The Cernak Incident, June 1943

 I’ve just completed this railway and aircraft diorama for one of my local WW2 airfield museums.

On the 4th June 1943 “ A” flight from the Czechoslovakian Squadron 313 based at RAF Culmhead (Formerly RAF Church Stanton ) was ordered to take off and undertake low flying practice that included “mock” attacks on trains travelling on the Plymouth to Bristol main railway line near Bradford upon Tone, 4 miles west of Taunton. 

During the training flight a GWR express train from Plymouth to Liverpool was spotted heading North to Taunton and so the flight decided to undertake a mock “attack” on the train. 

One of the pilots, F/O Jaroslav Cermak, was sweeping in to make his attack when unfortunately either due to Pilot error or mechanical failure he suddenly lost power and instead of pulling up over the train the aircraft lost speed and hit the roof of the second coach with his port wingtip. It crashed into the adjoining field killing the pilot instantly. 

I’m proud to say that this diorama can be seen today in the RAF display at the Upottery Airfield Visitor Centre, the same airfield the 101st Airborne Division’s “Band of Brothers” departed from on the morning of 6 June 1944.