RAF No 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron

RAF No 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron Spitfire photographs

Aircrew RAF 313Sqn Czech pilot FO Vaclav Horak inspects flak damaged over France 1942 01

Aircrew RAF 313Sqn Czech pilot FO Vaclav Jicha England 1942 01

Aircrew RAF 313Sqn Czech pilot Sgt Frantisek Loucky England 1943 01

Aircrew RAF 313Sqn Czech pilot SLdr Frantisek Fajtl and Air Marshal Dr Karel Janousek 1942 01

Aircrew RAF 313Sqn Czech pilot SLdr Josef Jaske England 1941 01

Aircrew RAF 313Sqn Czech pilots pose next to a Spitfire like the jumper Hornchurch Mar 1942 01

Aircrew RAF 313Sqn Czech pilot W.Cdr Karel Mrazek with his personal Spitfire KM EN765 1942 01

Spitfire HFIXc RAF 313Sqn Czech RYA ML148 TC15015 Supermarine Spitfire MkIX Page 26

Spitfire HFIXc RAF 313Sqn Czech RYA ML148 TC15015 Supermarine Spitfire MkIX Page 27

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn at Hornchurch Essex IWM CH5840

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn Czech RYB RYC and RYJ aerial formation photo 01

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn Czech RYD force landed 01

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn Czech RYK FLt Vaclav Hajek MNOHO STESTI AB276 England 1942 0A

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn Czech RY Moesi llir BL581 Hornchurch 8th April 1942 01

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn at Hornchurch Essex IWM CH5840

A pilot of No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF, runs up the engine of his Supermarine Spitfire Mark VB in a sandbagged revetment at Hornchurch, Essex.

Imperial War Museum IWM CH 5840 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210195

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn RYZ P8537 Sgt Jaroslav Hloužek RAF Hornchurch Nov 1941 to Mar 1942 profile by Eduard 0A

Info Eduard: Spitfire MkVb P8537 served operationally with No. 313 Squadron from November 2, 1941, to March 28, 1942. The most frequent pilots in its cockpit were Sgt J. Hloužek, F/L K. Vykoukal and F/S K. Foglar. The figure of Horace the Horse was painted on this Spitfire by Sgt Karel Pavlík, a Pilsen native, letter painter and author of all drawings on Spitfires of No. 313 Squadron. The figure was a bit of mystery for many years, as only half of the drawing was known from photographs. It was until two uncut photographs emerged from the archive of mechanic F/O Karl Beinhauer and helped to solve the appearance of the other half. Spitfire P8537 had been repainted in the new camouflage shades in effect from August 16, 1941. Surviving photographs document the complete change of the Spitfire’s camouflage. A very light shade of Mixed Grey was used in place of the original Dark Earth, and a Sky Blue band was repainted with a new shade of Medium Sea Grey on the lower surfaces. The code letters RY-Z were in the Sky Blue shade, as were the spinner and band in front of the tail.

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn RYS FLt Stanislav Fejfar BL973 at RAF Hornchurch Mar May 1942 profile by Eduard 0A

Info Eduard: Stanislav Fejfar, a pre-war member of the Czechoslovak Air Force and commander of the 45th Fighter Squadron in Slovakia during the Munich Crisis, scored his first two victories during the Battle of France while flying the Morane-Saulnier MS.406 with GC I/6 of the Armée de l’Air. He arrived in Great Britain on 12 July 1940 aboard the ship Neuralia. On 9 September 1940 he began his RAF operational career as a Pilot Officer with No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron, claiming three victories during the Battle of Britain. On 21 July 1941 he joined No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron as a Flight Lieutenant and leader of B Flight. Stanislav Fejfar was killed on 17 May 1942 while flying Spitfire Mk.Vb BL973 during Ramrod 33. He was shot down by Hptm. Josef Priller between Guînes and Audebert in northern France. Only a few days earlier, Priller had also shot down Sergeant Karel Pavlík, the pilot who had painted the famous Pluto the Dog nose art on Fejfar’s Spitfire.

Spitfire MkVb RAF 313Sqn RYR FO Alois Hochmal AD380 at RAF Hornchurch Devon England Oct 1941 to Apr 1942
by Eduard 0A

Info Eduard: Not every pilot who served during the Second World War became a fighter ace, took part in famous operations, accumulated thousands of flying hours, or received high decorations. Many achieved only partial victories or completed their entire wartime service without ever engaging the enemy in combat. Yet it was through the collective efforts and sacrifices of hundreds of these modest and often overlooked patriots, unwilling to accept the occupation of their homeland, that Czechoslovakia was ultimately liberated.

The No. 313 Squadron RAF aircraft described here date from the first half of 1942, when the unit formed part of the Hornchurch Wing, which became well known for the Walt Disney-style cartoon artwork painted on its fighters. These illustrations were created by Karel Pavlík, a native of Plzeň who had worked as a sign painter before the war. Using his artistic skills, Pavlík decorated individual Supermarine Spitfire fighters with personalized artwork beneath the windscreen at the request of their pilots. One such example was the cartoon kitten “Robber,” painted on Supermarine Spitfire AD380 carrying the squadron code RY-R.

A distinctive feature of this aircraft’s markings was the unusual colouring of its code letters. The initial “R” was painted in Sky, while the following “Y-R” appeared in Sky Blue. The fuselage band ahead of the tail surfaces was also painted Sky Blue. Above this band appeared the serial number “AD386,” beneath which traces of the original Sky paint remained visible. In reality, the aircraft’s true serial number was AD380, as no Spitfire numbered AD386 ever served with No. 313 Squadron. The incorrect serial was most likely the result of an error made during an earlier camouflage repaint. AD380 served with No. 313 Squadron from October 28, 1941, until April 24, 1942, and was most frequently flown by A. Hochmal, V. Foglar, and O. Kresta.

Spitfire Database: AD380 Vb CBAF M45 313Sqn RYR 24-10-41 152S 24-4-42 Missing on night flying training off Rathlin Is. Ulster 30-7-42

Spitfire LFVb RAF 313Sqn RYR FLt Otmar Kučera EP110 at RAF Hawkinge Kent England Aug-Sep 1943
by Eduard 0A

Info Eduard: The Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk Vb EP110 flown by Otmar Kučera, Distinguished Flying Cross recipient and commander of B Flight within No. 313 Squadron RAF, carried the squadron code RY-R and is depicted here as it appeared during Operation Starkey on September 9, 1943. During this operation, black-and-white recognition stripes were introduced for the first time to distinguish friendly aircraft from enemy machines during low-level operations. These markings differed from the more familiar invasion stripes later used during the Normandy landings.

In mid-August 1943, No. 313 Squadron transferred to RAF Hawkinge after a period of recuperation and patrol duties over the Orkney Islands. Operating under the command of No. 11 Group RAF as part of the Hawkinge Wing, the squadron became involved in the missions associated with Operation Starkey, a large-scale Allied deception effort intended to suggest preparations for an invasion of occupied Europe. During these operations, the unit achieved an aerial victory through the actions of its commanding officer, Jaroslav Hlír.

Spitfire Database: EP110 Vb CBAF M46 33MU 6-6-42 602S 24-6-42 416S 16-7-42 52OTU 1-2-43 FAAC 18-6-43 313S 27-8-43 Scottish Aviation 16-6-44 M45M install 57OTU 17-7-44 engine failed hit high telegraph cables wheels up landing near Morpeth CE 12-8-445