SLeS Air Day 1943

The air day was attended by the President of the Slovak State, Mr Jozef Tiso, General First Class Ferdinand Čatloš, Minister of Defence and commander of the Slovak Army, General First Class Anton Pulanich, commander of the Slovak Army’s ground forces, and SLeS Corps Commander Imrich Kubiš, an air force captain in the reserve.

On that day, the airfield changed from a grass field into a showcase for SLeS, sport aviation and the other organisations (HG) involved. The most numerous aircraft on the field were Z-XII trainers, which SLeS received as a gift from the German NSFK (Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps). If you take a closer look at the line-up of aircraft on the grass, the only type missing is the Zobor 1, built by the Nitra company Továreň na lietadlá Ing. Jaroslav Mráz.

The Zobor aircraft were handed over to SLeS gradually between March and June 1943. Ten aircraft were planned, but one was destroyed in a crash on 27 May 1943 near Výčapy-Opatovce.

If you have ever seen a Piper hijacking act with a drunk pilot at an air show in America, this is something comparable. Only the pilot is wearing traditional Vajnory folk costume.