Falkowski was born in Pohulanka near Vilnius in 1912. In 1934 he entered to Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin.[1] He was promoted first lieutenant (podporucznik) in October 1936. Then he began his career in Toruń.[2] In 1938 he was sent to Dęblin as instructor. During the Invasion of Poland, on 3 September 1939, he flew a PWS-26, three German planes attacked him. Falkowski reduced the flight almost to the ground and using aircraft maneuverability caused that one German fighter crashed into the ground, and the other interrupted the attack and turned back, most likely due to the small amount of fuel.[3]
After the Soviet invasion of Poland he crossed the border with Romania, then he came to France where he became instructor at Polish School in Lyon–Bron Airport.[4] On 31 May 1940 he took command of section no. 10.[5] When France capitulated, he arrived in the United Kingdom on 27 June 1940. He was assigned to No. 32 Squadron RAF. He shot down his first plane on 16 January 1941.[6] During the battle, his plane was badly damaged, Falkowski had to jump with a parachute and broke his leg on landing. After treatment he was sent to the No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron. In August 1941 he downed three Bf 109 over France. In September he scored two victories. On 22 September he became commander of "A" Flight. He also served in No. 316 Polish Fighter Squadron and No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 30 January 1945 he was named commander of the 3rd Polish Fighter Wing. During one flight over the Netherlands, on 9 March 1945, he was hit by flak, due to the failure of the aircraft, Falkowski had to save himself by jumping with a parachute once again. He was fired upon by the Germans. One of the bullets wounded him in the leg. He was taken POW.[7] On 9 May 1945 he came back to England.
After the demobilization in 1947, he settled in Canada and had a farm 20 miles away from Toronto. In the 1960s he wrote an autobiographic book, Z wiatrem w twarz (With the wind in my face), edited in Poland in 1990.[8]
Jan Falkowski died on 27 July 2001 in Peterborough, Canada.[4]
Bartłomiej Belcarz: Grupa Myśliwska Montpellier 1940. Sandomierz: Wydawnictwo Stratus, 2012 ISBN9788361421658
Tadeusz Jerzy Krzystek, Anna Krzystek: Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii w latach 1940-1947 łącznie z Pomocniczą Lotniczą Służbą Kobiet (PLSK-WAAF). Sandomierz: Stratus, 2012, p. 174. ISBN9788361421597
Jerzy Pawlak: Absolwenci Szkoły Orląt: 1925-1939. Warszawa: Retro-Art, 2009, p. 153. ISBN8387992224
Piotr Sikora: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza Alma-Press. 2014, pp. 223–228. ISBN9788370205607
Józef Zieliński: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Agencja lotnicza ALTAIR, 1994, p. 27. ISBN 83862172.
Józef Zieliński: Lotnicy polscy w Bitwie o Wielką Brytanię. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza MH, 2005, pp. 44–45. ISBN8390662043
Further readingedit
Zieliński, Józef (2003). Bellona (ed.). 303 Dywizjon Myśliwski Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki. Warsaw. ISBN83-11096-30-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Wojciech Zmyślony Jan Falkowski w portalu Polskie Siły Powietrzne w II wojnie światowej [1]
Olgierd, Cumft; Hubert Kazimierz, Kujawa (1989). Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej (ed.). Księga lotników polskich poległych, zmarłych i zaginionych 1939-1946. Warsaw. ISBN83-11-07329-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Grzegorz Śliżewski. (in Polish). Archived from the original on 9 September 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
Biografia w polishairforce.pl
Król, Wacław (1980). Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej (ed.). Myśliwcy. Warsaw. pp. 336–371. ISBN83-11-06396-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
April 13, 2024
falkowski, paweł, falkowski, june, 1912, july, 2001, polish, fighter, polish, force, world, with, confirmed, kills, born, 1912, june, 1912pohulanka, russian, empiredied27, july, 2001, 2001, aged, peterborough, ontario, canadaallegiance, poland, france, united,. Jan Pawel Falkowski DFC 26 June 1912 27 July 2001 was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in World War II with 9 confirmed kills Jan FalkowskiDSO DFC Born 1912 06 26 26 June 1912Pohulanka Russian EmpireDied27 July 2001 2001 07 27 aged 89 Peterborough Ontario CanadaAllegiance Poland France United KingdomService wbr branch Polish Air Force France Armee de l Air Royal Air ForceYears of service1934 1947RankmajorService numberP 0493UnitPolish 114th Fighter EscadrilleNo 32 Squadron RAFNo 315 Polish Fighter SquadronNo 316 Polish Fighter SquadronNo 303 Polish Fighter SquadronCommands held3rd Polish Fighter WingBattles warsPolish Defensive War World War IIAwardsVirtuti Militari Polonia Restituta Cross of Valour Distinguished Flying Cross UK Contents 1 Biography 2 Awards 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 Further readingBiography editFalkowski was born in Pohulanka near Vilnius in 1912 In 1934 he entered to Polish Air Force Academy in Deblin 1 He was promoted first lieutenant podporucznik in October 1936 Then he began his career in Torun 2 In 1938 he was sent to Deblin as instructor During the Invasion of Poland on 3 September 1939 he flew a PWS 26 three German planes attacked him Falkowski reduced the flight almost to the ground and using aircraft maneuverability caused that one German fighter crashed into the ground and the other interrupted the attack and turned back most likely due to the small amount of fuel 3 After the Soviet invasion of Poland he crossed the border with Romania then he came to France where he became instructor at Polish School in Lyon Bron Airport 4 On 31 May 1940 he took command of section no 10 5 When France capitulated he arrived in the United Kingdom on 27 June 1940 He was assigned to No 32 Squadron RAF He shot down his first plane on 16 January 1941 6 During the battle his plane was badly damaged Falkowski had to jump with a parachute and broke his leg on landing After treatment he was sent to the No 315 Polish Fighter Squadron In August 1941 he downed three Bf 109 over France In September he scored two victories On 22 September he became commander of A Flight He also served in No 316 Polish Fighter Squadron and No 303 Polish Fighter Squadron On 30 January 1945 he was named commander of the 3rd Polish Fighter Wing During one flight over the Netherlands on 9 March 1945 he was hit by flak due to the failure of the aircraft Falkowski had to save himself by jumping with a parachute once again He was fired upon by the Germans One of the bullets wounded him in the leg He was taken POW 7 On 9 May 1945 he came back to England After the demobilization in 1947 he settled in Canada and had a farm 20 miles away from Toronto In the 1960s he wrote an autobiographic book Z wiatrem w twarz With the wind in my face edited in Poland in 1990 8 Jan Falkowski died on 27 July 2001 in Peterborough Canada 4 Awards edit nbsp Virtuti Militari Silver Cross nbsp Cross of Valour Poland four times nbsp Distinguished Flying Cross United Kingdom References edit Krzystek 2012 p 174 Pawlak 2009 p 153 PWS 26 in Polish Wielka Encyklopedia Uzbrojenia M S Wojsk 1918 1939 Retrieved 4 August 2012 a b Pawlak 2009 p 154 Belcarz 2012 p 8 Sikora 2014 p 225 Zielinski 1994 p 27 Zielinski 2005 p 45 Bibliography editBartlomiej Belcarz Grupa Mysliwska Montpellier 1940 Sandomierz Wydawnictwo Stratus 2012 ISBN 9788361421658 Tadeusz Jerzy Krzystek Anna Krzystek Polskie Sily Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii w latach 1940 1947 lacznie z Pomocnicza Lotnicza Sluzba Kobiet PLSK WAAF Sandomierz Stratus 2012 p 174 ISBN 9788361421597 Jerzy Pawlak Absolwenci Szkoly Orlat 1925 1939 Warszawa Retro Art 2009 p 153 ISBN 8387992224 Piotr Sikora Asy polskiego lotnictwa Warszawa Oficyna Wydawnicza Alma Press 2014 pp 223 228 ISBN 9788370205607 Jozef Zielinski Asy polskiego lotnictwa Warszawa Agencja lotnicza ALTAIR 1994 p 27 ISBN 83862172 Jozef Zielinski Lotnicy polscy w Bitwie o Wielka Brytanie Warszawa Oficyna Wydawnicza MH 2005 pp 44 45 ISBN 8390662043Further reading editZielinski Jozef 2003 Bellona ed 303 Dywizjon Mysliwski Warszawski im Tadeusza Kosciuszki Warsaw ISBN 83 11096 30 9 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Wojciech Zmyslony Jan Falkowski w portalu Polskie Sily Powietrzne w II wojnie swiatowej 1 Olgierd Cumft Hubert Kazimierz Kujawa 1989 Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej ed Ksiega lotnikow polskich poleglych zmarlych i zaginionych 1939 1946 Warsaw ISBN 83 11 07329 5 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Grzegorz Slizewski Polskie kominy we Francji w 1940 roku in Polish Archived from the original on 9 September 2009 Retrieved 10 October 2009 Biografia w polishairforce pl Krol Waclaw 1980 Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej ed Mysliwcy Warsaw pp 336 371 ISBN 83 11 06396 6 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jan Falkowski amp oldid 1215769923, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
