Polish Air Force order of battle 01.09.1939.

[Engine capo]

Air force HQ Warsaw, CO Brg.Gen. Władysław Kalkus
16 Observation squadron, CO Capt. Eugeniusz Lech ( 7 Lublin R-XIIID i 2 RWD-8)
HQ squadron, CO Capt. Henryk Wirszyłło ( 28 RWD-14, Lublin R.XIII, PWS-26, RWD-8 and RWD-13)
1 liaison platoon, CO reserve Lt. Henryk Śliwiński ( 3 RWD-8)
2 liaison platoon, CO reserve Sub.Lt. Stanisław Filipowicz ( 3 RWD-8)

AIR FORCE

Fighter brigade, CO Col. Stefan Pawlikowski

III/1 fighter dywizjon, CO Capt. Zdzisław Krasnodębski
111 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Gustaw Sidorowicz ( 10 PZL P.11c)
112 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Tadeusz Opulski ( 10 PZL P.11a/c)

IV/1 fighter dywizjon, CO Capt. Adam Kowalczyk
113 fighter squadron, CO Lt. Wieńczysław Barański ( 10 PZL P.11a/c)
114 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Juliusz Frey ( 12 PZL P.11a/c)
123 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Mieczysław Leonard Olszewski ( 10 PZL P.7a)

Bomber brigade, CO Col. Władysław Heller

II bomber dywizjon, CO Maj. Jan Biały
21 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Jan Buczma ( 10 PZL.23B, 1 Fokker F.VIIB/3m and 1 RWD-8)
22 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Kazimierz Słowiński ( 10 PZL.23B, 1 Fokker F.VIIB/3m and 1 RWD-8)

VI bomber dywizjon, CO Maj. Alfred Peszke
64 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Mieczysław Pronaszko ( 10 PZL.23B, 1 Fokker F.VIIB/3m and 2 RWD-8)
65 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Maciej Piotrowski ( 10 PZL.23B, 1 Fokker F.VIIB/3m and 2 RWD-8)

X bomber dywizjon, CO Lt.Col. Józef Werakso
211 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Franciszek Omylak ( 9 PZL.37B/Abis and 2 Fokker F.VIIB/3m)
212 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Stanisław Taras-Wołkowiński ( 9 PZL.37B/Abis and 2 Fokker F.VIIB/3m)

XV bomber dywizjon, CO Capt. Stanisław Cwynar
216 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Władysław Dukszto ( 9 PZL.37B/Abis and 2 Fokker F.VIIB/3m)
217 bomber squadron, CO Capt. Eugeniusz Prusiecki ( 9 PZL.37B/Abis and 2 Fokker F.VIIB/3m)

55 independent bomber squadron, CO Capt. Józef Skibiński ( 10 PZL.23B, 1 Fokker F.VIIB/3m and 1 RWD-8)

7 liaison platoon, CO reserve Lt. Henryk Lewandowski ( 3 RWD-8)
12 liaison, CO Sub.Lt. J. Kaleta ( 3 RWD-8)

ARMY AIR FORCE

Modlin army AF, CO Col. Tadeusz Prauss

III/5 fighter dywizjon, CO Maj. Edward Więckowski ( 1 RWD-8)
152 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Włodzimierz Łazoryk ( 10 PZL P.11a/c)

41 reconnaissance squadron, CO Capt. Władysław Chrzanowski ( 8 PZL.23B)
53 observation squadron, CO Capt. Józef Kierzkowski ( 7 RWD-14 i 2 RWD-8)
11 liason platoon, CO Lt. Z. Cesarcyk ( 3 RWD-8)

Narew independent operation group AF, CO Lt.Col. Stanisław Nazarkiewicz

151 fighter squadron, CO Lt. Józef Brzeziński ( 10 PZL P.7a)
51 reconnaissance squadron, CO Capt. Leopold Hrabkiewicz ( 7 PZL.23B)
13 observation squadron, CO Capt. Lucjan Fijuth ( 7 RWD-14b and 2 RWD-8)
9 liason platoon, CO reserve Lt. Stanisław Krakowski ( 3 RWD-8)

Pomorze army AF, CO Col. Bolesław Stachoń - Toruń

III/4 fighter dywizjon, CO Capt. Florian Laskowski ( 2 PZL P.11c and 1 RWD-8)
141 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Tadeusz Rolski ( 10 PZL P.11c)
142 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Mirosław Leśniewski ( 10 PZL P.11c)

42 reconnaissance squadron, CO Capt. Wacław Waltera ( 10 PZL.23B and 1 RWD-8)
43 observation squadron, CO Capt. Władysław Dawidek ( 7 Lublin R-XIIID and 2 RWD-8)
46 observation squadron, CO Capt. Roman Rypson ( 7 Lublin R-XIIID/C and 2 RWD-8)
7 liason platoon, CO reserve Sub.Lt. Henryk Lewandowski ( 3 RWD-8)
8 liason platoon, CO reserve Sub.Lt. Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski ( 3 RWD-8)

Poznań army AF, CO Col. Stanisław Kuźmiński

III/3 fighter dywizjon, CO Maj. Mieczysław Mümler ( 2 PZL P.11c and 2 RWD-8)
131 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Jerzy Zaremba ( 10 PZL P.11c)
132 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Franciszek Jastrzębski ( 10 PZL P.11c)

34 reconnaissance squadron, CO Capt. Janusz Badowski ( 10 PZL.23B and 1 RWD-8)
33 observation squadron, CO Capt. Stanisław Zaleski ( 7 RWD-14b and 2 RWD-8)
36 observaton squadron, CO Capt. Bolesław Dorembowicz ( 7 Lublin R-XIIID and 2RWD-8)
6 liason platoon, CO Lt. Janusz Mościcki ( 3 RWD-8)

Łódź army AF, CO Col. Wacław Iwaszkiewicz Łódź

III/6 fighter dywizjon, CO Maj. Stanisław Morawski ( 2 PZL P.11c and 1 RWD-8)
161 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Władysław Szczęśniewski ( 10 PZL P.11a/c)
162 fighter squadron, CO Lt. Bernard Groszewski ( 10 PZL P.7a)

32 reconnaissance squadron, CO Capt. Mieczysław Ryszkiewicz ( 10 PZL.23B and 1 RWD-8)
63 observation squadron, CO Capt. Jan Haręźlak ( 7 RWD-14b and 2 RWD-8)
66 observation squadron, CO Capt. Albert Kubieniec ( 7 Lublin R-XIIID and 2 RWD-8)
10 liason platoon, CO reserve Sub.Lt. Bohdan Arct ( 3 RWD-8)

Kraków army AF, CO Col. Stefan Sznuk

III/2 fighter dywizjon, CO Capt. Mieczysław Medwecki ( 1 RWD-8)
121 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Tadeusz Sędzielowski ( 10 PZL P.11c)
122 fighter squadron, CO Capt. Mieczysław Wiórkiewicz ( 10 PZL P.11c)

24 reconnaissance squadron, CO Capt. Julian Wojda ( 10 PZL.23B and 1 RWD-8)
23 observation squadron, CO Lt. Władysław Rewakowicz ( 7 aRWD-14b and 2 RWD-8)
26 observation squadron, CO Capt. Stanisław Rzepa ( 7 Lublin R-XIIID and 2 RWD-8)
3 liason platoon, CO reserve Lt. Piotr Dunin ( 3 RWD-8)

Karpaty army AF, CO Lt.Col. Olgierd Tuskiewicz

31 reconnaissance squadron, CO Capt. Witalis Nikonow ( 9 PZL.23B and 1 RWD-8)
56 observation squadron, CO Capt. Marian Sukniewicz ( 7 Lublin R-XIIID and 2 RWD-8)
5 liason platoon, CO reserve Sub.Lt. Jerzy Gerlicz ( 3 RWD-8)

NAVAL AVIATION

Naval AF dywizjon, CO Comm. Edward Szystowski
I long range reconnaissance squadron, CO Lt.Comm. Roman Borowiec ( 2 Lublin R-VIIIter and 1 CANT Z.506B)
II close range reconnissance squadron, CO Lt.Comm. Marian Janczewski ( 10 Lublin R-XIIIter and Lublin R-XIIIG)
Coastal defence liason platoon , CO reserve Sub.Lt. Edmund Jereczek ( 2 RWD-13, 1 RWD-8 and 1 Lublin R-XIIIG

[Leo Niehorster]

Fine post.
Source, please.

Commander 11 Liaison: 1LT (Lt.) Z. Cesarcyk
Commander 12 Liaison: 2LT (Sub-Lt.) J. Kaleta

Cheers
Leo

[Engine capo]

Fine post.
Source, please.
Leo

Sorry.

http://www.samoloty.ow.pl/str080.htm

http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polskie_Lo ... skowe_1939

Commander 11 Liaison: 1LT (Lt.) Z. Cesarcyk
Commander 12 Liaison: 2LT (Sub-Lt.) J. Kaleta

Cheers
Leo

Thanks.

brEc

[Musashi]

Fine post.
Source, please.

Commander 11 Liaison: 1LT (Lt.) Z. Cesarcyk
Commander 12 Liaison: 2LT (Sub-Lt.) J. Kaleta

Cheers
Leo

Cesarcyk does not make any sense in Polish, Cesarczyk does.

[Leo Niehorster]

Cesarcyk does not make any sense in Polish, Cesarczyk does.

You are correct. I mistyped the name.
Thank you.

Cheers
Leo

[nimbuss]

Just a little correction:

Air force HQ Warsaw, CO Brg.Gen. Władysław Kalkus

It should be:
Air Force and Anti Aircraft Defence HQ Warsaw, CO gen. bryg. Józef Zając

dywizjon

It is not so easy to transfer polish 1939 organisation into english or german. Dywizjon was sth like two squadron wing (english) or two staffeln gruppe (german).

Almost all squadrons in Bomber Brigade had changed numbers. Their peace-time numbers were shortened by cutting first digit. So:
21 bomber squadron became 1 bomber squadron
64 bomber squadron became 4 bomber squadron
211 bomber squadron became 11 bomber squadron
and so on, exept 55 squadron, whose number was not changed.

Bomber Brigade and Fighter Brigade formed so called commander in chief's disposable air force.

with regards
AG

[Engine capo]

Just a little correction:

Air force HQ Warsaw, CO Brg.Gen. Władysław Kalkus

It should be:
Air Force and Anti Aircraft Defence HQ Warsaw, CO gen. bryg. Józef Zając

AG

Now you got me.

What about this?
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotnictwo_wojskowe_II_RP

dywizjon

It is not so easy to transfer polish 1939 organisation into english or german. Dywizjon was sth like two squadron wing (english) or two staffeln gruppe (german).

with regards
AG

Quite wright. I was thinking how to translate it, but i decide to left it how it was in Polish. In Serbian we use same word divizion, but in context for artillery. Three batteries forms a divizion, and three divizion form artillery regiment. In English or German it could be translated as a group. Royal Yugoslav AF had regiments divided in to two groups, and each of the groups had two or three squadrons.

[nimbuss]

Engine,
I didn't want it look like getting You. You did great job sharing these info. I just wanted to help in correction some of them.

As for:
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotnictwo_wojskowe_II_RP

It is a good information, but it is just about pre-war peace-time organisation.

Gen. Kalkus (insted of being general) was just - how to say - civil servant in Ministry of Military Affairs.
One of departments in this Ministry - called Military Aviation Command (or better in english: Air Force Command) - was responsible for air force during the peace time and dealt mainly with the peace time organization of the air force and its education and training. Head of this department was in fact called Dowódca Lotnictwa. We can say in english: Air Force Commander or Military Aviation Commander.

But with the outbreak of war all air force units went under command of Air Force and Anti Aircraft Defence which was a part of High Command. And CO of Air Force and Anti Aircraft Defence was not gen. Kalkus but just gen. Zając.

with regards
AG

[Engine capo]

Engine,
I didn't want it look like getting You. You did great job sharing these info. I just wanted to help in correction some of them.

with regards
AG

No, no my friend, you misunderstand me, I wasn`t thinking that you are getting me in that way, I was yust confused with that data.

I am grateful for this information.

[nimbuss]

You're welcome Engine!
AG

PS. Dywizjon was also used for artillery in Poland. Similarly to Your divizion it was composed with a few batteries.

[nimbuss]

One of departments in this Ministry - called Military Aviation Command (or better in english: Air Force Command) - was responsible for air force during the peace time and dealt mainly with the peace time organization of the air force and its education and training.

Well, now I must correct myself.
Maybe it is not so important to the topic, but it looks like responsibility of this department was somewhat different (budget, supply, administrative matters).

AG

[Engine capo]

Thank you AG.

brEc

[Engine capo]

Unfortunately my time to edit messages expired, can some one from forum staff to edit and correct info wich nimbus posted please.

brEc

[RichDavi]

I came across this website and thread after Googling my grandfathers name and was very proud to see his name as the commanding officer of Observation flight 43.

I admit to having little knowledge of Polish forces in the Second World War but would be very grateful if someone could tell me a bit of background to these Observation flights - e.g Any missions they flew and what became of them after 1939 (I know my grandfathers flight was shot down early on in the war and he was imprisoned by the Germans until 1945 though I wonder if any other squadrons/divisions managed to play a part in the later years of the war).

I thank you for any information you can give me and I look forward to looking around this website

[nimbuss]

Hi RichDavi,

Observation squadrons used obsolete airplains and their main task was to make short reconnaissance flights (just observe enemy from over own ground forces or make short sorties over enemy). Some flights were also made to cooperate with own artillery. Their airplanes were slow and flew low, so they were shot down very easily (unfortunatelly also by own ground forces). These airmen were very little known heros.

43. Observation divided into 2 platoons - I/43 and II/43.
I/43 went under command of "Pomorze" Army's Air Force commander and II/43 went under Operational Group "Wschód" command.

In the morning of 1.9.39. Cpt. Władysław Dawidek went together with II/43 from Toruń airfield to their first operational landing field Niedźwiadek (12 km SE from Grudziądz). During first days of the war they changed their landing fields almost every day. When german forces won the battle of Grudziądz 43. Observation together with "Pomorze" Army went south and joined "Poznań" Army. They fought together in the Battle of Bzura. 43. Observation ended its fight on 17.9.39. when last three airplanes flew to south-east Poland. Many of airmen who had to stay in encirclement became PoW. Some other managed to escape to Warsaw or Modlin but after surrender also became PoW.

These are known air missions of cpt. Władysław Dawidek:
2.9.39. (corporal Ryszard Kopytowski as a pilot)
5.9.39. reconnaissance over Grudziądz (corporal Ryszard Kopytowski as a pilot)
15.9.39. reconnaissance over Kampinos Forest and landed in Warsaw (corporal Michał Andrzejewski as a pilot)
But this information are not sure because very few documents of 43. Observation last the war and some info about polish air force base on post war memoirs. If You can add sth about Your granfather's 1939 activity - please write it here. You can also contact me on PM or e-mail.

with regards
AG