As an exceptionally talented pilot he was chosen for a fighter course with the 4th regiment. He stayed with this regiment after the training was over. In June 1938 he was assigned to the 40th fighter flight in Praha-Kbely. During the dramatic events of 1938, the 40th flight was dispatched to several airports around Prague to defend the capital. Josef Frantisek wasted no time, and escaped to neighbouring Poland.
Reality is different.
No Czechoslovak airplane flew over abroad on March 15 due to extremely bad weather. He reported to the CS consulate in Krakow, and spent some time with a Czechoslovak military unit in the nearby Male Bronowice camp. Then he joined a party of Czech pilots planning to board the Castelholm at the Polish port of Gdynia, and travel to France. This is where a crucial thing happened. The officials were trying to convince the Czech pilots to join the Polish Air Force.