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The Air battle over Merklín was an air-to-air engagement between Czechoslovak and USAFE air units over the Czech village of Merklín, in the Bohemian Forest, on 10 March 1953. During the action Czech pilot Jaroslav Šrámek, flying a MiG-15 (from 5th Fighter Regiment, 2nd Squadron, Plzeň-Líně air base), shot down one of a pair of American F-84E Thunderjets (from 53rd Fighter Bomber Squadron, 36th Fighter-Bomber Wing). The American pilot, Lt. Warren G.Brown ejected from the aircraft, which crash-landed in German territory, approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) from the border, and survived.[1][2]

This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. (May 2017)

Air battle over Merklín
Part of Cold War
USAF Republic F-84E and Czechoslovak MiG-15UTI
Date 10 March 1953 Location Merklín, Czechoslovakia, Bohemian Forest Result Czechoslovak victory American F-84 fighter-bomber shot down
Belligerents
Czechoslovakia	United States
Commanders and leaders
Jaroslav Šrámek	Lt. Warren G. Brown
Strength
2 MiG-15	2 F-84 Thunderjet
Casualties and losses
none	1 F-84 shot down Pilot survived

It was reported in the London Times that the attack on the American aircraft was 10 miles (16 km) from the border near the town of Falkenstein, Bavaria.[3] The aircraft crashed near Regensburg, Bavaria and the burnt out wreckage of the F-84 was recovered by American soldiers.[3] The attack followed reports of other Czechoslovak aircraft over Bavarian territory. Brown, the pilot of the F-84, reported they were on a routine patrol along the border when they spotted two aircraft appear from the East, he was fired upon and bailed out after losing control.[3]

Popular culture

Incident was an inspiration for 1973 Czechoslovak film High Blue Wall which depicts fictionalised version of the incident.[4]

References

Sources

• "Czech fighter pilot recalls Cold War dogfight" by Collin O'Connor. Radio Prague, 4 October 2004
• Souboj nad Železnou oponou (Duel Above The Iron Curtain), 2000 article by Tomáš Soušek (in Czech)
• 23 March 1953 article from Life Magazine, pages 29 – 31, (via Google Books)

На других языках

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- [en] Air battle over Merklín

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[fr] Bataille aérienne de Merklín

La bataille aérienne de Merklín est un combat aérien entre des avions de la force aérienne de la République socialiste tchécoslovaque et de l'USAFE au-dessus du village tchèque de Merklín, dans la forêt de Bohême, le 10 mars 1953.

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