Charles (Karel) Egon Lamberton

Karel Egon Lechner (later changing his name to Charles Eagan Lamberton) was sent to England to study; thought to be around 1938.

He then joined the Czech allied squadrons in the British Royal Air Force and flew Spitfires within Sqn 312 and later Sqn 310. He was a Sargent in the early 40's and worked his way up the ranks, being promoted to Colonel years after the War.

Karel (Charles) gained British Citizenship in 1947, at the time of his name change.

He married his first wife in the late 40's and had two daughters.

Charles (Karel) continued his work, flying with No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron (an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron of the Royal Air Force) during the 1950s, later becoming a commercial pilot.

At the end of the 1960s he divorced and remarried, living in England at the time. Charles moved to Germany and Holland with his second wife, still flying as a commercial pilot. He stopped flying in the early 70s and moved to Spain, where he had two daughters. He continued his time in Spain until 2001, when he moved to Somerset, England.

He died at The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Somerset, aged 87 on 9th September 2009.

http://en.valka.cz/topic/view/19453/Lechner-Karel

xx Charles Lechner (Charles Lamberton)

On the Spanish island of Ibiza ride many Czech tourists. Not even know that the building, which before long 2500 years, built by the Phoenicians, with the help of three local workers and his Spanish companion reconstructed at its own expense the former czechoslovak war aviator Charles Lechner...

He was born 9. February 1922 in Prague. Already his father was an aviator, for 1. world war ii had undergone pilot training in the austro-Hungarian Rumplerech. After vychození four years of elementary school and four years of secondary school English Public School he attended the Business academy. Under the influence of his mother, the Austrians, which before 1. world war ii, she taught elementary school in England, traveled in 1938, ibid, and in 1939 he joined the Birkenhead School (falling under Officer Training Corps). After the formation of the czechoslovak units in them Charles Lechner decided to join. He volunteered 28. August 1940 for the Replacement of the body of the czechoslovak army. From there he was 21. may of the following year transferred to the air force. In the rank of AC2 is in Wilmslow relegated to ground handling. As an auxiliary mechanic got 4. July 1941 to 312. (czechoslovak) fighter squadron, where he worked in the maintenance hangar of fighter Hurricanů. However, like many other members of the ground staff to the pilot training, where it sent 10. August 1942. Gradually undergone theoretical training at ACRC in London and at the 4. ITW in Paingtonu, he completed additional course on dvouplošnících Tiger Moth at the 3.EFTS in Shellingfordu. In January 1943 went to Canada where, in the period 22. 3. - 17. 9. passed the basic and continuing training at 31. EFTS and 34. EFTS in Medicine Hat. After returning to England he had another acclimatization course at 5(P). AFU at Tern Hill (December 1943), in April 1944, the final fighter training at 57. OTA in Eshottu and combat training 1. TEUS in Tealingu. Finally got to operational flying. 31. July he was posted to 310. (czechoslovak) fighter squadron, operating temporarily from Digby on the in-depth Spitfires LF Mk. VB, later on the excellent "the nines". 22. October was a Sgt. Lechner transferred to the 312. squadron, fourteen days before that, however, could still graduate on czechoslovak high school. The end of the war could fly over 80 hours, mostly at escorts in british bomber over the continent, for which he was awarded twice the Czechoslovak war cross and one the Medal of valor. To officer rank, he was promoted to after the war, 27. 6. 1945 the british rank of Pilot Officer and 1. 10. the czechoslovak ensign. 9. August got off at prague-ruzyně airport from Liberatoru PP-N the czechoslovak 311. bombing squadron (piloted it to S/Ldr Alois Šedivý). The atmosphere, however, too not thrilled. People in uniform of the RAF largely ignored, the new "owners" of the house of his parents he even opened the door. In addition to the reception at the Prague castle him so excited about only meeting his childhood sweetheart Bibi. They met after long eleven years. She introduced him to her husband, friend hockey player mr. Blue, and invited him to lunch. After only four days he returned back to Manston. Your friends described the situation here and in conclusion he added that he thinks it won't end well. The country is then no longer came back. In February 1946 demobilized in the Czechoslovak Depot at Cosford. In 1948, he first married, and in August of the same year entered the ranks of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, whose staff, unlike the RAF were active rezervisté, attending the services in his own time. In the rank of Flying Officer he was posted to 610. squadron RAuxAF, stationed at the airport situated on the south bank of the river Mersey, not far from the Lechnerova residence birkenhead stakes. Reactivating the pilots had to pass through the first frame two-month course on double Harvardech. The first flight Lechner took place 2. 9. 1948 and became the third Čechoslovákem at the squadron (the first two were F/Sgt. Mareš and Sgt. Cock fighting in the Spitfire Mk.VB 610. squadron "County of Chester" in the period march - may 1942). After passing all tests and examinations took off separately 15. October to introductory flight on the Spitfire Mk.22. This weekend of flying, however, was not. From 1950 he flew as a 2. pilot on DC-3 and Bristolech 170 for irish airline Aer Lingus from Dublin. After a year worked my way up to captain and flew on routes to London, Birmingham and Manchester. In addition, in the days of the regular time off he flew in "Šestsetdesítky". Usually it's done so that took the regular connections to Liverpool, where a colleague at Harvard, moved across the river to the base. In 1951, occurs to the rearmament of the "610" from Spitfires to jet Meteors F.4. All pilots undergo mandatory retraining on the two-seater Meteors T. 7. Mr. Lechner was also also an excellent tumbler (As he himself admitted, his inspiration was the Czech pilot Karel Posta...). In addition to the rating of "excellent", registered commander of the squadron to Lechnerova Flying Log Book, was commissioned also by showing the solo aerobatics on the Spitfire Mk.22 on the air date of the base 15. 9. 1951, on the occasion of the anniversary of the air battle of Britain. Already two days after it is due to the development of the situation in Korea called into active service... At the time when the prospect of deployment in Korea had to change his name to Charles Eagan Lamberton, as the place of birth in his id card appeared United Kingdom. Also, he was promoted to Flight Lieutenanta. At that time also began to train in acrobatic group of Meteors F.8. Since the summer of 1953 he worked in Croydon for Field Air Service, the organization responsible for example, a transport aircraft of the british production for the air force of the countries that's been purchased. The first such fly-graduated from 8. - 12. 9. 1953, when it flew a mock Vampire T. 11 from the factory airfield of the company deHavilland in Hatfield to India, following the route Nice - Luqa - El Adem - Nicosia - Habbaniya - Bahrein - Sharjah - Karachi - Jodhpur - Cawnpore. These long-distance flights, from which he returned to regular regular flights to world famous companies (pan am, BOAC and the like...), alternated with flying regular planes for Aer Lingusu (where in addition, increased qualifications for a pilot four-engine machines) and acrobatics on the Meteors. Wasn't an emergency or on hot time. While crossing the night Vampiru NF.54 day 31. may find that it's not the gear, and had to have the fighter sit on the belly... In July 1954, specifically 16. 7., participated in NATO exercise "Dividends", when the british fighters were intercepted and attacked a group of 100 "enemy" bombers at a distance of 100 miles from the islands. On that occasion met with of license-produced aircraft, the Canadair Sabre Mk.5. In August it even flying in the framework of the five test flights. In the autumn of 1954 he received an offer of permanent employment in the Field of Air Service. Due to the fact that already was beginning to be beyond his power to fly for three subjects at the same time, decided to date 17. 9. 1954 leave from Aer Lingusu. The next day he said goodbye with the 610. squadrons. How else, than the performance of an acrobatic trio of Meteors...

One of probably the most interesting work was the adoption of the Spitfire LF.IXE of the israeli Chel HaAvir, in the framework of the operations "Orez" And "Orez B" - delivery of 30 aircraft to Burma, at the cyprus base Nykósia. Paradoxically, it comes about machines that like brand new bought the czechoslovak pilots in late July and August 1945 in Lynehamu and Colerne, přelétávali is to Manston as weapons for our post-war air force and which also landed later in Prague. It is interesting that mr. Lambert flights to Manston also himself took part in... In the days of 26. - 28. September a few of these Spitfires flown by the israeli base of the Ship. He noticed a few peculiarities, such as, for example, were retrospectively nanýtované panels on the fuselage behind the tanks - as later from the israeli mechanics learned were on these machines installed the catch hooks, which israeli pilots at the time of the war of independence tore down the telephone lines of the Egyptians, or under the seat hidden pipe leading from the wings - these were part of the advanced fuel system, installed in the Flight to Kunovice for the possibility of carrying additional fuel tanks of the Messerschmitt Me-109 under the wings. Just for the sake of completeness, the czechoslovak Spitfires were přelétávány to Israel in 1948 in the framework of the operation "Velveta 1" and "Velvet 2"... The route of the overflight of israeli Spitfires to Burma led through protiizraelsky aimed the arab states, in practice, therefore, performed such a procedure. Israeli pilots přelétávali aircraft to Cyprus, here is the deal, employees of FAS, hired under the treaty between Israel and the british Ministry of Supply. You with them then set out on a 7500 km long flyover in Burma. Overall, the published route for more than twenty hours of pure flight. Again, this was not a simple job. During one overflight burst at the airport Dum-Dum in Kolkata Lambertonovi when landing tire and undercarriage leg collapsed. During another overflight through the fault of the engine failure was Lambertonův fellow pilot Overburry forced to land emergency in Beirut. He was interned and Spitfire Lebanese confiscated. Finally, it must Lamberton together with the british consul G. Southbym to Beirut to court. After the submission of the copies of the permission to overflight of the lebanese territory, the judge responded that the permit was indeed valid, but only for flights from the east to the west, not the other way round. Subsequently issued a permit in the opposite direction subsequently released on $ 25, 000!

In January 1955 he left the Charles Lamberton definitely a series 610. the squadron, which ceased operation in the framework of the active reserve of the RAF. He left also from the FAS and began to work in a purely civilian sector. In Beirut, he began to work as a captain-instructor on airplanes DC-3 Middle East Airlines, is also an instructor of instrument flying, later (from July 1956) instructor in aeroplanes Viscount and Viking for Iraqi Airways. Flies regular services to Istanbul, Vienna, London, Tehran, Bahrain and Kuwait. About his qualities evidenced by the fact that after a certain period of time was the pilot of an aeroplane of the iraqi king. Flying eventually also on the line Viscountech the company's Hong Kong Airways on such exotic places like Manila, Taipei, Okinawa, Tokyo, Iwakuni and Seoul. Experienced and fly-by monzunovou storms on the route between and Taipei and Okinawa. Together with a co-pilot struggled to just keep the Viscount, with which the elements pohazovaly as with a sheet of paper 1200 feet up, 1200 feet down, in a horizontal position... In march 1958 returned to Iraq Airways, but not for long. After the July coup was his place at risk in September was actually released. 18. February 1959 he left with his wife and two daughters of country on board of the last connections to Beirut. Here he was grounded, however, thanks to the menu of Ariana was this cleared and flew on the DC-4 regular years ago after the arab countries. Much better but he has led since February 1960, when he joined as a pilot in Iranairu. Among his passengers could sometimes include even the shah Reza-Pahlevi with his second wife Farah... In 1962, Charles Lamberton volunteered for service in the framework of the united nations peacekeeping forces, operating at that time in the war-torn Belgian Congo. Transported on board the DC-4 material and supplies on route from Léopoldville to Bakwangy, Luluabourghu, then later copy that, Kaminy and Elizabethville. As he himself said, the terrible conditions he experienced while traveling over Africa in February, 1963, would never experience the want to... After their african service he went to Europe, where in the spring of 1963 he joined Alitalia as an external pilot and an instructor on the turboprop Dart Heraldech, employed by a british company Channel Airways. Eventually worked my way up to the head of the air operations centre at Stansted, while still staying on as captain-inspector. In 1968, after the divorce and second marriage, decided to Charles Lamberton with flying definitely end up. Resigned and in the spring of 1969 with his wife settled on the Spanish island of Ibiza. After all, however, still in the air he got. American šéfpilot Iranairu, a company controlled by the management Panama Lambertona invited to Seattle. Here he was offered the post of advisor training and service for all customers of the company Boeing in Europe. After four months on the American Airlines Flight Academy in Texas, earned a qualification pilot of the Boeing 707 and 747 and flew to Frankfurt as a member of the Federal aviation authority, representing the company in matters of training and checking of pilots by Lufthansa and Condor. Dot, now no longer real, he was a commercial fly-discarded Dakota of the French air force from Siége to St. Louis, near Montreal. Without special navigation and radio aids flew this machine through Renfrew, Reykyavik, Sonderstromfjord, Goose Bay, Sept Illes to St. Louis, taking the longest route lasted 7 hours and 40 minutes. It was the last years of the man who during his career piloting everything from driving a biplane, through the piston and jet fighters until after the huge Boeing 747. His career perfectly characterizes the overall raid's incredible and an impressive 19 458 hours spent in the air... At the beginning I mentioned about the old phoenician sites in Ibiza. In 1973, already as a pensioner, mr. Lamberton came back. He learned Spanish and Catalan, and began to repair the already mentioned phoenician construction. The mayor of Ibiza in this came out to help, also gave him the available the town hall library and old publications describing the local architecture. Mr. Lamberton in repairs invested their savings, which was an enormous risk, but a success. After the completion of the task that you set out to do, he moved in 1992, first to the Costa Brava and eventually settled in wellington in the English county of Somerset...

Mr. Lamberton on it with my already not too good. It is no wonder, after a long 54 years, when the Czech did not use. It is very modest, few would know that he lived through the war and has travelled the whole world. A hero is not considered. As he says: "...jumped motor, into the veins is gathered adrenaline, and all concentration is focused on maintaining control of the plane. The rest was just the work of pure self-preservation...". URL : http://en.valka.cz/topic/view/19453#72460Version : 0