304 (Polish) Squadron Raf: Wellingtons Against Uboote
()
About this ebook
Related to 304 (Polish) Squadron Raf
Related ebooks
Victory Fighters: The Veterans' Story: Winning the Battle for Supremacy in the Skies Over Western Europe, 1941–1945 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTwo Legends of WWII: The Spitfire and Mustang Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDinghy Drop: 279 Squadron RAF, 1941–46 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJavelin from the Cockpit: Britain's First Delta Wing Fighter Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mosquito in the USAAF: De Havilland’s Wooden Wonder in American Service Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAir-Launched Doodlebugs: The Forgotten Campaign Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5German Elite Pathfinders: KG 100 in Action Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBombers over Sand and Snow: 205 Group RAF in World War II Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFirst Fighter Ace: In the Cockpit with a World War II Fighter Pilot Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKosciuszko Squadron 1919-1921 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWWII 1939 Polish Bomber PZL 37 “LOS” Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Moonlight over England the Story of One Nightfighter Pilot Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMontpellier Fighter Squadron Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Soldier in the Cockpit: From Rifles to Typhoons in WWII Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Fighter Pilot’S War Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBilly Drake, Fighter Leader: The Autobiography of Group Captain B. Drake DSO, DFC and Bar, US DFC Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDiscovering my Father: The Wartime Experiences of Squadron Leader John Russell Collins DFC and Bar (1943-1944) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn Expendable Squadron: The Story of 217 Squadron, Coastal Command, 1939–1945 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Aerial War: 1939–45: The Role of Aviation in World War II Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpitfire Pilot [Illustrated Edition] Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPZL P.11c Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wildcats over Casablanca Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWWII 1939 Polish Fighter PZL P.11 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5To North Vietnam and Back Again: A Personal Account of Navy A-6 Intruder Operations in Vietnam Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHornchurch Offensive: A Definitive Account of the RAF Fighter Airfield, Its Pilots, Groundcrew and Staff, 1941–1962 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn American Hero: Eugene Trowbridge Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Kiel Raid 1939: Eyewitness World War II series Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJack Davenport: Beaufighter Leader Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5War in Ukraine: Volume 4: Main Battle Tanks of Russia and Ukraine, 2014-2023 — Soviet Legacy and Post-Soviet Russian MBTs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Crafts & Hobbies For You
Sharpie Art Workshop: Techniques & Ideas for Transforming Your World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/540+ Stash-Busting Projects to Crochet! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Modern Crochet Bible: Over 100 Contemporary Crochet Techniques and Stitches Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big Book of Maker Skills: Tools & Techniques for Building Great Tech Projects Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Celtic Charted Designs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kawaii Crochet: 40 Super Cute Crochet Patterns for Adorable Amigurumi Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hoop Dreams: Modern Hand Embroidery Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary: 125 Essential Stitches to Crochet in Three Ways Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Summary of Rachel Hoffman's Unf*ck Your Habitat Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The CIA Lockpicking Manual Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Knitting Stitches VISUAL Encyclopedia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Morpho: Anatomy for Artists Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lit Stitch: 25 Cross-Stitch Patterns for Book Lovers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Modern Amigurumi for the Home Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Little House Living: The Make-Your-Own Guide to a Frugal, Simple, and Self-Sufficient Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Learn How to Play Piano Keyboard for Absolute Beginners: A Self Tuition Book for Adults and Teenagers! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rockhounding for Beginners: Your Comprehensive Guide to Finding and Collecting Precious Minerals, Gems, Geodes, & More Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYear of Dishcloths Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNorwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crochet Home: 20 Vintage Modern Crochet Projects for the Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beginner's Guide to Crochet: 20 Crochet Projects for Beginners Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Retro Crochet: Vibrant Vintage-Inspired Looks from the 70s, 80s, and 90s Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hooked on Crochet! Afghans Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for 304 (Polish) Squadron Raf
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
304 (Polish) Squadron Raf - Mariusz Konarski
Published in Poland in 2005 by STRATUS
Artur Juszczak, Po. Box 123, 27-600 Sandomierz 1, Poland
e-mail: arturj@mmpbooks.biz
for
Mushroom Model Publications,
36 Ver Road, Redbourn,
AL3 7PE, UK.
e-mail: rogerw@mmpbooks.biz
© 2005 Mushroom Model Publications.
http://www.mmpbooks.biz
All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of
private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the
Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, electrical, chemical, mechanical,
optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written
permission. All enquiries should be addressed to the publisher.
eISBN 978-83-61421-90-0
ISBN 83-89450-18-6
The author would like to thank the following persons for their assistance:
Mariusz Borowiak, Betty Clements, Jerzy Cynk, Przemysław Chorążykiewicz, Bohdan Ejbich, Adam Jarski, Andrzej Jeziorski, Marian Kowalczyk, Jacek Kutzner, Piotr Laskowski, Wojtek Matusiak, Andrzej Olejko, Robert Owen, Michał Peszke, Krzysztof Radwan, Andrzej Suchcitz, Wojciech Sankowski and Edward Zarudzki.
Introduction
History of the Squadron
Bomber Command
Coastal Command
Transport Command
Footnotes
Appendices
Colour profiles
To My Beloved Son
304 Dywizjon Bombowy Ziemi Śląskiej
im. Księcia Józefa Poniatowskiego, known as 304 (Polish) Squadron in the RAF, was formed on 22 August 1940 at RAF Bramcote, Leicester. Its personnel was recruited from among airmen of the former 2nd and 6th Air Regiments of the pre-war Polish Air Force, subsequently reinforced with 3rd Air Regiment staff arriving after the fall of France. W/Cdr Jan Biały was appointed Officer Commanding, and S/Ldr Julian Wojda his deputy. W/Cdr William M. Graham was the RAF advisor.
Shooting training
on a Tiger Moth.
Engine overhaul of an Avro Anson, one of the two used by the Squadron in 1940-41.
Battle Trainer coded NY-Z, one of the two such aircraft used by the Squadron.
One of the Wellington Mk IAs used as a trainer in 1941.
Bomber Command
Initially the squadron was equipped with 16 Fairey Battle I light single-engine bombers and two Battle Trainers. From 1 November 1940 it used twin-engine Vickers Wellington IA trainers, and from 22 November 1940 Vickers Wellington IC bombers. The Wellington crew included the pilot, co-pilot, navigator, radio-operator and two gunners.
"At an early stage of organisation – ppłk pil. Jan Biały wrote in his memoirs¹ – the squadron was equipped with Fairey Battles. A single-engine aeroplane with retractable undercarriage, crew of three (pilot, navigator and gunner), armed with two machine guns, bomb load of 750 kg. Aircraft of the type were similar to our Karaś, nevertheless the crews had to get acquainted with the new type of aeroplane, especially pilots who had to remember to raise the undercarriage after take-off and lower it before landing.
Mjr pil. Jan Biały, the first commander of 304 Squadron.
(…) Crews had to make over a dozen flights to learn the new devices, besides the pilots underwent conversion training in ‘blind’ flying, piloting only according to instruments in the cockpit. Navigators underwent conversion training according to English air navigation standards, based largely on maritime navigation. Knowledge of this type of navigation was necessary in daylight and night flying, as well as over vast ocean areas, when navigator was able to make his calculations based only according to the wind direction and force, speed of the aeroplane, and flight time. Gunners of the aeroplane were trained in operating the machine guns, as well as in dropping bombs, also navigators were trained in the latter.
Vickers Wellington Mk IC, coded NZ-T.
Ppłk pil. Piotr Dudziński, the squadron’s commander between 20.12.1940 and 12.11.1941.
The whole conversion training was very intensive. After six weeks, by the end of October 1940, crews were completed and trained, and the squadron was prepared to participate in combat operations.
In November the squadron was re-equipped with Wellingtons. Both flying and engineering personnel needed conversion training on the new aeroplane type. As flying was planned to be done entirely at night, special attention was paid to conversion training of pilots, not only in terms of twin-engine aircraft piloting, but also in instrument flying. Navigators were additionally trained in long range navigation without aid of ground features. Shortage of flying personnel was made up with postings from British reserves (…)"
Due to misunderstandings with the British advisor, on 22 December 1940 W/Cdr J. Biały left the squadron. He was replaced at the head of the unit by W/Cdr Piotr Dudziński.
On 27 January 1941 Polish 304 and 305 Squadrons were visited by the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The Royal couple inspected Polish airmen in a decorated hangar. The visit was a great honour and joy for the personnel.
The unit achieved combat readiness on 25 April 1941. It would operate under control of Bomber Command. Its aircraft were identified by the NZ codes applied on the fuselages.
Establishment of the squadron, No. WAR/BC/116 (wartime heavy bomber squadron RAF) stipulated the squadron HQ of 106 and two flights of 218, a total of 324 officers and men. It was to be equipped with 16 twin-engine bombers.²
At the time 304 and 305 Squadrons were based at Syerston, Nottinghamshire. On 25 April 1941 two crews (of P/O Antoni Sym and F/O Kazimierz Czetowicz) of 304 Squadron took part in a raid on Rotterdam. The crew of Wellington IC NZ-D (N2852) included P/O Jerzy Iszkowski as the co-pilot, and he wrote in his memoirs:³
"I made my first combat sortie on 25 April 1941 in the unfamiliar crew of F/O Czetowicz. Aeroplane - Wellington-Pegasus no. 2852. Bombs: incendiary and high explosive. Task: bomb petrol tanks in Rotterdam, Holland. This was the first operational attempt of the squadron. Two crews were made up of the best pilots. Take-off was at dusk. In the darkness of the night we passed the English coast and, after crossing the North Sea, we crossed the Dutch coast south of Emden. Approaching the bombing area we maintained altitude of 12,000 to 14,000 feet. In the Emden area