He was the first Czech fighter pilot of the Second World War who became the very first Czechoslovak ”Air Ace”, i.e. a pilot who was confirmed to have brought down at least five aircrafts. He was an extraordinary pilot and sharpshooter. He was conceded twelve certain and two probable aircraft brought down and one damaged aircraft during the Second World War. For this accomplishment he was awarded the Czechoslovak War Cross four times; three times the Czechoslovak Medal of Valour; the Czechoslovak Medal of Merit of the first grade and the Resistance in Exile Commemoration Medallion (with French and British badges); the French Croix de Guerre with 4 palms, 2 gold stars and 2 silver stars; the Légion d’Honneur order of the degree of Chevalier and Officer; the British 1939-1945 Star (with Battle of Britain Clasp), the Air Crew Europe Star and War Medal.
1929-1931 he studied at the Air Force Training College in Prostějov (Czechoslovakia). After graduating he was directed to Olomouc to join the Fifth Observation Flight, Second Squadron as a pilot of the two-seated observation biplanes Aero A-11. In 1932 he completed fighter training in Cheb (Czechoslovakia). Then he returned to Olomouc; first to the 34th and later to the 36th Flight where he flew the fighters Letov Š-20, Avia Ba-33 and Avia B-534 (with the rank of sergeant). In 1937 he represented Czechoslovakia with the Czechoslovak Air Force elite at the Fourth International Aviation Meeting in Zürich in three demanding disciplines. He flew the B-534 and competed against the more modern prototypes of the German Messerschmitts Bf 109 and won second, third and fourth places. The same year Mr. Perina also won the Air Force Competition in air shooting in Malacky (Slovakia). Between 1937-1938 he completed Warrant Officer training in Milovice (Bohemia). Afterwards he joined the 52nd Flight, second Squadron in Olomouc, Vyskov and Prostejov and flew the B-534. In June 1939 he escaped to France.
He reached France by sea from Poland. In Chartres (France) he was retrained on the fighter-Curtiss Hawk H-75. In December 1939 he was sent to the Western Front as one of the first twenty Czech fighter pilots. He was attached to the famous Groupe de Chasse I/5, where he mostly flew as a number with the First Escadrille Commander Captain Jean Accart. During just three weeks of the Battle of France he shot down eleven aircraft certainly, and another two probably. For this service he received an extraordinary promotion to the rank of lieutenant, which was the first person case of a promotion like this during WWII. On the third of June, 1940, his plane was shot down by a Messerschmitt BF 110 in an air battle near Paris and he was badly injured. He escaped from hospital and flew over to Northern Africa with a GC 1/5 and from there, by way of Gibraltar travelled by sea to Great Britain.
He was inducted to the RAF with the rank of Pilot Officer and included in the recently formed 312th Czechoslovak Chaser Wing in September 1940. In its ranks he participated first in the Battle of Britain and later in offensive sweeps over the enemy-held Continent with Hurricanes Mk. I, IIA and IIB and Spitfire Mk. IIA, IIB, VB and VC. He closed his fighting score during these combats. After finishing the course of operation in December 1942, he acted as Sector Gunnery Instructor in Exeter with the rank of Flight Lieutenant, later as Squadron Leader in the function of Sector Gunnery Leader at Sector Fighter Air Force Bases in Ibsley, Turnhouse and Coltishall. Then, from 1944 to the end of the war, he worked as an adjutant to the Chief of Czechoslovak Liaison Group at the Fighter Command Headquarters, where he mainly focused on setting up guidelines for post-war Czechoslovak Air Force fighter training.
After his return to his homeland in July 1945, he acted as shooting and bombing instructor at the Pilot School III in Olomouc which was a part of the Air Force Training College in Prostějov. He commanded the air shooting range in Malacky after 1947 and achieved the rank of major. However, he was demobilized from the Air Force in January 1949 during a wave of political purges. To escape the communist terror he chose re-exile. Again, he was accepted to the RAF in Great Britain and, as Flying Officer, executed non-flying functions at bases in Cardington, Cranwell and on the North Coast. He left the service in 1955 and emigrated to Canada and, in 1959, to the USA. He returned to his homeland in 1993 and immediately joined aviation life. He became one of the founders of the Historic Flight of Czechoslovakia in 2000. Frantisek Peřina passed away on May 6, 2006.