Neúspešný úlet nitrianskych mechanikov v júni 1939 do Poľska
Unsuccessful Flight of Two Mechanics from Nitra to Poland in June 1939
Autor: ŠUMICHRAST Peter
ŠUMICHRAST, Peter: Neúspešný úlet nitrianskych mechanikov v júni 1939 do Poľska
ŠUMICHRAST, Peter: Unsuccessful Flight of Two Mechanics from Nitra to Poland in June 1939.
Vojenská história, 18, 3, 2014, pp. 92-110.
The Author presents the as yet unpublished coeval document deposited in the Military Historical Archive in Bratislava, the content of which shows us the course of an unsuccessful flight of two aircraft mechanics – members of the Squadron 10 in Nitra. The flight of sldr. Pavol Rajták and sldr. Jozef Krošlák took place on 27 June 1939, 20 days after the successful flight of an 8-member group of the members of Slovak Air Force from the Piešťany airport to Poland. It is interesting that the two mechanics were not discouraged from their brave act even by the measures of the Slovak Air Force command, which were aimed at preventing such actions, as well as by the fact that none of the two was a trained pilot. In spite of the determination of sldr. Pavol Rajták and sldr. Jozef Krošlák, their effort to fly from Slovakia to Poland, where they intended to participate in the emerging Czechoslovak foreign resistance, was not crowned with success. The aircraft they used for their action crashed after technical problems caused by absence of theoretical knowledge and practical aeronautical skills of the pilot, sldr. Pavol Rajták, at the Orava village Nižná. The pilot of the aircraft saved himself using a parachute, however, his partner, sldr. Jozef Krošlák, died in the aircraft wreckage. After landing, sldr. Pavol Rajták was apprehended by Slovak security authorities and subsequently issued to prosecution which resulted in a judgement of the military court for imprisonment for 25 years and loss of civil rights for 5 years. In spite of that, the example of the pair of committed soldiers attracted attention of some of their colleagues – aviators, who were trying to get involved in the Czechoslovak foreign resistance by air during the whole period of existence of the Slovak Republic. Some of them succeeded in their attempts but some of them were punished.
Keywords: Military History. Slovakia. Slovak Aviators. Y 1939. Unsuccessful Flight to Poland in June 1939.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69809/vojhist.2014.18.3.6
Ročník: 18 | Číslo: 3/2014 | Stránky: 92-110
