Combat Report from the Battle of Britain - Josef Frantisek
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Josef Frantisek (the highest-scoring non-British allied ace in the Battle of Britain) Combat Report from the Battle of Britain, 1p, legal folio, DS, September 5, 1940, marked "SECRET" and submitted by Sgt. J. Frantisek, No. 303 (Polish) squadron.
"Scrambled to intercept e/a formation coming inland towards Biggin Hill. 100 e/a were vectored to main target escorted by fighters. Main formation of He111 in line abreast, vics of three. I decided to break the formation and picked a bomber to the center. I went in and gave a short burst from 800 feet closing to 200 feet. The bomber lurched and veered off to port upon my attack. I was then forced to break as a 109 got onto my tail. I rolled and gave a f/t climbing sharply to come round and onto his tail. I fired a long burst which hit him along the fuselage and engine. The cowling broke up and the E/A burst into flame. He turned and dropped vertically trailing smoke. My own engine began overheating and I was losing coolant. My aircraft was not performing properly and I thought I had been hit from return fire from the bomber I had attacked earlier. I decided to make for Northolt and I landed okay at 15:30. "
Josef Frantisek was a Czech fighter pilot and WW II fighter ace. He was the highest-scoring non-British allied ace in the Battle of Britain, with 17 confirmed victories and one probable, all gained in a period of four weeks in September, 1940. Frantisek was a brilliant pilot and combatant but frequently breached air force discipline. The RAF found it best to let him patrol alone, a role in which he was highly successful. He was killed in a crash in October 1940 in the final week of the Battle of Britain.
Note: You may want to watch "Mission of Honor" on Netfliks which is about this unit and Frantisek.
"Scrambled to intercept e/a formation coming inland towards Biggin Hill. 100 e/a were vectored to main target escorted by fighters. Main formation of He111 in line abreast, vics of three. I decided to break the formation and picked a bomber to the center. I went in and gave a short burst from 800 feet closing to 200 feet. The bomber lurched and veered off to port upon my attack. I was then forced to break as a 109 got onto my tail. I rolled and gave a f/t climbing sharply to come round and onto his tail. I fired a long burst which hit him along the fuselage and engine. The cowling broke up and the E/A burst into flame. He turned and dropped vertically trailing smoke. My own engine began overheating and I was losing coolant. My aircraft was not performing properly and I thought I had been hit from return fire from the bomber I had attacked earlier. I decided to make for Northolt and I landed okay at 15:30. "
Josef Frantisek was a Czech fighter pilot and WW II fighter ace. He was the highest-scoring non-British allied ace in the Battle of Britain, with 17 confirmed victories and one probable, all gained in a period of four weeks in September, 1940. Frantisek was a brilliant pilot and combatant but frequently breached air force discipline. The RAF found it best to let him patrol alone, a role in which he was highly successful. He was killed in a crash in October 1940 in the final week of the Battle of Britain.
Note: You may want to watch "Mission of Honor" on Netfliks which is about this unit and Frantisek.
Shipping Weight:
0.25 lb
Item # 20201
$1,100.00 USD
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