"Little Entente" flying competition

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The " Little Entente " flying competition took place between August 26 and September 5, 1938. 45 pilots from Czechoslovakia , Romania and Yugoslavia took part. The overall winner was the Romanian pilot of German descent Eduard Franz Lindner.

history

The aviation-loving audience from the three allied countries Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia, representing the "little Entente", found itself in August 1938 on the eve of an extraordinary event. It was a sporting competition, characterized by love for aviation and mutual recognition, in which tourist pilots from Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia participated under the control of the relevant official aviation associations.

Organized under the auspices of the Aero Club of the Republic of Czechoslovakia, the competition took place over the national territories under the direction of the aviation forums of each participating country. However, shortly before the beginning of the Second World War, it was also an extraordinary political event, as these three countries wanted to demonstrate not only their political union , but also their military and aviation capacity. It is unknown what fate fell to the civilian and military participants in this competition. Probably many of them fell on the battlefields of World War II.

The presentation of the handling of the competition, which took place 70 years ago, is based on the reporting of the current (2004) and the then press (1938): the Romanian newspapers: «Universul» (the universe). «Timpul» (the time), «Ordinea» (the order) the magazine «Cerul Nostru» (Our Heaven) and the French newspaper «Le Moment» and other Romanian newspapers.

48 aircraft were entered for this competition, namely: 8 Romanian, 11 Yugoslav and 29 Czechoslovak. The Romanian aircraft were numbered from 1 to 8, the Yugoslav aircraft from 10 to 20 and the Czechoslovak aircraft from 30 to 54 (attached). In ideal flying weather, with a cloud cover over the mountain peaks, 35 of the 40 competitors who started have the very varied and difficult course, the 3274 km for category A (light aircraft with a cylinder capacity of up to 4 liters) and 3694 km for category B (aircraft whose cylinder capacity was between 4 and 12 liters) long. In each of these categories, the competitors have been divided into two sub-categories: Category Ia, professional pilots (military or airline pilots) and category II-a (civil amateur pilots).

Despite all the unfavorable weather conditions, only two Romanian teams (Matei Ghica Cantacuzino, Virgil Kerciu), two Yugoslav and one Czechoslovak teams abandoned the competition in its course. It was noteworthy that Romania provided the most "solo teams", namely 6 out of 8; Yugoslavia 2 out of 9. There was no solo team for Czechoslovakia.

The two pilots in the competition, Nadia Russo (Romania) and Zeleznikova Anna (Czechoslovakia), did excellently and finished all rehearsals. It looks like Valeria Ionescu from Romanian Team No. 7 is only acting as a passenger; Gheorghe Ionescu was entered as "solo" in the competition.

The competition was organized in the following stages:

stage date category route
I. Monday, August 29, 1938 A & B Prague - Zlín (252 km). Due to the weather conditions, the stage was continued on August 30th.
Tuesday August 30th, 1938 A & B Zlín - Uzhorod (421 km); Uzhorod - Cluj (331 km); Cluj– Bucharest (329 km)
II Wednesday August 31, 1938 A. Bucharest - Belgrade (450 km); Belgrade - Petrovgrad (62 km); Petrovgrad - Borovo (111 km); Borvo – Belgrade (180 km)
B. Bucharest – Belgrade (450 km); Belgrade - Zagreb (362 km); Zagreb – Belgrade (362.5 km)
III Thursday September 1, 1938 A. Belgrade - Arad (166 km); Arad – Cluj (190 km); Cluj– Košice (311 km); Košice– Bratislava (305 km)
B. Belgrade-Arad (166 km); Arad – Cluj (190 km); Cluj – Košice (311 km); Košice – Bratislava (305 km); Bratislava - Brno (116.3 km); Brno-Prague (199.5 km)
IV Friday 2nd September 1938 A. Bratislava-Brno (116.3 km); Brno – Praga (199.5 km)
V Saturday, September 3, 1938 A & B Speed ​​competition (over 100 km)


Technical details, honors

After the four long-haul flights and one speed flight, Eduard Lindner from Romania was declared the "absolute winner of the competition after landing in Prague". The selection of winners was made for each category, ie I, A and B; II, A and B, based on a formula in which the following parameters were included and evaluated: The total speed on the entire course, the highest possible average speed (based on the maximum speed of the aircraft), the regularity / correspondence (the smallest possible delay , in relation to the times given in advance by the competitors) and the maximum speed on a course of 100 km. In addition, the competition saw an absolute winner in all categories who could collect the most points from all pilots. To the honor of Romania and to the pride of the Aviation Association ARPA (Romanian Association for the Support of Aviation), this was the engineer Eduard Lindner, who took part with an ARPA aircraft. In the overall ranking of the competition, the engineer Eduard Lindner took first place with 989 points, out of a possible 1000, and in this way won the competition for “little understanding”. For this reason, the trophy, which was donated by the Czechoslovak Republic, was presented to the flying club from Romania that won the competition. In addition, the Royal Aviation Association of Romania accepted the trophy of the Aviation Association of the absolute winner.

Placement by category

Category IA : (professional or military team, engine under 4 liters):

  1. . Krč - Stehlik (Czech) 980 points;
  2. . Anderle (Czech) 977 points;
  3. . Mr. and Mrs. Ionescu (Romania) 965 points.

Category II A : (civil team, engine under 4 liters)

  1. . Vlad. Miklenda (Czech) 986 points;
  2. . Krejči-Šenk (Czech) 977 points:
  3. . Svoboda-Konečný (Czech) 973 points; 11. Ms. Nadia Russo (Rum.) 912 points.

Category IB : (professional or military team, engine over 4 liters):

  1. . Bjelanovič-Krelija (Yugoslavia) 965 points;
  2. . Grohovac (youth) 955 points;
  3. . Mrak-Hetenyi (youth) 948 points;
  4. . Frim (Rum.) 946 points; 6. Corbu-Rădulescu (Rum.) 934 points.

Category II B : (civil team, engine over 4 liters):

  1. . Eduard Lindner (Romania) 989 points;
  2. . Cociașu (Rum.) 974 points;
  3. . Lukačovič-Höfer (Czech) 969 points.

Awards, honors

The Romanian competitors were honored with the following trophies and prizes for their achievements:

Eduard Lindner:

  • “Prize of the Czechoslovak President Eduard Benesch”, which was presented to the best of all categories;
  • "ARCS Prize" (Czechoslovak Aeroclub Prague) - the gold medal, the winner in category II B,
  • “Prize of the Royal Romanian Aviation Association”, for the first in the overall ranking;
  • “Prize of the Czechoslovak Press”, and
  • a prize of 10,000 Czechoslovak crowns.

Ion Cociasu :

  • "Prize of the City of Prague",
  • the medal Bata,
  • the silver medal ARCS, and
  • a prize money of 7000 Czechoslovak crowns.

Gh. Ionescu:

  • “Brno City Prize” and
  • a prize money of 3000 Czechoslovak crowns.

Alexandru Frim:

  • Prize of the newspaper "Romania",
  • Price "Shell", and
  • the prize for the youngest Romanian participant.

Radu Corbu adjutant M. Radulescu

  • A chronometer that was intended for the competitor in sixth place in the respective category.

Mrs. Nadia Russo : a complete table service.

In addition, the Romanian competitors also received various other prizes in the form of art objects. The Romanian Oil Industry Prize was presented to the Yugoslav team Kotarac Radoslaw-Milenkowic Radmilo for the fastest time on the Cluj-Bucharest distance.

The competition took place in a unique camaraderie and sporting spirit. The chairman of the competition jury from the Czechoslovak side was Jan Bervida, his assistant Bohumir Matzner. They did most of the organization and technical work. Other members of the jury are the Yugoslav engineers Zivojin Stoianovic and Zorz Manojlovic from the Sports Commission (FAI). From the Romanian side, Mr. Spiridon Bob Varnav (management member ARPA), Lieutnand C-dor av. Gheorghe Iacobescu and the stewards Cpt. Mention C-dor Cezar Stiubei and Boris Perlis. The jury's task was very simple, as not a single contradiction or dissatisfaction, which was so numerous in other competitions, was reported.

The return of the Romanian participants after the success in Prague was delayed due to adverse meteorological conditions. On September 11, 1938, at 6 p.m., the plane of the winner of the flight competition "The Little Understanding", Eduard Lindner, lands at Băneasa Airport. The Romanian pilot returned to the capital without announcing his arrival, so no official reception could be organized.

The company LARES (the Romanian airline at that time) decided - through the general director, Komandor av. Andrei Popovic - to celebrate Ion Cociasu (commercial director) and Gheorghe Ionescu (company pilot). The Bucharest Municipal Works (UCB) also celebrated the engineers Eduard Lindner and Radu Corbu, from the technical department of this institution, for their valuable work.

During a reception given by the Romanian Royal Aviation Association, the Romanian aviators were honored for their echo-rich success: Eduard. Lindner, Valeria Ionescu, Gheorghe Ionescu, Ion Cociasu, Alexandru Frim and Radu Corbu. Mr Egon Nasta, the General Secretary of the Romanian Royal Aviation Association gave a speech that summarized the civil aviation situation at that time. On behalf of the Romanian Royal Aviation Association, Vice-President Oromolu has the pleasant task of congratulating the winners and thanking everyone who made it possible for it to take place. Eduard Lindner, the winner of the flight competition, spoke on behalf of the Romanian pilots.

The Romanian King Charles the 2nd, Eduard Lindner, paid tribute to the special merits in aviation, which resulted from the occasion of the competition of the "small understanding", winning the first place in all categories and thereby the victory of Romania June 24th, 1939 awarded the medal “for aeronautical bravery” class “golden cross”.

Biography Lindner

Eduard Franz Lindner was born on June 23, 1903 in Vama , Suceava County , Bukowina , Austria-Hungary and was a Romanian sports pilot and engineer . Eduard Lindner's grandfather Johann was a Bavarian immigrant and came from Trockau . Lindner attended high school in Câmpulung Moldovenesc . In December 1934 he completed his studies as a graduate engineer for electrical engineering at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Bucharest . As a member of the Metropola Aviation Association, he attended the pilot school of the Romanian Association for the Support of Aviation ARPA. On December 4, 1936, he received the "License as a pilot for tourism machines" No. 162 and the "License as a pilot" No. 456 on October 15, 1936.

Shortly before the start of the Second World War , Lindner was the winner of the "Little Entente" flying competition, in which he competed for Romania against numerous experienced pilots, many of them military pilots from Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia. He flew a French Caudron C.600 Aiglon aircraft with the registration YR-AAP . For his success he was honored by King Charles II of Romania with the Order of Aviation Bravery ( Romanian Ordin Virtutea Aeronautica ).

Lindner also took part in the competition for the “Leutnant Radu Beller” pilot's trophy with the same aircraft. On the route Bucharest – Braşov – Dărmăneşti – Iaşi – Chişinău – Cetatea Albă – Galați – Bucharest only three of eight teams started could reach the goal. On the Brasov-Darmanesti section he got caught in a fog bank and crashed in a forest, but survived despite severe damage to his aircraft.

From 1934 to 1945, Lindner was employed by Bucharest Stadtwerke (UCB) as head of the technical service, where he was involved in the redesign of the chain of lakes in northern Bucharest. During the Second World War, the officer was used to maintain the water supply and the sewerage system, which had been damaged by the bombing of Bucharest . Lindner also worked on a translation team at the Romanian Air Force headquarters. Here he translated documents such as flight regulations, brochures, manuals for aircraft and equipment delivered from Germany. For his services, he received the Order of Merit from the German Eagle on December 14, 1942 , third level with swords. After the war, Lindner was deported to the Soviet Union , where he had to do forced labor in a lead mine in the Urals for a year . In 1948 he returned to his home country, but was no longer able to fly because of his poor health. He then worked in Bucharest as a graduate engineer in the Ministry of Electrical Energy at various planning positions, including for studies and energy projects in Bucharest, for the wood industry, for building materials in industry, and at the trust for construction and energy .

From his marriage to the musicologist Stela Sava in 1939 two children were born. After his divorce, Lindner remarried in 1951. The Romanian secret service Securitate was suspicious of his German origins and the German order he was awarded and monitored Lindner until the end of his life. He died on May 27, 1964 after a serious illness and was buried in the Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest.

Publications

  • Manualul inginerului constructor , chapter “Amenajări hidroenergetice”, Bucharest, 1960, in Romanian

Attendees

(List corresponds to the Czechoslovak leaflet of the competition, 1938)

ROMANIA:
Name / owner Pilot / copilot Aircraft type / engine type Mark Competition category Competition number
Ing.Alexandre Frim / Brașov dtto Nardi FN.305 / Alfa Romeo, 180 hp YR-MIH I. 1
Ing.Ion Cociasu / Bucharest dtto Miles Hawk / Gipsy Major , 120 hp YR-FIL II B 2
Virgil Kerciu / Bucharest dtto Caudron Aiglon / Renault Bengali Junior YR-AAO IB 3
ARPA / Bucharest Ing.Eduard Lindner Caudron Aiglon / Renault Bengali Junior YR-AAP II B 4th
ARPA / Bucharest Ing.Corbu D. Radu / M. Radulescu ICAR Universal / Gipsy Major, 120 HP YR-AEY IB 5
Matei Ghica-Cantacuzino / Bucharest dtto Klemm Kl 35b / Hirth HM 60R YR-MGC II A 6th
Gheorghe Jonescu, Valeria Jonescu / Bucharest dtto Klemm Kl 35b / Hirth HM 60R YR-AES IA 7th
Russo Nadejda / Bucharest dtto Bücker Jungmann / Hirth HM 504 A 2 YR-NAD II A 8th
YUGOSLAVIA:
Name / owner Pilot / copilot Aircraft type / engine type Mark Competition category Competition number
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Kazimír Grohovac / Miloš Gagic RWD-13 / Walter Major 4 , 120 hp YU-PFE IB 10
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Milan Bjelanovic / Vičko Krelja RWD-13 / Walter Major 4, 120 hp YU-PFO IB 12
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Ivan Mrak / Milan Hetenyi Puss Moth / Gipsy Major, 105 hp YU-PAI IB 13
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Radoslav Kotarac / Radmilo Milenkovic Fizir Tl / Walter NZ-120, 120 hp YU-PDV IB 14th
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Josip Volarič / Ivan Kos SIM-X / Walter NZ-120, 120 PS YU-PFJ IB 15th
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Evgenije Bacic / Miloš Drakulic SIM-X / Walter NZ-120, 120 PS YU-PFK IB 16
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Milutin Anastasijevič / Dragoljub Milovanovic SIM-X / Walter NZ-120, 120 PS YU-PFL IB 17th
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Stanko Rapé Comper Swift / Pobjoy, 75 hp YU-PDS II A 19th
Aeroklub Kraljevine Jugoslavije Milivoj Arsenijevic SIM-VI a / Walter Mikron II YU-PEZ IA 20th
CZECHOSLOVAKIA:
Name / owner Pilot / copilot Aircraft type / engine type Mark Competition category Competition number
Moravskoslezský Aeroklub Brno František Kotiba / Gustav Parízek Be-150 / Walter Junior, 105 hp OK MOS II B 30th
Slovenský_Aeroklub Bratislava Julius Lukačovič / Hugo Höfer Be-150 / Walter Junior, 105 hp OK-SLI II B 31
Západočeský Aeroklub Plzeň Miloslav Petr / Jiří Jaňour Be-150 / Walter Junior, 105 hp OK-AZU II B 32
Aeroclub Zlín Josef Baroš / Miloslav Hill Puss Moth / Gipsy III OK ATU II B 33
Kopřivnická vozovka Kopřivnice Ing.Jaroslav Hausman / Ing.Jaroslav C. Beneš Tatra T-l01 / Tatra HM-504 , 100 HP OK-TAR II A 34
Moravskoslezský Aeroklub Brno Vladislav Krejčí / František Senk Tatra T-101 / Tatra HM-504, 100 HP OK TAO IA 35
Aeroklub Moravská Ostrava Rudolř Skuta / Oldřich Mayer Tatra T-201 / Tatra HM-504, 100 HP OK-TAS IA 36
Moravskoslezský Aeroklub Brno Vojtěch Krč / Josef Stehlík Praga E-117 / Praga D OK-PGH IA 37
Jihočeský Aeroklub České Budějovice Jan Steinbauer / Ing.Jan Koutek Be-50 / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK-EFO IA 40
Aeroclub Užhorod Rudolf Skorvaga / Emil Palichleb Be-50 / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK-EFN IA 41
Českomor.-Kolben-Daněk, Praha Jan Anderle / Oldřich Ullman Praga E-114 D / Praga D AOK-PGF II A 42
Aeroclub Zlín Vlastimil Večeřa / Emanuel Krejčí Zlín-112 / Persy III, 53 hp OK-LZX IA 43
Aeroclub RČS Praha Vladimír Miklenda / Ing.Jaroslav Polívka Tatra T-201 / Tatra HM-504, 100 HP OK-TAP II A 44
Jihočeský_Aeroklub České Budějovice Ing.Zdeněk Svoboda / Ing.Stanislav Konečný Be-555 / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK-BEX II A 45
Aeroclub RČS Praha Miroslav Plecitý / Vincenc Hodek Be-55 5 / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK – BEJ II A 46
Piešťany aeroclub Jan Vlk / Leopold Galbavý Be-51b / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK EMA II A 47
Hanácký Aeroklub Olomouc Ladislav Lošták / Josef Zománek Be-50 / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK – SFAO II A 48
Aeroclub RCS Praha Ing.Václav C. Vlasák / Ing.Vladimír C. Silhan Be-51 / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK-BEO II A 49
Hanácký Aeroklub Olomouc Metoděj Kluka / František Martinek Be-51b / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK-EMC II A 50
Pošumavský Aeroklub Klatovy Antonín Luňák / Frant. Loucký Be-51b / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK - EME II A 51
Aeroclub VS Praha Ing.Rudolf C. Protiva / Ing.Mirosl. C. Doubek Be-51b / Walter Minor, 85 hp OK EMF II A 52
Moravskoslezský Aeroklub Brno František Tlapák / František Komenda Be-550 / Walter Mikron II OK-BET II A 53
Aeroclub Zlín Anna Železníkova / Josef Bejšovec Zlín Z-XII / Persy II, 45 hp OK-TBN II A 54

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Aeroklub Republiky Československe / Letecká soutěž státy Malé Dohody, 1938 / 27.SRPNA AZ, 4 ZARI 1938
  2. ↑ Name: "Alexandru Lindner și Mihai Andrei": Eduard Lindner câştigătorul Concursului Aerian al Micii Înțelegeri August 26 - September 5, 1938 , magazine “ TOP GUN special România ”, no. 6 (55), section "Aeroclubul României", June 2004, p. 22, Verlag Top Design SRL, Cluj-Napoca, ( ISSN  1454-0436 )
  3. ↑ Article name: Aviatorii concurenți în raidul Micii Înțelegeri s'au întors în Capitală , “ Universul ” September 10, 1938, Bucharest.
  4. ↑ Eri, pe aerodromul Băneasa. A sosit o parte din concurenții români în circuitul aerian al Micii Înțelegeri , “Universul” -Sport, September 10, 1938, Bucureşti.
  5. ↑ Azi sunt sărbătoriți învingătorii în raidul Micii Înțelegeri , “Universul”, 17 Sep. 1938.
  6. ↑ Distribuirea premiilor aviatorilor învingători în raidul Micii Înțelegeri , "Universul", 18 Sep. 1938.
  7. ↑ Circuitul aerian al Micii Înţelegeri / Victoria sburătorilor Romani , " Timpul ", September 6, 1938th
  8. ↑ Un strălucit succes al sburătorilor români, Inginerul Lindner (IAR) a câştigat concursul aerian al Micii Înț´elegeri și cupa "EDUARD BENEȘ" , "Timpul", September 7, 1938
  9. ↑ Concursul aerian al Micii Înţelegeri a fost un triumf al Aviatiei Româneşti de turism , "Timpul" September 10, 1938, Bucharest
  10. ↑ Inginerul Lindner, câştigătorul circuitului aerian al Micii Înţelegeri, s'a înapoiat eri în capitala , "Timpul", September 12 1938th
  11. ↑ D. Ministru gen. Paul Teodorescu felicită pe organizatorii și învingătorul concursului Micii Înțelegeri , “Ordinea” magazine, September 10, 1938.
  12. ↑ Câştigând concursul aerian al Micii Înțelegeri inginer Lindner a adus aviației române o victorie binemeritată , “Ordinea” magazine, September 11, 1938.
  13. ↑ Un mare succes ARPA, Dl. Ing. Lindner la bordul unui avion ARPA câștigă Concursul aerian al Micii Înțelegeri , magazine “Cerul Nostru”, 9 Sep 1938
  14. ↑ Doui sburători - Ing Lindner şi Nadia Russo. , The magazine "cerul nostru", Sept. 16, 1938th
  15. ↑ Circuitul aerian al Micei Înţelegeri - privire Retrospectiva , the magazine "cerul nostru", Sept. 17, 1938th
  16. ↑ Le succès des aviateurs roumains au Concours Aéronautique de la Petite Entente , "Le Moment", September 8, 1938
  17. ^ La distribution des prix aux vainqueurs du Concours Aéronautique de la Petite Entente , “Le Moment” magazine, 18 Sep. 1938.
  18. ↑ După izbânda aviatorilor români în Rallyeul Micei Ințelegri , the magazine “Curentul” on 8 Sep. 1938
  19. ↑ Incheerea concursului aerian al Micii Înţelegeri. România câștigă cupa republicei cehoslovace , «Curentul», 9 Sep. 1938
  20. ^ Aviatorii români care au participat la concursul aerian al Micii Înțelegeri before fi sărbătoriți azi , the magazine «Capitala», 16 Sep. 1938
  21. ↑ Banchetul de aseară dela Cina oferit de către d. Ministru al aerului și marinei , « România », 18 Sep. 1938.
  22. ↑ Recepția dela Aero-Clubul Regal în onoarea învingătorilor din concursul aerian dela Praga și La Aero-clubul Regal Român , «România» 18 Sep. 1938.
  23. ↑ Sărbătorirea Aviatorilor Romani participanţi la Concursul aerian al Micii Înţelegeri , "Curentul", September 17 1938.
  24. ^ National Council for the Study of the Archives of the Securitate (CNSAS): Dosar MAI nr. 35413, Archiva operativă, Dosar Fond Information: Lindner Eduard; CNSAS No. I 133533
  25. ↑ http://www.zf.ro/ziarul-de-duminica/nadia-russo-bossie-i-intre-arta-si-zbor-3065321/ - 57k -
  26. ↑ http://paulgoma.free.fr/dl_links/documente/NADIA_RUSSO-Escadrila_Alba.php - 4k -