Avia B-534-IV - Slovak insurgent & Early Slovak users

Today it's the turn for the first part of the Slovak users of this airplane.

After the fall of the Czechoslovak Republic, the newly stablished Slovak Air Force seized the B-534 that were based in their territory and , when the war started back in September 1939, they were the only official ally of the Luftwaffe.
The Slovak Air Force committed three squadrons to fight against Poland. Two of them were fighter squadrons. However, the Slovak units limited themselves to occupy only some parts of northern Slovakia that had been under Polish control since 1918. Their participation was limited to the escort role of German Ju.87 during eight missions performed from Vinné air base close to the Slovak city of Michalovce.
It was during this campaign that the catár (Sergeant) Viliam Grun was shot down in Polish territory but wasn't taken prisoner as he scaped back to Slovakia.
Another pilot, the desiatnik (Corporal) Viliam Jaloviar was killed in a landing accident after returning from a sortie in Presov.
The only confirmed victory of the B-534 during the Polish Campaign came on 26th September when a two-airplane patrol attacked, and shot dow, a Polish RWD-8 that was fleeing to Hungary by the catár Grun. The Polish airplane force landed near Presov.

Some years later, during the autumn of 1944, the B-534 formed the backbone of the combined squadron of the Slovak Insurgent Air Force. Even if the Slovak National Uprising failed, the last operational air mission of the B-534-IV happened during that event when the Master Sergeant Frantisek Cyprich shot down a Hungarian Junkers Ju.52 which was on it's way to a base in Poland. That was the first aerial victory for the rebel air force and the penultimate biplane air-to-air victory. As the rebellion was being crushed, the B-534-IV were burned at Tri Duby when the base was burned on 25th October 1944 to prevent it's usage by the axis users.

Sources:
1. http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/avia_slovakia.htm
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_B-534
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Avia B-34

Here we are again, this time with another Czechoslovak fighter airplane.

It was the first design of Frantisek Novotny for the Avia Company who later would design the famous Avia B-534.
It was an all-metal single bay biplane of conventional configuration with tailwheel undercarriage and the main wheels were fitted with large spats.
The first prototype made it's maiden flight on 2nd February 1932 and that leaded to some modifications specially on the tail and engine cowling. The revised version was ordered by the Czechoslovak Air Force. An experimental version of this airplane, fitted with an Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs piston engine was the official prototype of the Avia B-534-I.
It was powered by an Avia Vr.36 which was a licensed version of the Hispano-Suiza HS-12Nbr engine, which could deliver 740hp of power. It was armed with two fixed forward-firing 7.92mm vz.28 machine guns fitted in nacelles in the front-lateral part of the airplane.

Twelve B-34 entered service in September 1934 with the Czechoslovak Air Force and they served in the 37. Stíhací Letká (37. Fighter Squadron) where they served until 1937 when they were relegated to training duties. Even if it had bad reputation it was a robust airplane with only one crash during it's active career.
Eight were seized by Germany when the Czechoslovak State ceased to exist in March 1939 and at least three were lost in crashes and most probably others were retired from use. The remaining ones were handed over to the new Slovak Air Force which used at least one of them for training purposes at the Tri Duby airfield until at least August 1944 when they became part of the combined squadron of the Slovak Insurgent Air Force in September 1944. However there are no evidences that they were used in combat and they were destroyed by the Slovaks when the uprising failed.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_B-34
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters