Bristol Blenheim, part four. More foreign users

 

The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber designed and manufactured by Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was used during the first half of the Second World War by the Royal Air Force (RAF), but by many foreign users too:

• Poland: Reportedly, No.307 (Polish) Night Fighter Squadron operated two Blenheims. One of the Mk.I variant and another of the Mk.IV variant. 
  Furthermore, one Blenheim ad-hoc converted into VIP transport was used as the personal transport of General Wladislaw Anders, commander of 2nd Polish Corps. As we couldn't find pics of these Blenheims, the drawings should be considered as speculative.
• Portugal: In order to honor their ancient alliance, ensure their neutrality and use their bases in the Azores Islands, the Portuguese Government was provided with various British aircraft. Among them was a bath of 12 Blenheim Mk.IVf in September 1943. These were assigned to Esquadrilha B (Squadron B) of the Aviaçao Naval (Naval Aviation - Portuguese Naval Air Arm) which made for its first land-based unit. They were serialled B-1 to B-12 and were based at Portela de Sacavem, in Lisbon.
  The Aeronáutica Militar (Military Aeronautics) received ten Mk.IV which were assigned to Esquadrilha ZE (Squadron ZE) based at the town of Ota and commandeered by Captain Joao Jose Ribeiro Ferreira, who died on 30th August 1944 when his Blenheim crashed. 
  Three additional Mk.Vs were supplemented later. These Mk.Vs flew also with the Aviaçao Naval, though it's not clear if these were the same that had previously belonged to the Aeronáutica Militar. Anyway, the Blenheims remained in service with Portugal until 1948.
• Romania: The Romanian Government was among the first customers of the Blenheim Mk.I. They received a batch of 34 Blenheim Mk.I between May and November 1939 to equip their bombing and long range reconnaissance squadrons Nos.1,2,3 and 4 of the Fortele Aeriene Regale ale Romaniei (FARR - Royal Romanian Air Force). When Romania joined the Axis in November 1940, spare parts for British-supplied aircraft became a problem, which was somehow eased with the inclusion of three ex-Yugoslavian Blenheim Mk.I and spares in September 1941. 
  The Romanian Blenheims saw action during the Barbarossa Campaign, from 21st June 1941 onwards. During the initial opening stages of that campaign, four Blenheim were lost to Soviet anti-air fire. The Blenheims were used in support of Romanian ground troops during the siege of Odessa in 1941. However, logistic problems for the British-supplied aircraft were being felt this early on in the campaign and in late 1941 the FARR was largely withdrawn to rest. By early 1942, only 13 Blenheim were in active, number which was increased, thanks to the work of FARR's mechanics, to 27 later that year.
  Escadrila 1's (Squadron 1) Blenheims flew recce missions supporting Axis troops in their assault on Stalingrad. This squadron lost four Blenheim during that campaign and then they withdrew to Ciocarlia, in Romania, where they flew their Blenheim covering the northern areas of the Black Sea. The Blenheims in this squadron remained in active until 23rd August 1944, though, by that date they had only six serviceable machines, and one of them was shot down by friendly fire near Ploesti and other was captured by the advancing Soviet forces.
  When Romania switched sides in late August 1944, the three remaining Blenheims were employed for reconnaissance duties. However, they were in such poor condition that they were assigned to transport duties and, eventually, they were withdrawn from active service after an eventful career with the FARR.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bristol_Blenheim_operators#Poland

2. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 26 - Bristol Blenheim

3. Osprey Publishing - Combat Aircraft 5 - Blenheim Squadrons of World War 2

Arado Ar.66

 

The Arado Ar.66 was a German single-engine two-seat training biplane developed during 1933.

Walter Rethel, Arado's chief designer, began its design back in 1931 looking for a new two-seat trainer. However, Rethel was hired by Messerschmitt and Walter Blume had to continue with the project. The first prototype, named Arado Ar.66a flew for the first time in 1932. 

The Ar.66 was powered through all its variants by a single Argus As.10 air-cooled inverted V8 engine which yielded around 240 hp of power and drove a two-bladed propeller. 

The fuselage had an oval cross-section and was entirely made of welded steel-tubes, covered in fabric. The double wings provided very high lift, also at low speeds. Both wings had the same span and were turned 8º backwards. It was made out of a double pine wing spar structure, with lime tree ribs and fabric covering. Both wings were fitted with ailerons and the tail was of conventional design with horizontal stabilizers mounted on the fuselage upper edge. the rudder was placed behind the elevators and both of them were made out of steel tube covered in fabric. These were one of the few changes that were made to the prototype, to make them bigger, since it presented balance problems. The undercarriage was welded to the fuselage in a "V" shape and used high-pressure rubber suspension. 

The crew consisted in two, a pilot and a trainee, seated in open tandem cockpits, equipped with dual controls. The aircraft was equipped with instrument flight systems with photographic cameras mounted as optional equipment.

There were three versions, the Ar.66a which was the first prototype, of which only a single machine was build, the Ar.66b and Ar.66B which was a floatplane variant, of which only 10 machines were completed and the Ar.66C which was the series production with modified elevators, larger rudder and larger-diameter wheels. 

The Ar.66 entered service with the Reichluftfahrtministerium (Reich's Aviation Ministry) in 1933 and then with the Luftwaffe in 1934, serving as a basic and ground-attack trainer well into World War 2. In 1937, a total of six Ar.66Cs were exported to Spain, to serve with the Aviación Nacional (National Aviation) the Air Force of the Nationalist faction of the Spanish Civil War, being that the only export sale of the type.

Since 1942, it was also used as a night-harassment ground-attack aircraft in the Eastern Front, and, in that role it was equipped with a single defensive MG-15 machine gun mounted in the observer's rear position and could carry a small amount of bombs or mines, in a similar manner that the Soviets did with the Polikarpov Po-2.

They saw service, together with the Gotha Go.145, in Nachtschlacthgruppen (Night Harassment Squadrons) 2, 3 and 5 serving in the Eastern Front, Nachtschlachtgruppe 8, in Finland and Nachtschlachtgruppe 12 in the Latvian region. 

During the latest stages of the War, when Romania switched sides, some Ar.66Cs were captured and pushed into service with the Romanian Air Force. Czechoslovakia also captured a bunch of those machines, as the Luftwaffe had set up many flying schools there. They were used as trainers with the newly re-built Czechoslovak Air Force during the postwar years.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_66

2. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_66 (translated)

3. http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other1/ar66.html (translated)

Junkers Ju.52/3m in Romania

 

Note: This is our last post before spring break.

The Junkers Ju.52 is a German cargo and passenger plane from the 1930s which was produced by the thousands and, thanks to its versatility and easiness to pilot, it quickly became the main airplane for many airlines around the world, among them, the subject of this post, Romania.

The first Junkers Ju.52/3m to serve in Romania was a Ju.52/3mba registered as CV-FAI, which was designed as a VIP aircraft for the Romanian Prime Minister. This aircraft was re-registered later as YR-ABF in June 1937 and was used also as a VIP transport for the president of LARES (Liinile Aeriene Române Exploatate de Stat - Romanian State-Operated Airlines, Romania's national airline back in the 1930s). It crashed in Bazargio-Dobruja, near the coast of the Black Sea, on 23rd May 1940 when the country was still neutral. 

It wasn't until November 1941 that the Fortele Aeriene Regale ale Romanei (FARAR - Royal Romanian Air Force) received its first Ju.52/3mg7e. A total of 33 were supplied by Germany and were assigned to the 105th Heavy Transport Squadron. These Junkers flew on many resupply missions to the Romanian troops fighting near Stalingrad during the winter of 1942-1943, losing many of them to Soviet fighters. They also took part in the evacuation of troops from the Crimean Peninsula in early 1944. 

In August 1944, when the country switched sides and fought with the Allies, eleven more were captured from Germany. Some of those were used as ambulance planes.

The Transnitrian Air Section (a Romanian administered semi-autonomous region) operated two Ju.52/3m which were part of their slim air section until January 1944 when the area was taken by the Soviets.

After the War, LARES, which was renamed as TARES (Transporturi Aeriene Romana Sovietica - Soviet-Romanian Air Transport) on 1st February 1946, kept operating the type together with the Fortele Aeriene Ale Republicii Populare Române (Air Force of the People's Republic of Romania) until the early 1960s.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Junkers_Ju_52_operators

2. https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forțele_Aeriene_Regale_ale_României (translated)

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TAROM

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnistria_Governorate

5. https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Ju-52/Junkers-Ju-52.html

6.https://www.europeanairlines.no/airline-companies-in-rumania-1918-1945/

7.Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 186 - Junkers Ju-52 in Action

Messerschmitt Bf.108, part one

The Messerschmitt Bf.108 was a German single-engine sport and touring aircraft that was used for military liaison purposes during the World War 2. It was designed and developed by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in the 1930s and was exported to many countries:

• Austria: A single Bf.108 was ordered by the Austrian government on 22nd April 1937 and was delivered on 27th July. It was the only Bf.108 to serve with the Austrian Air Force and when Germany annexed Austria, it went back to serve with the Luftwaffe.
• Bulgaria: During the war Bulgaria bought a total of six Bf.108 in 1941. They were assigned to the 1st Courier Squadron but were used mainly for training purposes.
• Independent State of Croatia: The 15.(Kroat)/JG.52 squadron composed by Croatian pilots who fought in the Eastern Front, used some Bf.108 for liaison purposes outside combat zones. The one depicted below was used by four Croatian pilots on 19th September 1942 to fly to Uman, in the USSR, where they were based.
• Hungary: In 1937 the Royal Hungarian Air Force bought a total of seven Bf.108 which were used in a wide range of duties. From liaison, communications and even trainer. They served through the war on the Eastern Front and until the end of the war.
• Romania: The Royal Romanian Air Force had at least one Bf.108 at the beginning of the war. It was assigned to the 11th Courier Squadron which belonged to the 1st Air Corps. During 1943 and 1944 it was still in service.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_108

2. http://www.warbirdalley.com/bf108.htm

3. Wydawnictwo Militaria 149 - Messerschmitt Bf-108 Taifun

Messerschmitt Bf.110C - Foreign Users

The Messerschmitt Bf.110C was used by many foreign users:

• United Kingdom: At least one Bf.110C-5 was captured by the Royal Air Force and was assigned to the famous No.1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight of the Royal Air Force, which evaluated captured enemy aircraft. They were based at Collyweston, in Northamptonshire and by 1944 it was still in service with such unit. 
• Italy: When the Regia Aeronautica formed night fighter units in 1942, they realized that they lacked competent night fighters, so they bought various second-hand Bf.110C from the Luftwaffe. They were assigned to the 1º Centro Sperimentale (1st Experimental Unit) at Guidonia test centre in Lazio in order to train pilots in night flying conditions during summer 1942. When the training was over, they were assigned to the 60º Gruppo (60th Squadron) in the 41st Stormo (41st Wing). They operated from Lonate Pozzolo, in Lombardy. In September 1943, when Italy signed the armistice, the units were disbanded and the Bf.110C were taken back by the Luftwaffe.
• Romania: The Royal Romanian Air Force received some Bf.110C when they formed the Escadrila 51 Vánátoare de noapte (51st Night Fighter Squadron) which was trained in night flying conditions using outdated Heinkel He.112 fighters during 1943. The Squadron was integrated into the Luftwaffe NJG.6 as the 12./NJG.6 and took part in the aerial defence of Romania during 1943 when the USAAF launched the Operation Tidal Wave, the bombing of Romania's petroleum fields. They were active until 1944 when Romania switched sides and the squadron was disbanded and the remaining aircrafts (the squadron had sustained heavy casualties) were taken back by the Luftwaffe.
• USSR: Apparently the Soviet Air Forces bought at least one Bf.110C-4 for evaluation purposes in Autumn 1940. It most probably served as inspiration for the Petylakov Pe-3 and the fate of the Soviet Bf.110C is unknown.
• Kingdom of Yugoslavia: When the Axis invaded Yugoslavia in April 1941, the Royal Yugoslavian Air Force managed to capture at least one Bf.110C which was quickly repainted in Yugoslav colours and used most probably for propaganda reasons. After the fall of Yugoslavia it's fate is unknown, but it was most probably either taken back by the Luftwaffe or destroyed.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_110#Operational_service

2. https://www.rumaniamilitary.ro/aviatia-militara-in-al-doilea-razboi-mondial-suedia-vs-romania-partea-a-iii-a (translated)

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Messerschmitt Bf.109G, Romanian users

The Fortele Aeriene Regale ale României (Royal Romanian Air Force) adquired some Bf.109Gs in March 1943 with the 7th Fighter Group being the first unit to be equipped with them. As that unit had previously flown the Bf.109E, the new aircrafts were delivered directly in the front, as part of the JG 3 'Udet'.
The first mission flown by a Romanian Bf.109G took place on 29th March in a mission that reported both the first casualty and the first victory flying a Bf.109G. The 7th Fighter Group (Grupul 7 Vánátoare) achieved many victories over southern Ukraine until they were replaced by the 9th Fighter Group (Grupul 9 Vánátoare) which took over their aircraft and some of their most experienced pilots.
The Grupul 53 Vánátoare (53rd Fighter Group) was also equipped with Bf.109Gs and they achieved 2 confirmed kills on 1st August 1943 during the Operation Tidal Wave at the price of one damaged machine.
By summer 1944 both Grupul 7 and Grupul 9 were joined together after being partially re-equipped with the Bf.109G and took part in the defence of Bucharest against USAAF and Soviet Air Force's raids. As Romania switched sides on 23rd August 1944 both groups were sent to defend Bucharest against Luftwaffe's raids scoring some victories against German bombers and transports.
The remnants of both groups formed the 7th/9th Fighter Group and were soon renamed as the 9th Fighter group. They were sent to the Transylvania front, together with the 44th Fighter Squadron which was equipped both with Bf.109G and IAR-80.
The first combat between German and Romanian Bf.109Gs took place on 18th September with German victory as they damaged the aircraft of slt. Andrei Pop. As the 44th Squadron was relegated from the frontline in late 1944, the 9th Fighter Group was practically the only Romanian fighter unit, as the IAR-80 of the 2nd Fighter Group were assignated to ground-attack roles. In February 1945 they were joined by the 1st Fighter Group which was also equipped with Gustavs.
Overall, Romanian Bf.109Gs remained in the frontlines until the very end of the war achieving a considerable amount of victories, some of them against the more modern Bf.109K variant, which was the last, and best variant of the Bf.109.
Most of Romanian aces scored their victories with the Gustav, which was highly praised. Lt.Av. Teodor Greceanu, with 20 victories, said about it that "it fits me like a glove" and Cpt.Av. Serbanescu thought that it was better than the Mustang, however, he was proven wrong as on 18th August 1944 he was shot down and killed by several Mustangs.
It's worth to tell how one of the best Romanian pilots, Constatin Cantacuzino, flew a modified Gustav (depicted below) to Foggia, in Italy (which was controlled by American troops), with Lt.Col. James Gunn III as passenger (the highest-ranking American prisoner on Romanian soil) in order to return to Romania with 56 Boeing B-17s to airlift the 1274 US POWs on 23rd August 1944. He returned flying a P-51 Mustang as his Bf.109 couldn't be refuelled.
It was by far the best fighter the Royal Romanian Air Force had and also the most effective and the only one to achieve kills against the Mustang. After the war, the Gustav was still in service until 1951 serving in mixed squadrons together with the Lavochkin La-9 and it was replaced by the MiG-15.

Sources:
1. https://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?article=400
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantin_Cantacuzino_(aviator)
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history#Combat_service_with_Romania
4. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Messerschmitt Bf.109F - Various foreign users

The Messerschmitt Bf.109F, a very improved version of the Bf.109E, was used by various countries.

• United Kingdom: On 20th May 1942, a Bf.109F-4 belonging to 10 (Jabo)/JG 26 was shot down by anti-air fire and had to force land in Beachy Head, in East Sussex. It was piloted by Uffz. Oswaldom Fischerom who was taken prisoner. The aircraft was took to Royal Aircraft Establishment Research Centre located in Farnborough to be tested. After several testings, it was assigned to the famous No.1426 Flight RAF, commonly known as "Rafwaffe" whose mission was to show enemy aircrafts' weaknesses in order to be easily exploited. When the war was already over, on 31st January 1945, as it wasn't needed no more, the aircraft was transported to the Enemy Aircraft Flight of the Central Flying School located in Tangmere, West Sussex. In November of that same year it was stored at the 47th Maintenance Unit at Sealand, in Wales.
• Spain: After the Spanish Civil War was over, the Francoist Government, in order to pay the debts they had with Germany, opted to buy some German aircrafts, which, as the German government was reluctant to sell due to the course of the war, they were sold at high prices. The Francoist government bought in 1943 fifteen second hand Bf.109F-2 and F-4 at an average price of 202000 Reichmarks per unit, plus other types of aircrafts like Junkers Ju.88, Junkers Ju.52, Heinkel He.111 and a production license for the Bf.109G plus loads of other equipment. The Bf.109Fs were delivered at the French airfield of Villacoublay on 17th May 1943 and two days later were based on Reus Air Base, in Catalonia, being part of 23er Regimiento de Caza (23rd Fighter Regiment). They served until well passed the war, when, in 1952, the theoretical replacement started to be manufactured, the Hispano HA-1109 Buchón. 
• Italy: On as late as 23rd May 1943 the Italian 150º Gruppo Autonomo (150th Independent Squadron) received three F-4 to be used as trainers. One of those three fighters was found by the Americans at the Sicilian town of Sciacca in July 1943 missing a wing. 
• Romania: Apparently, the Royal Romanian Air Force bought some second hand Bf.109F that had belonged previously to the German Mission in Romania, DLM. They were few and served through the Romanian campaign in the USSR.
• Switzerland: In 1944 together with some Bf.109Gs, some Bf.109Fs were adquired and some of them that had been interned were repaired and pushed into service with various Swiss squadrons. As from October 1943 to May 1945 aerial patrols had been resumed, they were used in various interception missions both against German and Allied aircrafts. 
• USSR: A Bf.109F-4 was captured by the Red Army on 22nd February 1942 when Oblt. A. Niss, who was the commander of the 8./JG 51, was shot down close to Tushino airfield, close to Moscow. It was tested by the TsAGI and tested against simulated aerial combats against Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter and worked out for recommendations for VVS and PVO pilots. It was later given to the USA as gift of good will.
• United States of America: A single Bf.109F-4 was presented to the USAAF as a gift of good will by the USSR in November 1942, after the American Secretary of State visited Moscow. It arrived at Eglin Air Force Base, in Florida on 21st March 1944, where it was extensively tested. Another undetermined number of Bf.109F-4/Trop were captured by the Allies, most probalby the British, as they were captured at Martuba airfield, in Libya, and were handed over to the USAAF which were tested.

Sources:

1. http://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/1014/Messerschmitt-Bf-109-F-4 (translated)

2. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_del_Ejército_del_Aire_de_España (translated) 

3. La Bancarella Aeronautica - Ali Straniere in Italia 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109 Italiani. (translated)

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history#Combat_service_with_Switzerland

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Swiss_Air_Force

6. http://silverhawkauthor.com/german-warplanes-of-the-second-world-war-preserved-luftwaffe-19391945-klemm-to-siebel_454.html

7. http://flyingart.twoday.net (translated) 

Messerschmitt Bf.109E - Romanian users

In December 1939 Romania ordered a batch of 50 Bf.109E to Bayerische Flugzeugwerke. The first 11 ones arrived during the spring of 1940 and the remaining 39 a year later.
They were assigned to the newly formed Grupul 7 Vanatoare (7th Fighter Group) that had three squadrons and was considered as the elite unit of the Royal Romanian Air Force. In June 1941 there were 36 of them in active service.
Romanian Bf.109Es took part in Opertation Barbarossa since the very beginning, escorting bombers to strike against Soviet airfields. On 23rd June 1941, sixteen Bf.109Es engaged 25 Soviet aircraft and managed to shot down six of them with the first loss being on 5th July when Adj. Llie. Vatamanu was shot down to Soviet anti-air fire.
After 1941 the Air Force was re-organized due to the losses it has suffered and 15 second-hand ex-Luftwaffe Bf.109E-7 arrived from Germany in early 1942 and reinforced the lines of the Grupul 7.
Grupul 7 was sent again, with just 37 Bf.109E, to the frontlines, in the autumn 1942 to the Stalingrad area, where they were surrounded in November 1942 by the Soviet counter-offensive but they managed to escape at the cost of 5 aircraft plus three more being left behind to be captured by the Red Army. The remaining ones joined the Grupul 5 (5th Group) which was reorganized as a mixed fighter/bomber group that remained at the front until February 1943 when they returned to Romania.
During March 1943 the Bf.109E of the Grupul 5 (ex-Grupul 7) were replaced by the more modern Bf.109G and the Emils were assigned to training duties or to the Escadrila 52 (52nd Squadron). This squadron, that initially was equipped with Hawker Hurricanes Mk.I, flew various cover missions over the Black Sea, but in 1944 they had to join the rest of the Air Force to intercept USAAF's 15th Air Force bombers.
In late August 1944 Romania switched sides and the Bf.109E were taged as outdated and didn't see any more combat action during World War II. Just after the war, in 1946 all of them were withdrawn from active service.

Sources:
1. http://www.worldwar2.ro/arme/?article=397
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history#Combat_service_with_Romania
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
4. Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 44 - Messerschmitt Bf-109 in Action Pt.1

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3, part six captured MiG-3s

The MiG-3 was captured in great numbers by the Axis countries. Among them, was the Kingdom of Romania, that captured at least two of them. Apparently, they landed at the city of Melitopolm under Romanian hands,  in December 1941 piloted by defecting Ukrainian pilots. It was manned by Captain Cantacuzino (who eventually would become the top Romanian Ace of the war) during early 1942 while he was participating in a ten-day Bf.109E conversion course.
The German Luftwaffe captured much more of them, some sources claim up to 22 of them. As they were regarded as inferior to the Bf.109F some were sent to Rechlin test centre to be tested but most of them were either destroyed or their fate is unknown.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-3
2. Osprey - Aircraft of the Aces 54 - Romanian Aces Of WWII

Arado Ar.196 - Foreign Users, part one

We're back in Germany in order to post about this excellent seaplane.
The Arado Ar.196 was a German floatplane that operated with many nations across Europe.
Romania bought two Ar.196 from Germany. They operated from the port of Odessa first and Constanta later, in the Romanian coast. They were under German command, more exactly under the Schirmherrschaft des Aufklarungsführers Schwarzes Meer (Reconnaissance unit in the Black Sea). When Romania switched sides in August 1944, the Soviets confiscated the Romanian Ar.196A and dissasembled them.
Finland employed some of them during the continuation war in order to supply and transport special patrol groups that operated behind enemy lines. Both soldiers and supplies were accommodated inside the fuselage and the airplanes used remote lagoons and lakes for taking-off and landing.
Finally, the USSR received some captured Ar.196A from Bulgaria. They were used by the Border Guards in the inmediate post-war.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_196
2. http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=320

Avia B-534-IV - Various Foreign users

Today we cover the next users for the Avia B-534-IV

• Independent State of Croatia: Apparently the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia received some surplus machines from Germany. Further details are unknown so the drawing should be considered speculative.
• Kingdom of Hungary: One B-534-IV was captured from Slovakia during the Slovak-Hungarian war in March 1939. It was pushed into service as a fighter trainer. Later, in 1941, it was used as a glider tow bearing civilian registrations until it was destroyed during the battle of Budapest in 1945.
• Kingdom of Romania: The Royal Romanian Air Force received some Avia B-534-IV together with the DFS 230 gliders. The Avias were used as glider tows. As the graphical sources for these are inexistant, or at least we couldn't find them, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• USSR: Apparently the NKVD used some captured machines to form a secret squadron. As there isn't graphical evidence on this, it should be considered as speculative.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avia_B-534

2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters