Slovak Air Force (1939–45)

World War II Slovak aircraft marking

The Slovak Air Force (Slovenské vzdušné zbrane, or SVZ), between 1939 and 1945, was the air force of the short-lived World War II Slovak Republic. Its mission was to provide air support at fronts, and to protect Bratislava and metropolitan areas against enemy air attack.

History

One of the SVZ's first air battles was in the Slovak–Hungarian War in March 1939 in which Hungary reoccupied Carpathian Ruthenia and parts of southern Slovakia. In this the SVZ suffered some losses against Royal Hungarian Air Force. The SVZ also took part in the German Invasion of Poland.

The SVZ took part in Axis offensives in the Ukraine and Russian Central front sectors of the Eastern Front under the lead of Luftwaffe in the Stalingrad and Caucasus operations. The engagement in the cost it great losses of aircraft and personnel.

For the rest of the war the SVZ fought US Army Air Forces and Royal Air Force raids against Slovakia.

The symbol of the Slovak air force was a blue and white cross with red disc in the centre. It was carried on the tail and wings. Engine covers were painted yellow and there was a vertical line ion the fuselage.

Training aircraft were supplied by Germany and Italy. To defend Slovak air space, the air force used Messerschmitt 109 (E and G types), Avia B-534, and some other interceptor types. It was also helped by Luftwaffe units active in the area.

When Romania and the Soviet Union entered Slovakia, with some captured aircraft and defectors they organized a local Insurgent Air Force to continue the fight against Axis forces in country. Others served voluntarily in Luftwaffe units; later these air units were integrated to National Air Force after the end of the war.

Notable SVZ air aces

  • Ján Režňák
  • Izidor Kovárik
  • Ján Gerthofer
  • František Cyprich
  • František Brezina
  • Anton Matúšek
  • Jozef Štauder
  • Pavol Zeleňák
  • Rudolf Božík
  • Vladimír Kriško
  • Alexander Gerič
  • Jozef Jančovič
  • František Hanovec
  • Rudolf Palatický
  • Štefan Martiš
  • Juraj Puškár
  • Štefan Ocvirk
  • Ondrej Ďumbala
  • Jozef Drlička
  • Martin Danihel
  • Ivan Kocka

Units of the Slovak Air Force

  • 1st unit of Stíhacia letka (fighter unit[1]), Slovenské vzdušné zbrane, air unit to support the Slovak forces in Russia, Zhytomyr-Kiev, Ukraine, October 1941.

Aircraft of the Slovak Air Force

References

  1. ↑ literally "interceptor flight unit"
  2. ↑ "B71". Českoslovaští letci (in Czech).
  • Magnus, Allan (4 February 1999). "Slovakia - Hungarian-Slovak Conflict". Air Aces.
  • Magnus, Allan (31 August 2001). "Slovakia - World War Two". Air Aces.
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