This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2010)
Defiant N1671 from No. 307 (Polish) Squadron at the RAF Museum London, painted in Polish 307 color scheme
The nickname Lwowskie Puchacze (NOM) – "Lwów Eagle Owls" was chosen for the night fighter squadron, as the eagle owl is a nighttime avian predator that is present in Poland. The squadron inherited the traditions of the Polish pre-war 6th Aviation Regiment, that was stationed in Lwów (now Lviv), with a history dating back to the defence of Lwów and Galicia from invading Ukrainian forces in the Polish-Ukrainian War of 1918–1919.
After its 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. It then took up residence at RAF Jurby, on the Isle of Man. The sole surviving example of the Boulton Paul Defiant, serial number N1671, served in the squadron and can be seen on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford.
In August 1941 the squadron converted to Beaufighters which it flew until being re-equipped with Mosquitoes in December 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] The first Beaufighter victory was on 1 November 1941, when a crew shot down one Dornier Do 217 from II./KG 2 and damaged another (claimed as shot down).[4] That month, two more bombers were shot down and one damaged.[4] However, several of the squadron's aircraft were lost in crashes in the following months, mostly due to weather conditions or the unreliable engines of the Beaufighter Mk IIF variant.[5]
On 3/4 May 1942 when 40 Junkers Ju 88 bombers attacked Exeter as part of the Exeter Blitz of the Baedeker raids there were only three Polish No. 307 Squadron Beaufighters available to defend the city.[6] They managed to intercept and shoot down four of the German bombers that night (all confirmed kills).[6] That month, the squadron re-equipped with the improved Beaufighter Mk VIF.[7] In total, Beaufighter crews shot down fifteen bombers with three probables and six damaged; the last victory was the shooting down of a Do 217 on 24/25 September 1942.[8]
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. In 1945-46 it was based at RAF Horsham St Faith near Norwich. The squadron was disbanded on 2 January 1947 after the end of World War II.
On 15 November 2019, the Polish 307 night fighter squadron was honoured for defending the British city of Exeter from a German blitz campaign during the second World War. A Polish white-and-red flag fluttered over the city in the south-west England honouring the pilots who prevented the complete destruction of Exeter in the 1942 Luftwaffe attack.[13]
^Simpson, Andrew (2013). "Boulton Paul Defiant I N1671/837OM Museum Accession No.74/A/16" (PDF). RAF Museum. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
^"British city honors Polish WWII pilots". Polskie Radio. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
Bibliography
Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1994. ISBN1-85310-451-5.
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. ISBN0-85130-164-9.
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. ISBN1-84037-141-2.
Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (Revised edition 1976). ISBN0-354-01028-X.
Janowicz, Krzysztof. Polacy i Beaufightery. "Aeroplan" nr. 5-6/2018 (134–135) (in Polish)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 307 (Polish) Night Fighter Squadron RAF.
Photo Gallery of No. 307 Squadron (in Polish)
History of No.'s 300–318 Squadrons at RAF Web
Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940–1947
March 08, 2023
polish, night, fighter, squadron, polish, squadron, also, known, city, lwów, squadron, polish, dywizjon, myśliwski, nocny, lwowskich, puchaczy, several, polish, squadrons, royal, force, during, second, world, formed, part, agreement, between, polish, governmen. No 307 Polish Squadron also known as No 307 City of Lwow Squadron Polish 307 Dywizjon Mysliwski Nocny Lwowskich Puchaczy was one of several Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force RAF during the Second World War It was formed as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940 It was the only Polish night fighter squadron in RAF service 1 No 307 Squadron was named after the Polish city of Lwow and was nicknamed Eagle Owls No 307 Lwow Squadron RAF307 Squadron LogoActive24 August 1940 2 January 1947CountryUnited KingdomAllegiancePolish government in exileBranch Royal Air ForceRoleNight fighterSizesquadronPart ofRAF Fighter CommandNickname s Lwow Eagle owlsCommandersNotablecommandersStanislaw GrodzickiInsigniaSquadron CodesEW Aug 1940 Jan 1947 Contents 1 History 2 Commanding officers 3 Aircraft operated 4 Honors 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksHistory EditThis section needs expansion You can help by adding to it March 2010 Defiant N1671 from No 307 Polish Squadron at the RAF Museum London painted in Polish 307 color scheme The nickname Lwowskie Puchacze NOM Lwow Eagle Owls was chosen for the night fighter squadron as the eagle owl is a nighttime avian predator that is present in Poland The squadron inherited the traditions of the Polish pre war 6th Aviation Regiment that was stationed in Lwow now Lviv with a history dating back to the defence of Lwow and Galicia from invading Ukrainian forces in the Polish Ukrainian War of 1918 1919 After its 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 It then took up residence at RAF Jurby on the Isle of Man The sole surviving example of the Boulton Paul Defiant serial number N1671 served in the squadron and can be seen on display at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford In August 1941 the squadron converted to Beaufighters which it flew until being re equipped with Mosquitoes in December 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 The first Beaufighter victory was on 1 November 1941 when a crew shot down one Dornier Do 217 from II KG 2 and damaged another claimed as shot down 4 That month two more bombers were shot down and one damaged 4 However several of the squadron s aircraft were lost in crashes in the following months mostly due to weather conditions or the unreliable engines of the Beaufighter Mk IIF variant 5 On 3 4 May 1942 when 40 Junkers Ju 88 bombers attacked Exeter as part of the Exeter Blitz of the Baedeker raids there were only three Polish No 307 Squadron Beaufighters available to defend the city 6 They managed to intercept and shoot down four of the German bombers that night all confirmed kills 6 That month the squadron re equipped with the improved Beaufighter Mk VIF 7 In total Beaufighter crews shot down fifteen bombers with three probables and six damaged the last victory was the shooting down of a Do 217 on 24 25 September 1942 8 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 In 1945 46 it was based at RAF Horsham St Faith near Norwich The squadron was disbanded on 2 January 1947 after the end of World War II Commanding officers EditC O s of No 307 Squadron 2 9 From To Name NotesSep 1940 Mar 1941 S Ldr George Charlie Tomlinson British OfficerSep 1940 Oct 1940 Kpt Stanislaw Pietraszkiewicz Polish co commanderOct 1940 Nov 1940 Maj Kazimierz Benz Polish co commanderNov 1940 Jun 1941 Lt Col Stanislaw Grodzicki First as co commander later as Squadron LeaderJun 1941 Oct 1941 Kpt Jerzy AntonowiczOct 1941 Nov 1941 Por Maksymilian Lewandowski temporary commanderNov 1941 Aug 1942 Maj Stanislaw Brejniak Wing CommanderAug 1942 Mar 1943 Kpt Jan Michalowski VM KW DFC Wing CommanderMar 1943 Apr 1943 Kpt Gerard Ranoszek temporary commanderApr 1943 Jan 1944 Maj Jerzy Orzechowski Wing CommanderJan 1944 May 1944 Kpt Maksymilian Lewandowski Wing CommanderMay 1944 Mar 1945 Kpt Gerard Ranoszek Wing CommanderMar 1945 Mar 1946 Kpt Stanislaw Andrzejewski Wing CommanderMar 1946 Jan 1947 Kpt Jerzy Damsz Wing Commander 2 9 Aircraft operated EditAircraft operated by No 307 Squadron 2 9 10 11 From To Aircraft Version17 September 1940 12 August 1941 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I14 August 1941 May 1942 Bristol Beaufighter Mk IIf5 May 1942 February 1943 Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIf21 December 1942 January 1945 de Havilland Mosquito NF II19 June 1943 October 1943 de Havilland Mosquito NF VI22 January 1944 November 1944 de Havilland Mosquito NF XII NF XIII24 October 1944 January 1947 de Havilland Mosquito NF 30Honors EditOn 15 November 2019 the Polish 307 night fighter squadron was honoured for defending the British city of Exeter from a German blitz campaign during the second World War A Polish white and red flag fluttered over the city in the south west England honouring the pilots who prevented the complete destruction of Exeter in the 1942 Luftwaffe attack 13 See also EditMV Kerlogue neutral ship attacked Polish Air Forces in Great Britain Polish contribution to World War II List of RAF squadronsReferences EditNotes Edit Gretzyngier 1998 p 30 a b c d pl Dywizjon 307 Morris Jonathan 14 November 2015 The Eagle Owls Polish squadron who defended Exeter BBC Retrieved 10 July 2020 a b Janowicz 2018 p 30 33 Janowicz 2018 p 33 33 a b Janowicz 2018 p 37 38 Janowicz 2018 p 39 Janowicz 2018 p 42 44 a b c Rawlings 1978 p 394 Halley 1988 p 360 Jefford 2001 p 87 Simpson Andrew 2013 Boulton Paul Defiant I N1671 837OM Museum Accession No 74 A 16 PDF RAF Museum Retrieved 16 October 2015 British city honors Polish WWII pilots Polskie Radio Retrieved 15 November 2019 Bibliography Edit 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 amp 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 Janowicz Krzysztof Polacy i Beaufightery Aeroplan nr 5 6 2018 134 135 in Polish External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to No 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron RAF Detailed information on No 307 Squadron Photo Gallery of No 307 Squadron in Polish History of No s 300 318 Squadrons at RAF Web Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940 1947 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title No 307 Polish Night Fighter Squadron amp oldid 1111220754, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
