Shipbucket

Very well done esube, informative and the drawings are master pieces.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947, Part II - fighter and army co-operation aircraft

Day Fighters

Day fighters were the main (by number of squadrons) component of Polish Air Force in Great Britain. Total of 7 squadrons were formed in 1940 and early 1941. Additionaly, during the Battle of Britain Polish pilots flew in many British fighter squadrons, including squadrons No. 17, 32, 54, 65, 74, 145, 152, 213, 234, 238, 253, 257, 501, 601, 603, 605, 607 and 609. On the higher level, three wing units were formed - I, II and III Polskie Skrzydło Myśliwskie (1st, 2nd and 3rd Polish Wing) - on 1 April 1941, 18 August 1941 and 20 June 1943. First two were later re-named as 131 Wing and 133 Wing, and were - together with 135 Wing - made subordinate to 18 Fighter Sector (also under Polish command - only Fighter Sector not under British leadership) of the No. 84 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force.

These 7 day fighter squadrons were as follows:

No. 302 Squadron "City of Poznań" - 302 Dywizjon Myśliwski Poznański
Formed on 13 July 1940, operational on 15 August 1940, disbanded on 18 December 1946. Code letters: WX, since 2nd half of 1945 QH.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (07.1940 - 03.1941 Mk.I, 02.1941 - 05.1941 Mk.IIA/B, 05.1941 - 07.1941 Mk.I, 08.1941 - 10.1941 Mk.IIB),
-Supermarine Spitfire (09.1941 - 10.1941 Mk.I, 10.1941 - 11.1941 Mk.IIA, 11.1941 - 12.1943 Mk.VB/C, 09.1943 - 01.1945 Mk.IXC/E, 01.1945 - 12.1946 Mk.XVIE).
Squadron crews flew 10996 sorties and shot down 44 1/2 enemy aircraft confirmed, 24 probable and 16 damaged at a loss of 27 airmen killed and 7 POW.

No. 303 Squadron "City of Warsaw, named after Tadeusz Kościuszko - 303 Dywizjon Myśliwski Warszawski imienia Tadeusza Kościuszki
Formed on 2 August 1940, operational on 30 August 1940, disbanded on 11 December 1946. Code letters: RF, since 2nd half of 1945 PD.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (08.1940 - 01.1941 Mk.I),
-Supermarine Spitfire (01.1941 - 03.1941 Mk.IA, 03.1941 - 08.1941 Mk.IIA/B, 07.1941 - 08.1941 Mk.VB),
-Hawker Hurricane (08.1941 - 10.1941 Mk.I),
-Supermarine Spitfire (08.1941 - 10.1941 Mk.I, 10.1941 - 07.1943 Mk.VB/C, 06.1943 - 12.1943 Mk.IXC/E, 11.1943 - 07.1944 Mk.VB, 07.1944 - 04.1945 Mk.IXE),
-North American Mustang (04.1945 - 12.1946 Mk.IV)
Squadron crews flew 9900 sorties and shot down 202 1/6 enemy aircraft confirmed, 40 probable and 25 damaged at a loss of 42 airmed killed and 8 POW.

No. 306 Squadron "City of Toruń" - 306 Dywizjon Myśliwski Toruński
Formed on 28 August 1940, operational on 8 Novmber 1940, disbanded on 6 January 1947. Code letters: UZ.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (08.1940 - 04.1941 Mk.I, 02.1941 - 08.1941 Mk.IIA/B),
-Supermarine Spitfire (07.1941 - 12.1941 Mk.IIB, 09.1941 - 10.1942 Mk.VA/B, 09.1942 - 03.1943 Mk.IXC/E, 03.1943 - 04.1944 Mk.VB),
-North American Mustang (03.1944 - 01.1947 Mk.III)
Squadron crews flew 8357 sorties and shot down 70 enemy aircraft confirmed, 16 probable, 29 damaged plus 60 V-1 missiles destroyed, at a loss of 35 airmen killed and 8 POW.

No. 308 Squadron "City of Kraków" - 308 Dywizjon Myśliwski Krakowski
Formed on 9 September 1940, operational on 1 December 1940, disbanded on 18 December 1946. Code letters: ZF.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (09.1940 - 04.1941 Mk.I),
-Supermarine Spitfire (03.1941 - 07.1941 Mk.IA, 07.1941 - 09.1941 Mk.IIA/B, 09.1941 - 12.1941 Mk.VA/B, 01.1942 - 02.1942 Mk.IIA/B, 03.1942 - 11.1943 Mk.VB/C, 10.1943 - 03.1945 Mk.IXC/E, 02.1945 - 12.1946 Mk.XVIE).
Squadron crews flew 8812 sorties and shot down 69 1/2 enemy aircraft confirmed, 13 probable and 21 damaged, at a loss of 37 airmen killed and 10 POW. On a note, squadron crews also destroyed 321 cars, 120 railway carriages, 50 riverine barges and over a dozen armored vehicles and artillery pieces.

No. 315 Squadron "City of Dęblin" - 315 Dywizjon Myśliwski Dębliński
Formed on 21 January 1941, operational on 18 March 1941, disbanded on 6 December 1946. Code letters: PK.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (02.1941 - 07.1941 Mk.I),
-Supermarine Spitfire (07.1941 - 09.1941 Mk.IIA/B, 09.1941 - 11.1942 Mk.VA/B/C, 10.1942 - 05.1943 Mk.IXC/E, 05.1943 - 03.1944 Mk.VB),
-North American Mustang (03.1944 - 12.1946 Mk.III).
Squadron crews flew 6927 sorties and shot down 86 enemy aircraft confirmed, 18 probable, 29 damaged plus 53 V-1 missiles destroyed, at a loss of 43 airmen killed and 7 POW.

No. 316 Squadron "City of Warsaw" - 316 Dywizjon Myśliwski Warszawski
Formed on 15 February 1941, operational on 25 March 1941, disbanded on 12 December 1946. Code letters: SZ.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (02.1941 - 08.1941 Mk.I, 06.1941 - 11.1941 Mk.IIA/B),
-Supermarine Spitfire (10.1941 - 12.1941 Mk.IIA, 11.1941 - 03.1943 Mk.VB/C, 03.1943 - 09.1943 Mk.IXC, 09.1943 - 03.1944 Mk.VB),
-North American Mustang (03.1944 - 12.1946 Mk.III).
Squadron crews shot down 45 1/2 enemy aircraft confirmed, 19 probable, 27 damaged plus 74 V-1 missiles destroyed, at a loss of 41 airmen killed and 7 POW.

No. 317 Squadron "City of Wilno" - 317 Dywizjon Myśliwski Wileński
Formed on 22 February 1941, operational on 24 April 1941, disbanded on 18 December 1946. Code letters: JH.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (02.1941 - 07.1941 Mk.I, 06.1941 - 12.1941 Mk.IIA/B),
-Supermarine Spitfire (06.1941 - 12.1941 Mk.VB/C, 10.1941 - 09.1943 Mk.VB/C, 09.1943 - 04.1945 Mk.IXE, 02.1945 - 12.1946 Mk.XVIE).
Squadron crews shot down 48 1/3 enemy aircraft confirmed, 10 probable and 25 damaged, at a loss of 25 airmen killed and 7 POW.

Of these squadrons, No.303 throughout whole its existence remained subordinate to Fighter Command/Air Defence of Great Britain; No.302, 308 and 317 were in August 1943 transferred to 2nd Tactical Air Force and remained with it during whole campaign in North-West Europe, later becoming part of British Air Force of Occupation, while No.306, 315 and 316 were also transferred to 2nd TAF in August 1944, but in July 1944 they were returned to ADGB/FC.

Also, on 13 February 1943 a volunteer group of Polish fighter pilots was formed, to be sent to North Africa. That unit, Polish Fighting Team - Polski Zespół Bojowy, commonly known as Cyrk Skalskiego (Skalski's Circus) after it's commander, kpt. Stanisław Skalski, was attached between 15 March and late May 1943 to No.145 Squadron RAF as it's "C Flight" and took part in combat operations over Tunisia. Unit was equipped with Supermarine Spitfire fighters (initially Mk.VB and after bit more than a week Mk.IXC) and shot down 25 enemy aircraft confirmed, 3 probable and 9 damaged at a loss of 1 pilot POW.

Many thanks to Jabba for His work on Hurricane.
Poland, Hawker Hurricane



Many thanks to DarthPanda for His work on Spitfire.
Poland, Supermarine Spitfire





Many thanks to Demon Lord Razgriz and Nighthunter for Their work on Mustang
Poland, North American Mustang



Between February and September 1942 group of 12 Polish pilots flew in the No. 112 Squadron in North Africa, equipped with Curtiss Kittyhawk aircraft. Most of their combat activity were ground attack missions, but they managed to shot down 3 enemy aircraft confirmed and 1 damaged at a loss of 2 airman killed.
In the second half of 1943 famous Polish fighter ace, podpułkownik (lt.col.) Witold Urbanowicz was sent on a familiarisation tour with 14th US Army Air Force in China. There he unoficially flew a number of sorties on P-40 aircraft and shot down between 2 and 5 Japanese aircraft (sources are blurry because of the unofficial character of Urbanowicz's participation in combat ops. extending beyond staff duties he was supposed to perform).

Poland/Great Britain/USA, Curtiss Kittyhawk/P-40 Warhawk


Also in the second half of 1943 a group of Polish fighter pilots was attached to US 61st Fighter Squadron of the famous 56th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft. They shot down 17 enemy aircraft (including 11 downed by kpt. Bolesław Gładych) at a loss of 1 pilot killed.

Many thanks to DarthPanda for His work on P-47.
Poland/USA, Republic P-47D Thunderbolt



Night Fighters

There was only one Polish night-fighter squadron. Besides the air defence of British isles, it also participated in Battle of Atlantic and Intruder operations over German-held territory.

No. 307 Squadron "City of Lwów Eagle-owls" - 307 Dywizjon Myśliwski Nocny "Lwowskich Puchaczy"
Formed on 5 September 1940, operational on 3 December 1940, disbanded on 2 January 1947. Code letters: EW.
Equipment:
-Boulton-Paul Defiant (09.1940 - 08.1941 Mk.I),
-Bristol Beaufighter (08.1941 - 05.1942 Mk.IIF, 02.1942 - 02.1943 Mk.VIF),
-De Havilland Mosquito (12.1942 - 03.1944 NF.II, 08.1943 - 10.1943 FB.VI, 01.1944 - 11.1944 NF.XII, 01.1944 - 04.1944 NF.XIII, 10.1944 - 01.1947 NF.XXX).
Squadron crews flew 3879 sorties and shot down 30 3/4 enemy aircraft confirmed, 7 probable and 17 damaged (of these 2-0-3 on Defiants, 15-3-6 on Beaufighters and 13 3/4-4-8 on Mosquitoes) at a loss of 56 airmen killed and 1 POW.

Many thanks to Radome for His work on Defiant.
Poland, Boulton-Paul Defiant


Many thanks to Rowdy36 for His work on Beaufighter, though I'd allowed myself to largely redraw it.
Poland, Bristol Beaufighter


Many thanks to Jabba for His work on Mosquito. Unfortunately I have concerns about that's scaling and that's a scratch-made drawing.
Poland, De Havilland Mosquito


Army Co-operation and Fighter-Reconnaissance Aircraft

There were total of three squadrons devoted to widely understood "army cooperation duties" in the Polish Air Force. One of them operated in the North-Western Europe, two other flew in the Mediterranean/Italian Theatre of Operations.

No. 309 Squadron "Land of Czerwień" - 309 Dywizjon Współpracy / Myśliwsko-Rozpoznawczy Ziemi Czerwieńskiej
Formed on 8 October 1940, initially in Army Co-operation Command, since August 1943 in 2nd Tactical Air Force and since July 1944 in Air Defence of Great Britain/Fighter Command. Disbanded on 6 January 1947. Code letters: AR and since 1944 WC.
Equipment:
-Westland Lysander (10.1940 - 03.1943 Mk.II/III/IIIA),
-North American Mustang (06.1942 - 02.1944 Mk.I),
-Hawker Hurricane (02.1944 - 04.1944 Mk.IV, 04.1944 - 11.1944 Mk.IIC),
-North American Mustang (09.1944 - 11.1944 Mk.I, 10.1944 - 01.1947 Mk.III).
Squadron crews flew a total of 1230 sorties, shot down 4 enemy aircraft confirmed (including 3 Me-262's on 9 April 1945) and damaged 2 (both Me-262's), at a loss of 11 airmen killed.

No. 318 Squadron "City of Gdańsk" - 318 Dywizjon Myśliwsko-Rozpoznawczy Gdański
Formed on 20 March 1943, disbanded in July 1946. Code letters: LW. Except for the formation period and final two months of existence (both these periods spent in Great Britain) attached to Desert Air Force/1st Tactical Air Force RAF and associated with II Korpus Polski (II Polish Corps) in Middle East and Italy.
Equipment:
-Hawker Hurricane (03.1943 - 08.1943 Mk.I/IC, 09.1943 - 03.1944 Mk.IIC),
-Supermarine Spitfire (03.1944 - 10.1944 Mk.VC, 10.1944 - 07.1946 Mk.IX/IXE).
Squadron crews flew a total of 4864 sorties at a loss of 5 airmen killed and 1 POW.

No. 663 Squadron (AOP) - 663 Dywizjon Samolotów Artylerii
Formed on 8 September 1944 in Italy, disbanded on 10 October 1946. Personnel mostly from Artillery. Unit attached to II Korpus Polski (II Polish Corps) in Italy.
Equipment:
-British Taylorcraft Auster (09.1944 - 07.1945 Mk.III, 01.1945 - 10.1946 Mk.V, 03.1945 - 11.1945 Mk.IV)
Squadron crews flew 530 sorties at a loss of 1 airman killed.

Many thanks to Hood for His work on Lysander.
Poland, Westland Lysander


Many thanks to Jabba for His work on Hurricane.
Poland, Hawker Hurricane


Many thanks to DarthPanda for His work on Spitfire.
Poland, Supermarine Spitfire



Many thanks to Demon Lord Razgriz and Nighthunter for Their work on Mustang
Poland, North American Mustang



Poland, Auster

The excellence continues.

Some really nice detailing on these profiles and the Beaufighter looks very good. I'm glad my little 'Lizzie' was my contribution to this great work!

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

One word eswube.... WOW!

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https://discord.gg/5PHq8Dk
My artwork is posted here: https://www.deviantart.com/adenandy/gallery/all

The excellent drawings continue. One question. Were there Polish units serving in other non axis armies than in the British, French, Russian and American?

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Currently working on:

• Fiat G.50
  Breda Ba.64/65/75
  Dornier Do.17/Do.215
  Heinkel He.79
  Junkers Ju.52
  Junkers J.I

Repainting:

• Grumman F4F Wildcat/Grumman G-36
  Caproni Ca.135bis

Thank You for comments!

@Naixoterk
I've never heard about any "Polish units serving in the Briths, French, Russian and American armies" in World War 2.

The stuff above is about Polish units of the Polish armed forces, subordinate to Polish government (well, it's more complicated with units in the Soviet Union after 1943, but formally these were still Polish units of Polish state, not "Polish units of the Red Army"), wearing Polish rank insignia and Polish Eagle on headgear, decorated with Polish awards etc.
Only because it was a military in exile it used uniforms of the "host armies" and was connected to their supply lines. Plus it was indeed under operational control of these.
And it refers only to France, Great Britain and Soviet Union. In the US units Polish military personnel were only on "internship" or "exchange" or whatever way it could be named.

And more directly to Your question: Polish regular units were not serving with any other armies than of France, British Commonwealth and Soviet Union. But Poles were present in practically every anti-fascist resistance movement in Europe: France, Yugoslavia, Greece, Soviet Union, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Italy... (not sure about Albania ).

What can I say? Every time you outdo yourself.

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My Worklist
Sources and documentations are the most welcome.

-Koko Kyouwakoku (Republic of Koko)
-Koko's carrier-based aircrafts of WWII
-Koko Kaiun Yuso Kaisha - KoKaYu Line (Koko AU spinoff)
-Koko - Civil Aviation

Hey, easy man, easy. Maybe i should've made the question: "were there any Polish people fighting with other allied armies other than US, British, Russian and French armies?"

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Currently working on:

• Fiat G.50
  Breda Ba.64/65/75
  Dornier Do.17/Do.215
  Heinkel He.79
  Junkers Ju.52
  Junkers J.I

Repainting:

• Grumman F4F Wildcat/Grumman G-36
  Caproni Ca.135bis

@Naixoterk
Ok, ok. Sorry.
I just thought that the historical entries I've made earlier would make the issue of the relation of Polish Armed Forces to Allied armies clear enough.

......................just when you think it can't get any better, it does

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Projects:
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References and feedback is always welcome!