Danijel Benko
Danijel Benko | |
|---|---|
 Benko in 2009 | |
| Born | 10 October 1979 Sopron, Zemplen |
| Died | 6 October 2009 (aged 29) |
| Allegiance |  Syara |
| Service/ | Commonality Air Force |
| Years of service | 2000-2009 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | 114th Fighter Squadron |
| Battles/wars | Zemplen War |
| Awards | see below |
Danijel Benko (10 October, 1979 - 6 October, 2009) was a Syaran pilot and flying ace of the Zemplen War.
Born to a Scitarian father and Ruvelkan mother in Sopron, Benko elected to join the Commonality Air Force after witnessing the aftermath of the 1997 Sopron Bombing. He was comissioned into the CAF in 2000 with the rank of Junior Lieutenant, and was trained to fly the Zephyr. By the time of the Zemplen War Benko had been promoted to Captaina and commanded his own flight, with which he took an early part in the figthing during the August Offensive, where he shot down a Ruvelkan AFASF-12 Drago Air Superiority Fighter. During Operation Aspis Blenko became the first Syaran pilot to shoot down a helicopter when he downed an HH1 Helicopter Gunship. While on a combat air patrol in November he downed another Drago, bringing his total kills to three. During the Ruvelkan Winter Counter-Offensive he became Syara's first ace of the war after he shot down two AFASF-10 Donnola Air Superiority Fighters.
In the spring of 2009 Benko took part in both Operation Sagaris and Operation Polyandreion, shooting down four more Ruvelkan aircraft between the months of March and May. During the Battle of Sagerejo Benko became the first Syaran pilot to down a EF 165 Draken, bringing his total tally to 9 and earning himself a promotion to Major. While on patrol in August he downed a an AFSF-8 Folivori, and in September he scored his 11th and final kill by shooting down another Drago above central Ruvelka. Benko was killed in October 2009 when his plane was hit by a surface-to-air missile, four days shy of his 30th birthday.
A first in many fields, Blenko was something of a minor celebrity within the CAF, and records of his accomplishments were published in Syaran media. He is recognized as the third-highest scoring ace of the Zemplen War, and Benko Air Force Base in Scitaria was named after him in 2013.