Air Historical Association Kovarska

The Air Historical Association was founded in 1995 by a few friends. It was based on many years of earlier unorganized teamwork on research and documentation of the air war over the Czech Republic. The whereabouts of the Association suggest, that its main aim is to research the history of air battle on Sept 11, 1944, as well as other events in the sky above the northwest Bohemia and border area in Germany.
Their top priority is administration, maintenance, development and day-to-day operation of the Museum.

This group is also actively cooperating with Czech Ex-Royal Air Force Members Association 1939-45 and is an honorary guest of Fliegerstammtisch Zwickau - Jägerkreis Sachsen, Germany and the "Kleingartenzaum Hamburg" - Jägerkreis Nord. Air Historical Association Kovarska is also a member of the British Aviation Archeological Council and as the founder of the Museum is also a member of the 100th BG Foundation.

Current Group members:
Petr Frank, Kovarska (since 1995, documentation research since 1994)
Jan Jelínek, Kovarska (since 2005, works for Museum since 2002)
Jaroslav Král, Praha (since 2002)
Jan Král, Praha (since 2002)
Jiří Pospíšil Senior, Kovarska (since 2002)
Jiří Pospíšil Junior, Kovarska (since 2005, works for Museum since 2002)
Matthias Leich, Ohrdruf (since 2002)
Stéphane Muret, Francie (since 2001)
Janice Riddling, USA (since 1997)
Kenneth Breaux, USA (since 2001)
Jaroslav Vlachý, Losina (since 2002)
Roman Zdiarský, Chomutov (since 1995)
Jan Zdiarský, Kovarska (since 1995, documentation research since 1985)


Former or currently non-active members of Air Historical Association Kovarska (thank you for your help):
Radek Russ, Sokolov (1996-1998); Antonín and Václav Holeček, Kovarska (1995 - 2002); Kurt Langer, BRD (1995 - 2000), Michal "Sova" Marek (1996 - 1997), Karel Faltyn (ca 1996-2001).
We can’t omit two friends, Mirek Sibik and Vaclav Jun, who were also part of the formation of this Association with Jan Zdiarsky around 1986.

An interpreter and Chairman of Air Historical Association Kovarska and also Assistant Director of the Museum, Petr Frank, in this photo as a media star during the search mission of the CILHI in Oberhof, 2002. Email contact: petr.cilko@centrum.cz  (please write “Petr Frank” in the subject)

Jan Jelínek, after several years of junior “membership” in Air Historical Association (minimum age for membership is 15). He is here in the photograph with Gen. Frantisek Perina.

Jan and Jarda Král - brothers from Prague, they help the Museum whenever it is needed. They are in the photograph with the cannons from the left wing of the Lt. W. M. Lewis’ Mustang.

Matthias Leich – A German member of the Air Historical Association, concentrates mainly on crash sites in a region of Thüringen forest, where the first stage of the air battle over the Ore Mountains on Sept 11, 1944 took place. In the photograph (on the left) with Don Bradley, the “combat photograph” of the 100th Bomb Group, this picture taken in 2004.

Jiri Pospisil, Senior - one of the Museum’s guides and devoted leader of the Museum’s plastic modeler’s club. This was taken during the veteran reunion in Kovarska, September 2002.

Jiri Pospisil, Junior - Another one of the junior candidates for the Membership since 2002 and a successful plastic model competitor. In the photograph he is surveying the crash site of B-17G 44-6089 in Kovarska.

Jarda Vlachy, one of the occasional helpers of the Museum and guardian of the Museum’s principles. He is shown in this photograph together with Sgt. Ken Miller of the CILHI during the search mission in Oberhof.

Other figures “in the background”, Roman Zdiarsky (on the right). Apart from saving the history of Black Monday over the Ore Mountains, he also makes time for salvaging historical locomotives. In this photo during the veteran reunion in 2005, near the fallen airmen memorial, it shows him watching the Z-226 fly-by. Behind the controls of the Z-226 is the Museum’s friend Petr Novak from Aeroclub Chomutov (see photo bellow).

Janice "JanR" Riddling, the 100th BG historian. She also works as a secretary of the 100th BG Foundation. In this picture (far left) with friends during the 100th BG Reunion 1997, Salt Lake City, USA. In the middle of the photo is Cindy Goodman, editor of the 100th BG newsletter Splasher Six.

Jan Zdiarsky – Director of the Museum, but also secretary, accountant, cleaner and digger. Here in the picture he is deep in conversation with Don J. Farley (100th BG), preparing for the ceremonial opening of the Museum (1997) Contact: 517@centrum.cz