Karel Kuttelwascher
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Karel Miloslav Kuttelwascher DFC and Bar (23 September 1916 – 17 August 1959) was a Czech fighter pilot, and a flying ace of the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. He was in combat service from May 1940 to October 1942, first with the French Air Force and then with the RAF.
Karel Miloslav Kuttelwascher | |
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Nickname(s) | Kut Czech Night Hawk |
Born | (1916-09-23)23 September 1916 Svatý Kříž, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary |
Died | 17 August 1959(1959-08-17) (aged 42) St Austell, England |
Buried | Uxbridge, England |
Allegiance | Czechoslovakia France United Kingdom |
Service/ | Czechoslovak Air Force French Foreign Legion French Air Force Royal Air Force |
Years of service | 1934–46 |
Rank | Squadron Leader |
Unit | 44 Fighter Unit 32 Fighter Unit |
Commands held | "A" Flight, No. 1 Squadron RAF |
Battles/wars | Second World War |
Awards |
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Other work | British European Airways pilot |
Kuttelwascher, nicknamed "Kut", was the RAF's most successful Czechoslovak pilot, and one of the RAF's highest-scoring flying aces overall. In RAF service he shot down 18 enemy aircraft. He may also have scored numerous victories in French Air Force service, but these are unconfirmed as many French records were lost.
In 1945 Kuttelwascher returned to Czechoslovakia but in 1946 he returned to Britain, where he made a civilian flying career with British European Airways. He died of a heart attack in 1959, aged 42.