No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron
Encyclopedia
No. 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron was a Polish
night fighter
squadron
formed in Great Britain
on 24 August 1940 as a result of 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
.
on 24 August 1940 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, an example being the aircraft with serial number N1671, EW-D, the sole complete surviving Defiant on display at the RAF Museum
at RAF Hendon. In August 1941 the squadron converted to Beaufighters
which it flew till being re-equipped with Mosquitoes
in late 1942. From 1943 the squadron was active as night intruder unit over airfields in occupied France. This changed in January 1945, when its role was switched to bomber support, being active as anti-nightfighters against German aircraft. The squadron was disbanded on 2 January 1947 after the end of World War II
.
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...
night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
formed in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
on 24 August 1940 as a result of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was the only Polish night fighter squadron fighting alongside the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during World War II
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...
.
History
After its formal formation in BlackpoolBlackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
on 24 August 1940 No. 307 squadron was assembled at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey on 5 September 1940 as a night fighter unit, flying the Boulton Paul Defiant
Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant was a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force early in the Second World War. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any forward-firing guns. It was a contemporary of the Royal Navy's Blackburn Roc...
turret-fighter, an example being the aircraft with serial number N1671, EW-D, the sole complete surviving Defiant on display at the RAF Museum
RAF Museum
The Royal Air Force Museum London, commonly known as the RAF Museum, is a museum located on the former Hendon Aerodrome, dedicated to the history of aviation and the British Royal Air Force. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and a registered charity...
at RAF Hendon. In August 1941 the squadron converted to Beaufighters
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
which it flew till being re-equipped with Mosquitoes
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
in late 1942. From 1943 the squadron was active as night intruder unit over airfields in occupied France. This changed in January 1945, when its role was switched to bomber support, being active as anti-nightfighters against German aircraft. The squadron was disbanded on 2 January 1947 after the end of World War II
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...
.
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1940 | Mar 1941 | S/Ldr. 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... 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 Virtuti Militari The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war... , KW, DFC 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... |
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 | August 1941 | Boulton Paul Defiant Boulton Paul Defiant The Boulton Paul Defiant was a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force early in the Second World War. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any forward-firing guns. It was a contemporary of the Royal Navy's Blackburn Roc... |
Mk.I |
| 14 August 1941 | May 1942 | Bristol Beaufighter Bristol Beaufighter The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design... |
Mk.IIf |
| 5 May 1942 | February 1943 | Bristol Beaufighter | Mk.VIf |
| 21 December 1942 | January 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"... |
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
neutral ship attacked- Polish Air Forces in Great Britain
- Polish contribution to World War IIPolish contribution to World War IIThe European theater of World War II opened with the German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. The Polish Army was defeated after over a month of fighting. After Poland had been overrun, a government-in-exile , armed forces, and an intelligence service were established outside of Poland....
- List of RAF squadrons