Slovak Air Arm use of the Avia B-534 and Bk-534 during the Second World War
"The SVZ (Slovenské Vzdusné Zbrane – Slovak Air Arm) of the Slovak republic used at least 79 B-534's and 11 Bk-534's during its existence.
The Avias came from the former 3rd air Regiment of the Czechoslovak Air Force. They was organised into three stihacia letky (Fighter Squadrons), the 11th, 12th and 13th stihacia letka (Fighter Squadron). A number of machines were also allocated to the Letecká skola (Air School) and the Letecký park (Air Depot).
The base of the 11th and 12th letka was Piestany; the 13th letka was based at Vajnory (Bratislava) airfield.
On 1 May 1941, the II. Stihacia perut' (IInd Fighter Wing), was established as a ‘roof' unit over the Fighter Squadrons. From 1 June 1943, the 13th letka was removed from its establishment, as it was to form the basis for the IIIrd Fighter Wing, which was eventually never formed. The 13th letka was by this time flying Bf109's on the Eastern Front and the Avias of the 11th and 12th letka had to be superseded by Stukas. On 1 August 1943 there were only 43 B-534's and Bk-534's surviving, with 34 of them flyable.
The combat career of the Avias in the SVZ begun before the breaking up of Czechoslovakia and continued a time afterwards with minor clashes with the Hungarian Air Force, when Hungary tried to expand its territory in eastern Slovakia."
link
In 1944 during the Slovak Uprising a B-534 got the world's last kill by a biplane fighter when it shot down a Hungarian Ju 52 2 September.
Eagles of the Tatras:
The Slovak Air Force 1939-1945
by Jason Long
link
ponders nirvana.
