after france surrendered, františek fled to britain and after training on 2 august was assigned to polish no. 303 squadron based at raf northolt, flying hawker hurricane fighters. františek was used to obsolescent aircraft with fixed landing gear, and on 8 august at the end of a training flight, he forgot to lower his hurricane's retractable undercarriage and accidentally made a belly landing. he was unhurt, and the aircraft was repairable.