Ján Režňák
The Slovak Air Force (Slovak: Slovenské vzdušné zbrane, or SVZ), 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 attack.
History
One of the SVZ’s first air battles was in the Slovak–Hungarian War in March 1939 in which Hungary occupied Carpathian Ruthenia and parts of southern Slovakia. In this the SVZ suffered some losses against Royal Hungarian Air Force. The SVZ also took part in the German Invasion of Poland.
The SVZ took part in Axis offensives in the Ukraine and Russian Central front sectors of the Eastern Front under the lead of Luftwaffe in the Stalingrad and Caucasus operations. The engagement in the cost it great losses of aircraft and personnel.
For the rest of the war the SVZ fought US Army Air Forces and Royal Air Force raids against Slovakia.
The symbol of the Slovak air force was a blue and white cross similar to the German Balkenkreuz, with a red disc in the centre. It was carried on the tail and wings. Engine covers were painted yellow and there was a vertical line on the fuselage.
Training aircraft were supplied by Germany and Italy. To defend Slovak air space, the air force used Messerschmitt Bf 109 (E and G types), Avia B-534, and some other interceptor types. It was also helped by Luftwaffe units active in the area.
When Romania and the Soviet Union entered Slovakia, with some captured aircraft and defectors they organized a local Insurgent Air Force to continue the fight against Axis forces in country. Others served voluntarily in Luftwaffe units; later these air units were integrated to the reconstituted Czechoslovak Air Force after the end of the war.
Best friends Ján Režňák (in the cockpit) and Izidor Kovárik, two of the best pilots of the Slovak Air Force in WWII
Ján Režňák
Ján Režňák (14th April 1919 in Jablonica, Czechoslovakia – 19th September 2007 in Martin, Slovakia)
Ján Režňák was the top Slovakian fighter ace in the Slovak Air Force during the Second World War and accumulated 32 kills on the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union.
06.-08.1941: first battle tour on the Eastern Front – 13 combat missions over Ukraine
During his second deployment on the Eastern Front, Ján Režňák flew 194 combat missions, participated in 36 aerial combat and reached 32 confirmed kills. Other three victories were not confirmed.
He remained in German-occupied western Slovakia until the end of the war. When the front approached in the spring of 1945, Ján Režňák was offered to retreat with the Germans and fight in the Luftwaffe, but he refused.
After the arrival of the Red Army, he was brought to the local headquarters and handed over to the military court in Martin, but he was acquitted.
After WWII, he first worked at the airport in Trenzanské Biskupice, later in the Military Aviation School in Olomouc.
After the Communists came to power in April 1948, he was demoted and released. He subsequently worked as chief pilot and flight instructor for the firm Považské strojírny.
In 1951, after several attempts, the StB (State Security Services) took his pilot’s license definitively. He then worked as a designer, designer and inspection engineer in Považská Bystrica and Piešzany.
In 1979 he retired and lived in Piešzany.
After 1989 he applied for rehabilitation but failed.
Two of the best aces of the Slovak Air Force, (left to right) Ján Režňák and Izidor Kovárik after being awarded the German cross in gold.
Hobbymaster 1/48th scale BF 109E-3 “Jan Reznak” white2, 13.(slow.)/JG 52, Krasnodar, Jan 1943
Check out Hobbymaster’s latest 1/48th scale BF109E-3 model available to pre-order from Flying Tigers. Please click on the image/ link below to go straight to the model page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you for reading this week’s Newsletter.
Richard
Flying Tigers.
