2nd Štefánik Memorial 1936

Successful Olympic aviators attending. Little Entente delegations visiting the airfield. Foreign aviators participating. Exceptional aerobatics. Cooperation from the Czechoslovak postal service.

This year’s major air day will mark the second Štefánik Memorial competition. The organisers promised an event unlike anything Bratislava had seen. The Little Entente’s Permanent Council was to meet in the city at the same time, and its participants promised to watch military and civilian aviators perform. The Ministry of National Defence sent the entire group that had won second prize at the Berlin Olympics, adding displays previously seen only at military air days in Prague.

The M. R. Štefánik Slovak Aeroclub received a telegram announcing Lieutenant Novák’s participation in the well-known aerobatic team of Warrant Officer Široký, Sergeant Hubáček and Sergeant Motyčka. Major Ambruš, familiar to Bratislava audiences, wrote that he would perform an even more extensive display in a new aircraft than in Berlin. The period report described demanding solo aerobatics.

Preparations were under way at Vajnory civil airfield: honorary stands were being built for guests and delegations, the railway platform extended, and the gendarmerie and police arranged special security measures.

The postal administration cooperated with the organisers. Until Saturday evening, Bratislava 1 post office would mark letters and stamps with a special “Štefánik Memorial” cancellation. During the air day, Vajnory post office would remain open continuously and use the same postmark.

A special area was reserved for students. Czechoslovak State Airlines would also fly seven children under fourteen free in the “7 children fly free” promotion. On Saturday afternoon, leaflets were to be dropped over Bratislava, including vouchers for free flights above the city.

From noon, the electric railway and bus directorate would provide buses between the terminus of tram B at Tehelné pole and Vajnory, at five-minute intervals.

Passengers could buy combined return travel and airfield admission tickets from tram and bus conductors. The organisers recommended the shortest route. These combined tickets were not available on services from Prievoz (bus F), Petržalka (tram E and bus L), or the Železná studienka bus.