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 4TH 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 1st AIR REGIMENT...... 114 WARSAW-MOKOTÓW AND WARSAW-BIELANY...... SAMPLE...... 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 KIELCEMMP - MASŁÓW, POLICHNO...... 260 Photo credits...... 262 Name index...... 262 Aircraft index...... 263
5 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
POLISH AIR FORCE IN SEPTEMBER 1939
Polish aviation in 1939 included the air force, the airlines a 1, 2, 4 or 5 for line (reconnaissance) flights, or a 3 or 6 for and sports/general aviation. accompanying (observation) flights. Until Summer 1939 the Polish Air Force was organised Air force training establishments were combined in two centres: into air regiments. The 1st Air Regiment (1 Pułk Lotniczy – 1 – No. 1 Air Force Training Centre (CWL-1) that included the PL) was based in Warsaw at Okęcie, the 2nd Air Regiment (2 Air Force Cadet Officers’ School (SPL) at Dęblin, the Flying PL) in Cracow at Rakowice-Czyżyny, the 3rd Air Regiment (3 School (SP) at Ułęż, the Air Force Reserve Cadet Officers’ PL) in Poznań at Ławica, the 4th Air Regiment (4 PL) in Toruń, School (SPRL) at Radom and the Engineering Class of the Air the 5th Air Regiment (5 PL) in Lida (now in Belarus) and in Force Cadet Officers’ School (SPL-GT) in Warsaw at Mokotów; Wilno (now Vilnius in Lithuania), and the 6th Air Regiment (6 – No. 2 Air Force Training Centre (CWL-2) that included PL) in Lwów (now Lviv in Ukraine) at Skniłów. The air regi- the Air Force NCO School for Minors (SPLdM) at Krosno ments had their permanent bases at these airfields, including (transferred from Bydgoszcz). hangars, utility buildings and workshops (the latter known as The Naval Air Squadron (Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy – ‘parks’). The regiments had their permanently assigned combat MDLot) based at Puck reported to the Polish Navy. flights (eskadra), training squadrons (dywizjon), and transport Allocation to a particular unit was marked on aircraft by and medical evacuation aircraft. Combat units included fighter, applying code letters on wing undersurfaces. The codes were: bomber, line (renamed ‘reconnaissance flights’ during the mobi- N for the 1 PL, K for the 2 PL, P for the 3 PL, T for the 4 PL, lisation) and accompanying (renamed ‘observation flights’ in L for the 5 PL, and S for the 6 PL, while training units used August 1939) flights, usually organised in two-flight squadrons. the following letters: 1 PL – A, 2 PL – E, 3 PL – F, 6 PL – J, The fighter flights were identified with three-digit numbers, SPL – D, SPRL – R, SP – U, SPLdM – M, Staff Training starting with a 1, followed by the second digit that identified Flight (Sztabowa Eskadra Treningowa) – Z, Aviation Technical the regiment. Line and accompanying flights had two-digit Institute (ITL) – W. Other underwing code letters included B, numbers, beginning with the regiment number, followed by used by the SPLdM at Bydgoszcz (prior to the move to Krosno).
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 SAMPLE36 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 MedicalMMP 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.
10 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
POLISH FLIGHTS ON 1 SEPTEMBER 1939 LITHUANIA
PUCK MDLot WILNO
GERMANY 13 EO 46 EO CZERSK (EAST PRUSSIA) DOBRA WIELKA ARMIA POMORZE 43 EO 46 EO SAM. GRUPA OP. NAREW NIEDŹWIEDŹ BIELICE NOWE 42 ER ARMIA ŁOMŻA TORUŃ MODLIN 13 EO WIERZBOWO BIAŁYSTOK 141, 142 EM 51 ERRYNEK MARKOWO 53 EO ARMIA POZNAŃ 152 EM SOKOŁÓWEK 151 EM BIEL 36 EO GNIEZNO SZPONDOWO ZDUNDOWO GNIAZDOWO ŻYDOWO33 EO 41 ER 113, 114, 126 EM DZIERŻWICA 34 EOMIERZEWO PONIATÓW MODLIN 111, 112 EM 131, 132 EM 64, 65 EB ŚNIECISKA WARSAW ZIELONKA BRZEŚĆ 32 ER NOSÓW SOKOLNIKI 161, 162 EM ŁÓDŹ 55 EB WIDZEW LUBLINEK 16, 17 EB MARYNIN KSAWERÓW 63, 66 E0 DĘBLIN PODLODÓW RADOM 21 EB UŁĘŻ ARMIA ŁÓDŹ LUBLIN SADKÓW 11, 12 EB
26 EO ZARĘBICE
GERMANY SOVIET UNION ARMIA KRAKÓW 26 EO 24 ER SOSNOWIEC 31 ER KLIMONTÓW WERYNIA LWÓW BALICE 121, 122 EM PALCZOWICE CRACOW SAMPLE56 EO MROWLA 23 EO BIELSKO-BIAŁA ARMIA KARPATY
KROSNO
SLOVAKIA EB - Eskadra Bombowa (Bomber Flight) EM - Eskadra Myśliwska (Fighter Flight) ER - Eskadra Rozpoznawcza (Reconnaissance Flight) EO - Eskadra Obserwacyjna (Observation Flight) MDLot - Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy (Naval Air Squadron) HUNGARY ROMANIA MMP
11 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
AIRCRAFT OF Władysławowo NAVAL AIR SQUADRON
Chałupy Lublin R-XIII Kuźnica 1.IX Puck 3.IX 8.IX Lublin R-XIII wheels version MDLot Base
Jastarnia Lublin R-VIII Jurata
Schreck FBA-17 HE2
3.IX 8.IX Hel RWD-17W 1.IX Rumia CANTZ 506B 4.IX Nowe Obłuże RWD-13 2.IX
Oksywie Bombing Nikol A-2
Lublin R-XIIIter floatplane destroyed by fire, resting in shallow water off Hel Peninsula. (TJK) SAMPLE
MMP
19 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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)
SAMPLE
MMP
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)
32 Chapter IV
WIELKOPOLSKA
SAMPLE
MMP Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
POZNAŃ-ŁAWICA AIRFIELD (BASE OF THE 3RD AIR REGIMENT)
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- 3 PL port was located on the other side. Prior to Base 1 September the ‘Poznań’ Army air units moved to forward airfields at Gniezno, Dzierżnica, Mierzewo, Gwiazdowo and POZNAŃ Żydowo. By midday on 1 September, when the first air raid on Poznań-Ławica airfield took place (by 21 Ju 87s), most aircraft POZNAŃ 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 LOT RWD-8s were destroyed by fire), the Air Park depot and two fuel bowsers. Then Ławica at 17.50, in the heavy bombing of the airfield area and buildings by 18 He 111s SAMPLE 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, arrivingMMP there on 5 September, then on 12 September it moved to Łuck and even- tually to Tarnopol.
Bomb damaged buildings at Ławica airfield. (DB)
44 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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)
SAMPLE
MMP
The same Czapla in a more vandalised condition. (TJK)
54 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
Above and at the top of the facing page: RWD-5 SP-ALX ‘Legun I’ from Łódź. (TJK)
SAMPLE
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) MMP
Germans with the RWD-5 SP-ALS from Aeroklub Poznański. (TJK)
62 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
SAMPLE
MMP
85 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
Unfinished Łoś near the factory fence. (TJK)
Łoś, and behind them the fuselage of the PZL.24J prototype with Bulgarian An unfinished Łoś B near the fence of PZL WP1. Note the bomb bays in markings. (AM) SAMPLEwings and fuselage and under-wing radiators. (TJK)
MMP
Łoś B in front of the trials department hangar. (MR)
103 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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) SAMPLE
MMP
115 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes evacuated to Rumania. During the short campaign in Poland the loss of three pilots killed, five missing and eight seriously fighters of the Brigade were officially credited with 43 enemy wounded, and 40 aircraft lost. It is now accepted that the victory aircraft shot down (according to the so-called Bajan Committee list as credited by the Bajan Committee was subject to over- established in Britain in 1945 for official claim verification) for claiming. The matter has not been researched sufficiently so far.
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) SAMPLE
MMP
131 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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)
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 Bottom photograph: Bartel BM-4h no. 59 in front of hangar no. 7. In the and several each of P.7, Karaś, Żubr, RWD-8, Potez 25, Fokker background Potez 25 no. 37 and behind it a Jupiter-powered Potez and F-VIIA/1m, F-VIIB/3m and R-XIII. Karaś no. 4. (TJK) SAMPLE
MMP
175 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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) SAMPLE
MMP
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)
205 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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) SAMPLE
MMP
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)
216 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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)
SAMPLE
MMP
232 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes BOROWINA
Bird’s eye view of the airfield and hangars at Borowina (Gołąb). The photograph was taken No. 2 before the war. (Stratus)
ENTRANCE BARRACKS
No. 1
TECHNICAL BUILDINGS SAMPLE
MBANKMENT
THEE
ON
ROAD
HANGAR HANGAR No. 1 No. 2
Fence
PWS-26 No. 207 PWS-26 No. 60 PWS-26
PWS-26
ees
Tr
PWS-26
MMPPWS-26 BOROWINA Vertical photograph of the airfield at Borowina with facilities as they were in September PWS-26 1939. (KCh) PWS-26
PWS-26 Diagram of the airfield at Borowina after it was captured by the Germans, aircraft were rolled out of the hangars and partly vandalised.
233 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
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) SAMPLE
MMP
245 Polish Air Force 1939 Through German eyes
Photo credits
AG Andrzej Glass KCh Krzysztof Chołoniewski Stratus Wydawnictwo Stratus AM Andrzej Morgała LŁ Leopold Łozowicki TG Tomasz Gaworek AMC Archive of the Modern Conflict MLP Polish Aviation Museum TJK Tomasz J. Kopański AP Adam Popiel MnW Muzeum na Woli TK Tomasz Kowalski BB Bartłomiej Belcarz MR Marek Rogusz TR Tomasz Rajkowski CG C. Główczyński PB Piotr Bobula VK Volker Koos CG Czesław Główczyński Pi&SM Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum WK Wacław Klepacki DB Dénes Bernárd PM Piotr Mrozowski WM Wojtek Matusiak FXG Franek X. Grabowski RK Robert Kulczński WZ Wojtek Zmyślony JBC Jerzy B. Cynk RM R. Mechliński ZC Zbigniew Charytoniuk JH Jan van den Heuvel RMa Roman Mazik ZW Zenon Winnicki JK Jan Koniarek RP Roman Postek
Name index
Adamek Mieczysław 142 Ivanič Ľudovit 215 Mazur Mieczysław 158 Alberti Stefan 158 Iżycki Mateusz 127 Mühlenberg 198 Berbecki Leon 261 Jachimowicz January 163 Mutkowski Zdzisław 49, 50 Biały Jan 158 Jaklewicz Kazimierz 196 Nowacki T 26 Bokowiec Kazimierz 148 Jereczek Edmund 26 Nowakowski 138 Boliński Henryk 32 Jastrzębski Aleksander 79 Okrzeja Stefan 138 Bonderski Zenon 156 Jeziorowski T 73 Omieliaszko M. 79 Borowiec Roman 18 Jung 238 Palusiński Jerzy 141 Borys Henryk 162 Kalpas Rajmund 142 Podgrodzki Czesław 162 Brzezina Stanisław 171 Kawnik Erwin 123 Przewoźny Czesław 49 Brzozowski Maksymilian 171 Kellner-Steinmetz Josef 158 Raabe 238 Buczyłko Wacław 158 Klimek Jan 158 Simiński Stanisław 51 Butkiewicz Wacław 147 Kocjan Antoni 126, 127 Skibiński Józef 162 Ciołek Jakub 163 KorytowskiSAMPLE Stanisław 160 Słowiński Kazimierz 160 Cwynar Michał 142 Kościelny E 81 Stefankiewicz Henryk 142 Cynk JB 13 Kowalski Franciszek 147 Szczepański Józef 147 Czerny Jan 170 Kozłowski Wiesław 64 Szponarowicz Ignacy 147 Czerwiński Stefan 26 Kraemer 198 Szystowski Edmund 18 Danielak Aleksander 153 Kuidłowski Franciszek 147 Taras-Wołkowyński S. 147 Dembek L. 81 Laskowski Florian 38 Tyrakowski K. 81 Dorembowicz Bolesław 51 Leszek Adolf 156 Walkow Stanisław 160 Dudwał Hieronim 131, 132 Liszewski Stanisław 147 Wróblewski Aleksander 125 Dzik Kazimierz 153 Łagowski Julian 171 Zarucki W 26 Dzwonek Jan 125 Łapkowski 138 Zhivel 198 Fischer von Mollard E. 66 Łozowicki Alojzy 163 Zumbach Jan 122 Gołębiowski Konstanty 153 Machalski Józef 156 Żupnik Władysław 158 Hrala Józef 215 Mazak Feliks 153 HryniewiczMMP Jan 170 Mazik Roman 109
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