F/O JICHA Vaclav

Slipka H. J.: Ohniva kridla

Official No.: 66 486 (787 567) Date and place of birth: 10th February 1914, Dnesice Date and place of death: 1st February 1945, Scotland

War Service

Unit	Since	To	Rank
310	06.08.1940	17.08.1940	Sgt
1	10.09.1940	17.11.1940	Sgt
17	17.11.1940	27.05.1941	Sgt, P/O
313	27.05.1941	17.08.1942	P/O, F/O

He came to No. 310 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron in Duxford as a Sgt on 8th August 1940. There he was assigned into squadron's reserve by reason of many pilots and because he hadn't conversion course for Hurricane yet. Retraining on Hurricane he started on 17th August 1940 at 6 O.T.U at Sutton Bridge. When he finished retraining, he was transfered back to No. 1 Squadron to Wittering. On 17th November he was transfered to No. 17 Squadron where he was one of pilots who flew first offensive flights over Dukerque on 10th February 1941. On 27th May he was sent to Catterick where he became one of founding members of No. 313 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron. On 17th August 1942 he finished operational duty and he was transfered to No. 41 Group of Technician Headquarters. He served as test pilot and after short time he became the test pilot at Vickers Armstrong Supermarine Factory at Castle Bromwich. There he served till May 1944 and during this time he tested 1287 Spitfires of many marks and some Avro Lancasters too. On 29th September 1942 he was awarded DFC for his excellent operational duty. In May 1944 se was transfered to No. 9 Maintenance Unit where he flew Spitfires again. His last unit was No. 45 M.U. where he died as passenger in crashnear Haddington on 1st February 1945 during a blizzard. He was only wounded but without help he froze to death. He was burried at Haddington in Scotland. He was an excellent pilot, one of the most excellent Spitfire pilots, but in the same time he was the "nightmare" of all RAF kit officers. He hate uniform and he loved pullovers and colouful scarfs. For his excellent and very useful non-operational duty as test pilot he was on 28th November 1945 awarded AFC in memoriam.