Wikipedia
No. 316 Polish Fighter Squadron
No. 316 "City of Warsaw" Polish Fighter Squadron (Polish: 316 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski") was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1941. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during World War II.
| No. 316 "City of Warsaw" Polish Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
316 Squadron logo | |
| Active | 15 February 1941 – 11 December 1946 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | Polish government in exile |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Role | Fighter Squadron |
| Part of | RAF Fighter Command |
| Nickname(s) | Warsaw Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski" |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Aleksander Gabszewicz Janusz Żurakowski |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Codes | SZ (February 1941 – December 1946) |
History edit
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No 316 Squadron was formed at Pembrey on 15 February 1941 as a Polish fighter unit equipped with Hawker Hurricane Mk.Is. It was engaged in defensive duties over south-west England until it re-equipped with Hurricanes Mk.IIs and began sweeps over northern France. It later re-equipped with the Spitfire and then Mustang aircraft.
Commanding officers edit
| From | To | Name | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1941 | Mar 1941 | Captain Juliusz Frey | |
| Mar 1941 | Jul 1941 | S/Ldr C.J. Donovan | British Officer |
| Jul 1941 | Sep 1941 | Captain Juliusz Frey | |
| Sep 1941 | Nov 1941 | Captain Wacław Wilczewski | |
| Nov 1941 | Jun 1942 | Captain Aleksander Gabszewicz | |
| Jun 1942 | Dec 1942 | Captain Janusz Żurakowski | |
| Dec 1942 | Sep 1943 | Captain Marian Trzebiński | |
| Sep 1943 | Jun 1944 | Captain Paweł Niemiec | |
| Jun 1944 | Sep 1944 | Captain Bohdan Arct | |
| Sep 1944 | Jul 1945 | Captain Zygmunt Drybański | |
| Jul 1945 | Oct 1945 | Captain Michał Cwynar | |
| Oct 1945 | Dec 1946 | Captain Paweł Niemiec |
Squadron bases edit
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1941 | Jun 1941 | RAF Pembrey |
| Jun 1941 | Aug 1941 | RAF Colerne |
| Aug 1941 | Dec 1941 | RAF Churchstanton |
| Dec 1941 | Apr 1942 | RAF Northolt |
| Apr 1942 | Jul 1942 | RAF Heston |
| Jul 1942 | Mar 1943 | RAF Hutton Cranswick |
| Mar 1943 | Sep 1943 | RAF Northolt |
| Sep 1943 | Feb 1944 | RAF Acklington |
| Feb 1944 | Apr 1944 | RAF Woodvale |
| Apr 1944 | Jul 1944 | RAF Coltishall |
| Jul 1944 | Jul 1944 | RAF West Malling |
| Jul 1944 | Aug 1944 | Friston |
| Aug 1944 | Oct 1944 | RAF Coltishall |
| Oct 1944 | May 1945 | RAF Andrews Field |
| May 1945 | Aug 1945 | RAF Coltishall |
| Aug 1945 | Nov 1945 | RAF Andrews Field |
| Nov 1945 | Mar 1946 | Wick |
| Mar 1946 | Dec 1946 | RAF Hethel |
Aircraft operated edit
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1941 | Aug 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| Jun 1941 | Nov 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mks.IIa, IIb |
| Oct 1941 | Nov 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IIa |
| Oct 1941 | Jul 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vb |
| Mar 1943 | Sep 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IXc |
| Sep 1943 | Apr 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.Vb |
| Apr 1944 | Dec 1946 | North American Mustang | Mk.III |
References edit
Notes edit
Bibliography edit
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers)Ltd., 1969 (revised edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
External links edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 316 (Polish) Squadron RAF.
- Photo Gallery of 316 Squadron
- History of No.'s 300–318 Squadrons at RAF Web
- Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940–1947