František Peřina

Wing Commander General František Peřina (8 April 1911 – 6 May 2006) was a Czech fighter pilot, an ace during World War II with the French Armée de l'Air, who also served twice with Britain's Royal Air Force.

Biography František Peřina was born on 8 April 1911 in Morkůvky, Moravia, Austria-Hungary. He was born into a farming family. He undertook a full primary school education, before serving an apprenticeship as a machinist. Six months after qualifying he joined the Czechoslovak Air Force.

Czechoslovak Air Force Reporting to Prostějov airfield on 1 October 1929 after undertaking army officer training, he trained to fly the Letov Š-10 (nicknamed "Sardinka" /sardine/ by pilots), the Letov Š-14 and the Letov Š-18 "Komár" (mosquito).

In 1937, Peřina represented the Czechoslovak air force at the International Air Show in Zurich, Switzerland in an Avia B-534. There he met the German contingent headed by World War I ace Ernst Udet, the then chief of the Luftwaffe's office of supply and procurement, and Erhard Milch, second-in-command of the Luftwaffe. The German team were equipped with the Heinkel He 51 and the new Messerschmitt Bf 109. Peřina took third place in both aerobatics and in the climb-and-dive competition, and fourth in the cross-country flight: behind the German pilots.

The 34th fighter squadron was then transferred, and Peřina transferred to the 36th Fighter Squadron when it was rotated to the airfield with reconnaissance pilot Josef František, staying with them through the 1938 German occupation of Czechoslovakia. On 1 December 1939 Peřina was assigned to the 1ère Escadrille of Groupe de Chasse I, Escadre de Chasse 5 based at Suippes near Reims. The squadron was made up of French pilots who had attended the Zurich air festival, and commanded by Capitaine Jean Accart. His took on the French alias of François Rinopé, in case he was taken prisoner – the Germans would treat a French prisoner much better than they would an exiled Czech.

On operations after 10 May 1940, after Germany began implementing its Manstein battle plan against France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, Peřina shot down four planes in two sorties. He was also promoted to sergent-chef. The next day he shot down his fifth, thus becoming the first Czech ace in the Second World War. A day after that he shot down two more planes.

Royal Air Force After a 29-day boat trip, Peřina was allocated to No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF, flying Hawker Hurricanes.

Returned to Czechoslovakia Peřina returned to Czechoslovakia where his wife Anna had been imprisoned from 1942 to 1945. He became the Commanding Officer of a gunnery school and an aerobatic pilot with his own Bücker Bü 131 "Jungmeister" biplane provided by the air ministry. However, as the communists took power and the Cold War developed there was a questioning of the loyalty of those 'westernised' pilots who had served with the Allies. In December 1949 after an argument with Bedřich Reicin, Peřina was expelled from the army and forced to flee. In April 1949 Peřina, his wife Anna and a friend flew to West Germany, belly landing at Passau, from the Soviet zone.

Return to the RAF After his wife recovered in hospital from injuries received during the crash, he rejoined the RAF for five years, but at the age of 36 was not allowed to fly again. He joined the RAF rifle shooting team. Peřina applied for a United States visa in London in 1949 and emigrated to Canada, even though Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder tried to persuade him to stay.

North America In 1953 while in Canada he gained a job building fibreglass fishing boats, but also trained as a commercial pilot - however being over the age of 42 could not find work. In 2011 the Niue Island issued the 100 NZD gold coin depicting and commemorating the Legendary fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain, General Peřina. In 2017, the Czech Mint issued silver and gold commemorative coins (under the authority of Niue) paying tribute to František Peřina.

Combat record