Jan Zumbach
Encyclopedia
Jan Eugeniusz Ludwig Zumbach (14 April 1915, Ursynów
, Congress Poland
, Russian Empire
– 3 January 1986, France
) was a Polish
fighter pilot who became an ace
during the Second World War
.
citizen and hid his nationality in order to join the Polish army
in 1934. He served as an infantryman until 1936 when he transferred to the Polish Air Force
. After graduating from flying training in 1938 he was posted to 111 Eskadra Mysliwska
.
due to a broken leg as a result of a flying accident during the summer of 1939. He returned to his unit only to be evacuated to France via Rumania. While in France, Zumbach flew the Morane 406
and Curtiss Hawk 75
with GCII/55. On 10 June, he was one of several pilots shot down by Bf 109s, but escaped unscathed. On 18 June 1940, he traveled to England by boat and on August 2 was posted as one of the founding members of the newly formed No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron
.
During the Battle of Britain
, Zumbach scored eight confirmed kills and one probable, mostly against Messerschmitt Bf 109
fighters. Zumbach was shot down by a JG 3 Bf 109 over Dover
on 9 May 1941 when returning from a mission, but he was able to bail out unharmed.
Zumbach became one of the first Allied pilots to engage in combat with the German Focke-Wulf Fw 190
when he damaged, and in return, his aircraft was damaged by a "single radial-engined fighter" on 13 October 1941. In December 1941, Zumbach was posted to 58 OTU, and in March 1942 returned to 303 Sqn as a flight commander. In May, he was promoted to Squadron Leader
and took command of the squadron, a post Zumbach held from 19 May 1942 until 30 November 1943.
During this period, Zumbach flew three Spitfire VBs
, carrying the serial numbers BM144, EP594 and EN951. All these aircraft carried the same code, RF-D, ("RF" being the squadron code for 303 Sqn) and "D" being the individual aircraft code. All three aircraft carried a cartoon of Donald Duck
on the port side of the fuselage, slightly forward of the cockpit. Zumbach's victory tally was marked with German crosses under the cockpit on the port side; confirmed kills were outlined in white, probable kills in red, and damaged aircraft with no outline.
After handing over command of 303 Sqn to Sqn Ldr Bieńkowski
, Zumbach spent a year in staff appointments, including the Polish Air Force Staff College. He returned to flying duties as the commander of the 2nd Polish Air Wing, No 133 Wing. On 25 September 1944 he scored his final victory of the war, a probable kill over a JG 26 Fw 190 over Arnhem
.
On 30 January 1945, Zumbach was posted to HQ, No. 84 Group. While flying an Auster
that was used to visit units under the Group's command, he made a navigational error and ran out of fuel. He force-landed in enemy territory and spent the final month of the war as a prisoner of war
.
Zumbach's final victory tally was 12 (and 2 shared) confirmed kills, five probables and one damaged.
in October 1946 but continued to fly for a living. Under a Swiss passport, he flew contraband
around Southern Europe
and the Middle East
.
In January 1962, Zumbach was contracted to organise and command Avikat, the air force of Congolese breakaway state of Katanga
, commanding it until December 1962 (KAT Fouga Magister
s became operational during July 1961). By October 1961, the Avikat was reinforced with five West German Dornier Do.28As
. He went on to deal in second-hand aircraft before again becoming a mercenary
as he organised and commanded the air force of Biafra
, flying the B-26 Invader, using the nom de guerre of John Brown.
In 1975, Zumbach published his autobiography
, originally available in French under the title Mister Brown: Aventures dans le ciel, it was subsequently published in German and English under the title On Wings of War: My Life as a Pilot Adventurer.
Zumbach died 3 January 1986, in France
and was buried at Powązki Military Cemetery
in Warsaw
, Poland.
Virtuti Militari
, Silver Cross
_4r_bar.png)
Cross of Valour (Poland), four times
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
Ursynów
Ursynów is the southernmost district of Warsaw. With a surface area of 44.6 km², it is the third largest district in Warsaw, comprising 8.6 percent of the city. The district has a population of almost 148,000, and is one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in Warsaw...
, Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
– 3 January 1986, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
fighter pilot who became an ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early years
The son of Polish-born Swiss parents, Zumbach was registered as a SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
citizen and hid his nationality in order to join the Polish army
Polish Land Forces
The Polish Land Forces are a branch of Poland's Armed Forces. They currently contain some 65,000 active personnel and form many components of EU and NATO deployments around the world.-History:...
in 1934. He served as an infantryman until 1936 when he transferred to the Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
. After graduating from flying training in 1938 he was posted to 111 Eskadra Mysliwska
Polish 111th Fighter Escadrille
The 111th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army. Created in 1921, immediately after the end of the Polish-Soviet War, the unit inherited the traditions of the famous war-time Polish 7th Air Escadrille , in which both Polish and American...
.
Second World War
Zumbach did not fly during the German invasion of PolandInvasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
due to a broken leg as a result of a flying accident during the summer of 1939. He returned to his unit only to be evacuated to France via Rumania. While in France, Zumbach flew the Morane 406
Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
The M.S.406 was a French Armée de l'Air fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II....
and Curtiss Hawk 75
P-36 Hawk
The Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design...
with GCII/55. On 10 June, he was one of several pilots shot down by Bf 109s, but escaped unscathed. On 18 June 1940, he traveled to England by boat and on August 2 was posted as one of the founding members of the newly formed No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron
No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron
No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron was one of 16 Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It was the highest scoring RAF squadron of the Battle of Britain....
.
During the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
, Zumbach scored eight confirmed kills and one probable, mostly against Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
fighters. Zumbach was shot down by a JG 3 Bf 109 over Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
on 9 May 1941 when returning from a mission, but he was able to bail out unharmed.
Zumbach became one of the first Allied pilots to engage in combat with the German Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
when he damaged, and in return, his aircraft was damaged by a "single radial-engined fighter" on 13 October 1941. In December 1941, Zumbach was posted to 58 OTU, and in March 1942 returned to 303 Sqn as a flight commander. In May, he was promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
and took command of the squadron, a post Zumbach held from 19 May 1942 until 30 November 1943.
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
, carrying the serial numbers BM144, EP594 and EN951. All these aircraft carried the same code, RF-D, ("RF" being the squadron code for 303 Sqn) and "D" being the individual aircraft code. All three aircraft carried a cartoon of Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
on the port side of the fuselage, slightly forward of the cockpit. Zumbach's victory tally was marked with German crosses under the cockpit on the port side; confirmed kills were outlined in white, probable kills in red, and damaged aircraft with no outline.
After handing over command of 303 Sqn to Sqn Ldr Bieńkowski
Zygmunt Witymir Bienkowski
Zygmunt Witymir Bieńkowski was a Polish pilot and a gifted writer of many articles and poems. His 303 squadron diary is deposited in the Polish Museum and Sikorski Institute in London...
, Zumbach spent a year in staff appointments, including the Polish Air Force Staff College. He returned to flying duties as the commander of the 2nd Polish Air Wing, No 133 Wing. On 25 September 1944 he scored his final victory of the war, a probable kill over a JG 26 Fw 190 over Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
.
On 30 January 1945, Zumbach was posted to HQ, No. 84 Group. While flying an Auster
Taylorcraft Auster
The Taylorcraft Auster was a British military liaison and observation aircraft produced by the Taylorcraft Aeroplanes Limited company during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
that was used to visit units under the Group's command, he made a navigational error and ran out of fuel. He force-landed in enemy territory and spent the final month of the war as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
Zumbach's final victory tally was 12 (and 2 shared) confirmed kills, five probables and one damaged.
Post-Second World War
Zumbach was demobilisedDemobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
in October 1946 but continued to fly for a living. Under a Swiss passport, he flew contraband
Contraband
The word contraband, reported in English since 1529, from Medieval French contrebande "a smuggling," denotes any item which, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold....
around Southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
In January 1962, Zumbach was contracted to organise and command Avikat, the air force of Congolese breakaway state of Katanga
State of Katanga
Katanga was a breakaway state proclaimed on 11 July 1960 separating itself from the newly independent Democratic Republic of the Congo. In revolt against the new government of Patrice Lumumba in July, Katanga declared independence under Moise Tshombe, leader of the local CONAKAT party...
, commanding it until December 1962 (KAT Fouga Magister
Fouga Magister
The Fouga Magister is a 1950s French two-seat jet trainer. The related CM.175 Zéphyr was a carrier-capable version for the French Navy....
s became operational during July 1961). By October 1961, the Avikat was reinforced with five West German Dornier Do.28As
Dornier Do 28
The Dornier Do 28 Skyservant is a twin-engine STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier Flugzeugbau GmbH. It served with the Luftwaffe and Marineflieger and other air forces around the world in the communications and utility role....
. He went on to deal in second-hand aircraft before again becoming a mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
as he organised and commanded the air force of Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
, flying the B-26 Invader, using the nom de guerre of John Brown.
In 1975, Zumbach published his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, originally available in French under the title Mister Brown: Aventures dans le ciel, it was subsequently published in German and English under the title On Wings of War: My Life as a Pilot Adventurer.
Zumbach died 3 January 1986, in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was buried at Powązki Military Cemetery
Powązki Military Cemetery
Powązki Military Cemetery is an old military cemetery located in the Wola district, western part of Warsaw, Poland. The cemetery is often confused with the older Powązki Cemetery, known colloquially as "Old Powązki"...
in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland.
Decorations
Virtuti Militari Crosses are the most prestigious Polish military awards. Virtuti MilitariVirtuti Militari
The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war...
, Silver Cross
Cross of Valour (Poland), four times Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
External links
- Zumbach on Polish Aces site
- Battle of Britain Memorial FlightBattle of Britain Memorial FlightThe Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane...
2007 Official Program. See BBMF official webpage.