Avia B-534
Encyclopedia
The Avia
B-534 is a Czechoslovak
biplane
produced during the period between the Great War
and World War II
. The B-534 is considered one of the last aircraft built with a classic biplane
design.
with a license-built Hispano-Suiza
inline
powerplant, and fixed landing gear
. The air forces of the 1930s were reluctant to abandon the maneuverability and climb rates of biplanes for the speed of monoplane
s, even in the face of new and better technology. The success of the 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.
The first B-534 prototype
flew on 25th May 1933. At that time the aircraft was designated as the Avia B-34
.2. The prototype was sent for testing in September and was redesignated as B-534.1. On the 10 September the B-534 was displayed to the public for the first time at an Army
Air Day. It was to compete against the Praga E-44 and Letov Š-231. More testing followed and the first order of 147 aircraft for the Czechoslovak Air Force was placed on 17 July 1934. At that time, the B-534 was well ahead of its contemporaries. The United Kingdom
was still dependent on Hawker Furies
, with the first Gloster Gladiator
s being produced at this time. The Soviet Union
was placing its hope on its Polikarpov
aircraft designs. The United States
was still using descendants of the Curtiss Hawk
series, with the Seversky P-35
and Curtiss P-36
just about to fly prototypes.
A second prototype, the B-534.2 flew for the first time in September 1933. On the 14 April 1934 test pilot Václav Koćí
successfully gained the national speed record. Averaging 365.7 kmh (227.7 mph), he achieved a top speed of 395 kmh. The aircraft had a number of developmental changes including a closed canopy and metal propeller
.
First deliveries of the B-534 to the Czechoslovak air force began in October 1935, and 445 or so had been completed by 1938. 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 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 and then removed from the earlier aircraft. The first to fourth series aircraft were fitted with the Avia
licence built version of the Hispano-Suiza 12Y
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, reaching 750 hp after two minutes. At an operational height, it could reach 860 hp. Total fuel was 347 litres (76 gal) which was held in two fuselage
fuel tanks of 90 and 257 litres.
The II series completed the remainder of the first order from the Czech Government, These were forty-five 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 gun
s were located in the sides of the fuselage
, firing through the propeller
. One very modern innovation was a bubble canopy
. This was tested on a small number of the early series aircraft, although certainly not a standard fit.
In 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 carburator air intake. Mudguard spats were also often added at the factory to the main gear.
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 200mph, 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 tail skid with a tail wheel. Operational experiences had shown that the spat on the main landing gear could become clogged with mud on grassy airfields and cause take-off and landing problems. The spats were then often removed.
The superb performance of the aircraft was demonstrated at a flying exhibition in 1937. The aircraft was tested against the best in the world at the IV International Air Meeting at Zurich
's Dübendorf
airport. The B-534 entered three of the competitions. The first of these tested climbing and diving. A German
Bf 109
took first place and a Henschel Hs 123
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 kph slower than the German aircraft.
The abrupt partition of Czechoslovakia in 1939 prevented the use of the B-534 in combat 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
and Supermarine Spitfire
– were raising the bar of fighter/interceptor standards. Four sub-types were produced during the B-534's production run, all with mostly minor improvements.
One major variation was introduced in this production run. The Bk-534 was designed to carry one 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon firing through the nose and only two 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine guns to the sides. Developmental problems prevented the cannon from ever being used and, desperate to get more aircraft in the air, Avia decided to use a third machine gun in the nose only weeks before the German annexation of Czechoslovakia. Only three examples with this configuration were completed for the Czech air force, and the remaining production block was finished for the Germans.
(Slovak Air Force). Germany took control of the “Czech” part of Czechoslovakia as Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
, leaving the “Slovak” part, Slovakia, as a minor ally. Slovakia acquired some 80 B-534s and Bk-534s from the Czech air force and quickly had to use them against Hungary
during the border war of 1939
. Later, two squadrons of B-534s assisted the German
Luftwaffe
during the Invasion of Poland in September 1939. The same squadrons served with the Germans in Ukraine
during summer 1941, with one squadron returning in 1942 for anti-partisan duty. Obsolescence, lack of spare parts and the old Czechoslovak air force’s curious fuel mixture (BiBoLi, or some other mix of alcohol, benzol
and petrol) finally relegated the surviving B-534s to training duties.
This would have been the last of the B-534s in Slovak colors if not for the Slovak National Uprising
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 at Tri Duby
airfield. On 2 September 1944, Master Sergeant František Cyprich, just after testing a repaired B-534, downed a Junkers Ju 52
transport under Hungarian colors on its way to a base in occupied Poland
. This was at once the first aerial victory for the Uprising and the last recorded biplane 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 two B-534s at Tri Duby were burned as the base was evacuated on 25 October 1944.
Bulgaria
bought 78 B-534s in 1939, well after the partition. The last batch of these aircraft arrived in March 1942. On 1 August 1943, seven of these aircraft were able to make two passes at American Consolidated B-24 Liberator 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. After the anti-German coup of 9 September 1944, Bulgaria switched sides overnight and its B-534s were often used in ground attacks against German units. On 10 September 1944, 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 the low altitude and the B-534's maneuverability.
, Czech Republic
.
A second very convincing replica, using (like the Kbely example) some original parts, is displayed at the Slovak Technical Museum
at Košice International Airport
, Slovakia
.
Bulgaria
: Bulgarian Air Force
operated between 48 and 100 aircraft (though mostly the number 78 is named), which they called "Dogan" (Hunting Hawk).
Independent State of Croatia: An unknown number of Avia B-534 aircraft were supplied by the Germans.
:
Germany:The German Luftwaffe
used most of the airframes confiscated from the Czechs. These aircraft served through the early years of the war as trainers
, 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".
Greece:A Greek businessman bought two B-534s and presented them to the Greek government. They were lost in the chaos of 1941.
Hungary: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.
Kingdom of Romania:Together with three DFS 230
gliders, Romania received an unknown number of Avia B-534 tugs according to one source.
Slovakia:Slovenské vzdušné zbrane
(Slovak Air Force) operated several B-534s from Czechoslovakia.
: 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.
Avia
Avia is a Czech aircraft and automotive company notable for producing biplane fighter aircraft, especially the B-534, and trucks.- History :...
B-534 is a Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
produced during the period between the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The B-534 is considered one of the last aircraft built with a classic biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
design.
Design and development
The B-534 was designed as a single-engine biplane fighterFighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
with a license-built Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza
Hispano-Suiza was a Spanish automotive and engineering firm, best known for its luxury cars and aviation engines in the pre-World War II period of the twentieth century. In 1923, its French subsidiary became a semi-autonomous partnership with the parent company and is now part of the French SAFRAN...
inline
Inline engine (aviation)
In aviation, an inline engine means any reciprocating engine with banks rather than rows of cylinders, including straight engines, flat engines, V engines and H engines, but excluding radial engines and rotary engines....
powerplant, and fixed landing gear
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
. The air forces of the 1930s were reluctant to abandon the maneuverability and climb rates of biplanes for the speed of monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
s, even in the face of new and better technology. The success of the 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.
The first B-534 prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
flew on 25th May 1933. At that time the aircraft was designated as the Avia B-34
Avia B-34
-References:P. Schumirast, J. Andal. Avia B-34, B-534 a Bk-534 .Jiri Vrany. Avia B-534 ....
.2. The prototype was sent for testing in September and was redesignated as B-534.1. On the 10 September the B-534 was displayed to the public for the first time at an Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
Air Day. It was to compete against the Praga E-44 and Letov Š-231. More testing followed and the first order of 147 aircraft for the Czechoslovak Air Force was placed on 17 July 1934. At that time, the B-534 was well ahead of its contemporaries. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was still dependent on Hawker Furies
Hawker Fury
The Hawker Fury was a British biplane fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. It was originally named the Hornet and was the counterpart to the Hawker Hart light bomber.-Design and development:...
, with the first Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
s being produced at this time. The Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
was placing its hope on its Polikarpov
Polikarpov
Polikarpov Design Bureau was a Soviet OKB for aircraft, led by Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov. After his death on 30 July 1944 at the age of 52, his OKB was absorbed into Lavochkin, but with some of its engineers going to Mikoyan-Gurevich and its production facilities going to Sukhoi...
aircraft designs. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was still using descendants of the Curtiss Hawk
Curtiss Hawk
Curtiss Hawk was a name common to many aircraft designed and produced by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, most of them fighters:-Curtiss Model 34 & Hawk I:...
series, with the Seversky P-35
Seversky P-35
The Seversky P-35 was a fighter aircraft built in the United States by the 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 U.S...
and Curtiss P-36
P-36 Hawk
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
just about to fly prototypes.
A second prototype, the B-534.2 flew for the first time in September 1933. On the 14 April 1934 test pilot Václav Koćí
Vaclav Koci
Vaclav Koci is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman. He played with HC Pardubice in the Czech Extraliga during the 2010–11 Czech Extraliga season.-External links:...
successfully gained the national speed record. Averaging 365.7 kmh (227.7 mph), he achieved a top speed of 395 kmh. The aircraft had a number of developmental changes including a closed canopy and metal propeller
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
.
First deliveries of the B-534 to the Czechoslovak air force began in October 1935, and 445 or so had been completed by 1938. 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 either side of the engine in a similar manner to the Avia B-34
Avia B-34
-References:P. Schumirast, J. Andal. Avia B-34, B-534 a Bk-534 .Jiri Vrany. Avia B-534 ....
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 and then removed from the earlier aircraft. The first to fourth series aircraft were fitted with the Avia
Avia
Avia is a Czech aircraft and automotive company notable for producing biplane fighter aircraft, especially the B-534, and trucks.- History :...
licence built version of the Hispano-Suiza 12Y
Hispano-Suiza 12Y
The Hispano-Suiza 12Y was a French aircraft engine in the pre-WWII era. Developed from the earlier, and somewhat smaller, 12X, the 12Y became the primary 1,000 hp class engine and was used in a number of famous aircraft, including the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 and Dewoitine D.520...
drs engine. This was a liquid cooled V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
cylinder engine with a capacity of 36.05 litres. On the ground its normal power rating was 650 hp, reaching 750 hp after two minutes. At an operational height, it could reach 860 hp. Total fuel was 347 litres (76 gal) which was held in two fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
fuel tanks of 90 and 257 litres.
The II series completed the remainder of the first order from the Czech Government, These were forty-five 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 gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s were located in the sides of the fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
, firing through the propeller
Propeller (aircraft)
Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
. One very modern innovation was a bubble canopy
Bubble canopy
A bubble canopy is a canopy made like a soap bubble, which attempts to provide 360° vision to the pilot.-History:Bubble canopies have been in use since World War II. The British had already developed the "Malcolm hood", which was a bulged canopy, but the British Miles M.20 was one of the first...
. This was tested on a small number of the early series aircraft, although certainly not a standard fit.
In 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 carburator air intake. Mudguard spats were also often added at the factory to the main gear.
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
Letov Kbely
LETOV is an aircraft company located in Prague - Letňany, Czech Republic. It is the oldest aircraft company in the region.Letov was founded in 1918 by the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Defense to repair World War I trophy planes. The first indigenous aircraft, the Letov Š-1, was designed and built in...
(Hochfeld) Hd-43 propeller. The various refinements allowed the IV series to have an increased speed of over 200mph, 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 tail skid with a tail wheel. Operational experiences had shown that the spat on the main landing gear could become clogged with mud on grassy airfields and cause take-off and landing problems. The spats were then often removed.
The superb performance of the aircraft was demonstrated at a flying exhibition in 1937. The aircraft was tested against the best in the world at the IV International Air Meeting at Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
's Dübendorf
Dübendorf
Dübendorf is a municipality in the district of Uster in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is a suburb of Zürich in Switzerland with a population of about 23,000 . It is the fourth largest city in the canton, after Zürich, Winterthur, and Uster.-History:Dübendorf is first mentioned in 946 as...
airport. The B-534 entered three of the competitions. The first of these tested climbing and diving. A German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
took first place and a Henschel Hs 123
Henschel Hs 123
The Henschel Hs 123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close-support attack aircraft flown by the German Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War and the early to mid-point of World War II...
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 kph slower than the German aircraft.
The abrupt partition of Czechoslovakia in 1939 prevented the use of the B-534 in combat 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
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
and Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
– were raising the bar of fighter/interceptor standards. Four sub-types were produced during the B-534's production run, all with mostly minor improvements.
One major variation was introduced in this production run. The Bk-534 was designed to carry one 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon firing through the nose and only two 7.92 mm (0.312 in) machine guns to the sides. Developmental problems prevented the cannon from ever being used and, desperate to get more aircraft in the air, Avia decided to use a third machine gun in the nose only weeks before the German annexation of Czechoslovakia. Only three examples with this configuration were completed for the Czech air force, and the remaining production block was finished for the Germans.
Operational history
The B-534 was first used in combat by the Slovenské vzdušné zbraneSlovenské vzdušné zbrane
The Slovak Air Force , 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 strikes...
(Slovak Air Force). Germany took control of the “Czech” part of Czechoslovakia as Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was the majority ethnic-Czech protectorate which Nazi Germany established in the central parts of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia in what is today the Czech Republic...
, leaving the “Slovak” part, Slovakia, as a minor ally. Slovakia acquired some 80 B-534s and Bk-534s from the Czech air force and quickly had to use them against Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
during the border war of 1939
Slovak-Hungarian War
The Slovak–Hungarian War or Little War , was a war fought from March 23 to March 31/April 4, 1939 between the First Slovak Republic and Hungary in eastern Slovakia.-Prelude:...
. Later, two squadrons of B-534s assisted the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
during the Invasion of Poland in September 1939. The same squadrons served with the Germans in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
during summer 1941, with one squadron returning in 1942 for anti-partisan duty. Obsolescence, lack of spare parts and the old Czechoslovak air force’s curious fuel mixture (BiBoLi, or some other mix of alcohol, benzol
Benzol
Benzol may refer to* Benzole* Benzene* Phenol* British Benzol, which was one of the largest independent oil distributors in the UK. It went into administration on 16 August 2005...
and petrol) finally relegated the surviving B-534s to training duties.
This would have been the last of the B-534s in Slovak colors if not for the Slovak National Uprising
Slovak National Uprising
The Slovak National Uprising or 1944 Uprising was an armed insurrection organized by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II. It was launched on August 29 1944 from Banská Bystrica in an attempt to overthrow the collaborationist Slovak State of Jozef Tiso...
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 at Tri Duby
Sliac Airport
Sliač Airport , historically Letisko Tri Duby - is an international airport in central Slovakia, between Zvolen and Banská Bystrica, near the spa town of Sliač. The airport has one runway, which is 2,340 m long...
airfield. On 2 September 1944, Master Sergeant František Cyprich, just after testing a repaired B-534, downed a Junkers Ju 52
Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
transport under Hungarian colors on its way to a base in occupied Poland
History of Poland (1939–1945)
The history of Poland from 1939 to 1945 encompasses the German invasion of Poland as well as the Soviet invasion of Poland through to the end of World War II. On 1 September 1939, without a formal declaration of war, Germany invaded Poland...
. This was at once the first aerial victory for the Uprising and the last recorded biplane 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 two B-534s at Tri Duby were burned as the base was evacuated on 25 October 1944.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
bought 78 B-534s in 1939, well after the partition. The last batch of these aircraft arrived in March 1942. On 1 August 1943, seven of these aircraft were able to make two passes at American Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers returning from the raid on Ploieşti
Ploiesti
Ploiești is the county seat of Prahova County and lies in the historical region of Wallachia in Romania. The city is located north of Bucharest....
. 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. After the anti-German coup of 9 September 1944, Bulgaria switched sides overnight and its B-534s were often used in ground attacks against German units. On 10 September 1944, 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 the low altitude and the B-534's maneuverability.
Variants
- B-534/1 : First prototype.
- B-534/2 : Second prototype.
- B-534-I : First production version.
- B-534-II :
- B-534-III :
- B-534-IV : Closed canopy
- Bk-534 : Cannon version
Survivors
There are no real surviving airframes, but a very convincing B-534 replica is on display in the Prague Aviation Museum, KbelyPrague Aviation Museum, Kbely
Prague Aviation Museum, Kbely is a major aviation museum located at Prague's original airport at Kbely, north-east of the town centre near Route 10 .-History of Kbely Airfield:...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
A second very convincing replica, using (like the Kbely example) some original parts, is displayed at the Slovak Technical Museum
Slovak Technical Museum
The Slovak Technical Museum is a museum based in the eastern Slovak city of Košice, with branches throughout Slovakia. It was established in 1947 and opened to the public in 1948 under name Technical Museum , renamed in 1983 to the current name.-Museums:The main museum has expositions focused on...
at Košice International Airport
Košice International Airport
Košice International Airport serves Košice, Slovakia and is the second largest international airport in Slovakia. It is located to the south of St. Elisabeth Cathedral, above sea level, covering an area of . It serves both scheduled and chartered, domestic and international flights...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
Operators
BulgariaHistory of Independent Bulgaria
The Treaty of San Stefano of March 3, 1878 provided for a self-governing Bulgarian state, which comprised the geographical regions of Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia. Based on that date Bulgarians celebrate Bulgaria's national day each year...
: Bulgarian Air Force
Bulgarian Air Force
The Bulgarian Air Force is a branch 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, to provide aerial support and to assist the Land Forces in case of war. The Bulgarian Air...
operated between 48 and 100 aircraft (though mostly the number 78 is named), which they called "Dogan" (Hunting Hawk).
Independent State of Croatia: An unknown number of Avia B-534 aircraft were supplied by the Germans.:
Germany:The German LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
used most of the airframes confiscated from the Czechs. These aircraft served through the early years of the war as trainers
Trainer (aircraft)
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...
, night fighters, and glider tugs; three were used to test carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
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".
Greece:A Greek businessman bought two B-534s and presented them to the Greek government. They were lost in the chaos of 1941. Hungary: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. Kingdom of Romania:Together with three DFS 230DFS 230
|-See also:-External links:* http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/dfs230.html* http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/dfs/dfs230.htm...
gliders, Romania received an unknown number of Avia B-534 tugs according to one source.
Slovakia:Slovenské vzdušné zbraneSlovenské vzdušné zbrane
The Slovak Air Force , 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 strikes...
(Slovak Air Force) operated several B-534s from Czechoslovakia.
: 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
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.