5 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes Table of contents Glossary .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter I - POLISH AIR FORCE IN SEPTEMBER 1939 ............................................................................................................ 9 POLISH AIR FORCE IN SEPTEMBER 1939 ............................................................................................................................10 GERMAN BOMBING OF POLISH AIRFIELDS....................................................................................................................... 14 Chapter II - NAVAL AIR SQUADRON...................................................................................................................................... 17 NAVAL AIR SQUADRON ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 RUMIA ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter III - POMERANIA .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 AIRFIELDS OF THE 4 TH AIR REGIMENT ................................................................................................................................30 AIR COMPONENT OF THE ‘POMORZE’ ARMY ................................................................................................................... 38 Chapter IV - WIELKOPOLSKA .................................................................................................................................................. 43 POZNAŃ-ŁAWICA AIRFIELD (BASE OF THE 3RD AIR REGIMENT) ............................................................................... 44 AIR COMPONENT OF THE ‘POZNAŃ’ ARMY ...................................................................................................................... 49 Chapter V - ŁÓDŹ REGION ........................................................................................................................................................ 59 ŁÓDŹ-LUBLINEK AIRFIELD ...................................................................................................................................................60 OF THE ‘ŁÓDŹ’ ARMY ............................................................................................................................................................. 73 AIR COMPONENT ...................................................................................................................................................................... 73 Chapter VI - MAZOWSZE........................................................................................................................................................... 83 WARSAW - OKĘCIE .................................................................................................................................................................. 84 WARSZAWA - WP1 .................................................................................................................................................................... 86 WARSZAWA - WS 1, ITL, DWL, LOT .................................................................................................................................... 111 WARSZAWA - BASE OF THE 1 st AIR REGIMENT ............................................................................................................... 114 WARSAW-MOKOTÓW AND WARSAW-BIELANY ............................................................................................................ 126 Chapter VII - PURSUIT BRIGADE .......................................................................................................................................... 129 PURSUIT BRIGADE .................................................................................................................................................................130 Chapter VIII - BOMBER BRIGADE ......................................................................................................................................... 145 BOMBER BRIGADE ................................................................................................................................................................. 146 Chapter IX - NO. 1 AIR FORCE TRAINING CENTRE (CWL-1) ........................................................................................... 165 DĘBLIN-IRENA ........................................................................................................................................................................ 166 UŁĘŻ .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 223 BOROWINA............................................................................................................................................................................... 233 SPRL - RADOM......................................................................................................................................................................... 239 Chapter X - ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKIE REGION.............................................................................................................................. 259 KIELCE - MASŁÓW, POLICHNO ...........................................................................................................................................260 Photo credits ............................................................................................................................................................................... 262 Name index ................................................................................................................................................................................. 262 Aircraft index .............................................................................................................................................................................. 263 MMP SAMPLE
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Chapter I - POLISH AIR FORCE IN SEPTEMBER 1939 ............................................................................................................9POLISH AIR FORCE IN SEPTEMBER 1939 ............................................................................................................................10GERMAN BOMBING OF POLISH AIRFIELDS .......................................................................................................................14
Chapter II - NAVAL AIR SQUADRON ......................................................................................................................................17NAVAL AIR SQUADRON .........................................................................................................................................................18RUMIA .........................................................................................................................................................................................26
Chapter III - POMERANIA ..........................................................................................................................................................29AIRFIELDS OF THE 4TH AIR REGIMENT ................................................................................................................................30AIR COMPONENT OF THE ‘POMORZE’ ARMY ...................................................................................................................38
Chapter IV - WIELKOPOLSKA ..................................................................................................................................................43POZNAŃ-ŁAWICA AIRFIELD (BASE OF THE 3RD AIR REGIMENT) ...............................................................................44AIR COMPONENT OF THE ‘POZNAŃ’ ARMY ......................................................................................................................49
Chapter V - ŁÓDŹ REGION ........................................................................................................................................................59ŁÓDŹ-LUBLINEK AIRFIELD ...................................................................................................................................................60OF THE ‘ŁÓDŹ’ ARMY .............................................................................................................................................................73AIR COMPONENT ......................................................................................................................................................................73
Chapter VI - MAZOWSZE ...........................................................................................................................................................83WARSAW - OKĘCIE ..................................................................................................................................................................84WARSZAWA - WP1 ....................................................................................................................................................................86WARSZAWA - WS 1, ITL, DWL, LOT .................................................................................................................................... 111WARSZAWA - BASE OF THE 1st AIR REGIMENT ...............................................................................................................114WARSAW-MOKOTÓW AND WARSAW-BIELANY ............................................................................................................126
Chapter VII - PURSUIT BRIGADE ..........................................................................................................................................129PURSUIT BRIGADE .................................................................................................................................................................130
Chapter VIII - BOMBER BRIGADE .........................................................................................................................................145BOMBER BRIGADE .................................................................................................................................................................146
Chapter IX - NO. 1 AIR FORCE TRAINING CENTRE (CWL-1) ...........................................................................................165DĘBLIN-IRENA ........................................................................................................................................................................166UŁĘŻ ..........................................................................................................................................................................................223BOROWINA ...............................................................................................................................................................................233SPRL - RADOM .........................................................................................................................................................................239
Chapter X - ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKIE REGION ..............................................................................................................................259KIELCE - MASŁÓW, POLICHNO ...........................................................................................................................................260
Photo credits ...............................................................................................................................................................................262Name index .................................................................................................................................................................................262Aircraft index ..............................................................................................................................................................................263
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POLISH AIR FORCE IN SEPTEMBER 1939
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Numbers of Polish Air Force aircraft on 1 September 1939 (not including naval aviation)Role Type Number Allocation
Combat units Training Reserve Overhauls
A. Combat aircraft
Fighter PZL P.11 165 128 6 5 26
PZL P.7 105 30 40 10 25
Bomber PZL.37 Łoś 84 36 20 16 12
Reconnaissance-bomber PZL.23 Karaś B 189 114 20 10 45
Reconnaissance-bomber PZL.23 Karaś A 35 - 25 - 10
Observation R-XIII 150 49 31 30 40
RWD-14 Czapla 65 35 12 15 3
Total 793 392 154 86 161
B. Training and auxiliary.
Primary trainer RWD-8 350 62 156 104 28
Advanced trainer PWS-18 35 - 30 - 5
Advanced trainer PWS-26 250 - 200 20 30
Training bomber LWS-6 Żubr 15 - 10 2 3
Advanced trainer Potez 25 175 - 125 30 20
Advanced trainer Potez 27 50 - 30 10 10
Transport Fokker F-VIIB/3m 12 12
Medical evacuation R-XVIb 4 - 4 - -
Medical evacuation RWD-13 3 - 3 - -
Obsolete various* 50 - 30 10 10
Total 944 74 588 176 106
Note: approximate numbers. * ca. 20 BM-4 and BM-5, ca. 20 PWS-14 and 16, and other.
Polish aviation in 1939 included the air force, the airlines and sports/general aviation.
Until Summer 1939 the Polish Air Force was organised into air regiments. The 1st Air Regiment (1 Pułk Lotniczy – 1 PL) was based in Warsaw at Okęcie, the 2nd Air Regiment (2 PL) in Cracow at Rakowice-Czyżyny, the 3rd Air Regiment (3 PL) in Poznań at Ławica, the 4th Air Regiment (4 PL) in Toruń, the 5th Air Regiment (5 PL) in Lida (now in Belarus) and in Wilno (now Vilnius in Lithuania), and the 6th Air Regiment (6 PL) in Lwów (now Lviv in Ukraine) at Skniłów. The air regi-ments had their permanent bases at these airfields, including hangars, utility buildings and workshops (the latter known as
‘parks’). The regiments had their permanently assigned combat flights (eskadra), training squadrons (dywizjon), and transport and medical evacuation aircraft. Combat units included fighter, bomber, line (renamed ‘reconnaissance flights’ during the mobi-lisation) and accompanying (renamed ‘observation flights’ in August 1939) flights, usually organised in two-flight squadrons. The fighter flights were identified with three-digit numbers, starting with a 1, followed by the second digit that identified the regiment. Line and accompanying flights had two-digit numbers, beginning with the regiment number, followed by
a 1, 2, 4 or 5 for line (reconnaissance) flights, or a 3 or 6 for accompanying (observation) flights.
Air force training establishments were combined in two centres: – No. 1 Air Force Training Centre (CWL-1) that included the
Air Force Cadet Officers’ School (SPL) at Dęblin, the Flying School (SP) at Ułęż, the Air Force Reserve Cadet Officers’ School (SPRL) at Radom and the Engineering Class of the Air Force Cadet Officers’ School (SPL-GT) in Warsaw at Mokotów;
– No. 2 Air Force Training Centre (CWL-2) that included the Air Force NCO School for Minors (SPLdM) at Krosno (transferred from Bydgoszcz).
The Naval Air Squadron (Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy – MDLot) based at Puck reported to the Polish Navy.
Allocation to a particular unit was marked on aircraft by applying code letters on wing undersurfaces. The codes were: N for the 1 PL, K for the 2 PL, P for the 3 PL, T for the 4 PL, L for the 5 PL, and S for the 6 PL, while training units used the following letters: 1 PL – A, 2 PL – E, 3 PL – F, 6 PL – J, SPL – D, SPRL – R, SP – U, SPLdM – M, Staff Training Flight (Sztabowa Eskadra Treningowa) – Z, Aviation Technical Institute (ITL) – W. Other underwing code letters included B, used by the SPLdM at Bydgoszcz (prior to the move to Krosno).
Lublin R-XIIIter floatplane destroyed by fire, resting in shallow water off Hel Peninsula. (TJK)
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PZL P.11c fighter no. 59 (508-T) at the shooting range of the Toruń airfield. Note the open inspection panel on the side of the cockpit. (JBC)
PZL P.11cs nos. 59 and 61 at Toruń airfield shooting range. The other wing of the P.11c no. 61 was used to repair a damaged aircraft of the 4th Air Regiment’s Fighter Squadron. The wing was removed from no. 61 by a crew of fitters under plut. Henryk Boliński. (JBC/TJK)
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Chapter IV
WIELKOPOLSKA
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POZNAŃ-ŁAWICA AIRFIELD (BASE OF THE 3RD AIR REGIMENT)
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Bomb damaged buildings at Ławica airfield. (DB)
POZNAŃ
PO
ZN
AŃ
LOT
Ławica
3 PLBase
The airfield at Poznań-Ławica was the base of the 3rd Air Regiment, its flights having formed the air component of the
‘Poznań’ Army. This was a combined military-civilian aerodrome, used also by LOT Polish Airlines, the Aeroklub Poznański, and a PWL centre. Therefore, one side of the airfield housed military installations (HQ buildings, hangars and Air Park workshops), while the LOT air-port was located on the other side. Prior to 1 September the ‘Poznań’ Army air units moved to forward airfields at Gniezno, Dzierżnica, Mierzewo, Gwiazdowo and Żydowo.
By midday on 1 September, when the first air raid on Poznań-Ławica airfield took place (by 21 Ju 87s), most aircraft had been removed from the hangars and dispersed on the outskirts of the airfield. At 12.40 a group of nine Ju 87s bombed the base HQ, the regimental depot and fuel dumps. The third raid took place at 13.30. Nine Ju 87s dropped bombs on the hangar of No. 2 Training Flight (a PZL.23 Karaś, an RWD-14 Czapla and several RWD-8s were destroyed by fire), the Air Park depot and two fuel bowsers. Then at 17.50, in the heavy bombing of the airfield area and buildings by 18 He 111s from II./KG 26, there were 21 killed and 40 wounded.
Bombs were also dropped on forward airfields: Gniezno (at 12.30 – I./KG 53), Swarzędz near Poznań and Śnieciska near Poznań. Aircraft scheduled for overhaul, including Karaś light bombers of the 41st Flight and LOT airliners withdrawn from use, including the PZL.4 tri-motor, were destroyed at Ławica airfield. On 2 September Ławica was bombed twice, at 12.30 and 14.00. Two aircraft, a PZL P.11 and an RWD-14 Czapla, were destroyed.
On 3 September evening No. 3 Air Base was evacuated to Lublin and Świdnik, arriving there on 5 September, then on 12 September it moved to Łuck and even-tually to Tarnopol.
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A burnt out RWD-14 Czapla observation aircraft from the 33rd Observation Flight. The letter P under the wing identified the aircraft as coming from the 3rd Air Regiment. (MR)
The same Czapla in a more vandalised condition. (TJK)
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Above and at the top of the facing page: RWD-5 SP-ALX ‘Legun I’ from Łódź. (TJK)
RWD-5 SP-ALS from Poznań with the Polish national marking on the bottom of the wing. DH-60 Moth SP-ALK can be seen in the background. (TJK)
Germans with the RWD-5 SP-ALS from Aeroklub Poznański. (TJK)
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Unfinished Łoś near the factory fence. (TJK)
Łoś, and behind them the fuselage of the PZL.24J prototype with Bulgarian markings. (AM)
An unfinished Łoś B near the fence of PZL WP1. Note the bomb bays in wings and fuselage and under-wing radiators. (TJK)
Łoś B in front of the trials department hangar. (MR)
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This and top of the next page: PZL.37 Łoś bomber no. 701-N, coded H or K on the fuselage, damaged by bomb blast in the 1st Air Regiment hangar. (JBC/TJK)
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PZL P.11c no. 10 (170-N, 8.70) of ppor. Hieronim Dudwał from the 113th Fighter Flight, damaged in air combat on 1 September 1939, was captured by the Germans at the forward airfield at Poniatów. (TJK/JBC)
evacuated to Rumania. During the short campaign in Poland fighters of the Brigade were officially credited with 43 enemy aircraft shot down (according to the so-called Bajan Committee established in Britain in 1945 for official claim verification) for
the loss of three pilots killed, five missing and eight seriously wounded, and 40 aircraft lost. It is now accepted that the victory list as credited by the Bajan Committee was subject to over-claiming. The matter has not been researched sufficiently so far.
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In front of the hangars at Dęblin. Above: RWD-8as nos. 133 and no. 70 (34-341), in the background Jupiter-powered Potez 25 no. 40. (TJK)
Left: PZL P 7a no. 999 popped up onto its nose by the Germans. (MR)
Bottom photograph: Bartel BM-4h no. 59 in front of hangar no. 7. In the background Potez 25 no. 37 and behind it a Jupiter-powered Potez and Karaś no. 4. (TJK)
airfields in Dęblin area. The airfield at Podlodów was bombed after the Łoś bombers departed on 9 September.
During 9-12 September the only Polish personnel left at Dęblin airfield was a demolition squad that destroyed depots and fuel dumps. On 9 September the airfield was strafed again, and on 11 September it was bombed. Over a dozen RWD-8s from CWL-1 were left on 15 September at Radziechów near Sokal due to lack of fuel. German troops entered Dęblin on 16 September.
About 140 aircraft were destroyed or damaged at Dęblin and its satellite airfields. The Germans captured over ninety serviceable or repairable machines. These included 50 PWS-26s and several each of P.7, Karaś, Żubr, RWD-8, Potez 25, Fokker F-VIIA/1m, F-VIIB/3m and R-XIII.
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PWS-16bis (nos. 142, 147, 153, 163 and 165), PWS-26, Lublin R-XIIIF (no. 398) and PZL.23A Karaś (no. 7) aircraft. On the left several RWD-8s. (TJK)
Inside the hall, filled mostly with PWS aircraft. In the middle is PWS-16bis no. 165, to its right an RWD-8 with folded wings. (TJK)
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A unique photograph depicting, among others, the Aero Ab-101 and two Letov Š-328s after they were rolled out from the MOB hangar. By then they have al-ready fallen prey to souvenir hunters, who have cut out the Czechoslovak markings. Left to right: Aero Ab-101, Letov Š-328, Potez 25 (no. 15), another Letov Š-328, a Potez 25, a Lublin R-XIII. In the foreground Breguet 19 no. 56. (TJK)
Wreck yard near the MOB hangars. Two Bartel BM-4h fuselages are in the foreground with remains of Potez 25s and Breguet 19s behind. (TJK)
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Abandoned PZL P.7a fighters of the Flying School at Ułęż. Upon mobilisation the school instructors formed an ad hoc fighter unit (the ‘Dęblin Group’) to defend Dęblin and the other CWL-1 airfields nearby. Overturned P.7a no. 25 and aircraft no. 16 to the right of it. Close-up view of the P.7a no. 25. (TJK/MR)
PZL P.7a fighters of the Dęblin Group partly ca-mouflaged with an ‘artificial wood’ and abando-ned at Ułęż airfield. Note traces of cannibalisation on machines used by the Poles as source of spare parts for other aircraft. P.7s nos. (right to left:): 29, 16 and 25 and probably 14 can be seen in the photograph. (TJK)
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Vertical photograph of the airfield at Borowina with facilities as they were in September 1939. (KCh)
BOROWINA
Bird’s eye view of the airfield and hangars at Borowina (Gołąb). The photograph was taken before the war. (Stratus)
HANGARNo. 1
HANGARNo. 2
ENTRANCE BARRACKS
TECHNICALBUILDINGS
BOROWINA
No. 2
No. 1
RO
AD
ON
THE
EMB
AN
KM
ENT
Fen
ce
Tre
es
PWS-26
PWS-26
PWS-26
PWS-26
PWS-26
PWS-26
PWS-26
PWS-26No. 207
PWS-26No. 60
Diagram of the airfield at Borowina after it was captured by the Germans, aircraft were rolled out of the hangars and partly vandalised.
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PZL.23 Karaś II no. 44.225 captured at Radom, modified by PZL in 1939 by adding the aerial mast above the cockpit. The aircraft had no under-wing code applied. Perhaps during summer 1939 it was allocated to the School at Radom, which was scheduled to start training pilots on the type in late 1939. Hangar no. 1 can be seen on the right in the upper photograph. (TJK/AMC)