On 5 January 1943 Smik was finally posted to an operational unit: No.
312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF at RAF Church Stanton in Somerset.
But he lasted only a week there before being transferred to a different Czechoslovak unit, No.
310 Squadron RAF.

Some of the more experienced Czechoslovak pilots quickly resented Smik.
Many had fought in the Battle of France and some had fought in the RAF from the Battle of Britain onwards.
Some had first fought in the defence of Poland in September 1939.
They had many flying hours' of operation experience, had frequently been in combat, but many of them were still only sergeants.
Smik was younger than they, had no combat experience, had only just qualified to fly a Supermarine Spitfire but was already an officer.

Smik responded by requesting a transfer to a non-Czechoslovak squadron.
The RAF agreed, and on 15 January sent him to No.
131 Squadron RAF, which at the time was at RAF Castletown in Caithness, Scotland for a period of rest and recuperation.
But then in March 1943 Smik was transferred again, to No.
122 Squadron RAF at RAF Hornchurch in Essex.
On 5 January 1943 Smik was finally posted to an operational unit: No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF at RAF Church Stanton in Somerset. But he lasted only a week there before being transferred to a different Czechoslovak unit, No. 310 Squadron RAF.
Some of the more experienced Czechoslovak pilots quickly resented Smik. Many had fought in the Battle of France and some had fought in the RAF from the Battle of Britain onwards. Some had first fought in the defence of Poland in September 1939. They had many flying hours' of operation experience, had frequently been in combat, but many of them were still only sergeants. Smik was younger than they, had no combat experience, had only just qualified to fly a Supermarine Spitfire but was already an officer.
Smik responded by requesting a transfer to a non-Czechoslovak squadron. The RAF agreed, and on 15 January sent him to No. 131 Squadron RAF, which at the time was at RAF Castletown in Caithness, Scotland for a period of rest and recuperation. But then in March 1943 Smik was transferred again, to No. 122 Squadron RAF at RAF Hornchurch in Essex.
Otto Smik