The Polish Air Force's Contribution
In July 1940, Hitler ordered his forces to invade Britain. As a prelude to the cross-Channel invasion, the German
Air Force (the Luftwaffe) was to overpower Britain's air defenses. In the ensuing Air War between the German and
Allied Air Forces, which lasted through the end of October 1940 and resulted in the defeat of the Luftwaffe, 1 in 8
of allied pilots was Polish, and the highest scoring squadron within the whole of Allied air forces was the Polish Air
Force 303 (Kosciuszko) Squadron which accounted for 125 enemy planes. The highest scoring allied fighter pilot was
also a member of that squadron. All told, the Polish pilots were responsible for 201 of the Luftwaffe's 1100 planes lost. It is said that the Battle of Britain was won by a narrow margin, and the contribution
of the already combat experienced Polish pilots was decisive.
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Information regarding the Polish Air Force's participation in the Battle of Britain is the focus of
a number of websites which also devote pages to other matters related to the Polish Air Force, its battles,
fliers, planes, etc. For fuller access, these links are exploded to reveal their structure and content. |
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The Battle of Britain
The Kosciuszko Squadron
Aquila - Created by Mike and Tim Ingham
Polish Aviation History Page - Created by Robert Postowicz
- Pre-War Civil Aviation
- Atlantic? What's the Big Deal? - RWD-5 and RWD-5 bis aircraft, and Capt. Skarzynski's 1933 transatlantic flight.
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PZL P.11c - This was the plane that bore the brunt of fighting against the technically superior Luftwaffe in 1939. Other fighters in of the Pulawski line are also described.
- PZL P.23 "Karas" - A medium bomber and an outstanding design. Sadly, it was available only in small numbers, and malused during the 1939 campaign - never to realize its full potential.
- PZL P.37 "Los" - A medium bomber and an outstanding design. Sadly, it was only available in small numbers, and malused during the 1939 campaign - never to realize its full potential.
- World War II Begins
- Battle of Britain
- A few of the Few - Overall, more than 140 Polish pilots took part in the Battle, claiming over 200 enemy "kills".
- Battle of Britain - 303 Squadron Diary - During six weeks of itensive combat, No. 303 achieved a record unmatched by any other RAF Squadron, British or Allied.
- Pilot Accounts - Full of excitement, drama, and ... humor, these accounts give you a first-hand perspective on flying in the Battle.
- 8 Aug. 1940 - Pilot Officer Witold Urbanowicz, 145 Hurricane Sqn.
- 13 Aug. 1940 - Pilot Officer Tadeusz Nowierski, 609 Spitfire Sqn.
- 2 Sep. 1940 - Pilot Officer Stanislaw Skalski, 501 Hurricane Sqn.
- 7 Sep. 1940 - Flying Officer Eugeniusz Szaposznikow, 303 (Polish) Hurricane Sqn.
Pilot Officer Witold Lokuciewski, 303 (Polish) Hurricane Sqn.
- 15 Sep. 1940 - Pilot Officer Jan Zumbach, 303 (Polish) Hurricane Sqn.
Pilot Officer Witold Lokuciewski, 303 (Polish) Hurricane Sqn.
- 29 Oct. 1940 - Pilot Officer Jerzy Solak, 249 Hurricane Sqn, North Weald airfield.
- The Struggle Continues...
- A letter from a fighter pilot - Year 1941 was probably the most difficult year in the entire for the Royal Air Force and PAF alike, and Aleksander Herbst explains why.
- Skalski's Circus - Polish Fighting Team in Tunisia, 1943 - Take a group of top-notch pilots, give them the best planes and a chance to fight for their country against the enemy they fiercely
hate ... and they just might come up with a victory to loss ratio of 25:1.
- ... till the Bitter End
- The Top Polish Fighter Aces of WW2 - They won the war, and yet, in the end, had no free homeland to return to. But they had fought the good fight, and they kept their faith.
Poland in Exile/Polish Airforce - Julian Hoseason webmaster
Miroslaw Ignacy Wojciechowski 1917 - 1956 - Created by Jan Wojciechowski
Polish Squadrons Remembered - Created by Les Olszewski, Wilhelm Ratuszynski and Grzegorz Sojda
Polish Air Aces - Created by Jan Safarik
"The Forgotten Few: The Polish Air Force in the Second World War"
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History
Battle of Britain