No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron

Summary

No. 309 "Land of Czerwień" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron (Polish: 309 Dywizjon "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej") was a Polish squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of 15 squadrons of the Polish Air Force in exile that served alongside the Royal Air Force (RAF) in World War II.[1] It was at first a reconnaissance squadron, and later converted into a fighter squadron. It was named after the region around the city of Czerwień; which was then in southeastern Poland, and is now in western Ukraine.

No. 309 "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" (Polish) Squadron
309 Squadron logo
Active8 November 1940 – 6 January 1947
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
AllegiancePoland Polish government in exile
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleReconnaissance squadron; later fighter squadron
Part ofRAF Fighter Command
Nickname(s)Ziema Czerwienska
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Henryk Pietrzak
Insignia
Squadron CodesAR; from 1944 WC

History

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The squadron was formed in the RAF base at RAF Renfrew near Glasgow on 8 November 1940, and declared operational on 5 December 1940. It was disbanded on 9 January 1947.[2]

Commanders

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From
8 November 1940 ppłk pil. Zygmunt Pistl
12 February 1943 mjr pil. Witold Jacek Piotrowski
15 November 1943 kpt. pil. Maciej Piotrowski
3 April 1944 kpt. pil. Jerzy Gołko
9 September 1944 kpt. pil. Antoni Głowacki
7 August 1945 kpt. pil. Henryk Pietrzak

Aircraft operated

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Mustang Mk.III aircraft of 309 Squadron in 1944
From Aircraft Version
8 November 1940 Westland Lysander Mk.II and Mk.III
1 June 1942 (flight B) North American Mustang Mk.I
19 January 1944 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IV
23 January 1944 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIC
1 September 1944 North American Mustang Mk.I
20 November 1944 North American Mustang Mk.III

References

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  1. ^ Lewis 1968, pp. 95–97, 125.
  2. ^ Lewis 1968, p. 96.

Bibliography

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  • Lewis, Peter (1968) [1959]. Squadron Histories, RFC, RNAS and RAF, Since 1912. London: Putnam. SBN 370-00022-6.
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  • "309 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej"". polishairforce.pl (in Polish). – historic photographs
  • "No 309 (Ziema Czerwienska) Squadron". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation.
  • Hodyra, Piotr. "Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947".