During WW2, for many new Czechoslovak airmen, their first encounter with the de-Havilland Tiger Moth was for their initial training aircraft at a Elementary Service Flying Training School after their selection for pilot training. These aircraft were often was also to be found at RAF airfields were they were used as communications “hacks” transport to ferry the squadron pilots to other locations.
The three Czechoslovak fighter squadrons were no exception to such usage, Tiger Moths known to have been used are:
| Squadron: | Serial Number: | Period: | Comments: |
| 310: | DE342 | 14/11/43 to 14/04/44 | To the Admiralty 6/45. | DE626 | 30/06/43 to 24/09/43 | On 06/11/43, during a take-off, flown by Sgt Josef Čermák, at a height of approx 8 mtrs and a speed of 95 km/h, the engine failed. The pilot tried to make a turn to avoid a collision with a group of trees, during the manoeuvre the right wing of his plane touched the ground and the aircraft crashed at Woodmans Green, Sussex. The aircraft had heavy damage on the port side wing, engine bed and carriage, the pilot suffered light injuries. | N9190 | 09/07/44 to 15/07/44 | moved to 504 Sqn. Post WW2 on civilian register as 5283M. | NL978 | 11/01/45 to 19/01/45 13/02/45 to 11/05/45 | On 19/01/45 this aircraft was caught in a storm over the airfield and hit the wall of a hangar.Both of his wings and the tail section were damaged. After repairs in No.71 MU the aircraft was returned to the unit.
Subsequently moved to 11 Elementary Flying Traing School. Post WW2 in collision with N6547 near Leuchars 17/11/48. |
R5028 | 15/07/44 to 19/10/44 | Damaged beyond repair 19/10/44. | T6110 | 11/10/42 to 01/07/43 | When 310 Sqn was redeployed from Exeter to Castletown, this aircraft was left there for 131 Sqn. Post WW2 to Dutch Air Force as A-12, then D-EDAL, then PH-TYG. |
| 312: | AX783 | 06/08/43 to 03/10/44 13/02/45 to 11/05/45 | Blown into hangar in gale Bradwell Bay 19/01/45. Transferred to 313 Sqn. Post WW2 on civilian register as G-AFMC. | DE379 | 29/09/42 to 04/07/43 | Replacement for Miles Magister V1014 which left the unit on 08/10/1942. When 313 Sqn re-deployed to Castletown this aircraft was left at Exeter for 131 Sqn. |
DE373 | 29/06/43 to 14/04/44 13/02/45 to 11/05/45 | To the Admiralty 6/45. Sruck off Charge 31/10/46. | DE676 | 01/12/44 to 20/04/45 13/02/45 to 11/05/45 | Sold in 1946 became G-AITD. | T8254 | 19/11/44 to 25/11/44 13/02/45 to 11/05/45 | The aircraft was used by No. 312 Sqn before It was placed upon the register. F/Sgt Alois Štanc’s accident test from 10/10/44 is clear evidence that he lost control over the aircraft during taxing to test flight and hit parked Spitfire ML214 of 126 Sqn.
Crashed in a forced landing at Abberton, Essex 25/11/44. Returned to unit 310 on 28/09/1943. On 07/11/1943 it was flown by Sgt Josef Čermák. During take off at a height of approximately 8 metres and speed of 95km/h it lost the engine power. The pilot tried to make a turn to avoid a collition with a group of trees. During the manoeuvre the right wing of his plane touched the ground and the aircraft crashed resulting in heavy damage on the port side wing, engine bed and carriage. The pilot suffered light injuries. Tipped up in forced landing while lost in bad visibility Abberton Essex 25/11/44. |
| 313: | AX783 | 03/10/44 to 19/01/45 | At Bradwell Bay, early morning on 19/01/1945, aircraft was caught in a storm and hit the wall of a hangar resulting in damage to both wings and the tail section. Post WW2 went onto civilian register as G-AFMC. |
| DE479 | 04/07/43 to 18/02/44 | On 18/02/1944 at 15:30 when flown by F/Sgt František Fanta lost engine power during take off from Ibsley to Medlesham. Aircraft ended in a ditch resulting in damage. Pilot unharmed. Aircraft later transferred to No 3 Elementery Flying Training School. Post WW2 went onto civilian register as VH-BPV, crashed at Pura Pura Victoria, Australia, 24/12/58. | T6195 | 07/10/42 to 04/07/43 | Post WW2 on civilian register as G-AMKI (OH-ELB), then as EI-AGC. Crashed at Killiney Strand, Eire 15/07/55. | NL699 | 11/07/44 to 23/08/44 | The aircraft belonged to the Skaebrae airfield where No. 313 squadron was stationed from 11/7/1943. On 23/8/1944 the Tiger Moth mentioned above was crashed by F/Sgt W H Hallat, a British member of the unit, in heavy wind on Sanday the emergency airfield at Orkney islands. The aircraft was heavily damaged. | NM118 | moved to 24 Elementary Flying Training School. Post WW2, hit tree on approach to RAF Church Fenton 30/04/49. | NM146 | moved to 118 Sqn. Post WW2 went onto civillian register as G-ANTA and then onto the French register as F-OASD. | T6463 | to 06/42 | The aircraft belonged to the Flight at Churchstanton airfield and sometimes was used by pilots of no. 313 squadron which was stationed here for a year from June 1942. Post WW2 went onto civilian register as G-ANMR and then onto French register as F-BGZN. | T7733 | Post WW2 went onto civilian registers as G-ANKY and then SE-CGE |
Czechoslovak pilots occasionally also flew other Tiger Moths whilst serving in British RAF squadrons:
Pilot: |
Serial Number: |
Sqn: |
Comment: |
|---|---|---|---|
F/Lt Tomáš Kruml | T7182 | 66 Sqn | also DE611 in May 1943 with 122 Sqn. |
F/Lt Tomáš Kruml | DE611 | 122 Sqn | in May 1943. |
F/O Hlado | DE899 | 122 Sqn | in May 1943. |
F/Lt Jiří Maňák | DE530 | 182 Sqn |
|
S/Ldr Jiří Maňák | DE765 | 198 Sqn | in 1943. |
F/Sgt Alois Dvořák | T8204 | 501 Sqn | |
Sgt V Brejcha | N6835 | 257 Sqn | Was killed on 19.6.1941 in this aircraft which was borrowed from RAF Coltishall. During a training flight, he crashed in mist on the East coast. His body was wash up later near Southwold. |
From 1942 until August 1945 a number of the Czechoslovak airmen served with 510 Sqn at RAF Hendon. The squadron had wide selection of single and twin-engined aircraft in its flight. Amongst the pilots flying Tiger Moths K4276, N6946, N9444, in this squadron were F/Lt Bohumír Fürst and F/Lt Alois Vrecl.
Serial Number: |
Comment: |
|---|---|
K4276 | Post WW2 added to civilian register as G-AOJX then OO-EVS then toBrussels Museum. |
N6946 | Post WW2 added to civilian register as G-AOEI, then to Shuttelworth Collection and in July 1958 sold to the CFG Flying Ltd, Cambridge, UK, where it is still used for flight training. |
N9444 | Struck off Charge 28/10/44 |
Free Czechoslovak Air Force 