The origin of the Slovak State and invasion of the Hungarian army

   29th of September, 1938 was concluded the agreement at Munich about surrendering the border territory. It was the beginning of the end of the joined state of Czech, Slovaks and Ruthenians. 13th of March, 1939 Sub-Carpathian Ukraine divorced by uprising and 14th of March Slovakia proclaimed its independence. The fate of the remains of the Republic was finished next to second day when the German Army started to occupy Czech and proclaimed Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren. So that from pre-war Czechoslovakia survived only restricted Slovakia with a new name Slovak State. Germany occupied the western parts of country by creating protective zone (Schutzzone) and all military objects was annexed including about 40 aircraft.
   Hungary as a neighbour on the south had raised an enmity with Slovakia from 1938, when the Hungarian army several times crossed the frontier and even occurred a couple of air combats. Another step was capturing the Sub-Carpathian Ukraine shortly after its proclaimed independence.
   Finally, 23th of March, 1939 Hungarian units crossed the eastern border of Slovakia and began the penetration into the Slovak inland. But they encountered on decisive resistance of the Slovak army. Air Force performed the reconnaisance flights and bombing raids on the Hungarian units. In the first day of this attacks the first pilots of fighters Avia B-534 lost their lives - Svetlík and Devan.
   On the next day Slovak army changed over to counterattack. Prháček was shot down in his Avia B-534 by Hungarian fighter Fiat CR-32. As a help of eastern Slovakia the reinforcement group of skilled fighters arrived from Piešťany. On midday was damaged and shot down reconnaisance Letov Š-328 by AA-fire. Pilot Pažický and Švento were killed. The centre of Slovak airforce was in that time on Spišská Nová Ves airfield and Hungary of course noticed it. They wanted to organise an air raid consisted of 27 bombers Junkers Ju 86K-2 and 27 fighters Fiat CR-32. As a matter of fact owing to various reasons only 10 bombers and 9 fighters arrived over Spišská Nová Ves. After the raid 7 planes remained damaged and 12 people were killed. Only one of them was pilot - Udut. Antiaircraft defence was not functional and against the planes flying off only Cyprich took off in Avia B-534.
   After 24th of March 1939 all air operations ceased and Slovak army step by step forced out the enemy back to the frontier. On 26th of March was concluded armistice; on 28th of March the fights was fully finished and after the political deliberation the entire warfare was ended up. Two days of combat in March became the first baptism of new Slovak air force.

Campaign against Poland

   There was an increasing tenseness in the relationship to Poland too. Poland claimed another territory of the northern Slovakia and for the confirmation of these claims it close collaborated with Hungary. That's why Slovakia imposed campaign of the German army against Poland to retrieve that lost territory. Slovakia granted some of airfields to Germany - in the case of refusal Germany would have occupied this airfields. On 28th of August the mobilization proceeded. The attack on 1th of September started (after the initial hesitation of J. Tiso) up to the pressure of the German side and without any approval of F. Čatloš. After some days of inactivity various units of Luftflotte 4 arrived to Spišská Nová Ves, Vinné and Žilina airfields. In that time there were 108 of bombers, 16 of Zerstörer, 30 of fighters and 21 of other planes in Slovakia. Slovak air force attached the combat after the 7th of September, when triad of Avia B-534 of 45th flight shot down Polish reconnaisance aircraft Lublin R-XIII. But the activity of Slovak aviation lay in escorting of German bombers and in reconnaisance flights. The actions finished around 11th September 1939 when the ground units retrieved the control of controversial areas. After the capitulation of Poland on 21th September there were officially brought back all territories that were divorced by force from Slovakia.
   In this campaign the Slovak aviation did a small part but the experiences were invaluable in the next combats.

Stabilization and development of the aviation in Slovakia

   After the origin of independent Slovak state the ancestoral organization of army lost its meaning. There was mainly shortage of staff (all men of Czech nationality were put off to Protektorat) that did improve nor draft of reserves. That's why in October 1939 was reduced the number of flights that were renumbered in the same time. Reorganizations like this were even more.
   Since April 1939 started training new pilots of one-seated and two-seated planes, observers and since 1940 on-board mechanics and operators. In the end of 1939 was established Military Academy in Banská Bystrica and in February 1940 College of military in Bratislava. Training was at various places till 15th of April 1940 when Flying School was established in Piešťany on Training Flight. Students of this school were made up of the graduates basic flying practice Hlinková Garda (HG) and later The Slovak flying corps (SLeS). Owing to highly used airfield at Piešťany the school was dislocated to Trenčianske Biskupice in October.
   The second important activity of Slovak air force was a purchase of the aircraft that started ever since the end of 1939 year. It mostly were planes such as B-534, Š-328, Ba-122, Bš-122, E-241 and later E-114 and E-39G. Also some of obsolete and unserviceable aircraft such as A-11, A-211, A-100, Ap-32, Š-16 or a sole machine of type Aero MB-200. Due to an insufficient capacity of the Aircraft Workshops several machines (23 planes B-534 and Š-328) were repaired in Protectorate.
   But many members of Slovak Air Arms did not approved with the policy of Slovak State. That's why occured severel desertion of airmen abroad. For example unsuccessful attempt for fly away of two mechanics (!) Rajták and Krošlák to Poland or secret escape of commanding officer of Slovak Air Force (!) Ján Ambruš to Yugoslavia and then to France. A new commanding officer of SAF became Pulanich and desertions ceased.

First campaign of the Slovak army at the Russian front

   In May 1941 was obvious that Germany will strike at Soviet Union. Slovak Air Force after reorganizations was preparing for the worst and it reinforced units on the north and south. On 22th of June 1941 was created Express Group as a quick reaction to the new war situation. Slovak Army was very active because it supposed the resolution of retrieving southern and western parts of Slovakia that belonged to Hungary. Express Group marched on even faster that German units. Soon it was transformed to the Express Brigade and later to the Express Division.
   On 2th of July 1941 set out two Slovak divisions to the Ukraine that were supported by air units (flights 1, 2, 3, 12, 13 and at the beginning also Flight 11). War activity of the air units lay in a reconnaissance flights and in an observation of Slovak army. An inexperience of aircrews caused to the big problems. Soon accurred another task - fighter support of German reconnaissance planes far behind the front line where B-534's were very vulnerable.
   Flight 12 was the longest staying unit. It did 2 attacks on Soviet units and several times it met the Russian planes (frequently referred as I-17). Not until 7th of September it was claimed victory - Drlička shot down I-16. Next day Kocka repeated the victory when he shot down I-16 too. Nobody admitted the third shot-down despite the German confirmation to the Slovak flight. There were more similar dog-fights but with no more looses or victories.
   The second remained unit was 1. flight that served as a air protection of the Express Division. In August it was merged with Flight 12. After the attaching of the Express Division to the German command Slovak aircraft were again in every-day contact with the enemy planes but Slovak units thanks to inexperience of soviet pilots did not record any looses.
   At the end of October Slovak aircraft were on withdrawal in stages back to Slovakia due to problems in supplies, wearing away of machines and closeness of winter.

Training of the pilots and mechanics in Denmark

   After the experiences from western front it was made a resolution to build at least one flight equipped by modern fighter aircraft Messerschmitt Bf 109. But the problem was in lack of aircraft and in inexperienced Slovakian pilots. That's why on 26th of February 1942 105 members of Slovak Air Arms departed to German unit Jagdgruppe Drontheim at fighter base Grove in Denmark. A training was complex - pilot study on Bf 109E (19 pilots), technical maintenance (47 mechanics) and other maintenance (armourers, radiomechanics etc.). After several flights on Arado Ar 96B the training kept at Bf 109B, D and E. After 3th June pilots started to come back to Slovakia with the aircraft that were used in training and in that time were already the property of Slovak state. But all the thirty machines of various versions (from Bf 109D to Bf 109E-7) were worn-out and obsolete. After the return 14 skilled pilots built a new Fighter Flight 13 at Piešťany that should be used for air cover of the Slovak Express Division fighting at Russian front.
   Similar training one year later performed also a new Bomber Flight 41. The retraining in Heinkel He 111 took place on Ukraine at Saki since June 1943 where more than 200 members of SAF were moved. In September 1943 after the intensive practice two most successful crews of He 111 were relocated to Greifschwald in Germany. After another intensive training they returned to Slovakia in October and used planes He 111 were sent back to Germany. In next weeks the remnants of Bomber Flight 41 gradually returned from Ukraine.

Second campaign of the Slovak army at the Russian front

   After the leaving of air units from Ukraine in October 1941, the Express and Securing Division remained without the air protection. Specially the Securing Division that was moved to Žitomir in the service area felt the problem in lack of protection due to presence of guerrillas. That's why the Group of Air Arms was formed by the Securing Division (SD) and at the end of June 1942 was sent to the field. It consists of B-534 fighters (Flight 11) and Š-328 observers (Flight 1). Flight 2 covered the liaison service between Slovakia and Žitomir. The most performed tasks of Flight 1 and 11 were reconnaissance flights. In the area of SD the guerrillas was very little active because Slovakian units kept the secret connections with them. The slow and gradual breakdown of ZD came on after the replacement of Commandant of SD and after several crimes of members of ZD on civilians. This was also one of the reasons why at the end of August became the activity of guerrillas more intensive and the anti-ground attacks of Slovak aircraft accrued. In October 1942 was Flight 1 retracted back to Slovakia.
   In the next weeks some machines were damaged by anti-aircraft fire. In November 1942 Flight 2 was sent back to Slovakia. Also Flight 11 should be returned but despite of coming winter it stayed at Russia. It happened thanks to mjr. Ďurana who instructed to fit up the fighters B-534 by skies and mechanics obtained the warming units of engines. In April 1943 pilots were replaced by a fresh men. Along the pilots also aircraft were replaced by machines of Flight 3.
   In the whole time of service of ZD the breakdown of morale increased that approved by desertions to the Russian side so that at the end the division lost its credit of German command, was renamed to 2. Technical Division and in October 1943 started its movement to Italy. That's why in the same time the rest of air units were sent back to Slovakia.

Third campaign of the Slovak Air Arms at the Russian front

   At the end of October 1942 the Flight 13 moved from Piešťany to the Eastern Front, for the Azov Sea, its commanding officer being stk. O. Ďumbala. It was armed with 7 Slovakian Bf 109E. This time Flight 13 did not cooperate with Slovak ground forces but it was incorporated in the II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader JG52 as its 13. Slovakian Staffel (abbreviation 13.(slowakei)/JG52). The Flight 13 operated in southern sector of the Russian-German front over the Crimea, Kuban and the Azov Sea. It was step by step moving along the various bases - Majkop, Kerč, Taman, Anapa (there was the longest stay), again Taman and Kerč and finally Bagerovo. Owing to outdatedness of "Emils" the Flight 13 changed its aircraft to Bf 109F in January and to Bf 109G in March 1943. But this planes were only borrowed from Germany so that they had the German marking. The remaining "Emils" were sent in stages back to Slovakia.
   Slovak pilots quickly demonstrated their qualities. Only one month after the arrival in the first logged air combat pilots of Flight 13 shot down 3 soviet planes Polikarpov I-153. The most successful fighter was zast. J. Režňák - he claimed 32 confirmed and 3 unconfirmed victories. But there were also losses - four pilots. In June 1943 came to front second group of Slovakian pilots (II. garniture) under the command of stk. J. Páleníček that replaced the I. garniture (after the additional training on Bf 109G because there were only "Emils" in Slovakia). In that time in Slovakia III. garniture was trained but it did not get to the front. This was caused also by pilots of II. garniture that unlike the previous group they kept out of the air combat and even some of them deserted to the soviet side. Germans immediately noticed that this Slovaks are different as their forerunners. The commander of II/JG52 hptm. G. Barkhorn checked up the pilots face-to-face in combat. But when they were in the air alone their fighting morality dropped again. So that they became a dubious ally to Germany and that's the resolution was made to recall the unit from the front "because of deteriorated morale". At the end of October the Flight 13 left its aircraft on the front and it moved back to Slovakia.
   The 210 confirmed victories in the 12 months on the front and 2000 operational flights reflect about the great success of Slovak pilots.

Aircraft construction in Slovakia

   The ideas of aircraft construction in Slovakia before the war were imposing but complicated political and military situation stopped them and a factory by Trenčín did not realized. Despite of it the operating Aviation Workshop in Trenčianske Biskupice gave a good rudiments for the origin of the new aircraft construction.
   Highflying factory of ing. Mráz from Choceň in Protectorate had only limited activities so it imposed the possibilities in Slovakia. At the beginning of spring 1941 was created its branch office in Nitra called "Továreň na lietadlá ing. J. Mráz" (Aircraft factory ing. J. Mráz). Under the management of ing. Z. Rublič there was constructed tourists and sports plane "Zobor" I that was designed on basis of approved pre-war Be-555 Superbibi type. Another activity of Ing. Mráz was a project of aircraft factory in Trenčianske Biskupice. But after the insertion of Mráz company into the arms programme of RLM the construction of gliders Schulgleider SG.38 and sailplanes Kranich started in Nitra. Also the unfinished factory in Trenčianske Biskupice passed to the German hands - it was taken over the firm Flugzeugwerke Weser-Bremen. German firm changed the name to "Továreň na dopravné prostriedky" (TDP - Factory for the transport facilities) and it started producing Ju 87D-5 planes strictly up to German specifications. The production was running till the beginning of 1945 year - 5 machines took over Slovak Air Arms and other machines took just rising air unit of Vlasov's Russian Liberation Army. Moreover in the TDP were producing spare parts for Ar 96. Additional production was stopped owing to obsolete construction of Stuka and thinking on the changeover to some fighter type. That's why after May 1944 began the cooperation of TDP with Skoda-Kauba Flugzeugbau-Prag. From several prototypes RLM chose the series production of 1000 pc. of the SK 257 (initial prototype V-4). In TDP were completed two prototypes and first of them was delivered to Prague for the tests. According to it the second prototype was modified in Trenčín and there were also built the verification serie of altered SK 257 (5 machines). All the finished aircraft was flown over to Prague. And this was the end of the short period of the aircraft production in Slovakia.

American air raids over Slovakia

   After the beginning of 1944 Slovakia as an ally of Germany and also the part of its industry got into the list of targets of 15th USAAF located at southern Italy. The exposed objects were mainly Bratislava and large ordnance works in Dubnica and Považská Bystrica. But a possible menace came also from another targets especially in North Silesia and Vienna because the routes of American bombers went over Slovakia. The attacks of USAAF became even stronger after June 1944 when the "Battle of fuel" was declared. In an effort to defend the key areas in Slovakia was created in August 1943 "Emergency swarm" with four Bf 109E at airfield Vajnory. The commandant was zvk. F. Cyprich that was replaced by npor. V. Kriško 3 months later. At the beginning of 1944 was "Emergency swarm" replaced by the whole Flight 13 called "Emergency flight of Air Arms". But the equipment consisted of 11 older Bf 109E and even two Avia B-534 and one Bk-534. All this planes were obsolete in comparison with aircraft of USAAF. That's why in January 1944 the Ministry of Defence ordered 15 modern machines Bf 109G-6 that were embraced in Flight 13.
   Emergency flight was alternately performing training and combat take-off but nothing uncommon happen. Except the 13th of April 1944 when rtk. R. Božík shot down German aircraft Bf 110G-2 from II/ZG1 that attacked him. But Božík reported an American B-24 Liberator which was also conceded to him. Rescued German gunner namely claimed that an attacker was Mustang - he did not guess that he did not correctly make out the older Slovakian "Emil" from Mustang thanks to the same angular ending of the wings.
   In May 1944 the Flight 13 was moved from Vajnory to Piešťany airfield and its activity was more intensive. But Secretary of Defence gave a verbal and secret order to the commandant of Flight 13 to keep out of combat and to save the aircraft for the armed uprising being in preparation. So that pilots were flying over an American bomber boxes with superelevation of 1000 m and watched the attacks of German and Hungarian fighters. Nor the air raid on Bratislava did make to break this order. But everything changed some days later.

The end of the "Emergency flight"

   On 16th of June 1944 the "Emergency flight" again took off against the groups of American bombers. Nor this time it intervened to the fights although the target of this air-raid was refinery Apollo in Bratislava. On the one side pilots submitted to the order of gen. Čatloš, on the other side they did not serve their missions to which they were intended. What's more the members of Deutsche Luftwaffenmission in der Slowakei judged the passivity of Slovak pilots as a cowardice in front of npor. J. Puškár. Puškár taking offence came to a decision to make a demo attack on the American aircraft in the next raid.
   This came on 26th of June 1944 - 8:40 in the morning took off 8 Slovakian Bf 109G-6 from Piešťany airfield against American bombers approaching to Bratislava. Sooner than the attack group was formed commandant J. Puškár gave the fatal command for the assault. Next matter were following in very short time sequence - Puškár attacked a Liberator but immediately three Mustangs from 52.FG hooked on behind him. They chased him up to Trnava where he crashed into the field in burning machine. His wingman Ocvirk was was also attacked by two Mustangs but he managed a belly landing. Second couple turned out alike. Mustangs from 52.FG aggressed on Štauder, his damaged engine seized up and started burning so he promptly had to make a belly landing. Jambor was less lucky because his Messerschmitt after the hits of Mustangs started burning, pilot bailed out but he was hit by fire of American fighters, parachute turn close and the unwitty body fell on the ground. Leader of the third couple Lang attacked the alone B-24 from 459.BG but he was shot down by Mustangs from bomber escort and he crashed after the nose-dive falling. Geletko being shuddered at the tragic loss of his leader turned his machine back to Piešťany. He was only pilot that landed with undamaged aircraft. Leader of last couple Zeleňák still contended with a breakdown of his engine when P-38's fom escort attacked him. He immediately turned his machine back to airfield but there were 11 Lightning's behind him. But Americans restrained themselves from shooting and Zeleňák got at the Piešťany airfield. Only three Lightnings kept on pursuit that shot down Zeleňák in the time of his unsuccessful landing. The machine unkindly touched down the field without landing gear. Božík alone in the returning to his base attacked two times on lagged B-17 and he damaged it but he got several hits into wing. Before the arrival to Piešťany he had to wait for flying off of Lightnings which shot down Zeleňák.
   At 9:50 was everything finished - Emergency flight practically ceased its existence. Five Messerschmitts were shot down, two were heavily damaged (they never were repaired), three pilots perished and one received severe injuries. So flight lost a half of its machines in one hour with which was taken into account in planed armed insurgence.

Slovak National Uprising

   After the beginning of 1944 year soviet-german front was still approaching to the eastern border of Slovakia. That's why army created so-called East Slovak Corps which should defend this border. On the contrary plans of Slovak command for the revolution counted on its exploitation for the accession to inner Slovakia. The part of this Corps was also so-called Air Arms Group located at airfield Išla in Prešov. It was made up 40 Slovak best aircraft so in hinterland stayed only obsolete planes. But German realistically evaluated the possibility of failure of East Slovak Corps and in the end of August was started its disarming and interning. Wehrmacht started annexing the area of Slovakia but Slovak army began to show defensive resistance. - on 29th of August was proclaimed the Slovak National Uprising (SNP). Unfortunately members of East Slovak Corps had no connection with the central Slovakia do they did not knew the new situation and they determined to fly away to the soviet side. On 31th of August in morning (two days after the proclamation of SNP) took off 26 aircraft with 81 airmen and they landed in the environs of Lvov. So Slovak Air Arms lost its best aircraft and personnel.
   The insurgent air force was concentrated at Tri Duby airfield where was Flying School of SVZ located till then. The aircraft consisted of two Bf 109E without ammunition, several B-534 and Š-328 and a lot of other useless machines. This unit was co-called Combined Flight and its commandant was npor. Šinglovič (later npor. Kriško). At the beginning of September 1944 two Slovak Bf 109G, two Š-328 and one FW 189 arrived from the Soviet Union which largely helped the flight although there was still lack of ammunition. The Combinated Flight performed mainly the protection of air space of the insurgent territory but it also attacked German units and supported supplying. The first victory was achieved štb. rtm. Cyprich on Avia B-534 (!) when he shot down a Hungarian Junkers Ju 52/3m. The definitive score of the flight was 6 victories. But Luftwaffe very soon noticed these activities and performed several bombing attacks on Tri Duby in which the insurgents suffered major losses. The help came again from the Soviet Union when the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Regiment (1st CzFR) arrived made of volunteers from Czechoslovak Army in Royal Air Force and Slovak pilots Matušek and Dobrovodský (both flew away of Flight 13 on Eastern front in 1943). The definitive score of the Regiment was 13 victories. The uprising was supported by very intensive night air bridge from the Soviet Union (aircraft B-25, C-47 and Lisunov Li-2) and even some planes B-17G from Italy escorted by P-51B (52.FG - former opponent of Slovak Bf 109G). They took back mainly shot down American airmen.
   But the superiority of the German forces and their march to the centre of uprising forced the insurgent units to retreat and the supplying stagnated. Finally on 25th of October 1944 (after two months of fights) was evacuated airfield at Tri Duby. Airworthy aircraft including 1st CzFR flew away to the Soviet Union, unnecessary machines were burned and other members went to mountains. Practically this was the end of Slovak Air Force - the area of Slovakia was occupied by Germans, pilots were hiding and aircraft were destroyed.

The collapse of the aviation and the end of World War II

   After the finishing of the uprising the fate of aviation, army and also Slovak State was brought to an end. Germans grouped abandoned aircraft (especially several Bf 109G at Piešťany and Ju 87D at Spišská Nová Ves) and their destiny is unknown. Some Slovak pilots who did not go to mountains or to Soviet Union were persuading into the entering to Luftwaffe. But nobody of them wanted to collaborate with Germany. Pilots that went to the hills operated as a guerrillas and they survived the winter. In spring Slovakia was liberated step by step by Soviet and Rumanian army. So the short and unsettled period of the independent Slovak State was ended. After the liberation the united Republic of Czech and Slovaks was again restored but already under the direct control of Soviet Union. But "the friendship" between Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union is completely another history.