No. 302 (City of Poznan) Polish Fighter Squadron RAF () was a Polish fighter squadron formed in the United Kingdom as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History The squadron inherited the traditions, along with the emblem and a large part of the initial crew, of the pre-war Polish III/3 Fighter Squadron composed of the 131st and 132nd Fighter Escadrilles.

The Squadron was one of the four Polish-cored Royal Air Force squadrons that participated in the Battle of Britain. It consisted mostly of Polish pilots, many of whom were veterans. The backbone of the squadron was formed by 13 pilots who served with the I/145 Polish Fighter Squadron and were evacuated from France during the last stages of the German invasion of France.

The squadron was formed on 10 July 1940, equipped with Hawker Hurricanes the squadron was part of No. 12 Group RAF. As the combat became more fierce, the 302 was moved to RAF Duxford, north of London. The squadron operated from there as part of the Duxford Wing, 12 Group's 'Big Wing' formation, from 14 September through 25 September. Having enjoyed some success on East Coast patrols following the Battle of Britain, No. 302 Squadron re-located to RAF Jurby, Isle of Man, where they commenced night flying training and low level work.

On the 17th May 1943, whilst the squadron was at RAF Hutton Cranswick, there was a change of flight commanders. ‘A’ flight commander Zulikowski was replaced by Witold Łanowski who transferred from 317 sq and ‘B’ flight commander Chełmecki was replaced by Bolesław Gładych. Łanowski and Gładych would both transfer to the USAAF in early 1944 both flying with the famous ‘Zemke’s Wolfpack’, the 56th Fighter Group.

At some point afterwards the squadron operated from RAF Chailey. On 11 June 1944, 302 became the first Polish Squadron to land in France, five days after D-Day. It was fighting as part of No. 131 Polish Fighter Wing when its airfield was attacked by Jagdgeschwader 1 during Operation Bodenplatte in January 1945.

No. 302 Polish Squadron lost 20 pilots killed, 12 missing and 9 taken prisoners, 63 aircraft destroyed and 43 damaged by the enemy's air defence.

It was disbanded on 18 December 1946,Halley 1988, p. 356.Rawlings 1978, pp. 388-389. at RAF Hethel.Jefford 2001, p. 86. A replica Hurricane in 302 squadron markings was the gate guardian at the Imperial War Museum Duxford until it was repainted in 242 squadron markings in February 2018.

No. 302 Polish Squadron is mentioned in the historical novel Leaden Skies (Italian: Cieli di Piombo) by Italian novelist Mathilde Bonetti as the Squadron her main character, a Polish fighter pilot, flies for.

Commanders overall general command (British) 13 July 1940 - Squadron Leader William A. J. Satchell 1 January 1941 S/Ldr (kpt.) Piotr Łaguna 13 July 1940 - S/Ldr (mjr) Mieczysław Mümler 7 December 1940 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Piotr Łaguna 19 May 1941 - F/Lt (kpt.) (15 June 1941 - Acting S/Ldr) Stefan Witorzeńć 28 November 1941 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Julian Kowalski 25 August 1942 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Stanisław Łapka 16 May 1943 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Wieczysław Barański 18 October 1943 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Wacław Król 7 July 1944 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Marian Duryasz 30 January 1945 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Zygmunt Bieńkowski 24 February 1945 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Ignacy Olszewski 24 March 1945 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Bolesław Kaczmarek 1 August 1945 - S/Ldr (kpt.) Jerzy Szymankiewicz (until disbanding)

Aircraft operated +AircraftFromToAircraftVersion July 1940 March 1941 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I March 1941 May 1941 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIa May 1941 July 1941 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I July 1941 October 1941 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb October 1941 September 1943 Supermarine Spitfire Mks.Vb, Vc September 1943 February 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX February 1945 December 1946 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI

See also List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain Polish contribution to World War II

References

Notes

Bibliography

Cynk, Jerzy B. The Polish Air Force at War: The Official History, 1939-1943. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 1998. . Cynk, Jerzy B. The Polish Air Force at War: The Official History, 1943-1945. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 1998. . Gretzyngier, Robert. Poles in Defence of Britain: A Day-by-Day Chronology of Polish Day and Night Fighter Operations, July 1940 - June 1941. London: Grub Street, 2001. . Gretzyngier, Robert. Polskie Skrzydła 4: Hawker Hurricane, część 1 (in Polish). Sandomierz, Poland: Stratus, 2005. . Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918 -1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. . Jefford, 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, 1998 (Second edition 2001). . Lisiewcz, M. et al. Destiny Can Wait: The Polish Air Force in the Second World War. Nashville, Tennessee: Battery Press, 1988. . Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). . Zamoyski, Adam. The Forgotten Few: The Polish Air Force in the Second World War. New York: Hippocrene Books Inc., 1995. . Łanowski, Witold ‘Lanny’. ‘’Out in Front, A Polish Fighter Pilots dramatic air war’’. London: Fighting High Publishers., 2014 .

External links

Photo Gallery of 302 Squadron Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947