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Polish Air Force order of battle in 1939

Summary

The following is the order of battle of the Polish Air Force prior to the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War 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.7a fighters, 125 by PZL P.11 fighters of all types (mostly P.11c, several P.11a), and 2 downed by PZL P.11g. In addition, the Polish air forces had a number of PZL.37 Łoś and PZL.23 Karaś 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, LWS-3 Mewa, RWD-8, RWD-14 Czapla, PWS-10 and PWS-26.

Command structure edit

The Polish war-time command structure was based on inter-war structure of the air forces. Apart from two air brigades held in reserve by the Commander in Chief (one of them being the Bomber Brigade, the other - Pursuit Brigade), Polish forces were divided onto the following units:

  • Air regiment (Polish: pułk lotniczy) (Wing or Group) usually 4 squadrons or 8 escadrilles / Flights.
  • Air squadron (Polish: dywizjon lotniczy) (Squadron) usually 2 escadrilles / Flights.
  • Air escadrille (Polish: eskadra lotnicza) (Flight) 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 (Polish: eskadra bombowa)
  • Fighter escadrille (Polish: eskadra myśliwska)
  • Observation escadrille (Polish: eskadra obserwacyjna)
  • Reconnaissance escadrille (Polish: eskadra rozpoznawcza)
  • Staff escadrille (Polish: eskadra sztabowa)

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 edit

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 edit

Pursuit Brigade (Brygada Poscigowa) edit

Bomber Brigade edit

  • 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 edit

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 edit

Aviation of the Pomorze Army edit

Aviation of the Poznań Army edit

Aviation of the Łódź Army edit

Aviation of the Kraków Army edit

Aviation of the Karpaty Army edit

  • Communications platoon No.5 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 5)
  • Polish 31st Reconnaissance Escadrille (31. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)
  • Polish 56th Observation Escadrille (56. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Aviation of the Narew Independent Operational Group edit

Naval aviation edit

Aircraft in active service in September 1939 edit

Combat aircraft edit

Support aircraft edit

See also edit

References edit

  • "Combat Aircraft of World War Two", by John and Elke Weal, Richard F.Barker and J.M. Bruce, "Polish Aircraft" chapter, P.223-226, Polish aircraft coloured drawings, P.60-61 along drawings explains P.15-16, Ed.Arms & Armour Press, 2-6 Hampstead High Street, London NW3. England, 1977.

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