, like MS.406 and D.520, carried none). On my opinion, I don´t believe that so experienced and skilled pilot, as Gloan had been, would have forgotten, that his Airacobra carries the droppable tank. I think, he certainly dropped the additional tank, but the unhappy hard landing (and his half-empty main tank) caused the crash where Le Gloan lost his life.

I have written: But, there is still another pilot who survived his crash landing onto the sea level. Can anybody help me??? I have to apologize – It was my mistake last time. I´ve forgotten to write the word „TYPHOON“. My right question could have been: But, there is still another Typhoon-pilot who survived his crash landing onto the sea level. Can anybody help me??? Together 3 Typhoon-pilots survived their crash landing onto the sea level. I don´t know the name of the third of them. (The pilots who did his crash landing onto the sea level – there were many…) -Liberator Czech pilot´s name was correctly PRCHAL.

Still a word or two to Meteor´s pilot colonel Jiří Maňák: No 198 Squadron Commander R.A.F., S/Ldr Jiří Maňák, DFC (1916 – 1992) was shot down with Typhoon by a FLAK-Batterie on 28th August 1943. He accompanied a group of Hurricane Mk.IV that should have realized a rocket attack onto Welmeldinghe cannal gate. Maňák´s Typhoon was hit over Belgian coast – Knokke town. Plane´s radiator was destroyed, the engine was seized and Maňák decided for an emergency landing. The landing was successful, but, unfortunately, the strong-west-wind blew his dinghy to German-occupied island Walcheren, and, next morning, Maňák fell into capture. He managed to hide his Czechoslovak nation and he was placed into famous Stalag Luft III POW-camp in Sagan. After war he was an airforce test pilot, then a civil aeroline pilot, but after 1948 communist government „landed“ him. He had to work as an agricultural worker near state border. Then, when he worked in a socialist farm, he found out that his senior worker is former Sudet-German who was on duty in Belgium during WWII as an anti-aircraft gunner. The German apologized that he had managed to shoot down only one British aircraft during the war: „It was Typhoon with code numbers TP-N and the date was 28th August 1943 over Knokke…“ And surprised Maňák answered: „You managed to shoot down my own plane, sir.“ After 1964 Maňák flew again as a senior civil pilot in Il-14, Tu-124, Tu-104 (as it is written). But, my father worked as an aircraft mechanic at Ostrava-Mošnov airport in 1960s and 1970s, and he argued that Maňák flew also Tu-134 and he was the first ČSA pilot to fly Il-62. But soon retired, in 1971. http://www.wiki.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10822&start=15 Another Typhoon´s pilot, New Zealander, SGT C.J. Sheddan (born 1918) from 486 Squadron R.N.Z.A.F. was hit by a FLAK-Batterie on French coast, while he accompanied a box of Douglas Boston bombers. He didn´t manage to fly onto the mainland but he succeeded to do his crash landing on the sea level. It was on 8th October 1943; then he was the second surviving crash landing pilot on the sea level. Sheddan survived the night and next day he was rescued by the crew of Supermarine Walrus biplane (he spent 19 hours on his dinghy). It must be said, later No 486 Squadron Commander, S/Ldr C.J. Sheddan, DFC gained during WWII 5,5 plane kills and 7,5 V-1 missile kills, together 13 victories. His original occupation was a farm-tractor driver before the war. It is not known if he still lives. But, there is still another pilot who survived his crash landing onto the sea level. Can anybody help me???

I´d like to know which Italian fighter plane is considered as the best in Italy. I might be better to divide this topic into 2 phases: the first period (June 1940 - August 1943), then for the Regia Aeronautica, and the second period (September 1943 - April 1945), then for the Aeronautica Nationale Repubblicana. I mean such planes as Fiat CR.42, Fiat G.50, Reggiane Re.2000/2001, Macchi MC.202 for the first periode, and co called Five Line - than Macchi C.205, Fiat G.55/56 and Reggiane Re.2005. What´s your opinion?