Aviation of Polish Forces in Russia
I Korpus Polski w Rosji (Polish I Corps in Russia) was a Polish military formation formed in Belarus, in August 1917 in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917, from soldiers of Polish origin serving in the Russian Army. Its goal was to defend Poles inhabiting parts of Poland under Russian partitions and support the formation of independent Poland.
The Corps was formed at the initiative of the Naczelny Polski Komitet Wojskowy (Chief Polish Military Committee), a Polish faction in the revolutionary and split Russian Empire military. It was commanded by general Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki, and numbered about 29,000 soldiers. In the chaotic period at the end of the First World War on the Eastern Front, the Polish I Corps fought against the Bolshevik Red Army, cooperated with the German Ober Ost forces in taking Minsk, and after acknowledging the Regency Council in May 1918, it surrendered to the German forces in Babruysk. The soldiers were given safe passage to Warsaw, where they became part of the newly created Polish Army.*
Awiacja I Korpusu Polskiego (
Aviation of the 1st Polish Corps was formed in Minsk on 19 july 1917. Initially the unit led by cpt. Zygmunt Studziński posessed only one unarmed Nieuport 11c1. Shortly after lt.col. Piotr Abakanowicz took comand of the unit and organized it's tranfer to Bobrujsk (Babruysk), and on their way there unit's personnel encountered group of polish railway worker who helped them "liberate" some 16 combat aircraft from railway transport. In march 1918 polish troops captured single Ilya Muromets G-II bomber together with its crew and pressed it into service in the unit. Together with whole Corps, groupsurrendered in may 1918 to the German forces.
I Polski Oddział Awiacyjny Bojowy (
1st Polish Aviational Combat Detachment) was formed in Dunajowice near Kamieniec Podolski (Kamianets-Podilskyi) in december 1917. Most of the pilots and ground personnel came from the former Russian
XIX Istriebityelny Aviaotryad (
19th Fighter Air Detachment) formed in 1915 in Warsaw with high precentage of personnel of Polish origin. They flew on SPAD S.VII, Farman F.30, Anatra Anasal, Nieuport 21E1 and Nieuport 23C1 aircraft.
( esauł - cossack officer in rank of major )
Polski Oddział Awiacyjny w Odessie (
Polish Aviational Detachment in Odessa) was formed in Odessa in 1917 from Polish pilots of the
City of Odessa Defense Squadron. Equipment included Anatra Anasal, Lebed XII, Morane-Saulnier MS-3(L) and MS-5 planes
II Polski Oddział Awiacyjny (
2nd Polish Aviational Detachment) was formed in december 1917 as a result of merger of Russian
XIV Aviaotryad (
14th Aviational Detachment) and independent air unit led by rotmistrz (rittmeister) Niżewski. Unit owned one Morane-Saulnier L, two Nieuport 16c1 and one SPAD plane.
I Oddział Awiacyjny Wojsk Polskich (
1st Aviational Detachment of Polish Forces was formed with French consent in october 1918 in Kubanarea of southern Russia from Polish aviators (of Polish Corps') that evaded capture by Germans and Austrians. It was assigned to Polish
4 Dywizja Strzelców (
4th Rifle Division) also formed in that area as detached part of Blue Army and supporting Entente intervention in Russian civil war. In december 1918 unit was transported by sea to Odessa where it received initially only two Anatra planes and one LVG C.V. In february 1919 it was renamed to
Eskadra Lotnicza 4 Dywizji Strzelców (
Aviational Squadron of the 4th Rifle Division). In april 1919, on the eve of the units evacuation to Romania, lieut. Ludomir Rayski obtained from one of French squadrons single damaged Breguet XIVB2 (sometimes mistaken with A2 model). After whole night-long repair by Polish technicians it was made flyable and flew to Akerman, shortly after joined by rest of the unit on its way to Poland.
* - source wikipedia.com