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Archive Report: Axis Forces
1914-1918   1935-1945

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.


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UNDER DEVELOPMENT

in 1935 József Bejczy won the Ludovika II prize among of hundreds of candidates whereby each year a dozen young officers were formed at Szombathely airport for the then secret Hungarian air force.

The new students joined as auxiliary aids to become acquainted with the basic elements of the flight during their one-year team service.

Under the Treaty of Trianon (1920), Hungary was forbidden from owning military aircraft. However, a secret air arm was gradually established under the cover of civilian flying clubs. During 1938, as a result of the Bled agreement, the existence of the Royal Hungarian Air Force (Hungarian: Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő (MKHL)), was made known. The army's aviation service was reorganized and expanded.

Late 1938 the army aviation was once again reorganized. Admiral Horthy, the head of state, ordered that the army aviation should become an independent service effective 9 January 1939. Colonel Ferenc Feketehalmi Czeydner became the Air Section Chief in the Honvéd Ministry; Major General Waldemar Kenese became Inspector of the Air Force; Colonel Ferenc Szentnémedy became Chief-of-Staff, and Colonel László Háry was appointed head of the Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő (MKHL).

József Bejczy was lucky. He was assigned to the dream of every aspiring pilots: to fighters. Originally the first fighter flight regiment in Matthias was equiipped with the Italian CR-42 biplane.

CR-42 in Hungarian colours

It was transformed into the most modern aircraft of the Air Force, the one-sealed, retractable Helmet of the closed cabin of the Italian manufacturer. Its shape was also responsible for the air defense of the homeland.

It subsequently participated in clashes with the newly established Slovak Republic and in the border confrontation with the Kingdom of Romania. In April 1941, operations were conducted in support of the German invasion of Yugoslavia and, on 27 June 1941, Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union.

In 1940, the decision was made to unite the Air Force, the anti-aircraft forces, and the civilian air defense organizations under one central headquarters. Colonel László Háry was retired 24 December 1940, and on 1 March 1941 the new organization was constituted. General András Littay became Air Sub-Department Chief, and Colonel Géza Vörös was appointed Head of the Air General Staff. On 1 June 1941, the Air Defense Corps was established, and Lieutenant General Béla Rákosi became Commander of Army Aviation. In effect the Air Force had once again become part of the Army.

In June 1941, with the launching of Operation Barbarossa, the Hungarian Air Force was well-trained and moral high, yet by international standards her aircraft were outdated and her Air Force under strength.

There were eight fighter squadrons (96 aircraft), ten bomber squadrons (120 aircraft), ten battlefield reconnaissance squadrons (80 aircraft), one long-range reconnaissance squadron (18 aircraft) and one transport squadron (6 aircraft).

The main fighter types were the Italian Fiat CR-42 biplane (at least 40) and the Reggiane Re 2000 (built as Hejja in Hungary); bombers were Junkers Ju86Ks and Caproni Ca 135bis, while reconnaissance was undertaken by long-range Heinkel He170s and short-range He46s and Hungarian WM21s.

The Hungarian air brigade, dispatched to the Eastern Front in July 1941, encountered little opposition, yet attrition was high because much of its equipment was obsolescent. The brigade was recalled in December 1941 and plans were made for the licence production of German Me 109G and Me 210 warplanes. However, deliveries of these did not start until 1943 (1,200 warplanes being built in Hungary in 1943-44) and so some 200 warplanes were supplied from Germany, beginning at the end of 1942.

The new air brigade left for Russia in June 1942, but it was still poorly equipped. It comprised an independent fighter group equipped with Reggiane Re 2000s, 4/II Bomber Group with Caproni Ca135bis bombers, a long-range reconnaissance group of German Heinkel He 111s and the 3/2 Short Range Reconnaissance Squadron with Heinkel He46s: a total of some 100 aircraft. Ju-86 (shown above) were also used.

In the summer of 1942, an air brigade was attached to the Luftwaffe's VIII. Fliegerkorps on the Eastern Front. Beginning March 1944, Allied bomber raids began on Hungary and progressively increased in intensity. Late in 1944 all efforts were redirected towards countering the advancing Red Army, but to no avail. All fighting in Hungary ended on 16 April 1945.

First combat was applied in December 1942 when the replacement of the Hunter 2 subordinate was replaced by the 5 / I. as assistant lieutenant of the hunting class, he was assigned to the doni front in the rank of lieutenant. In the subordination of the class, the German Messerschmitt 109 has re-qualified 1/1. and 5/2 with the Héják. hunters. The former was in Rosszos, the latter with the department headquarters in Ilovesky. Like Aladár Heppes, direct co-worker, Bejczy fhdgy. principally engaged in the management of the class. However, when the harsh winter weather allowed him and he had the opportunity, he liked to get up. On January 5, 1943, he was flown with General Sergeant Zoltán Tóth for a half-hour mission with a Hail. On January 12, he got up with Sergeant Pál Domján for Ilovsky's quest for raiding.

Because of the Soviet breakthrough, the airport of Ilovskisko was evacuated. Lieutenant Bejczy, a class assistant, probably left the Ilovesky in front of the block with the car column of the class body. The earthly parts are Captain Aladár Heppes, 5 / I. under the command of a hunting class commander, they walked out of the encirclement in a pedestrian walk.

In March 1943, 5/2 hunters and class officers, including Bejczy fhdgy, were trained in Umany's modern German Messerschmitt 109 machines.

The 5 / I. hunting class "Two hundredths (1/1 and 5/2) equipped with Messerschmitts were stationed at the archipelago-based airport of Shkovn in April 1943. They were wearing the Red Puma Head badge of Major Heidegger A. Hejpeg A. Lieutenant Bejczy and two new his re-educated companion, for the first time in the company of two "Messer" companies, was set up for the first time on April 26. The next day, the "new", including Lieutenant Bejczy, was involved in a low-level attack.

Soon there would be an air warfare too. On April 29 morning, the four Hungarian pilots awaiting the arrival at the airport at the airport of Osnabas received radio notification of the arrival of six Soviet bombers from hunters. A Philippian jumper looking toward the east for the enemy, while his wheels and Sergeants Tarnay clashed steeply toward the clouds. Not finding the attackers Bejczy turned to the city where bombs exploded. Bejczy rose above one of the 300-meter flying bomber and opened fire with all his weapons. But his shoulder strap broke away, only his machine guns worked. Bejczy's sequences were well on the bomber's left engine, and soon smoke started to leak. The big Boston bomber then began to fall on a nose to fly, and managed to escape with increased speed. Then the machine encountered two red horses hunting. After a few rounds, they managed to approach them from behind, but they also fired to the east by falling fires. The two Hungarian pilots landed disappointed.

The lively aviation activity that started to prepare for the Battle of Kursk was eliminated to eliminate the scum. On July 6, Major Heppes and his auxiliary lieutenant Lieutenant Bejczy set sail for the Harkov-Belgorod airspace. For 45 minutes they walked around the front of the line without a hostile engine being detected.

On the way home, loose formations of the Il-2 fighters were found beneath them. Major Heppes, who was in command, approached a flight parade and approached 200 m in a falling round. With a series, he succeeded in silencing the sniper of the Soviet machine. At that point, Heppes lowered his 109 to the sinking machine and fired a long series into his oil cooler. When the smoke was precipitated, the loud voice of Lieutenant Bejczy, sitting in the escort, meant a Soviet Jak-1 hunter.

Heppes made a sharp upward turn when his aide officer announced that he had shot that hunter and caught his commanding officer. After landing the ground troops radio confirmed both air victories. Lieutenant József Bejczy was also a member of the Hungarian fighter planes that won the aerial fight.

There was a lively aviation activity throughout the month, during which the Hungarian 5 / I. pilots of hunting classs have increased their number of air victories by 20. Jozsef Bejczy, a class aid officer, reported on the release of a Boston bomber on July 19.

Air operations did not break in the Harkov-Belgorod section after the fall of the Kursk battle. The Red Army was prepared for the great counterattack, and the Soviet Air Force sought to acquire aerial supremacy. Hungarian machiners shifted to ground free hunting. On the first day of August, Captain György Újszászy and Lieutenant Bejczy were on the raft when the observers reported on radio that bombers were detected over Belgorod.

On reaching the city, Bejczy noticed three Boston bombers. Terrestrial air defense led the bombers towards them. Captain Újszaszy picked up one Soviet machine. First, to get herself, with a firing fire with a machine gun, which the backhand reckoned with. However, after a few series of speculations, the enemy machine gun stopped. He could now safely crush his weapon's bullet on the defenseless bomber, which soon began to fall. Lieutenant Bejczy said that he was in combat with two machines. He soon added that he was shot only one more time, because he shot the other. This increased the number of machines he had shot.

Lieutenant Bejczy flew more than a dozen combat missions, but did not increase the number of air victories on the eastern front.

In mid-August, the Soviet attack was over, so the German camp airports were deployed to the west. The Hungarian 5/2. a hunter had settled in Poltava and entered a direct German subordination. The 5 / I. classroom and 1/1. Forty-one-year-old Lieutenant General József Bejczy, after nearly one year of front-line service, joined the tribe on November 22, 1943, to Matthias.

The 5 / I. The "Puma" hunting class machines between 26 December 1942 and mid-August 1943 flew about 1,500 missions, and 39 confirmed and 10 claimed air victories were lost in four of their own machines. With hunting bomber and low offense, 160 covers, 2 train stations, 79 cars, 74 other vehicles, 2 locomotives and 8 firearms were destroyed.

Lieutenant Bejczy Yossef as unit 3-6. (Signum Laudis) and the Koronás Silver Military Merit (Nagy Signum), as well as the II. share. German Iron Cross.

The first summer of "Pumas" was a good knight school. For pilots and ground crew. During the Battle of Kursk, at a relatively low price, they could gather useful experiences that were soon needed in Hungary too.

In the spring of 1944, the strategic bombers of the 15th American Air Force, located on South-Italian aircraft, were also among the targets available to Hungary. On 3 April 1944, Allied aircraft operations aimed at curbing the military industry and traffic routes of Germany and its allies were attacked by an almost 700 bomber and a convoy of Hungarian targets. The deployment of 3 April demonstrated that the organization of the hunting fighters under armed rescue from Heyz to Messerschmitt 109 did not comply with the allies that attacked the great ties with strong hunters.

The scattered placement of Hungarian aircraft did not allow us to fight effectively with the American forces of hundreds of machines. Exercises carried out in centuries, in crosses, in machine shops only increase the losses of Hungarian hunters.

It was necessary to combine the fighter squadrons at different airports to set up a strong air defense fighter class at home. On April 6, 1944, Major Aladar Heppes, a former commander of the 5 / I hunting class on the eastern front, was named after the then-formed 101th fighter flight division. The airport of Veszprém has been nominated for the base of the group.

During the month, he moved to the 2nd century BC in Cluj-Napoca. (Dagger) fighter squadron. A 101/2. century in Szolnok 1/1. (Dongó) hunting club. The 3rd century class is the 5/3 of the Matthias area originally planned for air defense in Budapest. (Circassian) century, which was only in the state of organization at the end of April. Commander of the century was the 5 / I. hunting class assistant, József Bejczy, lieutenant. The fleet of the company's fleet was partially occupied by combatants returning from the operation area, mostly from the staff of replacement forces.

In April and May, the commander's former squadron's badge, the formation of the Red Puma Head, the Messerschmitts, and the re-training of pilots to new machines, passed. At the end of May, the Puma fighter squad was ready to fight the American ties with a large number of troops. Their motto was reflected in the class's motto: "We are the leader of courage, and our companion is luck."

The baptism of the class took place on June 14, 1944 when more than 500 B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Forces four-engine bomber attacked oil refineries and other destinations in Budapest, Bath, Komárom, Osijek and Sziszek. At 10 o'clock 25, 32 Hungarian fighters rose from Veszprém airport. The Hungarian machine was attacked by Vértes to fight a US hunting robber bomber attacking the capital, Komárom and Pétfürdő. Five American aircraft did not return. A Hungarian hunter crashed and suffered several minor injuries. Lieutenant Bejczy's first deployment against the Americans was unsuccessful because his weapons did not work.

On June 16, 1944, a large enemy squadron flew from the south to the Transdanubia to turn over to the targets of Germany over Lake Balaton. The bombers were protected by hundreds of adventurers. The 28 hunter of the Puma class got up that the approx. 500 bombers are attacked. The commanding officer wanted to make a side attack against one of the bomber groups by two centuries, and the third century was secured.

During the attack, the insurance company reported that enemy hunters were in the back of the Hungarian machine. A 101/1. By the end of the century, Major Heppes had completed the attack. Major Bejczy 101/3. The century did not attack the bombers, but fought with the Attacks that were attacking them, but the security guard 101/2. century also intervened in the fight. In the unfolding aerial warfare, both their own and their enemy hunters broke up. The scattered Hungarian machines fought for one or two hours with one or several armed men with American hunters attacking the large number of hostages. Under this, 4. Lightning, 1 Thudderbolt and 1 Mustang-type fighter were shot, 4 Hungarian pilots killed heroic deaths and two wounded. Lieutenant Bejczy opened a list of American machines he shot with P-38 Lighting huntsman, János Mátyás.

June 30, 1944 became the most successful day of Lieutenant Bejczy's fighter flight career. On this day, 450 bombers attacked 150 hunters. Due to the thick cloud over the Transdanubia and the bad governance, the bombing ties broke up and the accompanying hunters also lost contact with the bombers to be protected. Bombers and hunters of smaller 30-40 machines were attacked among the clouds by the Puma Class 22 aircraft lifting from Veszprém.

Lieutenant Bejczy managed to shoot a four-engine Liberator bomber and a P-38 escort in one shot. The number of shootings in aerial fights increased to 5 ½ and entered among those pilots who were called "Aces" for at least five aerial wins. He was awarded the Knight Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit in recognition of his courageous and successful struggle with the enemy overdrive.

On July 16, 1944, 380 US bombers supported 262 hunters in the vicinity of Vienna. On that day they did not attack their secondary targets in Hungary. Only engine failure and stray aircraft have been freed from their unnecessary bombs over Hungary. The 101st hunting class from Veszprém lifted near a Celldömölk near a retarded B-24 line, and as there were no US escort adventures nearby, they pursued persecution to Lake Fertő. Near the Blade, he shot B-24 Liberator to József Bejczy, Lieutenant, 101/3. Captain of the century.

In July-August 1944, the Puma Division had several missions, but no Lieutenant Bejczy had any data.

After 25 August, the Puma fighter squad reorganized during the regiment did not receive a deployment order against American aircraft ropes. This was the time to reorganize hunting in Hungary. Due to the collapse of the Romanian and the Balkan fronts, the aircraft formation transferred to Hungary belonged to several aircraft as well as to the entire Hungarian Air Force. Thus, they immediately took control of the entire area's airport operations, which was no longer protected by the Hungarian air defense but by the interests of the German Heeresgruppe Süd group of armies. The main point was to provide tactical missions.

The 101rd fighter hunting machines were re-deployed only in October. Their main activity, however, was the support of the Hungarian and German troops fighting against the Red Army in the territory of Hungary, and they were only less likely to meet the US and American targets for the Transdanubian and Austrian targets.

On November 4, 1944, József Bejczy, who was promoted as a centenary to the previous three days, In an air battle with Soviet hunters, Captain Bejczy, in his Abony region, was torn apart. His comrades and ground crew were waiting for his return home at Veszprém airport that day. Because his machine was not exploded or crashed above an enemy area, it was not found in his own area, József Bejczy was stolen in 101/3. hunter hunter, one of the most experienced Hungarian fighter pilots was declared missing.

Captain Bejczy's class had always bravely led his machine to fight against the enemy overdrive even when his faithful companion, fortune-teller, was relieved of his last pursuit.

In recognition of its courage, on November 8, 1944, the commander of the 101st Rangers Regiment extended the missing Captain Bejczy to the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit. He signaled the firm conviction that his commander-in-chief did not return to his fighting team because of his own fault, but as an enemy.

For more than sixty years, József Bejczy was obviously missing as a missing person. It was only found in the fall of last year and identified its remains on the ground with the staff of the Institute of Military History and Museum, south of Abony.

After a long absence, József Bejczy returned to Körmend for a lasting peace in his hometown. Your grave will be able to advertise with certainty: Bejczy József m. kir. Lt was born in Körmend On 9th October 1916, he died of heroic death on November 4, 1944 in Abony.


Acknowledgements: Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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