Polish Wings

Rhade

Post subject: Re: Polish Wings

Posted: May 25th, 2013, 10:13 pm

Posts: 2804
Joined: July 27th, 2010, 12:45 pm
Location: Poland

It's time for next chapter of Polish Wings.

France

As you can guess it will be a Nieuport parade.

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Only seven of these Nieuport 17 fighters found their way into the Polish hands, with just two of them being used operationally. Career of N17's in Poland ended in 1920, with their last assignments being training ones.

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Additional seven Nieuport 21's were captured and served for a short time as fighter trainers.

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Several (possibly up to 15) Nieuport 23's were captured as well, mostly from Russian forces, with one of them being put into service in the flight school.

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Only 5 Nieuport 24bis, with old rudder type from Nieuport 17c1, served in the Polish aviation. The one presented here belonged to lieutenant Popov, who defected with his plane from the Red Army. Last of these planes in service ended it's flying career in 1932 - unfortunately in a crash. Although designed as recon planes, Nieuports 80/81/83 were used only as trainers. They differed in having flight controle either just for the pilot in the rear seat (81E2), or both for pilots (80E2).

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Eighteen SPAD S.VII's served in 7 and 19 Eskadra Myśliwska (7th, 19th Fighter Squadron) in 1919. Year later some six of them were transferred to Szkoła Pilotów (Pilot's School) in Bydgoszcz

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Slightly bigger version of S.VII, the S.XIII, while more powerful and better armed, due to higher weight had also slightly deteriorated flight characteristics. Almost 40 served in the Polish military aviation until around 1924.

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Around 53 Salmson 2A2's served in the Polish military aviation, most of them being ex-Blue Army planes, with some more purchased later from France. Used as reconnaissance aircraft, in 1921 they were withdrawn from service.

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Another ex-Blue Army plane, the Breguet XIV was a basic machine of Polish reconnaissance squadrons it that early period, with a total of around 158 being used until 1935

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Poland was also a significant user of Caudron G.III trainers, with 51 of these being used until 1927

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Five MS.29 and twenty-one MS.30 advanced trainers were used in Polish flight schools. MS.29 was used only between 1919 and 1922 in Warsaw and later Bydgoszcz for familiarization of students with ground handling of aircraft during taxiing, and therefore had most of their wings cut to prevent accidental take-off. MS.30's were used as advanced trainers until mid-1920s

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Sekcja Techniczna Departamentu do spraw Morskich MSWojsk (Technical Section of the Department of Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Military Affairs) ordered in 1921 from Societa Idrovolanti Alfa Italo (SIAI) nine FBA S-4 seaplanes. Only one of them was assembled, though, with rest being revealed to be damaged due to storing in improper (too humid) conditions.

Due to lack of sources regarding their painting, this is just speculative view.

Polish military aviation had also a number of captured Farman 30 and Voisin 30 planes, but there are basically no sources about their camouflage. And you can all see them in one of previous chapter. Therefore I pass over them.

Have fun.

_________________
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Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Last edited by Rhade on February 13th, 2015, 12:22 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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