Czech Otto Smik, Spitfire

Dear Benno, sorry that I confused you – I mean ground targets Otto Smik destroyed/damaged during throughout his career…
Regards, Filip

Hello Benno,

If you or one of your friends has a copy of Charles Young’s ‘Into The Valley’ you will find some info regarding Col. Frank Krebs’ association with Otto Smik whilst being hidden from the Wehrmacht by some very brave Dutch families, I do recall them being hidden in a small room under a wood pile close to the lines before Otto made his own way ‘back’. Feel free to PM me ff you would like any further info.

Regards Tom

Hi Smithy,

Please check your PM.

Benno

Starfire is correct, Smik’s ML296 was coded DU-N.

I have a profile of this aircraft which includes the nose art. PM me Benno if you would like a scan.

Cheers,

Smithy.

Otto Smik, September 3, 1944

Hi,

Initial mission for September 3 was escort of Halifaxes bombing Soesterberg airfield (NL). The bombers were able to reach their target although was was heavy FLAK. On the way home a few of the 310-squadron Spitfires, still escorting the Halifaxes, flew overhead Gilze-Rijen airfield (NL) where just a couple of Ju.88’s had landed. Otto and a second Spit, got permission to attack those aircraft, and dove in. On the eastern part of the airfield, near the Molenschotse dijk (stil existing today !) a Do.217M was set on fire. He was hit by heavy 2cm FLAK and had to make a forced landing some 15 kilometers N.W. of Gilze-Rijen, near Prinsenbeek.

No mention of damage of specific other targets at Gilze-Rijen AFB.

Regards,

Benno

Dear all, does anyone know what ground targets are included in Otto Smik’s score besides those two Ju 88s destroyed (?) on September 3, 1944?
Thanks. Regards, Filip

*** Blog on strafing missions also in ENGLISH now – http://hloubkari.bloguje.cz/tema-21-english-version.php ***

OTTO SMIK

Hello Zdenek
I am researching 127 Squadron RAF.
I have quite a bit of info om Otto Smik.
Please could you give me some more details about the book about Otto Smik.
Title, Author, ISBN. What language is it written in?
Thank you
Andy

Zdenek,

No problem; thanks in advance.

Benno

Benno,
I’ll scan it, but I’m away from home. Is end of the week OK with you?

Zdenek

Hi,

Thanks for the information. We had the article published, two months ago, in “Take Off”, the magazine of the Gilze-Rijen Aviation Society (www.gras-spotters.nl ). All info we had seen until then was given as RR229/9N-Z and RR227/9N-B, so we assumed this being correct. Is it possible to send me a scan of the page with records of Otto’s last flight ? Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Benno

Hi,according to the book about Otto Smik published in the Czech Republic in 2004, RR227 should be 9N-R. There is list of all his operational flights during WWII compiled from log books and No.131,122,222,310,312 and 127 Squadron Operations Record Books.Hope it helps.

In the “other” magazine an article about Otto Smik was also published IIRC
Don’t have it at hand, but was a few years ago.

Cheers

Cees

only correction, Otto Smik was a Slovak, not a Czech:-))

Hi Benno,

I just checked to see where I got the original information from. I apparently got it from the book Zij Vielen Rondom Zwolle (They fell around Zwolle), written by J.L. Schotman and published in 2001 by Ijsselacademie. The information is on page 93. Hope this helps.

Harm-Jan

Zwollo Spitfires

Hi Harm-Jan,

Would be nice when you could check the unitcodes.

Regards,

Benno Goethals, Rijen, Netherlands

Hi Benno,

According to my information RR227 was 9N-B, RR229 was 9N-Z. I do not have the sources to hand but could try to find out if you need further confirmation.

Harm-Jan Strating

From ‘Czechs in the RAF in Focus’ by Zdenek Hurt, published last year.

Mark

Hi,

there is an decal sheet from eduard which features an HF Mk.IX C flown by Otto Smik in September 1944. DU-N, serial ML296.

Czech Otto Smik

Hi,

Thanks; didn’t know about this website.

Regards,

Benno

Benno,

Have you tried this appeal here on the Czech airmen in the RAF forum? http://cz-raf.hyperlink.cz/index.html

Geoff.