Polish Air Force order of battle in 1939
Encyclopedia
The following is the order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...

 of 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...

prior to the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War
Invasion 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...

 of 1939. During the mobilization waves of March and August of that year, all peace-time units were deployed to airfields throughout the country and attached to respective commands of Air Force, Naval Air Service and squadrons supporting each of the Polish armies. In the last stages of the air campaign, whole units coordinated all actions in the fight against the invaders.

The Polish fighters claimed 134 air victories, including 7 enemy aeroplanes shot down by Polish PZL P.7
PZL P.7
-References:NotesBibliography* Cynk, Jerzy B. History of the Polish Air Force 1918-1968. Reading, Berkshire, UK: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1972.* Cynk, Jerzy B. Polish Aircraft, 1893-1939. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1971. ISBN 0-370-00085-4....

a fighters, 125 by PZL P.11
PZL P.11
The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed in the early 1930s by PZL in Warsaw. It was briefly considered to be the most advanced fighter aircraft design in the world...

 fighters of all types (mostly P.11c, several P.11a), and 2 downed by PZL P.11
PZL P.11
The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed in the early 1930s by PZL in Warsaw. It was briefly considered to be the most advanced fighter aircraft design in the world...

g. In addition, the Polish air forces had a number of PZL.37 Łoś and PZL.23 Karaś
PZL.23 Karas
|-Specifications :-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Angelucci, Enzo and Paolo Matricardi. World War II Airplanes . Chicago: Rand McNally, 1978. ISBN 0-52888-170-1....

 bombers, as well as a number of non-combat planes used for reconnaissance, observation, communications, army cooperation and transport. Among the latter were Lublin R-XIII
Lublin R-XIII
The Lublin R-XIII was the Polish army-cooperation plane , designed in the early-1930s in the Plage i Laśkiewicz factory in Lublin. It was the main army cooperation plane in the Invasion of Poland...

, LWS-3 Mewa
LWS-3 Mewa
-Bibliography:* Glass, Andrzej. LWS 3 Mewa, Wydawnictwo Militaria 11. Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Militaria, 1996. ISBN 83-86209-61-5.* Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 . Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności , 1977. .-See also:...

, RWD-8, RWD-14 Czapla
RWD-14 Czapla
|-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:...

, PWS-10
PWS-10
-References:*Glass, Andrzej. "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

 and PWS-26
PWS-26
-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:...

.

Command structure

The Polish war-time command structure was based on inter-war structure of the air forces. Apart from two air brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...

s held in reserve by the Commander in Chief (one of them being the Bomber Brigade
Bomber Brigade
The Bomber Brigade was a World War II unit of the Polish Air Force commanded by płk obs. Władysław Heller. It resisted the Invasion of Poland in 1939 as the main aerial reserve of the commander in chief and was used for bombing enemy units in central Poland. It was created just before the war and...

, the other - Pursuit Brigade
Pursuit Brigade
The Pursuit Brigade was a Polish World War II unit of the Polish Air Force. It took part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939 as the main aerial reserve of the commander in chief and was used for air cover of the Polish capital of Warsaw. It was similar in shape to the Bomber Brigade...

), Polish forces were divided onto the following units:
  • Air regiment (usually 4 squadrons or 8 escadrilles)
  • Air squadron (usually 2 escadrilles)
  • Air escadrille (usually 8 to 12 planes)


Each escadrille was given a respective number and a proper name, depending on its main tasks. Hence the escadrilles were divided onto:
  • Bombing escadrille
  • Fighter escadrille
  • Observation escadrille
  • Reconnaissance escadrille
  • Staff escadrille


The second number in the name of each of the fighter squadrons shows part of which air regiment the unit was part of, prior to mobilisation. For example the III/1 dywizjon myśliwski (composed of 111 eskadra myśliwska and 112 eskadra myśliwska) was part of the 1st Air Regiment located in Warsaw.

Reserve of the Commander in Chief

The strategic reserve of the commander in chief of the Polish Army consisted of two air brigades stationed around Warsaw and additional communications squadrons used for easier handling of orders from the headquarters to respective armies. Altogether, on 1 September 1939 Edward Rydz-Śmigły had 146 combat aeroplanes and 60 non-combat planes at his disposal.

HQ units

  • Communications platoon No. 1 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 1)
  • Communications platoon No. 2 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 2)
  • Polish 16th Observation Escadrille
    Polish 16th Observation Escadrille
    The 16th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was under direct command of the Polish HQ.-Equipment:7 Lublin R-XIIID airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

  • Staff Escadrille

Pursuit Brigade

  • Polish 1st Fighter Squadron of the 3rd Air Regiment (III/1. Dywizjon Myśliwski)
    • Polish 111th Fighter Escadrille
      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...

       (111 Eskadra Myśliwska)
    • Polish 112th Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 112th Fighter Escadrille
      The 112th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army.-History:The Escadrille was created in 1919 by a merger of the earlier 18th Reconnaissance Escadrille and the 19th Fighter Escadrille.In September 1939 the 112th Fighter Escadrille was incorporated...

       (112 Eskadra Myśliwska)
  • Polish 1st Fighter Squadron of the 4th Air Regiment (IV/1 Dywizjon Myśliwski)
    • Polish 113th Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 113th Fighter Escadrille
      The 113th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army at the beginning of the WW2.- Crew and equipment :On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 planes: 5 PZL P.11c and 5 PZL P.11a....

       (113 Eskadra Myśliwska)
    • Polish 114th Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 114th Fighter Escadrille
      The 114th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army at the beginning of the WW2.- Crew and equipment :On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 planes: 6 PZL P.11c and 4 PZL P.11a....

       (114 Eskadra Myśliwska)
    • Polish 123rd Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 123rd Fighter Escadrille
      The 123rd Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939.-Crew and equipment:On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 PZL P.7a airplanes.The air crew consisted of:...

       (123 Eskadra Myśliwska)

Bomber Brigade

  • Polish 10th Bomber Squadron (X Dywizjon Bombowy)
    • Polish 211th Bomber Escadrille (211. Eskadra Bombowa)
    • Polish 212th Bomber Escadrille (212. Eskadra Bombowa)
  • Polish 15th Bomber Squadron (XV Dywizjon Bombowy)
    • Polish 216th Bomber Escadrille (216. Eskadra Bombowa)
    • Polish 217th Bomber Escadrille (217. Eskadra Bombowa)
  • Polish 2nd Bomber Squadron (II Dywizjon Bombowy)
    • Polish 21st Bomber Escadrille (21. Eskadra Bombowa)
    • Polish 22nd Bomber Escadrille (22. Eskadra Bombowa)
  • Polish 6th Bomber Squadron (VI Dywizjon Bombowy)
    • Polish 64th Bomber Escadrille (64. Eskadra Bombowa)
    • Polish 65th Bomber Escadrille (65. Eskadra Bombowa)
  • Polish 55th Independent Bomber Escadrille (55. Samodzielna Eskadra Bombowa)
  • Communications platoon No. 4 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 4)
  • Communications platoon No. 12 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 12)

Army aviation

In addition to the above mentioned units, the gros of the Polish aviation was attached to land units of corps- and army-size. They were to provide necessary support in all roles. In all, various units of the Polish Army had 288 planes at their disposal, including 246 combat planes and 42 support planes.

Aviation of the Modlin Army

  • Communications platoon No. 11 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 11)
  • Polish 41st Reconnaissance Escadrille (41. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • III/5. Fighter Squadron (III/5. Dywizjon Myśliwski)
    • Polish 152nd Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 152nd Fighter Escadrille
      The 152. Fighter Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of the second world war. In 1939 the unit was attached to the Modlin Army.-Air Crew:Commanding officer: kpt. pil...

       (152. Eskadra Myśliwska)
  • Polish 53rd Observation Escadrille
    Polish 53rd Observation Escadrille
    The 53rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Modlin Army.-Equipment:7 RWD-14b Czapla airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (53. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Aviation of the Pomorze Army

  • Communications platoon No. 7 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 7)
  • Communications platoon No. 8 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 8)
  • Polish 42nd Reconnaissance Escadrille
    Polish 42nd Reconnaissance Escadrille
    The 42nd Reconnaissance Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of the II World War. The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army.-Aircraft:*10 PZL.23B Karaś*1 RWD-8-Pilots:* Por. pil. Mieczysław Lewandowski* Por. pil. Romuald Suliński...

     (42. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • (III/4. Dywizjon Myśliwski)
    • Polish 141st Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 141st Fighter Escadrille
      141. Fighter Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army.Equipment:10 PZL P.11c airplanes....

       (141. Eskadra Myśliwska)
    • Polish 142nd Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 142nd Fighter Escadrille
      142. Fighter Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of the second world war.The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army.-Air Crew:Commanding officer: kpt. pil. Mirosław LeśniewskiDeputy Commander: por. Wacław WilczewskiPilots...

       (142. Eskadra Myśliwska)
  • Polish 43rd Observation Escadrille
    Polish 43rd Observation Escadrille
    The 43rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army.-Equipment:7 Lublin R-XIIID airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (43. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)
  • Polish 46th Observation Escadrille
    Polish 46th Observation Escadrille
    The 46th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army.-Equipment:7 Lublin R-XIIID and Lublin R-XIIIC airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (46. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Aviation of the Poznań Army

  • Communications platoon No. 6 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 6)
  • Polish 34th Reconnaissance Escadrille (34. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • (III/3. Dywizjon Myśliwski)
    • Polish 131st Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 131st Fighter Escadrille
      131. Fighter Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Poznan Army.-Air Crew:Commanding officer: kpt. pil. Jerzy ZarembaDeputy Commander: por. pil. Zbigniew MoszyńskiPilots:...

       (131. Eskadra Myśliwska)
    • Polish 132nd Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 132nd Fighter Escadrille
      The 132nd Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939. It was attached to the Army Poznań.-Crew and equipment:On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 PZL P.11c airplanes....

       (132. Eskadra Myśliwska)
  • Polish 33rd Observation Escadrille
    Polish 33rd Observation Escadrille
    The 33rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Poznań Army.-Equipment:7 RWD-14b Czapla airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (33. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)
  • Polish 36th Observation Escadrille
    Polish 36th Observation Escadrille
    The 36th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Poznań Army.-Equipment:7 Lublin R-XIIID airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (36. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Aviation of the Łódź Army

  • Communications platoon No.10 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 10)
  • Polish 32nd Reconnaissance Escadrille (32. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • (III/6. Dywizjon Myśliwski)
    • Polish 161st Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 161st Fighter Escadrille
      161. Fighter Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Łódź Army.-Air crew:commander of the unit: kpt. pil...

       (161. Eskadra Myśliwska)
    • Polish 162nd Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 162nd Fighter Escadrille
      162. Fighter Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Łódź Army....

      (162. Eskadra Myśliwska)
  • Polish 63rd Observation Escadrille
    Polish 63rd Observation Escadrille
    The 63rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Łódź Army.-Air crew:commanding officers:* kpt. obs. Jan Schram * kpt. pil. Kazimierz Wianecki...

     (63. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)
  • Polish 66th Observation Escadrille
    Polish 66th Observation Escadrille
    The 66th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Łódź Army.-Equipment:7 Lublin R-XIIID airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (66. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Aviation of the Kraków Army

  • Communications platoon No.3 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 3)
  • Polish 24th Reconnaissance Escadrille (24. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • (III/2. Dywizjon Myśliwski)
    • Polish 121st Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 121st Fighter Escadrille
      The 121st Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939.-Crew and equipment:On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 PZL P.11c airplanes.The air crew consisted of:...

       (121. Eskadra Myśliwska)
    • Polish 122nd Fighter Escadrille
      Polish 122nd Fighter Escadrille
      The 122nd Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939.-Crew and equipment:On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 PZL P.11c airplanes.The air crew consisted of:...

       (122. Eskadra Myśliwska)
  • Polish 23rd Observation Escadrille
    Polish 23rd Observation Escadrille
    The 23rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Kraków Army.-Equipment:7 RWD-14b Czapla airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (23. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)
  • Polish 26th Observation Escadrille
    Polish 26th Observation Escadrille
    The 26th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Kraków Army.-Equipment:7 Lublin R-XIIID airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (26. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Aviation of the Karpaty Army

  • Communications platoon No.5 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 5)
  • Polish 31st Reconnaissance Escadrille (31. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • Polish 56th Observation Escadrille
    Polish 56th Observation Escadrille
    The 56th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the Karpaty Army.-Equipment:7 Lublin R-XIIID airplanes and 2 RWD-8.source: Polish Wikipedia....

     (56. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Aviation of the Narew Independent Operational Group

  • Communications platoon No.9 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 9)
  • Polish 51st Reconnaissance Escadrille (51. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • Polish 151st Fighter Escadrille
    Polish 151st Fighter Escadrille
    The 151st Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939.-History:In September 1939 the 121st Fighter Escadrille was attached to the Operational Group Narew....

     (151. Eskadra Myśliwska)
  • Polish 13th Observation Escadrille
    Polish 13th Observation Escadrille
    The 13th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the second world war. The unit was attached to the SGO Narew....

     (13. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Naval aviation

  • Naval Air Squadron (Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy)
    • Long Range Reconnaissance Escadrille
      Long Range Reconnaissance Escadrille
      Long Range Reconnaissance Escadrille was a unit of the Naval Air Squadron at the beginning of world war 2....

       (I Eskadra Dalekiego Rozpoznania)
    • Short Range Reconnaissance Escadrille
      Short Range Reconnaissance Escadrille
      Short Range Reconnaissance Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Naval Air Squadron at the beginning of world war 2....

       (II Eskadra Bliskiego Rozpoznania)
  • Communications platoon of the Command of Costal Defense (Pluton łącznikowy Dowództwa Lądowej Obrony Wybrzeża)

Combat aircraft

  • PZL P.7
    PZL P.7
    -References:NotesBibliography* Cynk, Jerzy B. History of the Polish Air Force 1918-1968. Reading, Berkshire, UK: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1972.* Cynk, Jerzy B. Polish Aircraft, 1893-1939. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1971. ISBN 0-370-00085-4....

  • PZL P.11
    PZL P.11
    The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed in the early 1930s by PZL in Warsaw. It was briefly considered to be the most advanced fighter aircraft design in the world...

  • PZL.23 Karaś
    PZL.23 Karas
    |-Specifications :-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Angelucci, Enzo and Paolo Matricardi. World War II Airplanes . Chicago: Rand McNally, 1978. ISBN 0-52888-170-1....

     A/B
  • PZL.37 Łoś A/B.
  • PZL.43
    PZL.43
    |-References:* Glass, Andrzej and Mazur, Wojciech. PZL.43 "Czajka" - eksportowa wersja "Karasia" in Militaria Vol.4 No.1/1999 ....

  • PZL.46 Sum
    PZL.46 Sum
    -See also:- References :* Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 - External links :*...

     (PZL.46/I protype) (one example)
  • Lublin R-XIII
    Lublin R-XIII
    The Lublin R-XIII was the Polish army-cooperation plane , designed in the early-1930s in the Plage i Laśkiewicz factory in Lublin. It was the main army cooperation plane in the Invasion of Poland...

    G
  • Lublin R-VIII
    Lublin R-VIII
    -References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:*...

    bis (for Navy use)
  • LWS-3 Mewa
    LWS-3 Mewa
    -Bibliography:* Glass, Andrzej. LWS 3 Mewa, Wydawnictwo Militaria 11. Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Militaria, 1996. ISBN 83-86209-61-5.* Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 . Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności , 1977. .-See also:...

     (two examples)
  • RWD-8
  • RWD-14 Czapla
    RWD-14 Czapla
    |-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:...


Support aircraft

  • PWS-26
    PWS-26
    -References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:...

  • PWS-24
    PWS-24
    - See also :-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:*...

    bis
  • PWS-35 Ogar (one example)
  • LWS-6 Zubr
    LWS-6 Zubr
    -See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 * at airwar.ru...

  • RWD-5
    RWD-5
    |-See also:-References:* , retrieved on 2008-07-06.* Glass, Andrzej: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977...

     (one)
  • RWD-8
  • RWD-13
    RWD-13
    The RWD-13 was a Polish touring plane of 1935, three-seater high-wing monoplane, designed by the RWD team. It was the biggest commercial success of the RWD.-Development:...

  • RWD-17
    RWD-17
    -See also:-References:* Glass, Andrzej: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 323-326 -External links:* and photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba site...

    W
  • Bartel BM-4
    Bartel BM-4
    |-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at...

  • Lublin R-XVI
    Lublin R-XVI
    -References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 160-162 -External links:* at Ugolok Neba page*...

    (air ambulances)
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