Tag Archives: No. 312 squadron

CZ Salutes WWII Free Czech RAF Squadrons

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CZ is marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a salute to the often unsung “Free Czechs” who served with the Allies with a special Spitfire-themed CZ 75.

Occupied by Germany on the eve of the conflict, just months before the shooting started, thousands of Czechs escaped to continue the fight against a common enemy.

Some 2,500 Czechs served in the British RAF during WWII, filling three fighter squadrons (No. 310, 312, and 313), one bomber squadron (No. 311), and one night fighter squadron (No. 68) as well as flying alongside British pilots in other squadrons. They also played a vital role in No. 138 Special Squadron, an outfit that dropped agents and supplies into occupied Europe– including Czechoslovakia.

A Czech Spitfire pilot of No. 313 Squadron
A Czech Spitfire pilot of No. 313 Squadron in conversation with his rigger and fitter at Hornchurch, 8 April 1942. (Photo: Imperial War Museum)

 

These men, exiles far from home, chalked up over 28,000 fighter sorties (at least 16 Czech “aces” flew with the RAF), dropped 2.6 million pounds of bombs on enemy targets, and made a difference from the Battle of Britain to the beaches of Normandy and beyond. Nearly 500 were killed in action.

The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The CZ 75 RAF special edition emulates the famed Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft, which was flown by many of the Czech fighter pilots serving with the British during the war. (All photos unless noted: CZ)
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The CZ 75 RAF includes lightening cuts in the slide that recall the exhaust stacks of the Spitfire’s Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, as well as a finish that includes “riveted” body panels. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The grips include a set of Czech aviator’s wings. 

 

The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The serial number sequencing starts with one of the Czech RAF squadrons, in this case, No. 310 Fighter Squadron. Note the British “bullseye” roundel. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
And it is repeated on the front of the slide. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The magazine base has a stylized RAF. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The RAF’s Latin motto, going back to 1918, “Per Ardua ad Astra,” which translates to “Through Adversity to the Stars,” is carried. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
Note the Czech roundel, which is still carried on the country’s military aircraft.
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
The CZ 75 RAF is a thing of beauty. 
The CZ 75 RAF special edition
Besides the pistol itself, its unique case recalls the avionics panel on the Spitfire, while its key is in the shape of the aircraft. Also included are an embroidered squadron badge patch and a hand-painted and signed Spitfire illustration by the well-known Czech painter and illustrator Jaroslav Velc.

 

Price? Availability? Just 56 CZ 75 RAF models will be created and will be offered…soon.

On a side note, as CZ now owns Colt, it would be neat to think that, at some point in the future, there may be a similar line of 1911s that salute famed American military units. Send those emails, folks!

Dutch Lawn Darts

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Over 2,500 Lockheed F-104 Starfighters were constructed across 30 years between 1954 and 1984– a lengthy run only bested in recent years by the F-16 and F-15 series. Of these, some 949 F-104G variants were built under license for West Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy by the ARGE consortium in Western Europe of which the Dutch firms of Fokker and Aviolanda were major partners.

F-104G starfighter diagram, April 1999 Flight magazine

In all, the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force) operated no less than 120 F-104Gs including 95 8000-series Fokker-built models and 25 Italian Fiat-built 6000-series birds, augmented by 18 Lockheed-built 5000-series two-seat TF-104G trainers in five squadrons (306, 311, 312, 322, and 323) in a mixture of recon, fighter bomber, and interception roles.

First ordered in 1959, the initial airframes started to trickle in by 1962 and they would remain in service until 21 November 1984, chalking up over 345,000 cumulative hours.

Drie Lockheed F-104 Starfighters van vermoedelijk 312 Sqn bevinden zich in een steile klim boven de wolken. NIMH 2157-048-021

Fokker F-104G Starfighter D-8098 of No. 322 Sqn at Leeuwarden. NIMH 2157_016018

The Fokker F-104G Starfighter with registration number D-8319 of No. 323 Squadron in a dive between the villages of Lies (right) and Formerum (left). Note the center double AIM-9 Sidewinder rail arrangement. NIMH 2039-02-01-01

Three Fokker F-104G Starfighters (D-8318, D-8061, D-8244), above the Air Force Electronic and Technical School (LETS) in Schaarsbergen, November 1983. The bottom two are marked to No. 312 Squadron of Volkel Air Base. NIMH 2156_023496

Early USAF F-105 FH-436; British Gloster Javelin XH771, Netherlands F-104G, D-8060 Canadian CF-104, 815 Belgian F-104G, FX07 German F-104G, DA+243 French Mirage IC 2-EI, Operation Seven-Up an international formation flown to mark the 13th anniversary of Allied Air Forces Central Europe on April 2nd 1964, taken at Voelkel. NIMH 2157_130-018

In the 1970s, they started to use the excellent Dutch-Italian-designed NVOI Orpheus Recce pod, which included five high-speed daylight cameras and an infrared scanner, for photo recon work.

Fokker RF-104G Starfighter D-8273 of No. 306 squadron with Orpheus pod (no.28), circa 1983. NIMH 2157_052451

A well-mustachioed Dutch recon pilot of an RF-104G of No. 306 Squadron preparing for a mission a Volkel. Note the squadron emblem on his helmet: a giraffe with the numbers 3-0-6 and a piece of film. Circa 1978. NIMH 2157_054096

A Lockheed RF-104G Starfighter from 306 squadron with a Giraffe in the cockpit, October 1974. NIMH 2157_050643

Dutch F-104G Koninklijke Luchtmacth RF-104G “D-8145” 306th Squadron, Volkel A.B. in 1978 markings via the Italieri kit

Replaced by early (Block 5) Fokker-built F-16A/Bs in the early 1980s, the last Dutch F-104s were flown by “The Sons of Bonzo” in No. 312 Squadron out of Volkel.

A Fokker F-104G Starfighter (D-8114) of No. 312 squadron with a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon (J-232 #78-0232) of No. 323 squadron in the foreground with a target tow modification under the wing, circa 1984. NIMH 2157_063-013

The farewell flight of the last five No. 312 Squadron Starfighters over the Netherlands on 21 November 1984: three Lockheed-built TF-104 two-seaters (D-5804, D-5803, and D-5810) and two Fokker-made F-104 (D-8063 and D-8258) single-seaters, all camouflaged, fly in formation at low altitude. NIMH 2157-048-007

Same as above, 2157_048-008

Correspondingly, The Sons of Bonzo will be the final Dutch F-16 squadron, with the last Viper replaced by F-35s in the coming months.

Sadly, as in many others, the F-014 in Dutch service had a terrible safety record, with no less than 43 written off while in service to the Queen.

For more images of the Starfighter in Duch service, the NIMH has over 800 of them digitized or about six for every airframe they flew.