The Avia B-534 is a
Czechoslovak
Czechoslovak may refer to:
*A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93)
**First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38)
**Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39)
**Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60)
** Fourth Czechoslovak Repu ...
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
fighter developed and manufactured by aviation company
Avia
AVIA () is a Soviet/Russian experimental pop band formed in Leningrad in 1986. AVIA released four studio albums and led the first wave of the Soviet bands which made their breakthrough in the West in the late 1980s.
Band history
AVIA was formed ...
. It was produced during the period between the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The B-534 was perhaps one of the most well-known Czechoslovak aircraft of the era.
During 1932, work had commenced on the development of a new single-engined biplane fighter aircraft, the
Avia B-34, which had been designed by
aeronautical engineer
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...
František Novotný. During its development, various alternative engines were considered and trialled before eventually settling upon the
licence-built
Licensed production is the production under license of technology developed elsewhere. The licensee provides the licensor of a specific product with legal production rights, technical information, process technology, and any other proprietary compo ...
Hispano-Suiza 12Y
The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft ...
engine. Other improvements during the prototype stage included the adoption of an enclosed cockpit along with a revised tail and undercarriage arrangement. On 14 April 1934, the second prototype, while flown by test pilot Václav Kočí, successfully attained a Czechoslovak national speed record of . Deliveries of aircraft to the
Czechoslovak Air Force
The Czechoslovak Air Force (''Československé letectvo'') or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force (''Československé vojenské letectvo'') was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia c ...
commenced in October 1935.
Partially as a result of its impressive maneuvrability, as well as some operators continuing to maintain a preference for the established biplane configuration over the incoming generation of
monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
fighters that would soon prove to outperform them, the B-534 stayed in production for considerable time (1933–1939). During the late 1930s, Czechoslovakia sought to expand production of the type in response to German claims over the
Sudetenland
The Sudetenland ( , ; Czech and ) is a German name for the northern, southern, and western areas of former Czechoslovakia which were inhabited primarily by Sudeten Germans. These German speakers had predominated in the border districts of Bohe ...
(the western border area of Czechoslovakia). Large numbers of the type saw combat with multiple nations during the course of the Second World War. While relatively ineffective in combat during the later stages of war due to its obsolescence, the type formed a sizeable proportion of several countries' military aviation components.
Development
Origins
During 1932, the Czechoslovak aircraft company
Avia
AVIA () is a Soviet/Russian experimental pop band formed in Leningrad in 1986. AVIA released four studio albums and led the first wave of the Soviet bands which made their breakthrough in the West in the late 1980s.
Band history
AVIA was formed ...
flew the first prototype of a single-engined fighter
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
, the
Avia B-34, designed by
aeronautical engineer
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...
František Novotný. After modification, the Czechoslovak Ministry of Defence placed an order for B-34s.
[''Air International'' July 1974, p. 26.] A second prototype, the Avia B-34/2, was built, which was intended to be powered by a
Avia Rr 29 radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating engine, reciprocating type internal combustion engine, internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinder (engine), cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. ...
instead of the
Hispano-Suiza 12N
The Hispano-Suiza 12N was one of two new V-12 engine designs first run in 1928 and was manufactured by Hispano-Suiza's French subsidiary for the Armée de l’Air. It produced about , was the first to use nitriding, gas nitride hardening and int ...
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a twelve-Cylinder (engine), cylinder Internal combustion engine#Reciprocating engines, piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V engine, V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more c ...
of the first prototype and the initial production series. This engine proved prone to overheating and vibration, however, and it was decided to re-engine the B.34/2 before it flew, fitting it with a
Hispano-Suiza 12Y
The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft ...
brs V12 engine.
[''Air International'' July 1974, pp. 26–27.]
The Avia B-34/2 made its maiden flight on 25 May 1933.
The prototype was sent for testing in September and was redesignated as the B-534.1.
[''Air International'' July 1974, p. 27.] On 10 September, the B-534 was displayed to the public for the first time at an
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
Air Day. It was to compete against the
Praga E-44
The Praga BH-44 (designated E-44 by the Czechoslovak Air Force) was a prototype Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak Fighter aircraft, fighter biplane of the early 1930s. Only two were built, the rival Avia B-34 being ordered instead.
Design and develop ...
and
Letov Š-231.
[Krybus 1967, pp. 3–4.]
A second prototype, the B-534.2, was completed in September 1933.
[Krybus 1967, p. 3.] It differed from the first prototype by having an enclosed cockpit and a revised tail and undercarriage. On 14 April 1934, the second prototype, while flown by test pilot Václav Kočí, successfully attained a Czechoslovak national speed record of .
Initial production
More testing followed, and an initial order for 34 aircraft for the
Czechoslovak Air Force
The Czechoslovak Air Force (''Československé letectvo'') or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force (''Československé vojenské letectvo'') was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia c ...
, soon increasing to 147, was placed on 17 July 1934.
[''Air International'' July 1974, pp. 27–28.] At that time, the B-534 was well ahead of its contemporaries. The
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
was still dependent on
Hawker Furies, with the first
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator is a British biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s.
Developed privat ...
s being produced at this time. The
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
was placing its hope on its
Polikarpov
Polikarpov Design Bureau was a Soviet Union, Soviet OKB (design bureau) for aircraft, led by Nikolai Polikarpov, Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov. Dux Factory was acquired by the USSR and became part of Polikarpov.
After the death of Polikarpo ...
aircraft designs. The
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
was still using descendants of the
Curtiss Hawk series, with the
Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 is an American fighter aircraft built by the Republic Aviation, Seversky Aircraft Company in the late 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-35 was the first single-seat fighter in United ...
and
Curtiss P-36
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, is an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation ...
about to fly as prototypes.

The B-534 was designed as a single-
engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ge ...
biplane
fighter with a licence-built
Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza () is a Spanish automotive company. It was founded in 1904 by Marc Birkigt and as an automobile manufacturer and eventually had several factories in Spain and France that produced luxury cars, aircraft engines, trucks and weapons. ...
inline powerplant, and fixed
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...
. The air forces of the 1930s were reluctant to abandon the manoeuvrability and climb rates of biplanes for the speed of
monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
s, even in the face of new and better technology. The success of Soviet pilots with biplanes may have contributed to this reluctance; they were known to strip their aircraft of sliding
canopies, preferring to have the wind in their faces. Aircraft with two fabric-covered wings and fixed landing gear were also less expensive to manufacture.
First deliveries of the B-534 to the Czechoslovak air force began in October 1935, and 568 had been completed by 1939. The first 100 of these were of the first series. The second prototype was the blueprint for the I series, although it was built with an open cockpit. These early series aircraft were initially armed with four 7.92mm vz.28 guns. Two were located in the nose on either side of the engine in a similar manner to the
Avia B-34 and two were fitted in the wings. At an early stage of production, it was however recognised that the wing-mounted guns were troublesome. Aircraft from serial number B-534.47 were completed without the wing guns, which were also removed from the earlier aircraft. The first to fourth series aircraft were fitted with the
Avia
AVIA () is a Soviet/Russian experimental pop band formed in Leningrad in 1986. AVIA released four studio albums and led the first wave of the Soviet bands which made their breakthrough in the West in the late 1980s.
Band history
AVIA was formed ...
licence-built version of the
Hispano-Suiza 12Y
The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft ...
drs engine. This was a liquid-cooled
V12-cylinder engine with a capacity of 36.05 litres. On the ground its normal power rating was 650 hp, it could deliver 750 hp for two minutes.
At an operational height of 3,000 m (9,842 ft), it could deliver 850 hp for 30 minutes.
[ At an operational height of 4,000 m (13,123 ft), it could reach 860 hp. Total fuel was 347 litres (76 gal) which was held in two ]fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...
fuel tanks of 90 and 257 litres.
Further development
The II series completed the remainder of the first order from the Czechoslovak Government, These were 45 aircraft numbered B-534.102 to 147. Like the I series these carried four guns. However the solution to the problems with the wing-mounted guns was to move these guns, now upgraded to the vz.30 to the fuselage with the others. The four 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine guns were located on the sides of the fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...
, firing through the propeller
A propeller (often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon a working flu ...
. One very modern innovation was a bubble canopy
A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility.
The designs of bubble canopies can vary drastically; so ...
; this had been tested on a small number of the early series aircraft, although it certainly was not a standard fit.
During 1936, a second order for 46 aircraft were issued by the government. The first 25 of these were the B-534/III version serial numbers B-534: 148–173. Production took place in the second half of 1936. It entered service between March and April 1937. The III series had aerodynamic refinements which saw the streamlining of the front carburetor
A carburetor (also spelled carburettor or carburetter)
is a device used by a gasoline internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the Ventu ...
air intake. Mudguard spats were also often added at the factory to the main gear.[Krybus 1967, p. 4.]
The remainder of the second order from 534.174 to 534.193 were the IV series. With later orders the fourth series would occupy the serial numbers .174 and 445 and was therefore the most numerous of the types. The most important change to the earlier series was the enclosed cockpit. The IV series also enjoyed a metal light alloy Letov ( Hochfeld) Hd-43 propeller. The various refinements allowed the IV series to have an increased speed of over 200 mph, and this placed it on par with the best of its contemporary biplanes. A common alteration to the IV series was the replacement of the tailskid
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...
with a tailwheel
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...
. Operational experiences had shown that the spat on the main landing gear could become clogged with mud on grassy airfields and cause takeoff and landing problems. The spats were then often removed.
During 1937, the superb performance of the B-534 was demonstrated at a flying exhibition. The aircraft was tested against the best in the world at the IV International Air Meeting at Zürich
Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...
's Dübendorf
Dübendorf is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Uster (district), Uster in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Zürich (canton), Zürich in Switzerland.
It is a suburb of Zürich in Switzerland with a population o ...
airport. The B-534 entered three of the competitions. The first of these tested climbing and diving. A German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a monoplane fighter aircraft that was designed and initially produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Together with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the Bf 109 formed the backbone of the ...
took first place and a Henschel Hs 123
The Henschel Hs 123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close air support, close-support aircraft flown by the Germany, German aircraft manufacturer Henschel & Son, Henschel. It was the last biplane to be operated by the ''Luftwaffe''..
Th ...
pilot pushed his biplane to claim second. The B-534 took the next three positions. The 534 outflew every other fighter participating, bar the Messerschmitt Bf 109 – and even then, the Avia was only 11 km/h slower than the German aircraft.
Allegedly, problems were encountered with the redesign effort to adapt to installation of a newly installed cannon. These were not resolved in the summer of 1938; by this point, Czechoslovakia, sensing rising political tension amongst German claims to Czech-held territory, was eager to get more aircraft in the air, Avia decided to use a third machine gun in the nose. Judging by the size of the gun magazine, the nose machine gun was matched with an increased supply of ammunition. For the nation, time was running out and drew to Munich Diktat, at which point Germany commenced its occupation of the Sudetenland
The Sudetenland ( , ; Czech and ) is a German name for the northern, southern, and western areas of former Czechoslovakia which were inhabited primarily by Sudeten Germans. These German speakers had predominated in the border districts of Bohe ...
(the western border area of Czechoslovakia). Two series Bk-534 were produced, cn's 501 – 554 (63, for Czechoslovak air force), and cn's 555 – 620. Only three of the second batch were completed for the Czechoslovak air force, and the remaining 63 aeroplanes from this production block were finished for the Germans, after the German invasion of the remainder of Czechoslovakia on 15 March 1939.
Design
The Avia B-534 was a single-seat unequal-span biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
fighter aircraft.[Krybus 1967, p. 5.] The fuselage used a rectangular structure composed of steel tubes, which were attached together using a mixture of bolts and rivet
A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylinder (geometry), cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the ''tail''. On installation, the deformed e ...
s and braced together using streamline wires. The wing, which had a riveted steel structure and fabric covering, was attached to the fuselage using ''N'' strut
A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension.
A stay is sometimes used as a synonym for ...
s; similar struts were present in the outer section of the wings attaching the wings together. The forward section of the fuselage was covered with detachable metal panels, while the rear section had a fabric
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is no ...
covering.
Production aircraft were exclusively powered by the Hispano-Suiza 12Y
The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was an aircraft engine produced by Hispano-Suiza for the French Air Force before the Second World War. The 12Y became the primary French 1,000 hp (750 kW) class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft ...
12-cylinder water-cooled engine, rated to produce a maximum of 850 hp, which was built under licence by Avia. The total fuel capacity was 70 gallons (320 litres); a combined cooler and oil tank was installed beneath the fuselage, while a water-based radiator
A radiator is a heat exchanger used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in cars, buildings, and electronics.
A radiator is always a ...
was also set below the engine. Engine ignition was provided via the cockpit, along with automated fire-fighting
Firefighting is a profession aimed at controlling and extinguishing fire. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter or fireman. Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training. This involves structural fir ...
equipment. Other cockpit equipment included a radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...
set, oxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...
provision, and an adjustable seat and cockpit cover. Early-built aircraft featured an open cockpit, while later-built examples were furnished with an enclosed cockpit.[Krybus 1967, pp. 4–5.]
The B-534 was furnished with a monoplane tailplane, composed of steel and covered by fabric; similar construction methods were used for the fin
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. F ...
and rudder
A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, airship, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (usually air or water). On an airplane, the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw ...
. Both the rudder and the elevator
An elevator (American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems suc ...
were statically and aerodynamically balanced. The undercarriage was of a split-type configuration, being oleo-sprung and equipped with Dunlop-built wheels. The wheels, which were housed within streamlined fairings, were fitted with brakes; for conducting operations under winter conditions, skis could also be fitted to the undercarriage. According to reports from pilots who flew the B-534, it possessed excellent handling characteristics for the era.
The Bk-534 was designed to carry one 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon FFS-20 cannon firing through the nose, along with a pair of 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine guns to the sides of the fuselage. By the summer of 1938, Czechoslovakia, sensing rising political tension caused by German claims to Czechoslovak border territory, was eager to get more aircraft in the service, thus Avia decided to use a third machine gun in the nose. However, there have been claims that the company had encountered substantial difficulties in adapting the aircraft to accommodate the additional weapon and these were not quickly resolved. Judging by the size of the gun magazine, the nose machine gun was matched with an increased supply of ammunition. Consequently, however, the fuel load was decreased
Operational history
Czechoslovakia
Upon its introduction to squadron service with the Czechoslovak Air Force
The Czechoslovak Air Force (''Československé letectvo'') or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force (''Československé vojenské letectvo'') was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia c ...
during the latter half of 1935, the B-534 was put to use in the interceptor
Interceptor may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Film and television
* ''The Interceptor'', a British drama series on BBC One
* Interceptor (game show), ''Interceptor'' (game show), a British television game show that ran during 1989
* Interc ...
role.[Krybus 1967, pp. 5–6.] Initially, the responsibility for pursuit and aerial combat was shared with several other aircraft, including the Avia BA-33L and the Letov Š-31; however, by 1938, the B-534 was the sole type of aircraft in Czech service to be tasked with this role. By 10 November 1938, a total of 370 B-534 and Bk-534 aircraft in service; additionally, 53 aircraft had been written off as a result of accidents.[Krybus 1967, p. 6.]
On 1 September 1938, less than a month before the Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement was reached in Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Third Republic, French Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement provided for the Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–194 ...
would cause Czechoslovakia to lose 30 per cent of its territory and 34 per cent of its population,[Rajlich and Sehnal 1994, p. 63.] 328 B-534s and Bk-534s equipped 21 fighter squadrons of the Czechoslovak Air Force, while other aircraft were assigned to reserve and training squadrons, and deliveries continuing of the final batch of fighters.[''Air International'' July 1974, p. 33.]
On 14 March 1939, Germany forced the partition of Czechoslovakia, with Slovakia being declared as the nominally independent Slovak Republic
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's ...
with Germany annexing the remaining "Czech" part of Czechoslovakia as the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was a partially-annexation, annexed territory of Nazi Germany that was established on 16 March 1939 after the Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945), German occupation of the Czech lands. The protector ...
the next day.[Krybus 1967, p. 7.] The abrupt partition of Czechoslovakia during 1939 prevented any actual combat operations of the B-534 to be conducted by the nation that had produced it. By then, high performance monoplanes such as the Bf 109 and Britain's leading models – the Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
and Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...
– were raising the bar of fighter/interceptor standards. The Slovak Air Force
The Slovak Air Force, known since 2002 as the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic (), is the aviation and air defense branch of the Military of Slovakia, Slovak Armed Forces. Operating 15 aircraft and 18 helicopters fro ...
was organised out of the units of the Czechoslovak Air Force that were based in Slovakia at the time of partition, and inherited about 71 B-534s and Bk-534s.
Slovakia had to quickly make use of its newly formed air force, weakened by the departure of many Czech pilots,[Krybus 1967, pp. 6–7.] to defend itself when neighbouring Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
launched an invasion on 23 March 1939.[Krybus 1967, p. 8.] During the ensuing combat, a pair of B-534s were shot down by Hungarian anti-aircraft fire
Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-bas ...
while a further four were claimed to have been shot down by Hungarian Fiat CR.32 fighters. Another Avia was compelled to perform a forced landing behind Hungarian lines and was captured.[Rajlich and Sehnal 1994, pp. 64–65.]
During September 1939, Slovakia participated in the German Invasion of Poland
The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Second Polish Republic, Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak R ...
; the nation held the aim of regaining territories which had been previously lost to Poland at Munich.[Krybus 1967, p. 9.] A pair of squadrons of B-534s were assigned to support the invasion. In the theatre, these were typically used to escort ''Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
'' aircraft, such as the Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87, popularly known as the "Stuka", is a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's Condor Legion during the ...
dive-bomber, on eight missions.[Rajlich and Sehnal 1994, p. 65.] On 6 September the Avias shot down Polish reconnaissance aircraft Lublin R.XIIID over Prešov
Prešov () is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is the seat of administrative Prešov Region () and Šariš. With a population of approximately 85,000 for the city, and in total more than 100,000 with the urban area, it is the second-largest city i ...
, killing its two-men crew. One Avia was shot down by Polish anti-aircraft cannons, the other one crashed on 9 September (a pilot was killed). Also the downing of Polish RWD-8
The RWD 8 was a Polish parasol wing monoplane trainer aircraft produced by RWD (aircraft manufacturer), RWD. It was used from 1934 to 1939 by the Polish Polish Air Force, Air Force and civilian aviation.
Development
The RWD 8 was designed in re ...
liaison aircraft fleeing to Hungary was reported.[
The same squadrons fought alongside the elements of the German military in the area of ]Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
during summer 1941. According to aviation author Josef Krybus, on this front, moral amongst the Slovak pilots was low and no significant victories were achieved during their deployment. During 1942, one of these squadrons was redeployed to Slovakia to conduct anti-partisan
Partisan(s) or The Partisan(s) may refer to:
Military
* Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line
** Francs-tireurs et partisans, communist-led French anti-fascist resistance against Nazi Germany during WWII
** Ital ...
operations. Over time, a combination of obsolescence, the lack of spare components and the old Czechoslovak air force's proprietary fuel mixture ( BiBoLi, or some other mix of ethanol, benzol
Benzol may refer to:
* Benzole, a coal-tar product consisting mainly of benzene and toluene
* Benzene, a chemical compound with the formula C6H6
* Benzol peroxide, benzoyl peroxide
* Benzoyl group, a functional group with the formula C6H5CO
* B ...
and petrol) finally relegated the surviving B-534s to performing the trainer role and other secondary duties during 1943.
The training role would have been the last operational service of the B-534s in Slovak colours if not for the Slovak National Uprising
Slovak National Uprising ( Slovak: ''Slovenské národné povstanie'', abbreviated SNP; alternatively also ''Povstanie roku 1944'', English: ''The Uprising of 1944'') was organised by the Slovak resistance during the Second World War, directed ag ...
of September–October 1944. The rest of the Slovak air assets did not turn-coat as expected and the leaders of the uprising were faced with using a rag-tag collection of leftover aircraft, including several B-534s stationed at Tri Duby airfield. On 2 September 1944, Master Sergeant František Cyprich, just after testing a repaired B-534, downed a Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed ''Tante Ju'' ("Aunt Ju") and ''Iron Annie'') is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers. First introduced during 1930 as a civilian airliner, it was adapted int ...
transport under Hungarian colours on its way to a base in occupied Poland
' (Norwegian language, Norwegian: ') is a Norwegian political thriller TV series that premiered on TV 2 (Norway), TV2 on 5 October 2015. Based on an original idea by Jo Nesbø, the series is co-created with Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg. ...
. This was at once the first aerial victory for the Uprising and the last recorded biplane fighter air-to-air victory. As the Slovak National Uprising was desperate for available aircraft, Sergeant Cyprich was derided by his colonel for not trying to force the Junkers Ju 52 to land and be captured instead. The last pair of B-534s at Tri Duby were burned as the base was evacuated on 25 October 1944.
Bulgaria
During 1939, Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
opted to procure a batch of 78 B-534s, well after the enactment of the Czech partition, from Germany, who had captured a large number of the type.[Krybus 1967, pp. 9–10.] The last batch of these aircraft were delivered from Czechoslovakia during March 1942. On 1 August 1943, 48 of these aircraft were able to make two passes at American Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
bombers returning from the raid on Ploieşti. Hits were scored but no B-24s were shot down and some of the B-534s that received damage in the combat, cracked up on landing.
The B-534s saw little use as frontline aircraft as Bulgaria had also procured the more capable Bf 109E and the French-built Dewoitine D.520 monoplane fighters. After the anti-German coup of 9 September 1944, Bulgaria switched sides overnight. As such its B-534s were quickly pressed into use to conduct ground attacks against German units. On 10 September 1944, a flight of six B-534s were involved in a brief melee with six German Bf 109s at low altitude. One B-534 was lost, but the Germans quickly broke off, wary of both the low altitude and the B-534's manoeuvrability.
Other operators
During 1937, a batch of 14 B-534s was supplied to Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
; some of these aircraft were still in service when Germany launched the Invasion of Yugoslavia
The invasion of Yugoslavia, also known as the April War or Operation 25, was a Nazi Germany, German-led attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II. The order for the invasion was put fo ...
in early 1941. During 1937, a handful of fighters were delivered from Czechoslovakia to Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
, additional Greek B-534s appear to have been acquired from Yugoslavia as well.[Krybus 1967, pp. 6, 10.] During 1940–1941, these fighters were later used during the Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War (), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian campaign in Greece, Italian invasion of Greece, and War of '40 in Greece, took place between Italy and Greece from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. This conflict began the Balk ...
as part of efforts by Greece to resist the invading Axis forces.
Following Germany's forced annexation of the remaining "Czech" part of Czechoslovakia as the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was a partially-annexation, annexed territory of Nazi Germany that was established on 16 March 1939 after the Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945), German occupation of the Czech lands. The protector ...
on 15 March 1939, large numbers of captured B-534s were pressed into the ''Luftwaffe''. In German service, the type was heavily used as a fighter-trainer at several fighter pilot training schools; another major use was as a glider-tug and target tug, which involved those B-534s involved being outfitted with cables and release-gear.
Germany was also interested in potentially using the B-534 as a carrier-based aircraft
A carrier-based aircraft (also known as carrier-capable aircraft, carrier-borne aircraft, carrier aircraft or aeronaval aircraft) is a naval aircraft designed for operations from aircraft carriers. Carrier-based aircraft must be able to launch i ...
. In order to evaluate its suitability for such a role, three aircraft were equipped with tailhook
A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at sea, ...
and underwent structural strengthening before the commencement of a flight test programme; however, none of Germany's aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
s, the ''Graf Zeppelin''-class, were ever completed. The B-534 also featured in the German propaganda
Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...
movie Kampfgeschwader Luetzow in which the type was used as a stand-in for Polish PZL P.11, being painted in Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force () is the aerial warfare Military branch, branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as ''Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej'' (). In 2014 it consisted of roughly 26,000 military personnel an ...
markings.[Krybus 1967, pp. 7–8.]
Germany also sold a number of the captured B-534s to its allies, reportedly at 40 per cent of their original cost. Following the German occupation of Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
in 1941, the Axis-aligned Croatian Air Force
The Croatian Air Force ( or HRZ) is the aerial warfare branch of the Croatian Armed Forces. It is tasked primarily with safeguarding the sovereignty of Croatian airspace and providing aviation support to other branches during joint operations.
...
was created and supplied with B-534s by Germany, as well as the integration of remaining examples from Yugoslavia's own B-534s ordered prior to the outbreak of the conflict.
Variants
* B-534/1: First prototype.
* B-534/2: Second prototype.
* B-534-I: First production version. (cn's 2 – 101)
* B-534-II: (cn's 102 – 147)
* B-534-III: (cn's 148 – 173)
* B-534-IV: Closed canopy
Canopy may refer to:
Plants
* Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests)
* Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes
Religion and ceremonies
* Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...
(cn's 174 – 445)
* Bk-534: Cannon version (cn's 501 – 620)
Surviving aircraft
There are no real surviving airframes, but a B-534-IV replica is on display in the Prague Aviation Museum, Kbely
Kbely Aviation Museum () is the largest aviation museum in the Czech Republic and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. It is located to the north-east of Prague, at the military Prague–Kbely Airport, airport Kbely.
Creation of the museum
D ...
, Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. A second replica (Bk-534), using (like the Kbely example) some original parts, is displayed at the Museum of Aviation at Košice International Airport
Košice International Airport () is an international airport serving Košice, Slovakia. It is the second largest international airport in Slovakia. It is located to the south of St Elisabeth Cathedral, Metres above sea level, above sea level, c ...
, Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
.
Operators
: Bulgarian Air Force
The Bulgarian Air Force () is one of the three branches of the Military of Bulgaria, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and protect the sovereignty of Bulgarian airspace, and jointly with ...
– The Bulgarian Air Force operated between 48[Krybus 1967, p. 10.] and 100 aircraft (though mostly the number 78[Vraný 1994, p. 45.] is named), which they called "Dogan" (Hunting Hawk).
: Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia
The Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia (; ZNDH), was the air force of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), a puppet state established with the support of the Axis Powers on the territory of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia during World W ...
– An unknown number of Avia B-534 aircraft were supplied by the Germans.
: Czechoslovak Air Force
The Czechoslovak Air Force (''Československé letectvo'') or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force (''Československé vojenské letectvo'') was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia c ...
: ''Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
'' – The German Luftwaffe used most of the airframes confiscated from the Czechs. These aircraft served through the early years of the war as trainers
Sneakers ( US) or trainers ( UK), also known by a wide variety of other names, are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but are also widely used for everyday casual wear.
They were popularized by compani ...
, night fighters, and glider tugs; three were used to test carrier landing operations for the aborted . The Germans had another use as well: B-534s also starred disguised as Polish fighters in a German propaganda film, " Kampfgeschwader Lützow".[Krybus 1967, p. 8.]
: Hellenic Air Force
The Hellenic Air Force (HAF; , sometimes abbreviated as ΠΑ) is the air force of Greece (''Hellenic'' being the endonym for ''Greek'' in the Greek language). It is considered to be one of the largest air forces in NATO, and is globally placed 1 ...
– Greek businessman Giorgos Koutarellis, a millionaire expatriate living in Egypt, bought two B-534s and presented them to the Greek government in August 1936. They were lost in the chaos of 1941.
: Royal Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force (, ), is the air force branch of the Military of Hungary, Hungarian Defence Forces.
The primary focus of the present Hungarian Air Force lies in defensive operations. The flying units operate are organised into a single ...
– One B-534 was captured by the Hungarians during the border war in 1939 and tested for a period, carrying the code HA-VAB, later serialled G.192. The Hungarians concluded that the B-534 was an inferior aircraft to their existing fighters. In 1943 the B-534 was handed over to the Gliding and Aero Club at Győr
Győr ( , ; ; names of European cities in different languages: E-H#G, names in other languages) is the main city of northwest Hungary, the capital of Győr-Moson-Sopron County and Western Transdanubia, Western Transdanubia region, and – halfwa ...
, and was destroyed in 1945 when the Soviet Army overran the area.
:Together with three DFS 230 gliders, Romania received an unknown number of Avia B-534 tugs according to one source.
: Slovak Air Force
The Slovak Air Force, known since 2002 as the Air Force of the Armed Forces of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic (), is the aviation and air defense branch of the Military of Slovakia, Slovak Armed Forces. Operating 15 aircraft and 18 helicopters fro ...
– The Slovak Air Force operated several B-534s from Czechoslovakia.[Vraný 1994, pp. 46–49.]
* Slovak Insurgent Air Force
: A number (eight is given in some sources) of B-534s were allegedly used by the Soviets in a secret NKVD squadron to shadow flights of German aircraft.
Specifications (B-534 IV)
See also
References
Bibliography
* Bílý, Miroslav and Jiří Vraný. ''Avia B-534: Czechoslovak Fighter, 3rd and 4th Version (Model File)''. Prague, Czech Republic: MBI, 2008. . With 71 pages the most comprehensive detail publication about the B-534 to date.
* Chant, Chris. ''Aircraft of World War II''. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1999. .
* Cieślak, Krzysztof. ''Samolot Mysliwski Avia B.534 (Typy Broni i Uzbrojenia 34)'' (in Polish). Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, 1975.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* Green, William. ''Aircraft of the Third Reich'' Vol.1 (1st ed.). London: Aerospace Publishing, 2010. .
* Green, William. ''War Planes of the Second World War, Fighters, Volume One''. London: Macdonald & Co.(Publishers) Ltd., 1960. .
* Krybus, Josef. ''The Avia B.534 (Aircraft in Profile number 152)''. Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1967. ISBN B000-7K11J-M.
* Kudlička, Bohumil. ''Avia B.534 Czechoslovakian Fighter 1933–45''. Prague, Czech Republic: CMK, 2006. .
* "The Last Belligerent Biplane – The Avia B 534". ''Air International
''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd.
History and profile
The magazine was fir ...
'', Vol. 7, No. 1, July 1974, pp. 25–35.
* Rajlich, Jirí and Jirí Sehnal. "'Tatra Eagles' The Slovak Air Force in Combat 1942–1945. ''Air International
''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd.
History and profile
The magazine was fir ...
'', No. 56, Winter 1994. pp. 63–68.
* Šumicrast, Peter. "Avia B.34, B.534 a Bk.534, Slovenských Pilotov 1939–1944." ''HT model špeciál 905''. Poprad, Slovakia: HT Model, 2003, ISSN 1335-3667.
* Titz, Zdeněk. ''Czechoslovakian Air Force, 1918–1970''. Reading, Berkshire, UK: Osprey Publications Ltd., 1971. .
* Vraný, Jiří. ''Avia B.534'' (in Czech). Prague, Czechoslovakia: AeroArchiv, 1991. .
*
External links
Avia B.534 and Avia Bk.534 by Håkan Gustavsson
"Avia B.534"
Paul Tagliaferri ''The Great Planes'', 3 June 2002. Retrieved: 5 July 2006.
{{Authority control
Biplanes
Single-engined tractor aircraft
1930s Czechoslovak fighter aircraft
B-534
Aircraft first flown in 1933
Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear