1959, Kuttelwascher was on holiday in St Austell, Cornwall, when he suffered a heart attack. He was admitted to the local hospital, but on the night of 17 August he suffered a fatal second heart attack. He is buried at Uxbridge, Middlesex. Achievements and honours Kuttelwascher had 18 confirmed air victories during the war. In 1942 Air Vice-Marshal Karel Janoušek rated him as one of "The greatest figures among our fighter pilots". Kuttelwascher's true total may have been higher. A number of 20 is often quoted, including aircraft he shot down when in the French Air Force in 1940. Kuttelwascher was the RAF's highest-scoring Czechoslovak pilot, most effective night intruder and sixth-most-successful night fighter. Other RAF night intruder pilots flew mostly radar-equipped aircraft. Awards Kuttelwascher was awarded Czechoslovak, UK and French decorations: Czechoslovak War Cross 1939–1945 five times Československá medaile Za chrabrost před nepřítelem ("Bravery in Face of the Enemy") Československá medaile za zásluhy, 1. stupně ("Medal of Merit, First Class") Pamětní medaile československé armády v zahraničí ("Commemorative Medal of the Czechoslovak Army Abroad") with France and Great Britain Bars" Distinguished Flying Cross and bar 1939–1945 Star with Battle of Britain clasp Air Crew Europe Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939–1945 French Croix de Guerre with one palm and one silver star Posthumously the Czech Republic promoted Kuttelwascher to Brigadier General in 2000 and awarded him the Order of the White Lion in 2016. There are now monuments to him in his home village of Svatý Kříž, and a street named "Kuttelwascherova" after him in the Černý Most suburb of Prague. In 2017, the Czech Mint issued silver and gold commemorative coins (under the authority of Niue) paying tribute to Karel Kuttelwascher. Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane In 2005 the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire painted its Hawker Hurricane PZ865 with the "JX-E" code letters in honour of Kuttelwascher and his "Night Reaper" Hurricane BE581. References Notes Bibliography External links – Associated Press video – Associated Press video 1916 births 1959 deaths British people of German descent Commercial aviators Czech emigrants to England Czech people of German descent Czechoslovak emigrants to England Czechoslovak Air Force officers Czechoslovak World War II flying aces The Few Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom People from Havlíčkův Brod Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Recipients of the Czechoslovak War Cross Recipients of the Distinguished Flying