Yes, and with the added bonus of having such close proximity to these fine vintage aircraft. Incidentally the HAC restored Hawker Fury is the only flying example of this aircraft in the world.
HAC will be also holding their At Home events on 22 April & 13 May but with different schedules to 4 March event.
The 4 March event is somewhat unique as Guy Black is Historic Aircraft Collection’s Technical Director and a authority on vintage aircraft restoration and so a rare opportunity to learn more about this as well as benefitting from the photo opportunity.
Shortly after the Munich Agreement was signed, the aircraft was secretly flown out of Czech territory
Not correct, it was actually on a business trip to Krakow, Poland with Bata executives, when Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939. They refused to fly back to Czechoslovakia. The crew contacted Bata in the UK for instructions what to do and they were instructed to fly the aircraft to Yugoslavia, Greece, France and then to England. Two of the crew, Jan Serhant, pilot, and Oldrich Dolezal, wireless-operator then joined the RAF.
Its going to be at ToΔnΓ‘ airfield just SW of Prague.
Some more info here:
Thank you for your help.
The memorial’s re-instatement is being co-ordinated by the owner of http://www.dungeness.org.uk who is a ex-RAF man who is resident at Dungeness. Donations can be made by Paypal, alternatively to contact direct via the sites contact form for bank deposit details.
The extent of donations received will very much dictate what can be achieved for a replacement memorial to those 2 Polish pilots, so all help and donations will be much appreciated.
See ‘Skyjack’ by David Phillips, there had already been 24 hijacks by 1954. This one is not included in that book.
RIP
Interesting, whilst ‘PP’ was the squadron code for 311 Sqn, the squadron had no connection with Sorrento and no Czech airman had the initials WJW:
http://fcafa.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/w/
so I would be inclined to disregard the 311 Sqn connection.
Interesting, whilst ‘PP’ was the squadron code for 311 Sqn, the squadron had no connection with Sorrento and no Czech airman had the initials WJW:
http://fcafa.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/w/
so I would be inclined to disregard the 311 Sqn connection.







relatives of SGT Smith



Photos curtesy of Milena Kolarikova π
Fotos from today’s ceremony:

SGT Smiths brother Bert and wife June in the middle








Photos curtesy of Milena Kolarikova π
Looking at my old records I have found out the following for 2 Air Division (pre-runner for USAFE) in Spring 1950 . this is by no means accurate and most certaily not complete
F-80B 22FBS 36FBG Furstenfeldbruck AB, GER (to F-84E around Nov)
F-80B 23FBS 36FBG Furstenfeldbruck AB, GER (to F-84E around Nov)
F-80B 53FBS 36FBG Furstenfeldbruck AB, GER
F-80B 36MS 36M&S Furstenfeldbruck AB, GER
RB-26C 7499S Furstenfeldbruck AB, GERF-47D 526FBS 86FBG Neubiberg AB, GER (to F-84E around Dec)
T-6F/B-26/F-47D 527FBS 86FBG Neubiberg AB, GERT-33 noted Dec 1950
F-47D 525FS 86FBG Neubiberg AB, GER
C-47A HQ SQN 86FBG Neubiberg AB, GERC-82A 10TCS 60TCG Rhein-Main AB, GER (not shown as 2AD)
C-82A 11TCS 60TCG Rhein-Main AB, GER (not shown as 2AD)
C-54G 1629ABS Rhein-Main AB, GER
C-47A HQ SQN 61ABG Rhein-Main AB, GER
C-47D 1965AACS Rhein-Main AB, GERVC-47A 7167SAMS Wiesbaden AB, GER
C-47A HQ SQN 60ABG Wiesbaden AB, GER
RB-17G 7499CS Wiesbaden AB, GERC-47B HQ SQN 85AMG Erding AB, GER
C-47A HQ SQN 7360ABG Erding AB, GERL-5 HQ SQN 7030SG Landsberg AB, GER
86FBS started to equip F-84 at Neubiberg around Oct 1950.
Thank you, useful information for researching into further. Much obliged for your post.
For what it’s worth, USAF fighters in the region in 1950 would have been limited to just a few types:
North American F-51 Mustang
Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star.Possibly, F-47 Thunderbolts (but unlikely).
The date is too late for other WWII types and too early for later jets like the F-86.
According to one of my F-84 books, USAFE didn’t reveive its first straight-wing Thunderjet until the summer of 1950. The only mention of Erding in the book is a photo of a crashed Thunderjet being delivered there by truck in 1951. That certainly supports the depot nature of the base.
A SAC escort unit with the jets deployed to Germany in late 1950, but that was to Furstenfieldbruk.
Thanks for looking and the suggestions. F-47’s have been mentioned to me before and am investigating further.
Try asking on the website for Scramble,the Dutch enthusiasts site.
Thanks for the suggestion will investigate that.
This aircraft was at Erding in 1950.
Thanks for looking.