Czech Pilots in the RAF 1940-1945 [Archive]

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CappyTom

09-24-2011, 09:31

To the honor of our Czech freedom fighters. Fighting to rebuild.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ygD5YBP_7Q&feature=related

:thankyou: :salute:
Tom

Dan-Sam

09-24-2011, 14:22

Thank you Tom for this nice video. The song is ("surprisingly") about Czech pilots who gave their lives in the fight against evil.. The interesting information is that Karel Kuttelwascher (the first man on the video) has a completely new memorial in his native village since yesterday (!). This village is called Svatý Kříž (Saint Cross in English) and it is about two miles from my native city (Havlíčkův Brod). I wanted to visit the memorial today, but it was not possible. I hope I will visit it in my next "visit" of home and I will do some photos of it.
Karel Kuttelwascher was the best Czech fighter and he served in the 1st Squadron with Englishmen. His specialty was night missions - most of his victories have been obtained near enemy's airfields (he was just waiting for the landing maneuver of enemy's plane). Here, in Havlíčkův Brod, we are really proud on him.
I attach a photo of the new memorial - the small gold Hurricane on the large stone plate represents the lone night-fighter who are lost in the night sky.
The second picture is his Hurricane in the night camouflage. His nickname was Nightreaper - that was his emblem on the red ribbon with gold scythe under the pilot's cockpit.
Thank you again Tom!

http://i.idnes.cz/11/093/cl6/BOR3e05a7_131756_5756564.jpg

http://pisis.eaw.page.sweb.cz/Hurricane%20IIc%20Kuttelwascher%20Camo.jpg

CappyTom

11-01-2011, 02:48

So Danial did you make the trip out to Karel Kuttelwascher memorial site? I'm glad you liked the video. I enjoyed it and thank you for the insight to the words of the song.

Tom

Max Headroom

11-11-2011, 04:51

My tribute:
http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26447&d=1321066863

Dan-Sam

11-11-2011, 05:21

So Daniel did you make the trip out to Karel Kuttelwascher memorial site? I'm glad you liked the video. I enjoyed it and thank you for the insight to the words of the song.
Tom
Not yet :hmm: I am in Prague for a month now, but I hope that I will visit it next Saturday. It is a small village 2 or 3 kilometres (1,5-2 miles) from our town. I really want to see it and make several photos.
The interesting thing with this song is that the singer (Taxmeni band) sing about pilots who are "hiking" Hostýn mountain. It is a big hill in the east part of Moravia and there is a Marian way. The whole hill is a place of pilgrimage. The main theme is (of course) about fighting of Czech pilots agains enemies and their homesickness. For "interwar" Czechs was Great Britain something which was really far, far away. They studied mostly French language in school and they know France well. But Britain was (and still is) lying across the Chanel. Different world for them.
Sorry for late answer Tom, a hard month for my free time.

Dan-Sam

11-11-2011, 05:23

Thank you really much Max, I will print it and expose it near my computer in my job :hatsoff:

Naharaht

11-11-2011, 06:12

A Hurricane IIc with 4 x 20mm cannon should be CCCC at short range and CC at long range for gunfire.

The Cowman

11-11-2011, 10:39

I raise my glass in salute :salute:

Flying Officer Kyte

11-11-2011, 11:55

I have just been reading about Major-General Alois Siska who died in 2003 in my book Airmen's Obituaries, so it was very interesting to see this dedication to the Czeck patriots who suffered so much for so long in the cause of freedom.
Rob.

greenalfonzo

11-11-2011, 17:54

There was a movie made about these guys I believe 10 years ago or something? I saw a trailer for it.

Max Headroom

11-11-2011, 19:03

Thanks for the correction David... Taken note and changed accordingly.

CappyTom

11-12-2011, 04:12

Not yet :hmm: I am in Prague for a month now, but I hope that I will visit it next Saturday. It is a small village 2 or 3 kilometres (1,5-2 miles) from our town. I really want to see it and make several photos.
The interesting thing with this song is that the singer (Taxmeni band) sing about pilots who are "hiking" Hostýn mountain. It is a big hill in the east part of Moravia and there is a Marian way. The whole hill is a place of pilgrimage. The main theme is (of course) about fighting of Czech pilots agains enemies and their homesickness. For "interwar" Czechs was Great Britain something which was really far, far away. They studied mostly French language in school and they know France well. But Britain was (and still is) lying across the Chanel. Different world for them.
Sorry for late answer Tom, a hard month for my free time.

No problem I know how that is. Looking forward to the photos. Thanks for the insight to the song, it gives the video that much more meaning.

Tom

Rabbit 3

11-13-2011, 08:18

There was a movie made about these guys I believe 10 years ago or something? I saw a trailer for it.
You mean `Dark Blue World`?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkHTQKWrdj0
A much better film than that overblown Hollywood offering about December 7th 1941 made about the same time!

CappyTom

11-13-2011, 09:40

You mean `Dark Blue World`?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkHTQKWrdj0
A much better film than that overblown Hollywood offering about December 7th 1941 made about the same time!

Now don't be hating there Rabbit 3.;)

greenalfonzo

11-13-2011, 10:14

Flying Officer Kyte

11-13-2011, 10:48

Dan-Sam

11-20-2011, 23:33

On Saturday I was finally in Svatý Kříž and I made several photos for you. Many more (12 in total) are in my gallery (http://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/album.php?u=530). I think the place with memorial is really nice - there are the memorial itself, two infoboards (czech and english (hooray, english!)) and about twenty young lime-trees (our national tree). The memorial is simple, but from the stone from our area and the gold Hurricane is a good idea.

27237

27238

27239

27240

Flying Officer Kyte

11-21-2011, 00:25

Nice set of pics Daniel. Thanks. My copy of the Dark Blue World arrived whilst I was away at the weekend, so I have got that to look forward to now.
Rob.

Dan-Sam

11-21-2011, 00:39

Enjoy it Rob - I really like this film. If you will have some questions about it, just write me a message and I will try to answer you ;)

CappyTom

11-21-2011, 02:26

Thanks for the update Danial. Great photos.

Tom

Nightbomber

11-22-2011, 07:53

Great photos Dan, thanks!

Andrzej.

Shivaja

12-01-2011, 13:42

Thanks for the photos mate. Actually Kuttelwascher's Hurricane was my first 1:72 plastic kit plane i put together :thumbsup: And thanks you Max for the lovely custom plane now i know witch will be my first repaint :)

Dan-Sam

12-13-2011, 01:16

I have a special Christmass gift for every RAF fans :) I found a comics about Karel Kuttelwascher from 1943 on the website of Czech Spitfire Club. Enjoy it guys!

Czech Night Hawk comics (http://www.czechspitfireclub.cz/?sekce1=fotogalerie&gal=091100-01)

Zoe Brain

12-13-2011, 04:18

DFC AND BAR??

Gulp.

All I can say is Thanks. I was born in the UK, and given what the plan was there had Seeloewe succeeded, I would not exist. For one thing, I have (remote) Jewish ancestry on my mother's side.

Dan-Sam

12-13-2011, 04:25

DFC AND BAR??
What is Wrong Zoe? I think many pilots have DFC and Bar during WWII.
But you are right - only Kuttelwascher has DFC and Bar from Czech pilots. But there was another Czech pilot with DFM and Bar - Sgt. Josef František (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Franti%C5%A1ek).

Zoe Brain

12-13-2011, 06:14

What is Wrong Zoe? I think many pilots have DFC and Bar during WWII.
About 1550 IIRC. Many posthumously. They didn't give them out with cornflakes packets. Usually only given in operations where chance of survival was around 1 in 4.

Dan-Sam

12-13-2011, 06:40

About 1550 IIRC. Many posthumously. They didn't give them out with cornflakes packets. Usually only given in operations where chance of survival was around 1 in 4.
I do not want to argue with you, but I have a feel that I read that DFC was (neofficially) awarded for some (high) number of victories (10+?). Officially for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy".
Thank you for a nice discussion on an interesting topic :)

WWI:

approximately 1,100 DFCs,
70 of them with first bars,
3 of them with second bars.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/UK_DFC_1918_BAR.svg/200px-UK_DFC_1918_BAR.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/UK_DFC_1918_w_bar_BAR.svg/200px-UK_DFC_1918_w_bar_BAR.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/UK_DFC_1918_w_2bars_BAR.svg/200px-UK_DFC_1918_w_2bars_BAR.svg.png

WWII:

20,354 DFCs were awarded,
1,550 of them with first bars (you are right),
45 of them with second bars,
964 of them to aircrew from other non-commonwealth countries.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/United_Kingdom_Distinguished_Flying_Cross_ribbon.svg/200px-United_Kingdom_Distinguished_Flying_Cross_ribbon.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/UK_DFC_w_bar_BAR.svg/200px-UK_DFC_w_bar_BAR.svg.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/UK_DFC_w_2bars_BAR.svg/200px-UK_DFC_w_2bars_BAR.svg.png