Bf 109G-6 flown by Pavel Zeleňak of Letka 13, Slovak Air Arm. June 26, 1944.
The pilots of the Slovak Air Arm were withdrawn from the Eastern Front in late 1943 after a series of defections to the Soviets, angering the German commanders they were subordinate to. Their 109G-4's were turned over to the Croat squadron and the pilots returned to Slovakia by train. They were then tasked with flying homeland defense in obsolete 109E's which were hopelessly outclassed by the American fighters of the 15th Air Force. The U.S. Bombers often used the Slovak capital of Bratislava as the IP for missions into Austria, as Vienna was is only 33 miles away, but had not yet bombed targets in Slovakia.
Ironically, the only victory achieved by a Slovak Emil on one of these defense missions was a German Bf 110 in a case of double mistaken identity. The Slovak pilot thought the 110 was a P-38 and the 110 pilot reported being downed by a P-51 because of the square wingtip shape of the Emil.
In January 1944, The Slovak Air Arm was able to place a purchase for 15 new 109G-6's from Germany, which were all delivered from the Regensburg factory in February. The original German markings were painted over with similar camouflage colors and new Slovak insignia. The homeland defense missions continued through the spring with no enemy contact. The pilots were under unofficial orders to avoid combat with the Americans with the intent of saving the aircraft for a planned uprising against the Nazi occupiers of Slovakia. But circumstances were to undermine that effort in June as the Slovak government placed the Air Arm under the command of the Luftwaffe's 8th Fighter Division, tasked with defending Southern Germany, Austria, Hungary, and now Slovakia against the American bomber raids. The pilots of Letka 13 intended to continue following the unofficial orders to avoid combat and preserve the 109's regardless. An American mission on June 16th was passed by despite Bratislava being bombed. This resulted in much embarrassment among Slovaks and accusations of cowardice from the Germans. The pilots of Letka 13 vowed to regain their honor the next time the Americans were encountered...
Their chance at redemption came on June 26 with a 15th Air Force mission to targets in Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria. Eight 109's of Letka 13 were scrambled to intercept. The mission would prove to be an abject disaster. The Slovak pilots attacked B-24's from the 459th Bomb Group. One was shot down by pilot Gustáv Lang and two others were damaged, plus a B-17 from an unknown group was also damaged. The Slovaks were quickly pounced by American escorts of the the 52nd FG(P-51's) and 82nd FG(P-38's). Lang was shot down and killed just after claiming his B-24. Juraj Puškár and Štefan Jambor were also killed. Pavel Zeleňak in "White 6" was forced to ditch with damage, breaking his back in the crash landing. The aircraft was photographed in its belly-landed state. Only one Messerschmitt was able to return to the air base at Piestany. In total three of Letka 13's pilots were killed and Zeleňak was paralyzed. The Slovak fighter force was effectively eliminated in a single mission. By the time the Slovak National Uprising began on August 29, 1944 only two 109G-6's were left to take part. But they were put to good use with various pilots from Letka 13 claiming seven German aircraft shot down with the G-6's.
