Polish Air Force
1918–1922
The history of the Polish
airforce began at the end of the World War I. In 1918, some
aircraft escadres were created within the Polish units in
allied countries. In Russia, one escadre was created within
the Polish corps of General Józef Dowbór-Muśnicki, then
disbanded along with the Corps in May 1918. In France, 5
bomber escadres were created within the Army of General
Józef Haller. They returned to Poland, equipment intact in
1919.
Military aviation in Poland started just when Poland
regained its independence, in November 1918. It consisted
initially of German and Austrian aircraft, captured from the
former occupants or left by them in a damaged state. They
were first used in the conflict with Ukraine around Lwňw in
1918, other actions being the bombing of an airfield in
Frankfurt (Oder) on 9 January 1919 by airmen of the Great
Polish Army. After 1919 Poland was then involved in the war
with Soviet Russia and started to buy aircraft abroad. As a
result, in 1920 the Polish Air Force consisted of a variety
of the British, French, German, Austrian and Italian
aircraft of the World War I era, in quantities ranging from
a few to some dozen pieces. The main fighters used were (in
order of quantity): SPAD XIII, Fokker D.VII, Oeffag D.III,
Ansaldo Balilla, SPAD VII, Albatros D.III, Sopwith Dolphin,
Fokker E.V (D.VIII). The most numerous became two-seater
Bristol F2B Fighter (105 units), used a scout plane. Main
bombers and reconnaissance planes were: Breguet 14, SVA-9,
Salmson 2A2, DH-9, different variants of Albatros C, DFW C,
LVG C.
1923–1932
After the Polish-Soviet war,
the World War I vintage aircraft were gradually withdrawn,
and the air force was equipped mostly with the French
aircraft. From 1924–26, the typical fighter became SPAD 61
(280 pieces). The standard light bombers were also French:
Potez XV (245), then Breguet XIX (250) and Potez XXV (316).
Potez bombers were produced in Poland. The medium bombers
were Farman Goliath and later a military variant of Fokker
F-VII.
Before developing fighters of its own design, 50 Czech
biplane fighters Avia BH-33 were licence-produced under a
designation PWS-A. The first Polish design was a high wing
fighter PWS-10, used in 80 pieces from 1932. The Polish
naval air force used a number of French flying boats, mainly
Schreck FBA-17, LeO H-13, H-135 and Latham 43. All these
aircraft were withdrawn from the combat units by 1939.
1933–1938
In 1933 entered service the
first of high-wing all metal fighters of Zygmunt Pulawski
design, PZL P.7a, built in a series of 150. It was followed
by 30 improved PZL P.11a. The final design, PZL P.11c,
entered service in 1935 in a series of 175. A modern fighter
in 1935, it remained the only Polish fighter until 1939,
when it was made obsolete by the quick progress in aircraft
designing. Its development PZL P.24 was built for export
only, and was bought by four countries. The new fighter
prototype, PZL P-50 Jastrząb (Hawk), similar to Seversky
P-35 layout, was designed too late to be produced. The
two-engine heavy fighters PZL-38 Wilk and PZL-48 Lampart
remained prototypes.
In a bomber aviation, Potez XXV and Breguet XIX were
replaced by all-metal monoplane PZL.23 Karas (250 built,
since 1936), but by 1939, the Karas was outdated. In 1938
the Polish factory PZL designed a modern twin-engine medium
bomber PZL.37 Los,arguably the best bomber in the world when
it entered service that year. The PZL.37 Los (Elk) had a
bomb payload of 2580 kg and a top speed of 439 km/h.
Unfortunately too few of them entered service before the war
(approximately 30 Los A bombers (single-fin tail) and 70 Los
B (twin-fin tail) bombers were delivered before the war
started). As an observation and close reconnaissance plane,
Polish escadres used slow and easy to hit high-wing Lublin
R-XIII, then RWD-14 Czapla. The Polish naval aviation used
Lublin R-XIII on floats as well. Just before the war, some
Italian torpedo planes CANT Z-506 were ordered, but only one
was delivered, without armament. The main trainer planes
were Polish-built high-wing RWD-8 (primary) and biplane
PWS-26 (trainer). In 1939, Poland ordered 160 of MS-406 and
10 Hawker Hurricane fighters abroad, but they weren't
delivered before the war.
1939
Type |
Model |
Total |
Incl. in combat formations |
Number of
planes on September 1st, 1939 |
Fighters |
PZL P.11 |
175 |
140 |
PZL P.7 |
105 |
30 |
Line planes
light bombers/tactical
bombers |
PZL.23A |
35 |
0 |
PZL.23B |
170 |
120 |
Bomber planes
medium
bombers |
PZL.37 Łoś |
61 |
36 |
PZL.30 Żubr |
15 |
0 |
Associate planes
Surveillance aircraft
and
Army cooperation plane |
Lublin R-XIII |
150 |
55 |
RWD-14 Czapla |
60 |
40 |
Total |
|
771 |
421 |
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At the beginning of the Polish
September Campaign, by September 1, 1939, all the Polish
combat aircraft had been deployed to the field airfields;
contrary to a common belief based on German propaganda, they
avoided destruction in bombed air bases. The German bombers
managed to destroy on airfields mostly trainer planes. The
fighter planes were grouped in 15 escadres. 5 of them
constituted the Pursuit Brigade, deployed in Warsaw area.
Despite being obsolete, Polish PZL-11 fighters shot down
over 170 German planes as well.
The bombers, grouped in 9
escadres of the Bomber Brigade attacked armoured columns,
suffering heavy losses. 7 reconnaissance and 12 observation
escadres, deployed to particular Armies, were intensively
used for reconnaissance. Most of the Polish air force was
destroyed in the campaign, the rest of the aircraft were
captured or withdrawn to Romania. Subsequently, the
Romanians employed the remaining aircraft for their own use.
A great number of pilots and air crews managed to escape to
France where they intended to continue the fight.
1940 (France)
After the fall of Poland, the Polish air force started to be
reborn in France. The only complete unit created before the
German attack on France was the GC 1/145 fighter squadron,
flying on Caudron C.714 light fighters (it was the only unit
operating C.714). The Polish pilots were also deployed to
different French squadrons, flying on all French fighter
types, mainly on MS-406.
1940–1945 (United Kingdom)
Following France's surrender in 1940, Polish units were
formed in the United Kingdom, as a part of the Royal Air
Force, and known as the Polish Air Force (PAF). The first
squadrons were: 300 and 301 bomber squadrons and 302 and 303
fighter squadrons. The fighter squadrons, flying the Hawker
Hurricane, first saw action in the third phase of the Battle
of Britain in August 1940, with a very good results.
Polish flying skills were
well-developed from the September campaign and the pilots
were regarded as fearless bordering on reckless.
Nevertheless success rates were very high in comparison to
UK and Empire pilots. 303 squadron became the most efficient
RAF fighter unit at that time. Many Polish pilots also flew
in other RAF squadrons. In the following years, further
Polish squadrons were created: 304 (bomber, then Coastal
Command), 305 (bomber), 306 (fighter), 307 (night fighter),
308 (fighter), 309 (reconnaissance, then fighter), 315
(fighter), 316 (fighter), 317 (fighter), 318
(fighter-reconnaissance).
The fighter squadrons initially
flew Hurricanes, then Supermarine Spitfires, eventually on
P-51 Mustangs. The bomber squadrons were initially equipped
with Fairey Battles and Vickers Wellingtons, then Avro
Lancasters (300 Sqdn.), Handley Page Halifax's and
Consolidated B-24 Liberators (301 sqn) and de Havilland
Mosquitos and B-25 Mitchells (305 Sqdn.). After the war,
with the changed international situation, their equipment
was returned to the British but only some of the pilots and
crews returned to Poland.
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