Na křídlech Španělské republiky 1936-1939 – Matyáš Svatopluk (2014)

Unlike the book Fighters over Spain, in which the author tried to capture the most important aerial battles of the Spanish Civil War with an emphasis on the activities of fighter aviation and to introduce some of the aces and types from both warring sides, this work provides readers with the most comprehensive picture of the remarkable fighter pilots of the Spanish Republic, both domestic and foreign. Although most members of the Spanish air force remained on the side of the government at the beginning of the uprising, the best fighter pilots, with few exceptions, joined the ranks of the rebels, which, along with the arrival of Italian and German aircraft and pilots, significantly contributed to the fact that by the end of October 1936, the Republican fighter aviation was practically wiped out. Its resurrection and a fundamental turnaround in the situation came only with the arrival of Soviet pilots and the I-15 and I-16 types. This significant force was later supplemented by some outstanding individuals from other countries. From the Battle of Belchite in the summer and autumn of 1937, fresh Spanish graduates of the first training course in Soviet Kirovabad also began to assert themselves, from which a number of top fighter pilots and commanders gradually emerged. It also does not forget several remarkable members of the international squadron Espaňa, who, along with Spanish veterans and...