Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1942-07-01

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather in morning 6/10 cloud bright sunshine, visibility good. Afternoon 2/10 cloud .
20.35. Two aircraft on Convoy patrol. Course 100º 60º 360º . Convoy consisting of 30 vessels approximately 20 from the coast. Patrol at height 3000 ft. Visibility over sea 30 miles cloud 0/10. Aircraft down 21.55.
22.40. 2 aircraft on patrol same convoy at height 2000-3500 feet. Course 360º 30º 40º 240º 100º. Convoy now about 10 miles from the coast. Weather conditions the same.
Training flying – low flying, dog fighting and sector recco.
F/Sgt. Wojciechowski posted to Kirton-in-Lindsey non-effective on admission to Nottingham Hospital.
F/O J. Schmidt and F/O O. Sobiecki posted to No. 453 Squadron. proceeding on expiration of leave 5.7.42.

1942-07-02

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather in morning 1/10 cloud sunshine and very good visibility. Cloud increasing in afternoon to 8/10.
Varied training flying – air firing to P.P. target. practice attacks on bombers and low flying attacks.

1942-07-03

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

9/10 cloud and poor visibility. Cloud increasing in afternoon to 10/10 and visibility poor.
13.10. Two aircraft on convoy patrol. course 100º 360º 350º 10º 20º. Convoy consisting of about 30 vessels 30 miles from the coast. Patrol carried out 1000 – 2000 feet, Cloud 10/10 fog to 3000 feet. Aircraft down 14.10.
20.05. Two aircraft scrambled – F/Sgt. Wunsche and F/Sgt. Popek. Yellow section.
20.10. do. – F/O Kolecki and Sgt. Rokitnicki. White section.
Yellow section first up were give course by operations and F/Sgt. Wunsche observed two enemy aircraft, Ju. 88’s in the area of Wragby, Lincs, which were flying very low in a south easternly direction. Sgt. Wunsche attacked first three quarters from astern and above firing a short bursts from 300 yards. F/Sgt. Popek took the right hand aircraft and attacked from eastern and above giving a long burst which he broke off at a distance of about 20 yards. The Ju. With both engines smoking was seen o hit farm buildings about 6 miles from Wragby, F/Sgt. Wunsche and F/Sgt, Popek attacked the second Ju. 88 firing a series of short bursts, At this moment P/O Kolecki also attacked give a burst and broke away followed by Sgt. Rokitnicki who gave a series of bursts causing this Ju. 88 to force land near Harcastle. One blade of the propeller on F/Sgt. Popek’s aircraft was damaged by bullet holes. Two Ju. 88’s destroyed.
22.10. Scramble. Two aircraft on patrol over sea. Course 100º 90º 25º 240º 270º to a distance of nearly 100 miles from the coast. Patrol carried out from 300 – 3000 feet. Cloud 9/10 and fog over the sea. Aircraft down 23.35.
Navigation training carried out in afternoon.

1942-07-04

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Unfavourable weather for flying. 10/10 cloud and visibility poor. South east wind and some rain.
21.25. Two aircraft on patrol over sea – course by Operations. 50 miles from coast at a height of 2000 feet. Down 21.55.

1942-07-05

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather 10/10 cloud and poor visibility.
18.05. Three aircraft scrambled on course by Operations. Patrol over sea at height of 7000 ft. Cloud over seas 5/10, but visibility good. Aircraft landed 18.45.
22.00. Two aircraft scrambled – course 100º 010º about 90 miles from the coast at height of 2000 ft. Cloud 8/10 and improvement in visibility. Aircraft down 2300.
Sector recco. navigation, practice attacks and cross country flying.
F/Lt. Ostaszewski attended Medical Board but has to attend again in Oct. 1942.

1942-07-06

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

7/10 cloud and good visibility – sunshine. More could in afternoon and rain and thunder in the evening.
10.00. Two aircraft on convoy patrol, course 100º 360º – 8 to 10 miles from the Coast. Convoy consisting of approx. ships was patrolled at height of 2500 ft. 10/10 cloud and very good visibility. Aircraft landed at base 11.20.
10.35. Two aircraft on patrol same convoy. Course as above but at distance of 15-20 miles from the coast at a height of 3000 ft. Aircraft down 11.45.
13.05. Two aircraft on patrol convoy. Course by operations. Increase in cloud to 10/10 and deterioration in visibility. Some fog.
Training flying throughout the day, navigation and attacks on bombers. Some recco with new pilots.
F/O. J. Schmidt and F/O O. Sobiecki posted to No. 433 Squadron Dream.

1942-07-07

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather 3/10 visibility good. Sunny. Increase in cloud in afternoon with rain in evening.
06.45. Patrol over convoy by four aircraft – course by operations. Patrols carried out by pairs of aircraft 25-50 miles from the coast and height varying between 3000/18000 ft. Weather and visibility good. Aircraft down 8.15.
Training flying – Navigation and cloud flying. Formation and ground attacks.
P/O Mroczyk and Sgts. H. Karasinski and Kwasniewski, pilots posted from No. 58 O.T.U. to report on expiration of 7 days leave.

1942-07-08

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

4/10 cloud visibility fair. South wind. Afternoon – 6/10 cloud visibility fair and sunshine.
F/O B. Gladych posted to No. 302 / Polish / Squadron.
Lecture to pilots by Polish Officer from Fighter Command on limitations of aircraft.
06.00. Scramble two aircraft. Patrol course 095º 8 mins. 070º 20 mins. 40 miles from the coast at height varying 300 – 3000 ft. 6/10 cloud at great height. Some fog low over sea. Visibility 5 – 8 miles over sea. Both aircraft down 07.35.
Training flying – interception, navigation and battle formation practices. 7 aircraft carried out night flying training.

1942-07-09

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather 6/10 – sunshine and good visibility.
05.50. Two aircraft on patrol over sea on course given by Operations. Nothing to report weather and visibility over sea good.
09.40. Two aircraft on patrol over sea on course by Operations. Cloud 4/10 at 8000 ft, visibility 12 - 15 miles.
Varied training throughout the day – formation and attacks, cine camera attacks, aerobatics and low flying. 5 Pilots carried out night flying training.
P/O Kolecki and P/O Hamankiewicz attached to Matlaske for a four days course on air firing.

1942-07-10

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Morning 10/10 cloud and poor visibility. Fog on ground. Afternoon 8/10 cloud visibility very good.
06.35. Two aircraft scrambled course 090º 065º 280º 340º 020º 040º 190º 210º about 40 miles from the coast at height between 200 and 1000 feet. Fog over base but clear over the sea, visibility 5 miles. Both aircraft down 07.50.
12.45. Two aircraft on convoy patrol – course 100º 360º 20 miles from the coast. Patrol carried out at height of 3000 ft over convoy of 41 vessels. 6/10 cloud at 3500 ft. Vis. 4 miles.
13.40. Two aircraft on patrol the same convoy at height of 2000 ft now 12 miles from coast. Both aircraft down 14.35.
Training flying – attacks with cine camera, aerobatics and low flying.
P/O Z. Wojda re-posted from RAF Northolt for flying duties on ceasing to be non-effective.

1942-07-11

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather – 10/10 cloud, visibility good. Some rain in the evening.
12.05. Two aircraft on convoy patrol. Course by Operations – 15 miles from the coast. Convoy consisting of 3 destroyers and 46 vessels. Patrol at height 2000 ft. weather and visibility over sea – fair.
Practice attacks, cloud flying and attacks bomber.

1942-07-12

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

9/10 cloud visibility good. Some sunshine. Afternoon 5/10 cloud visibility very good.
No operational flying. Training flying consisting of aerobatic, low flying and cine camera attacks on bombers.

1942-07-13

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

9/10 cloud visibility good. Wind south west, sunny. rain in evening.
05.30. Two aircraft on patrol over sea. Course given by Operations, patrolled at height of 2000 ft. Weather over sea poor and bad visibility. Aircraft down 07.00 hrs.
08.40. Take off for patrol over sea on course by Operations, but both aircraft down after 25 mins.

1942-07-14

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather on morning 3/10 cloud. Some fog on ground but sunny weather. Afternoon 10/10 cloud visibility 4 – 5 miles. Wind south west.
05.45. Scramble two aircraft. Course 105º 17 minutes 345º 9 mins. 280º 5 mins, 155º 9 mins
mins. at height of 2000 ft. Visibility 5 miles 4/10 cloud. Aircraft down 06.40.
18.30. Two aircraft on patrol over coast on course by Operations. Aircraft down after 25 mins.
Training – Dog fighting, low flying, aerobatics and sector recco.

1942-07-15

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

2/10 cloud visibility fair. Sunshine. Afternoon 8/10 cloud visibility 3 – 4 miles.
05.20. Two aircraft on patrol over sea on course given by Operations. Nothing to report.
Training – 18 pilots carried out P.P. target firing. Army co-operation and sector recco.

1942-07-16

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Morning – 9/10 cloud visibility poor. South west wind. Afternoon 10/10 vis. 3 – 4 miles.
No operational flying. Some formation and low flying.

1942-07-17

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Early morning 7/10 cloud visibility good but deteriorating to one miles later. Rain.
No flying.

1942-07-18

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

10/10 cloud and visibility 0 – 2 miles throughout the day. No flying.

1942-07-19

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather 9/10 cloud. Visibility 3 – 4 miles. sunshine. Evening slight improvement in visibility. Some rain.
12.50. Two aircraft on Convoy patrol course 100º 095º. 27 miles from coast at height 1000/2000 ft. 22 vessels. Weather – 9/10 cloud at height 2000 ft. visibility over sea 5 – 7 miles. Aircraft down 14.20.
13.40. Two aircraft on patrol same convoy. Course the same but a height 1000 ft. Aircraft down 15.00.
16.35. Scramble – two aircraft on course 090º 100º 280º 90º 100º about 20 miles from the coast at height 500 ft. Cloud 5/10 visibility 5/10 miles. Aircraft down 1800.
Training – formation and low flying.
Sgts. Karczmarz and Idrjan attached to No. 1486 Flight at Matlask for 4 days air firing course.

1942-07-20

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

10/10 cloud. Visibility Nil. Heavy fog. Visibility 1 – 2 miles in afternoon.
No flying – Link trainer practices only.

1942-07-21

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

3/10 cloud. Visibility 1 – 2 miles fog on ground. Sunshine in afternoon 2/10 cloud and visibility 2 – 3 miles.
06.05. Patrol convoy by two aircraft on course given by Operations. 20 miles from English coast at height of 1000 ft. Aircraft down 07.30.
Wing formation and Squadron battle practice. Attacks on ground edefence posts. Aerobatics and low flying.

1942-07-22

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

10/10 cloud visibility 2 – 3 miles increasing to 4 – 5 miles in afternoon.
18.40. Scramble – Patrol base at height 2 – 4000 ft. Course by Operations. Aircraft down 18.55.
Some cloud flying training.

1942-07-23

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather 10/10 cloud, visibility 3 – 4 miles. South west wind. Visibility increasing in afternoon. Sunshine.

1942-07-23

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather 10/10 cloud visibility 3 – 4 miles. Wind South west. Visibility increasing in afternoon. Sunshine.
08.10. Two aircraft on patrol over base. On course given by operations. Aircraft down after 20 minutes.
08.35. Two aircraft on convoy patrol on course given by Operations. About 25 miles from the coast at height 3/4000 feet. Weather and visibility good. Aircraft down 10.05.
09.05. Two aircraft on similar patrol over same convoy. Convoy now 15 – 20 miles from the coast. Patrol at height of 2/3000 feet. Aircraft down 10.35.
18.10. Two aircraft on convoy patrol – scrambled on course by Operations. Patrol over two warships seventy miles from the coast. Height varying between 600 and 6000 feet. Aircraft down 19.15.
18.35. Scramble two aircraft on course 95º five to ten miles from the English coast. Patrol at height of 7500 feet. Weather 10/10 cloud 2000 – 6000 feet. visibility good. Aircraft landed 19.05.
19.10. Two aircraft up on convoy patrol. Course 090º 040º . Patrol at height of 1-3000 feet about 20 miles from the English coast over 2 warships. Weather 6/10 cloud with visibility approximately 5 miles. Aircraft landed 20.30.
Training flying – Cloud, aerobatic and low flying. Cross country and practice Attacks on Lancasters.

1942-07-24

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Weather in morning 9/10 cloud. Visibility 1 – 2 miles. Afternoon 10/10 cloud visibility 5 to 6 miles. Strong south wind.
18.10. Two aircraft on Convoy patrol on course given by Operations about 20 miles from the coast. Height 1000 – 2000 feet. Aircraft down 19.30.
Cloud and formation flying training.
F/O S. Ostrowski posted from Air Crew Training Centre Hucknall supernumerary for Adjutant duties.

1942-07-25

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

5/10 cloud visibility 4 miles. sunshine.
17.20. Two aircraft scrambled Course 100º 18º 17º – 10 miles from the coast at a height of 12000 ft. Visibility over sea good. Aircraft down 18.10.
20.50. 2 aircraft on patrol – course 100º 040º 190º 060º 190º about 20 miles from the coast at a height of 5000 ft.
Training flying – formation aerobatics, attacks on bombers and night flying.

1942-07-26

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Cloud 7/10 visibility 1 – 1 ½ miles ground haze.
F/O Wyganowski posted to No. 288 Sqdn, Digby.
06.30. Two aircraft on patrol Course 105º 330º 160º 350º 160º 330º 260º 280º height 1500 ft visibility over sea 10 miles. Aircraft down 07.55.
08.10. Two aircraft on patrol course 100º 40 miles from the coast at a height of 3000 ft. Down 09.00.
10.25. Patrol convoy – 2 a/c. Course 95º 20 miles from the coast at a height of 2000 ft. 5/10 cloud and very good visibility. A/c down 11.35.
10.30. Two a/c on convoy patrol Course 090º 190º 060º at height 5000 ft. Convoy consisting of 42 vessels. Aircraft down 11.25.
11.10. Two aircraft on convoy patrol. Course 100º 060º at 2000 feet. 30 Vessels. 6/10 cloud visibility 8 miles.
12.00. Patrol over same convoy Course 090º 100º Height 5000 ft. Aircraft down 13.20.
13.35. Patrol over same convoy on course by Operations. About 60 miles from the coast at heights between 1000 – 4000 ft. Aircraft down 15.10.
14.30. Two aircraft on patrol came convoy at heights varying between 3000 and 4000 ft. Down 15.55.
Training – formation and night flying.

1942-07-27

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Cloud 10/10. Visibility in morning less than one mile. Weather improving in the afternoon to 5/10 cloud visibility 5 – 6 miles.
F.O Klosin handed over duties on Adjutant to gain experience at Controller in Operations room.
Sgt. Mikolajczyk posted to No. 2 S. of T.T. on Officers Engineering Course.
06.00. Patrol over sea by two aircraft. Course by Operations about 40 miles from the coast at a height between 3/4000 ft. Aircraft down after one hour.
07.15. Two aircraft on patrol over sea. Course by Operations about 30 miles from the coast height varying between 200 and 1000 ft. Aircraft down 08.25.
07.30. Two aircraft on similar patrol as above by at a height of 8000 feet.
12.35. Patrol over sea 30 miles South east of Spurn Head at a height 2/4000 ft. One warship and 4 barges seen. Aircraft down 13.30.
13.45. Two aircraft on fighter patrol on course by Operations. Aircraft landed 14.30.
Training flying – wing formation, aerobatics and night flying.

1942-07-28

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Cloud 4/10 and very low visibility – 0 – 1 mile in morning.
07.15. Two aircraft scrambled on patrol – course by Operations. Both aircraft down 08.20.
Very little local flying. Night readiness.

1942-07-29

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

10/10 cloud visibility 1 – 2 miles.
07.50. Two aircraft scramble for patrol on course by Operations. Down 09.20.
08.15. Two aircraft scrambled for Patrol over North Coates. 10/10 cloud and very bad visibility.
Air firing to P.P. target during the day. Night readiness.

1942-07-30

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Cloud 2/10 visibility 0 – 1 mile – ground haze. Improving in Afternoon. Sunschine.
05.30. Two aircraft on Convoy patrol – Course 100º 10 min. 55º 6 mins, 25 Miles from the coast at a height of 5000 ft. 31 vessels in convoy. Fog over land.
06.30. Two aircraft on patrol – course 100º 80º 20º, 70 miles from the coast at a height of 2600 ft. Cloud 5/10 visibility over sea 6 – 10 miles. Aircraft landed 0750.
07.45. Patrol over three vessels – course 100º 25º height 2/3000 ft. Aircraft down 0915
13.50 Two aircraft on air/sea rescue patrol over dinghy. Landing 15.35.
14.30. Two further aircraft on same patrol as escort for Lysander. Landing 16.05.
Cross country and training flying during the day. Night readiness.

1942-07-31

KIRTON-IN-LINDSEY

Cloud 10/10 Visibility nil in morning due to heavy ground haze. Improving to good during afternoon and evening.
19.00.
19.05. Three separate patrol of two aircraft at times stated over North Coate at heights
between 2000 and 3000 ft. Visibility over coast poor.
20.25. Formation and night flying training.

[Illegible] F/O