(1937-1941) Avia B.534

A wealthy businessman, G. Koutarellis bought two B.534 Series II aircraft (534.1001 and 534.1002) directly from Avia and donated them to the Hellenic Airforce in a consecration ceremony on 18 August 1936. The two aircraft are often listed simply as Avias, together with the four older Avia BH-33s that were supplied from Yugoslavia a year earlier. They received the serials ΔΚ1 and ΔΚ2 (in Greek: "Donation of Koutarellis").

Operational History
18 Aug. 1936 - Offered to the Hellenic Airforce by G. Koutarellis.
1937-1940 - Used for operational training.
9 Dec. 1940 - Enter operational service with 24 Mira.
24 Jan. 1941 - ΔΚ1 suffers severe damages after a forced landing and is transfered to KEA for repairs. It is not mentioned again in official records.
19 Apr. 1941 - ΔΚ2 is destroyed together with other aircraft of 24 Mira by Messerschmitt BF109Es strafing Amfikleia airfield.

Specifications
Avia 534 Series II
Length: 8.10 m
Height: 3.15 m
Wingspan: 9.40 m
Wing Area: 23.56 sq. m
Weight: (max) 1,913 kg, (empty) 1,385 kg
Engine: 1x Hispano Suiza 12Y-21 860 hp
Service Ceiling: 10,600 m
Range: 580 km
Speed: 394 km/h
Armament: 4x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) MG, 6x 20 kg bombs
Crew: 1

For Gamers and Game designers
The B.534 was one of the fastest and most capable biplanes. Its only important weakness in comparison to the final generation of biplanes was that its undercarriage is not retractable. However, at the beginning ofWorld War II, most airforces were already using much more modern monoplanes, and these aircraft would be used by the Greeks probably only in auxiliary roles, such as army liaison.

For Modellers
As far as I am aware, there are no surviving photographs of the Greek Avia B.534 aircraft. Existing profiles are based on textual rather than photographic evidence.
Profiles showing the aircraft in pre-war colours, by unknown artist from ww2drawings.jexiste.fr

Profile from unknown source, presumably showing the B534 in 1940-41. However, I do not believe that this profile is anything more than speculation. Probably unreliable.