FACTS AND STATISTICS
The Polish Air Force took part in all Royal Air Force missions - in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Africa.
Only one Polish squadron, the GC Polonaise de Varsovie, fought in the French Campaign. Polish fighters shot down 50
German aircraft.
Polish bombers took part in air raids against Berlin, Brehem, and Cologne in 1941.
The 303 Squadron, the Kosciuszko Squadron fought in the Battle of Britain, and scored a record number of kills
surpassing all other squadrons.
The Polish Air Force flew supplies to Greece, Poland, Italy, and Yugoslavia for three years.
The Polish Air Force started with 449 aircraft, but had lost 333 planes in battle.
In the Battle of Britain, Poland had 145 pilots, but lost only 32 pilots in battle.
The RAF and Allied pilots shot down 1,733 German aircraft. The Luftwaffe shot down 915 British fighters, and the Polish
fighters shot down 203 German aircraft.
About 13% of frontline squadrons were Poles. The British increased it to 20% because of RAF losses.
Polish fighters discovered the secret V-1 and V-2 rocket installations at Peenemunde, and alerted RAF Command.
It was immediately bombed setting back German production by six months.
From 1941 to 1945 Polish fighters destroyed 778 aircraft, probably destroyed 206 , and damaged 259;
they destroyed 190 V-1 rockets, for a total of 1,600 hits.
In France, over 150 pilots flew in the Polish Air Force, and destroyed 55 enemy aircraft. Polish losses were 26.
Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding, AOC Fighter Command of the RAF had this to say about the Polish pilots:
" ... all (Polish) squadrons swung into the fight with a dash and enthusiasm which is beyond praise...The first Polish
squadron (303)...during the course of one month shot down more Germans than any other British unit in the
same period. Other Poles...were used...in British squadrons, but ....they were probably most efficient employed
in their own national unit
POLISH SQUADRONS IN GREAT BRITAIN
No. 300 "Masovia" Polish Bomber Squadron (Ziemi Mazowieckiej)
No. 301 "Pomerania" Polish Bomber Squadron ( Ziemi Pomorskiej)
No. 302 "City of Poznan" Polish Fighter Squadron ( Poznanski)
No. 303 "Kosciuszko" Polish Fighter Squadron (Warszawski imienia Tadeusza Kosciuski)
No. 304 "Silesia" Polish Bomber Squadron (Ziemi Slaskiej imienia Ksiecia Jozefa Poniatowskiego)
No. 305 "Greater Poland" Polish Bomber Squadron (Ziemi Wielkopolskiej imienia Marszalka Jozefa Pilsudskiego)
No. 306 "City of Torun" Polish Fighter Squadron (Torunski)
No. 307 "City of Lwow" Polish Fighter Squadron (Lwowskich Puchaczy)
No. 308 "City of Krakow" Polish Fighter Squadron (Krakowski)
No. 309 "Czerwien" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron (Ziemi Czerwienskiej)
No. 315 "City of Deblin" Polish Fighter Squadron (Deblinski)
No. 316 "City of Warsaw" Polish Fighter Squadron (Warszawski)
No. 317 "City of Wilno" Polish Fighter Squadron (Wilenski)
No. 318 "City of Gdansk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron (Gdanski)
No. 663 Polish Artillery Observation Squadron
Polish Fighting Team (Skalski's Circus)
Country Number of Squadrons
Poland 14
France 12
Czechoslovakia & Greece 3
Belgiumn 2
Denmark 2
Yugoslavia 2