Dezső Szentgyörgyi
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Ensign Dezső Szentgyörgyi (16 January 1915, Kőkút - 28 August 1971, Copenhagen)
The highest scoring Hungarian fighter ace of the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Air Force in World War II.
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[edit] In the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Air Force
When he was 18, he volunteered to the Royal Hungarian Honvéd Air Force. First he was an aircraft-mechanic, but later received a pilot training. He finished the aviation school in Székesfehérvár with excellent results. He was trained as a fighter, and took part in 1/2 FS’s operations in northern Hungary with Fiat CR.32. In summer 1942 he was transferred with the 1/1 "Dongó" (Bumblebee) Fighter Squadron to the Soviet front. He flew the Re 2000 Falco (MÁVAG Héja), then the Messerschmitt Bf 109 planes. He scored his first kill fairly soon (07.08.1942) - the only problem was that it was a German Heinkel He 111 medium bomber. His first victory over an enemy plane was listed almost a year later, 26.06.1943, a Soviet Jak fighter. 142 sorties, and 6 kills were added to his record while fighting on the Eastern Front.
[edit] In the Puma Group
The 101st "Puma" Fighter Group was formed on 01.05.1944. Szentgyörgyi was transferred to the 101/2 "Retek" (Radish) Fighter Squadron. He continued to score his kills among the Pumas, 6 American planes fell to his guns. In summer 1944 he often was the leader of the formation. This was a sign of appreciation. He was promoted to Ensign on 16.11.1944. After the "American Season" ended, once again Soviet fighters became the main enemy. Dezső scored additional 17 kills, the last on 15.04.1945. He was recognized as a fighter pilot not just because of his victories, but because he never crashed a plane due to pilot error. He was one of the few pilots who were never shot down. By the end of the war he had more than 220 sorties, and 29 (+ 1 German) confirmed kills on his record. He is the most successful fighter pilot of Hungary ever.
[edit] After the war
After the war, he returned home, and became a pilot of the MASZOVLET (Hungarian-Soviet Airlines) between 1946-49. From 1950 spent more years in prison (between 1950-1956), and became a pilot of the MALÉV (Hungarian Airlines) again, logging 12334 flight hours and covering more than 5 million kilometres in the air. His legendary luck abandoned him on 28.08.1971. Szentgyörgyi lost his life in a crash near Copenhagen while flying an Ilyushin Il-18 (HA-MOC). He was about to retire in less than three weeks. As long as there are flyers in Hungary, he will always be remembered!
The MH 59th "Szentgyörgyi Dezső" Air Base of the Hungarian Air Force in Kecskemét (equipped with MiG-29 and JAS 39 Gripen fighters) is named in honor of the officer.
[edit] Air kills
Kill no. Date - Type
1942
- 07/08/1942 - He 111
1943
- 1. 26/06/1943 - Jak-7b
- 2. 07/07/1943 - La-5
- 3. 03/08/1943 - La-5
- 4. 03/08/1943 - Il-2
- 5. 04/08/1943 - La-5
- 6. 04/08/1943 - Pe-2
1944
- 7. 14/06/1944 - P-38
- 8. 27/06/1944 - P-51
- 9. 02/07/1944 - B-24
- 10. 16/07/1944 - B-24
- 11. 27/07/1944 - B-24
- 12. 22/08/1944 - B-24
- 13. 13/11/1944 - Jak-9
- 14. 16/11/1944 - Il-2
- 15. 08/12/1944 - Jak-9
- 16. 20/12/1944 - Il-2
1945
- 17. 04/01/1945 - La-5
- 18. 08/01/1945 - La-5
- 19. 18/01/1945 - La-5
- 20. 18/01/1945 - Il-2
- 21. 28/01/1945 - Jak-9
- 22. 30/01/1945 - Jak-9
- 23. 12/02/1945 - Il-2
- 24. 09/03/1945 - Jak-9
- 25. 11/03/1945 - La-5
- 26. 19/03/1945 - Il-2
- 27. 20/03/1945 - La-7
- 28. 23/03/1945 - Jak-3
- 29. 15/04/1945 - Jak-9
[edit] Not confirmed
- 1. 20/07/1943 - Soviet fighter
- 2. 03/08/1943 - Soviet fighter
- 3. 05/08/1943 - Soviet fighter
- 4. 06/08/1943 - Soviet fighter
- 5. 07/08/1943 - Soviet fighter
- 6. 19/03/1945 - La-5
[edit] References
- Becze Csaba - Elfelejtett Hősök - A Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő ászai a II. világháborúban, Puedlo Kiadó, 2006, ISBN 963 9673 064
- Bernárd D./Mujzer P./Hangya J. - Horrido, OMIKK, 1992, ISBN 963 953 138 7
- Császár Ottó - Élet és Halál a Levegőben - vitéz Szentgyörgyi Dezső életrajzi regénye, Malév Kiadó, 1994, ISBN 963 450 600 3
- Pataki I./Rozsos L./Sárhidai Gy. - Légi Háború Magyarország Felett I., Zrínyi Kiadó, 1992, ISBN 963 327 154 1
- Pataki I./Rozsos L./Sárhidai Gy. - Légi Háború Magyarország Felett II., Zrínyi Kiadó, 1993, ISBN 963 327 163 0
- Punka György - Hungarian Aces of World War 2, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, England, 2002.
- Punka György - A "Messzer" - Bf 109-ek a Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierőben, OMIKK, 1995, ISBN 963 593 208 1
- Punka Gy./Sárhidai Gy. - Magyar Sasok - A Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légierő 1920 - 1945, K.u.K. Kiadó, 2006, ISBN 963 7437 51 7
- Tobak Tibor - Pumák Földön-Égen, Lap és Könyvkiadó Kft., 1989, ISBN 963 7403 35 3
- Tobak Tibor - Pumák és Boszorkányok, Zrinyi Kiadó, 1995, ISBN 963 327 048 3
- Tobak Tibor - Pumák és a Többiek, HungAvia, 1990, ISBN 963 02 8880 X
