No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron
307 Squadron Logo | |
Active | 24 August 1940 – 2 January 1947 |
---|---|
Country |
|
Allegiance |
|
Branch |
|
Role | Night fighter |
Size | squadron |
Part of | RAF Fighter Command |
Nickname(s) | Eagle-owls |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Stanisław Grodzicki |
Insignia | |
Squadron Codes | EW (Aug 1940 – Jan 1947) |
No. 307 (City of Lwów) Polish Night Fighter Squadron (Polish: 307 Dywizjon Myśliwski Nocny "Lwowskich Puchaczy") was a Polish night fighter squadron[1] formed in Great Britain on 24 August 1940 following an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom. It was the only Polish night fighter squadron fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during World War II. 307 Squadron is named after the Polish city of Lwów, and nicknamed "Eagle Owls".
History
The nickname Lwowskie Puchacze (NOM) – "Lwów Eagle Owls" was chosen for a night fighter squadron, as the eagle owl is a Polish predator that flies at night. The Squadron inherited traditions of Polish pre-war 6th Aviation Regiment, that stationed in Lwów (now Lviv), and took its traces from units that defended Lwów and Galicia from invading Ukrainian forces in the Polish-Ukrainian War of 1918–1919.
After its formal formation in Blackpool on 24 August 1940[2] No. 307 squadron was assembled at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey on 5 September 1940 as a night fighter unit, flying the Boulton Paul Defiant turret-fighter and took up residence at RAF Jurby, Isle of Man. An example of the Boulton Paul Defiant, with serial number N1671, EW-D, the sole complete surviving Defiant is to be seen on display at the RAF Museum at RAF Hendon. In August 1941 the squadron converted to Beaufighters which it flew until being re-equipped with Mosquitoes in late 1942.
Between April 1941 and April 1943 the squadron was based at RAF Clyst Honiton, now Exeter Airport, defending the South West of England from enemy night bombers.[3]
In May 1942 when 40 Junkers-88 bombers attacked Exeter as part of the Exeter Blitz of the Baedeker raids there were only four Polish 307 Squadron Beaufighters available to defend the city.
Despite being heavily outnumbered the squadron managed to shoot down four of the German bombers before they dropped their bombs.
From 1943 the squadron was based at RAF Predannack, Cornwall, and was active as a night intruder unit over airfields in occupied France. This changed in January 1945, when its role was switched to bomber support, combating German night fighters. The squadron was disbanded on 2 January 1947 after the end of World War II.
Commanding officers
From | To | Name | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Sep 1940 | Mar 1941 | S/Ldr. George Charlie Tomlinson | British Officer |
Sep 1940 | Oct 1940 | Kpt. Stanisław Pietraszkiewicz | Polish co-commander |
Oct 1940 | Nov 1940 | Maj. Kazimierz Benz | Polish co-commander |
Nov 1940 | Jun 1941 | Maj. Stanisław Grodzicki | First as co-commander, later as Squadron Leader |
Jun 1941 | Oct 1941 | Kpt. Jerzy Antonowicz | |
Oct 1941 | Nov 1941 | Por. Maksymilian Lewandowski | temporary commander |
Nov 1941 | Aug 1942 | Maj. Stanisław Brejniak | Wing Commander |
Aug 1942 | Mar 1943 | Kpt. Jan Michałowski, VM, KW, DFC | Wing Commander |
Mar 1943 | Apr 1943 | Kpt. Gerard Ranoszek | temporary commander |
Apr 1943 | Jan 1944 | Maj. Jerzy Orzechowski | Wing Commander |
Jan 1944 | May 1944 | Kpt. Maksymilian Lewandowski | Wing Commander |
May 1944 | Mar 1945 | Kpt. Gerard Ranoszek | Wing Commander |
Mar 1945 | Mar 1946 | Kpt. Stanisław Andrzejewski | Wing Commander |
Mar 1946 | Jan 1947 | Kpt. Jerzy Damsz | Wing Commander |
Aircraft operated
From | To | Aircraft | Version |
---|---|---|---|
17 September 1940[7] | August 1941 | Boulton Paul Defiant | Mk.I |
14 August 1941 | May 1942 | Bristol Beaufighter | Mk.IIf |
5 May 1942 | February 1943 | Bristol Beaufighter | Mk.VIf |
21 December 1942 | January 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | NF.II |
19 June 1943 | October 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito | NF.VI |
22 January 1944 | November 1944 | de Havilland Mosquito | NF.XII, NF.XIII |
24 October 1944 | January 1947 | de Havilland Mosquito | NF.30 |
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
- Gretzyngier, Robert. Polish Aces of World War 2, Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1998.
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, Wing Commander C.G. RAF Squadrons: a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (Revised edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 307 (Polish) Night Fighter Squadron RAF. |