Supermarine Spitfire. European Users, part three. Czechoslovakia, part two.

 

At the end of summer 1945 the Czechoslovak Squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) returned en masse from Great Britain to Czechoslovakia.
At that time this force consisted on three squadrons equipped with the Spitfire Mk.IXe, which in the Czechoslovak designation of military aircraft types, the Spitfire was given the number 'S-89', coming from the Czech word stihaci which means 'fighter'. The Spitfires were no re-numbered and kept their original RAF registrations.
After their arrival in Czechoslovakia the squadrons were reformed following the Soviet organizational doctrines into air divisions (letecká divize), each of them with two air fighter regiments (stihaci letecký pluk) each regiment corresponding to a RAF squadron. The Spitfires were kept in active service until the very late 1940s when the communist coup d'état took place in 1948 and the new government imprisoned all wartime Czech pilots and forced the acquisition of Soviet fighters to replace the Spitfires, namely the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 which was also manufactured locally under the designation of S-102.
In the meantime, Spitfires were also employed by the Military Aviation Academy (Letecka Vojenská Akademie) and many were also transferred the Militia Aviation (Bezpecnostní Letectvo - a policial gendarmerie corps). Under this command the Spitfires received civilian registrations, all of them starting with the code 'OK-'. 
Single fighters were transferred for experimental purposes to the research center (Vedecký Letecký Ústav) based at Letnany airport, close to Prague. For this purpose, they received individual tactical markings. 
As stated previously, most units operated the type until late 1947, with the exception of the Military Aviation Academy, which operated the type until 1948. The Spitfires were kept in storage until late 1948 when they were sold to Israel.

In total there were three Letecká Divize (numbered as 1, 2 and 3) and a total of six fighter regiments, 10 and 12 Stíhaci Letecký Pluk, under 1 Letecká Divize, 4 and 5 Stihaci Letecký Pluk under 2 Letecká Divize and 7 and 8 Stihaci Letecký Pluk under 3 Letecká Divize.

Sources:
1st AJ-Press - Monografie Lotnicze 40 - Supermarine Spitfire Part 3 (translated)
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Supermarine_Spitfire_operators#Czechoslovakia

Lavochkin La-5, Czechoslovak users

 

The Lavochkin La-5 was also employed by Czechoslovakia. The first Czech unit to be equipped with the La-5 was the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter Regiment (1st CS.IAP) of the Soviet Air Force (VVS) which was formed in late May 1944 in Moscow, by former RAF Czechoslovak pilots. 
The 1st CS.IAP was formed at Ivanovo and Kubinka air bases, and, after taking some formation with the La-5UTI (the two-seater trainer variant of the La-5) by June 1944 it was declared as combat ready. 
During the Slovak National Uprising, Jan Golian (leader of the Slovak rebels) asked the USSR for help, so the VVS sent the 1st CS.IAP which was stationed at Proskurov airfield, near Lviv, in the Ukrainian SSR. On 17th September 1944 they were rebased to Zolna airfield and, by 18th September they were already in action as they attacked the Luftwaffe base in Piest'any (Bratislava) destroying various enemy fighters. Shortly later, on the 20th they also attacked the Malacky-Novy-Dvor air base destroying more Luftwaffe aircraft to prevent them from intercepting American bombers of the 15th Air Force. Those attacks took the Germans by surprise, so they had to move both Schlachtgeschwader 77 and Jagdgeschwader 52 from southern Poland and Hungary respectively to fight against 1st CS.IAP.  During the Slovak National Uprising they provided aerial support by attacking German artillery positions and strafing ground troops, having to overcome the unsuitability of the La-5FN for the ground support as it lacked armour. 
When the uprising failed and the Germans retook the Slovak land, the 1st CS.IAP escaped back to Soviet lines. It was during this period that the unit flew a total of 573 sorties and destroyed 13 enemy aircraft with ten casualties. 
The unit was transferred to the newly created 1st Czechoslovak Independent Combined Air Division on 25th January 1945 and it served during the Soviet advances in southern Poland and Czechoslovakia providing aerial support to the 4th Ukrainian Front. 
After spending some time at Przemysl airfield the 1st CS.IAP was transferred to Poremba airfield from where they took off in their last mission escorting a formation of eight Il-2 Shturmovik attack planes bombing the village of Olza, in southern Poland. 
There was a second Czechoslovak Fighter Regiment undergoing training, but the war in Europe ended before their training could be completed. 

After the war, the Czechoslovak Air Force (CAF) was re-founded with, among many others, 31 La-5FN and La-5UTI fighters and trainers respectively, making Czechoslovakia, the only foreign user of the La-5.
The La-5FN was designated as 'S-95' in CAF service and the type had to be constantly overhauled as they were phased out in the USSR back in 1945. In July 1946 a group of Soviet specialists declared all but two La-5 non-airworthy and directed the fighters to be scrapped, discarding the order for an additional force of 60 La-7 (the successor of the La-5) to be delivered. 
After a further inspection by the CAF and the Czechoslovak Scientific Aviation Institute,  the La-5 were declared mostly flyable, except for aerobatics purposes. However, on static tests carried out on both La-5FN and  La-5UTIs, the wooden parts showed signs of exhaustion and so, every La plane was grounded on 13th December 1946.
Anyway, after further inspection, it turned out that the wooden airframe and other parts, were already counted in their calculations, so, during 1947 the La-5 was admitted again into the CAF. By 1st July 1948 the CAF had 23 La-5FN and LA-5UTI in strength but, by late 1948 the type was already being withdrawn from service. 
The last official unit to employ the La-5FN and La-5UTI was the Bezpecnostní letectvo, the aerial branch of the SNB (Czechoslovak National Police which existed from 1945 to 1991). 

Sources:

1st Signal Squadron - Aircraft In Action 169 - La5-7 Fighters in Action
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Czechoslovak_Fighter_Air_Regiment

3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sbor_národní_bezpečnosti 

4th https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezpečnostní_letectvo (translated)

Arado Ar.66

 

The Arado Ar.66 was a German single-engine two-seat training biplane developed during 1933.

Walter Rethel, Arado's chief designer, began its design back in 1931 looking for a new two-seat trainer. However, Rethel was hired by Messerschmitt and Walter Blume had to continue with the project. The first prototype, named Arado Ar.66a flew for the first time in 1932. 

The Ar.66 was powered through all its variants by a single Argus As.10 air-cooled inverted V8 engine which yielded around 240 hp of power and drove a two-bladed propeller. 

The fuselage had an oval cross-section and was entirely made of welded steel-tubes, covered in fabric. The double wings provided very high lift, also at low speeds. Both wings had the same span and were turned 8º backwards. It was made out of a double pine wing spar structure, with lime tree ribs and fabric covering. Both wings were fitted with ailerons and the tail was of conventional design with horizontal stabilizers mounted on the fuselage upper edge. the rudder was placed behind the elevators and both of them were made out of steel tube covered in fabric. These were one of the few changes that were made to the prototype, to make them bigger, since it presented balance problems. The undercarriage was welded to the fuselage in a "V" shape and used high-pressure rubber suspension. 

The crew consisted in two, a pilot and a trainee, seated in open tandem cockpits, equipped with dual controls. The aircraft was equipped with instrument flight systems with photographic cameras mounted as optional equipment.

There were three versions, the Ar.66a which was the first prototype, of which only a single machine was build, the Ar.66b and Ar.66B which was a floatplane variant, of which only 10 machines were completed and the Ar.66C which was the series production with modified elevators, larger rudder and larger-diameter wheels. 

The Ar.66 entered service with the Reichluftfahrtministerium (Reich's Aviation Ministry) in 1933 and then with the Luftwaffe in 1934, serving as a basic and ground-attack trainer well into World War 2. In 1937, a total of six Ar.66Cs were exported to Spain, to serve with the Aviación Nacional (National Aviation) the Air Force of the Nationalist faction of the Spanish Civil War, being that the only export sale of the type.

Since 1942, it was also used as a night-harassment ground-attack aircraft in the Eastern Front, and, in that role it was equipped with a single defensive MG-15 machine gun mounted in the observer's rear position and could carry a small amount of bombs or mines, in a similar manner that the Soviets did with the Polikarpov Po-2.

They saw service, together with the Gotha Go.145, in Nachtschlacthgruppen (Night Harassment Squadrons) 2, 3 and 5 serving in the Eastern Front, Nachtschlachtgruppe 8, in Finland and Nachtschlachtgruppe 12 in the Latvian region. 

During the latest stages of the War, when Romania switched sides, some Ar.66Cs were captured and pushed into service with the Romanian Air Force. Czechoslovakia also captured a bunch of those machines, as the Luftwaffe had set up many flying schools there. They were used as trainers with the newly re-built Czechoslovak Air Force during the postwar years.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_66

2. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_66 (translated)

3. http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other1/ar66.html (translated)

Junkers Ju.52/3m, Croatian, Czechoslovak and Danish users

 

The Junkers Ju.52/3m is a German cargo airplane that was produced since 1931 until 1952, since 1945 under foreign manufacturers though.

It comes no surprise that it was used by a wide variety of countries as it was very sturdy, versatile and easy to fly. Some of those countries that employed the type were the following ones:

• Independent State of Croatia: As an organic part of the Luftwaffe, the Croatian Air Force Legion, had at one moment at least one Ju.52/3m registered in January 1944. It seems that previously there were three of them which were used to transport personnel of the 15 (Kroat)/KG.3. The drawing should be considered as speculative because we couldn't find any graphical evidence of a Ju.52 serving with the Croatian Air Force Legion.
• Czechoslovakia: Just after the War, the airline Ceskoslovenské Letecka Spolecnost briefly operated the type by flying a Ju.52/3m to Bromma airport, in Sweden, on 1st February 1946.
  On 1st March 1946 CSA (Czechoslovak Airlines) resumed aerial operations with a fleet of, among other types, three Ju.52/3m (refurbished by Letov) and two Amiot AAC.1 (some sources claim it was three) transferred from the Czechoslovak Air Force between 1946 and 1948. This airline kept scheduled flights from Prague to various destinations all around Europe like Amsterdam, Belgrade, Berlin, Brussels, London Paris, Stockholm, Strasbourg and Warsaw, with many internal destinations like Bratislava, Karlovy Vary and Kosice. 
  One Ju.52/3m crashed when landing in Prague on 5th March 1946, killing ten of the fifteen total people on board, when operating a Paris-Strasbourg-Prague service. 
  After the communist coup in Czechoslovakia, in 1948, CSA was nationalised, so the whole country passed to the Soviet sphere of influence, making the Ju.52/3m and AAC.1s to be eventually replaced by the Lisunov Li-2 and surplus Douglas DC-3 supplied by Soviet authorities.
  Another Czechoslovak users of the Ju.52/3m was the Bata Shoe Company (headquartered in Zlin) which briefly operated a pair of AAC.1s to transport goods and materials between their factories. When the company was nationalised in 1948, the AAC.1s were passed on to the Czechoslovak Police Air Force. Eventually those two Amiot were sold back to France on 17th March 1951.
• Denmark: Det Danske Luftfartselskab (Danish Airlines - DDL) had one Ju.52/3m in property. This aircraft was acquired, with American-built Pratt & Whitney engines, on 8th August 1936 and was nicknamed as "Selandia". It suffered several accidents during 1937 and 1938, when flying regular flights from Copenhagen to various destinations, so a second one was leased from Deutsche Lufthansa. At the outbreak of World War 2, "Selandia" was ready again and resumed operations, this time with big Danish flags painted, as neutrality markings. When Germany occupied Denmark, in April the whole DDL fleet was parked, where it remained until operations were partially resumed in June, after the fall of France. On 18th December 1942 "Selandia" was lost to an accident when landing at Aspern, in Vienna.
  After the War, on 18th July 1945, one Ju.52/3m was leased by DDL, however, due to poor technical conditions of the airplane, it was returned three weeks later. Later, three Ju.52/3m were handled by the RAF to the Dannish Government with the intentions of incorporating them to the DDL's fleet, although eventually only one of them entered service. This Ju.52/3m was nicknamed as "Uffe Viking" and was used on the Copenhagen-Ronne, in the island of Bornholm as the small airfield of the island wasn't adequate to operate the Douglas DC-3. 
  The other two Ju.52/3m remained unused and were returned to the Danish Government in December 1948 which allocated them for firefighting practices in Kastrup. "Uffe Viking" was used until 4th February 1948, when it was stored at Kastrup awaiting a possible buyer. It was eventually bought by the Swedish company Aero Trafik on 23rd August 1950 and ferried to Sweden three weeks later.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Junkers_Ju_52_operators

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Airlines

3. https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/České_aerolinie (translated)

4. Fonthill Media - The Junkers Ju.52 Story
5. https://hrvatskoobrambenostivo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/the-croatian-air-force-in-the-second-world-war.pdf

6. https://military.wikireading.ru/26850 (translated)

Arado Ar.96/Avia C.2 Czechoslovak users

 

The Arado Ar.96 was a German single-engined low-wing monoplane made entirely out of metal which was produced not only by Arado Flugzeugwerke, but also by other companies under license. 

One of those was the Czechoslovak Avia which, from 1940 until April 1945 manufactured the type at their factories in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (the German-occupied Czech country) together with another Czech airplane manufacturer like Letov. 

As the war ended, many were put into service with the newly re-established Czechoslovak Air Force and, as the type was kept under manufacture after the war with the name of Avia C-2 (numbers show that between August 1945 - when the production line was set up again- and 1950 -when production of the Avia C-2 came to an end- four hundred and twenty six exemplars were manufactured at Avia's factories only. The C-2 was produced in two sub-variants, an unarmed one (C-2) and an armed one (C-2B). The armed variant was equipped with an MG 17 placed at the right side of the engine, had underwing bomb racks for a total of 70 kg (155 lb) of  bombs. Both variants were powered by the Argus 410A engine which powered the original German ones and they were also produced in Czechoslovakia after the war. 

As many of the original Ar.96 were put into use with the Czechoslovak Air Force after the war, and the type was also manufactured massively there after the war, it comes no surprise that it was the main trainer of the Czechoslovak Air Force during the post-war period. They were found to be fully suitable for the basic and advanced trainer roles but also for bomb and night-flying training. 

Thanks to their good flying characteristics, they were also used by the Czechoslovak National Security Corps which employed them more than once during the early 1950s to shot down ballons containing propaganda leaflets. They were also exported to Hungary and Bulgaria.

The C-2 were used by the Czechoslovak Air Force's academy until 12th December 1955 when, they were gradually withdrawn from service and replaced by the Soviet-made Yakovlev Yak-11. The last C-2 was used at Letnany air base in 1958 as a tow airplane.

Sources: 

1. https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_96 (translated)

2. https://www.valka.cz/Arado-Ar-96-t54856 (translated)

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford, part three, Belgian & Czechoslovak users

The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a British twin-engined multi-purpose aircraft that was designed and developed by Airspeed Ltd.. It was conceived as a trainer variant of Airspeed's previous design, the Airspeed Envoy, but it quickly grew as an aircraft of its own. It was exported to many countries, among them, Belgium and Czechoslovakia:

• Belgium: In July 1939 a single Oxford owned by Airspeed Ltd. was flown to Evere Airport, in Brussels. It was piloted by Georges B.S. Errington and the aircraft was to be displayed at the IIe Salon Aéronautique de Bruxelles (Brussels' Aeronautical Show). Shortly later, in August, the Belgian Aéronautique Militaire (Belgian Army's Aeronautical branch) announced the purchase of that particular machine. It was intended to be used for advanced training and communications role. In fact, back in March 1939 the Oxford had been selected as the winner competing against the French Potez 561, the Germans Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe and Siebel Si.204 Halle and the Italian Caproni Ca.310.
  After successful further trials, apparently the Belgian Oxford was registered as D-1. However, some sources claim it wasn't registered at all. Anyway, an order for further 5 machine was placed. Those additional Oxfords were to be assembled by both Renard and SABCA. However, that process was halted when Germany invaded Belgium in May 1940 and the Germans captured the aircraft (its fate is unknown). This single Oxford was used by the Ecole d'Aeronautique (Aeronautical School) based at Evere Airport, in Brussels and then it was transferred to No.3 Squadron of the Ecole de Pilotage (Pilots School) in Deurne, in Antwerp.
  After the war, for the newly founded Belgian Air Force, 30 Oxfords were ordered on 16th January 1947. Most of the Oxfords served with the Ecole Pilotage Avancé (Advanced Piloting School) and the 15th Transport Wing. Many of them were also used as base hacks in different wings through the Royal Belgian Air Force. In July 1955, the Belgian Air Force decided that every Oxford should be flown to their next main overhaul after which they were scrapped at Evere because their wooden structure didn't allow them to extend their useful live. Nowadays a single Oxford is preserved at the Royal Army Museum in Brussels.
• Czechoslovakia: A single Oxford T.1 (the trainer variant) which belonged to No.311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) flew, in September 1945 from RAF Manston, in Kent, to Prague with a crew of three. The machine was pushed into service with the back then, newly founded Czechoslovak Air Force. The Oxford then received various different codes and served with various units until 1950 when, due to a lack of spare parts the machine was abandoned and scrapped.

Sources:

1. http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/post_ww2/Airspeed%20Oxford/airspeed_oxford%20frontpage.htm

2. http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/interbellum/Airspeed%20Oxford%20I/Airspeed%20Oxford%20I%20Frontpage.html

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Oxford#Other_users

4. https://www.super-hobby.com/products/Airspeed-Oxford-Mk.I-II-Foreign-Service.html

Avro Anson, part six, some European Users

The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined multi-role aircraft that was used by many countries all around the globe. The following European countries had the Ansons serving with them:

• Belgium: In 1947 the British Government authorised deliveries of a number of Ansons Mk.I for the new Belgian Air Force. They were delivered to Evere airfield, in Brussels though few of them survived for long time. One was flying by No.7 Wing as a squadron hack flying crews to Schiphol, Amsterdam to work in Fokker's factory to pick up the newly built Gloster Meteor F.8 which were being manufactured under license there in 1950.
  The No.21 Smaldeel (Squadron) was equipped with Ansons which were separated into various different flights when the unit received the Douglas DC-4 for long range transportation.
  The Air Force's Main Transport Flight had also Douglas C-47s as its personnel was part of the No.525 Squadron during the War. This squadron was known as the 'Verbindingsflight' and took two Ansons into service when they departed RAF Hendon in August 1946. The flight was later upgraded to squadron-strength and named 'No.367 Squadron' and was later renamed as '21 Smaldeel' and was used for communications duties.
  One C.19 one was also used by SABENA (Belgian National Airline) to cover some internal aerial routes before it was sold to Air Congo and sent to the Belgian Congo. Two more served with Air Congo (making a total of three) and one of them served with John Mahieu Aviation in Brussels.
• Czechoslovakia: Three Ansons were given in total to Czechoslovakia after the War. Two Mk.XII and a single Mk.I but one of them crashed into the sea off the Danish coast. The remaining two were assigned to the Air Traffic Regiment of the newly formed Czechoslovak Air Force in 1946 and 1947. Their fate is unknown.
• Estonia: One Anson Mk.I was delivered to the Estonian Air Force in 1936 (although some sources claim it was in 1937). It received the serial 158 and when the country was occupied by the USSR, it was passed on to the Soviet Air Force.
• Finland: Before the War, the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force) ordered three Ansons Mk.I. Finnish pilots were trained at Woodford in Stockport, Greater Manchester and the first Anson arrived in Utti, Finland, on 27th September 1936. The three Ansons were initially used for twin-engined aircraft training, while the Bristol Blenheim bombers arrived. When the Winter War started on 30th November 1939, they were used for aerial reconnaissance works. During one of those missions, one of them was lost to a crash in February 1940, another one crashed in 1943, when it was written off. The last one survived until 1947 when it made its last flight.

Sources:

1. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 53 - Avro Anson

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Anson

3. http://britishaviation-ptp.com/avro652_3.html

4. https://www.armedconflicts.com/Avro-Anson-C-Mk-12-t50511

5. http://www.svazletcu.cz/eng/csl2_2.html#

Messerschmitt Bf.108, part three

The Messerschmitt Bf.108 was a German single-engine sports and touring aircraft that was used by many countries all around the globe. Among many users, it was also used by the next ones:

• Brazil: At least one was used by Viaçao Aerea Rio-Grandese (VARIG) airline during the 1930s and was most probably used as a VIP transport.
• Chile: One Bf.108 was purchased directly to Messerschmitt by the Chilean senator Carlos del Campo in the mid-to-late 1930s. After a brief period of using it as his personal transport, he sold it to LAN (Linea Aérea Nacional - National Airline) who operated the aircraft as a VIP transport and was painted with the colours depicted below. With the outbreak of World War 2, as spare parts became a problem, it was sold again to another unknown customer who kept it left to rot in a barn. In the mid 1960s some Chilean air enthusiasts tried to buy the plane but the owner sold it to some North American customer. It was then when the trace of this Bf.108 vanished. According to some people it was sent to the USA where it was repainted and restored to flying condition, while some other claim that it was repainted and shown in a museum. However, the real fate of the aircraft is still a mystery.
• Czechoslovakia: The Czechoslovak Air Force operated some ex-German exemplars after the War. They were renamed as K-70 and served with the Transport Squadron based at Prague's Kbely airbase.
• Japan: The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service bought some few Bf.108 for testing purposes. They were assigned to the Army Aviation Experimental Centre in Japan, where they were tested during the 1930s. After testing they decided to not order them and they were passed on to Manchukuo, their main puppet state in Asia.
• Manchukuo: From 1936 until 1940 the Manchukuo National Airways (MKKK) (which in spite of its name was a paramilitary organisation) used some Bf.108 ceded from Japan for light transport and reconnaissance duties. 
• Norway: It seems that some few ex-German machines were used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force during the post-war period. As we couldn't find graphical evidence, the colours should be considered speculative.
• Poland: The Polish Central Staff for the Aviation League operated some ex-German Bf.108 during the post-war period. It was also used by the Polish Internal Security Corps which was the Polish counterpart of the Soviet NKVD.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_108

2. http://www.warbirdalley.com/bf108.htm

3. Wydawnictwo Militaria 149 - Messerschmitt Bf-108 Taifun

4. https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=347

Avia S-92

Considering that every jigs, tools and component required to manufacture the Me.262 were left behind in Czechoslovakia by the Germans, were seized by the Soviets and then handed back to Czechoslovak authorities by the Marshal Ivan Konev, it comes no surprise that the Me.262A1-a was manufactured in Czechoslovakia after the World War II.

More precisely, Me.262 fuselages had been produced in Letnany, some other components were built in converted railway tunnels and CKD and Walter Works had manufactured the Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet engine at Cheb, close to the German border.
That way, enough components were recovered and/or manufactured to build 17 single and two-seat Me.262, flying the first single-seater one on 27th August 1946, even if on 5th September it was lost in an accident. A second one, named as Avia S-92 first series, flew on 24th October and was followed by the first CS-92 (the two-seater trainer variant) on 10th December.
It was dubbed Turbina (Turbine) and the 7th aircraft of the CS variant was fitted with a BMW 003 turbojets, with 950kgp of thrust power. However the flight test weren't satisfactory so it fitted back to the standard Jumo engines. The eleventh and twelth aircrafts were completed during 1949 and the summer of 1950 to equip the 5th Fighter Squadron which was exclusively flying the Turbinas, however this unit was disbanded a year later and the S-92 were scrapped.

Sources:
1. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
2. http://www.military.cz/czech/air/avia/s92/default.htm (translated)