Karel Miloslav Kuttelwascher DFC and Bar was a Czech fighter pilot, and a flying ace of the UK's Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
32 Facts About Karel Kuttelwascher
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Karel Kuttelwascher was in combat service from May 1940 to October 1942, first with the French Air Force and then with the RAF.
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In 1945 Karel Kuttelwascher returned to Czechoslovakia but in 1946 he returned to Britain, where he made a civilian flying career with British European Airways.
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Karel Kuttelwascher died of a heart attack in 1959, aged 42.
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Karel Kuttelwascher was born in 1916 in the village of Svaty Kriz in Bohemia, now part of Havlickuv Brod in the Czech Republic.
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Aged 17, Karel Kuttelwascher started work as a clerk at a flour mill in Kladno northwest of Prague.
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Karel Kuttelwascher was posted to 1 Air Regiment, which assigned him to the 32nd Fighter Unit.
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The remainder, including Karel Kuttelwascher, stuck to their decision to leave Poland.
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Karel Kuttelwascher claimed that, while with the French Air Force, he destroyed or damaged several enemy aircraft.
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Karel Kuttelwascher was posted to a Czechoslovak depot at RAF Cosford in Shropshire and then to No 5 Operational Training Unit at RAF Aston Down in Gloucestershire, where he learnt to fly the Hawker Hurricane.
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On 3 October 1940, Karel Kuttelwascher was posted to No 1 Squadron RAF, which was equipped with the Hurricane Ia.
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Karel Kuttelwascher fought in the latter part of the Battle of Britain.
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On 2 February 1941, Karel Kuttelwascher may have shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter near Boulogne.
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In 1941 at a dance in Ruislip, Middlesex, Karel Kuttelwascher met Beryl Ruby Thomas.
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The squadron lost two aircraft, but Karel Kuttelwascher managed to damage one of the destroyers with his Hispano-Suiza HS.
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Karel Kuttelwascher had the greatest number of successful strikes of any night intruder.
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Karel Kuttelwascher's exploits were a great morale booster for his countrymen back home.
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On 8 July 1942, Karel Kuttelwascher was assigned to No 23 Squadron RAF at RAF Ford, not far from Tangmere, to continue night intruder missions.
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In October 1942, Karel Kuttelwascher was withdrawn from combat flying and transferred to the Czechoslovak Air Inspectorate in London.
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Karel Kuttelwascher gave lectures about the air war in Europe to the United States Army Air Forces and Royal Canadian Air Force.
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On his return, Karel Kuttelwascher was posted to No 32 Maintenance Unit at RAF St Athan in Wales.
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Karel Kuttelwascher returned to Czechoslovakia in August 1945, followed shortly after by his wife and children.
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Karel Kuttelwascher transferred back to the Czechoslovak Air Force, was promoted to Staff Captain and was posted to Ruzyne near Prague.
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Karel Kuttelwascher became concerned about the growing power of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia under Soviet patronage in the Third Czechoslovak Republic.
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Karel Kuttelwascher applied for a visa to return to the UK, which was eventually granted.
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Back in the UK, Karel Kuttelwascher initially flew light aircraft to maintain his skills.
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Karel Kuttelwascher then joined British European Airways as a first officer.
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In 1955, Karel Kuttelwascher started a greengrocery business, but continued to fly.
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Karel Kuttelwascher became a naturalised UK subject in January 1956.
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On 13 August 1959, Karel Kuttelwascher was on holiday in St Austell, Cornwall, when he suffered a heart attack.
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In 1942 Air Vice-Marshal Karel Kuttelwascher Janousek rated him as one of "The greatest figures among our fighter pilots".
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Karel Kuttelwascher was the RAF's highest-scoring Czechoslovak pilot, most effective night intruder and sixth-most-successful night fighter.