Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1943-01-01

Kirton-in-Lindsey

10/10 clouds – visibility 1/2 mile – fog and mist. Rain in the afternoon. No flying.
F/Sgt. M. Adamek, V.M. , K.W. , D.F.M. granted commission as Pilot Officer in G.D. Branch of P.A.F.

1943-01-02

7/10 cloud visibility 1 – 2 miles. Afternoon 10/10 cloud visibility considerably less.
Training flying: Section attacks on Wellington aircraft.
Aerobatics and sector recco.

1943-01-03

1/10 cloud visibility 4 miles. In the afternoon 5/10th sunshine.
Considerable training flying: aerobatics and dog fighting, Prcatice homing – dog fighting with cine guns. Wing and battle formation. Low flying attacks with cine guns.

1943-01-04

Weather 4/10 cloud visibility 1 – 2 miles sunshine.
15.00 One section ‘scrambled’ to patrol in region of base at height of 12 – 14,000 feet. Enemy aircraft not seen. Weather and visibility good. Both aircraft down 16.00 hrs.
Training flying – Squadron battle formation, aerobatic and homing practice. Practice attacks on Wellington bombers.
F/O J. Ostrowski proceeded to Polish Inspector ate General for two days temporary duty.
F/Lt. B.Drobinski reposted to Squadron on ceasing to be non-effective sick and retaining acting of Flight Lieutenant.

1943-01-05

Weather 10/10 cloud – Visibility NIL due to fog and mist.
No flying.

1943-01-06

Weather 10/10 cloud. Visibility Nil. Snow during most of the day.
No flying.
P/O Bialecki attached to R.A.F. Officers School, Cosford for Polish Officers Initial course of approximately six weeks.

1943-01-07

10/10 cloud visibility 1- 2 miles. No flying due to snow covered aerodrome.

1943-01-08

Weather 8/10 cloud. Slight covering of snow over the aerodrome. Freezing.
Training flying – Flight formation and attacks. Formation aerobatics with cine guns. Dog fighting. Practice wing and battle formation.
W/Os. Mozol and Mikolajczak attached to Polish Technical Training School Halton for 6 weeks Refresher course for Polish Senior N.C.Os.

1943-01-09

0/10 cloud. Visibility one mile – sunshine. Afternoon 6/10th cloud.
Training flying only. Formation and low level navigation. Dog fighting. Squadron battle formation. Formation and low flying. Dog fighting and cine gun practices.

1943-01-10

10/10 cloud – visibility 1/2 miles. Fog and mist. Visibility Nil in afternoon.
No flying.
Sgt. Kobylinski posted to Polish Depot and attached to Polish Army on cadet course.

1943-01-11

No change in the weather. Still heavy cloud and ground mist. No flying.
Sgt. Pilot Chojnacki promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant wef 1.9.43.

1943-01-12

No great improvement in the weather. Slightly better visibility – mist and rain.
Weather test only. No other flying.
F/O J. Janik, Squadron Inelligence Officer, proceeded to Polish Inspectorate General for two days temporary duty.

1943-01-13

1/10 cloud – visibility 1- 2 miles. sunshine.
Considerable and varied training flying: Squadron formation. Air to sea firing. Cine gun practices. Battle practice. Aerobatic and dog fighting. Bomber affiliation.
P/O Podobinski attached to Central Gunnery school, Sutton Bridge on four weeks air firing course.

1943-01-14

10/10 cloud. Visibility Nil in the morning. Afternoon 8/10 cloud and visibility 2 miles – sunshine.
Training – Cine gun exercises, formation flying and bomber affiliation.
F/O J. Schmidt attached to No. 52 O.T.U. Aston Down for three weeks on Fighter leader course.
P/Os S.Belza,J.Stasik and J.Karczmarz, commissioned on 1.1.43 on completion of cadet course reposted to the Squadron on 14.1.43 from D.P.I.G.Blackpool for flying duties.

1943-01-15

Weather 7/10 cloud visibility 1 ½ miles – sunshine, but ground mist. Afternoon 2/10 cloud visibility 1 mile.
Training flying: Practice attacks on Lancaster. Air to sea firing. Formation and navigation flying. Low flying and aerobatics. Bomber attacks.
F/O T.Knapik, Squadron Interpreter Officer posted to No. 302 Squadron.

1943-01-16

10/10 cloud visibility less than ½ mile – ground mist.

1943-01-17

10/10 cloud – visibility 2 miles.
Flying training only: Formation and sector recco. Cloud flying and low flying. Radio test.

1943-01-18

10/10 cloud visibility Nil. Fog and mist. No flying.
Cpl. Kuczynski, I.Repr.I. attached to R.A.F. Filton for 6 weeks A.I.D. course.

1943-01-19

No change in the weather and no flying.
F/O J.Pokropek reported from 302 Squadron for Interpreter duties, effective date of posting 15.1.43.

1943-01-20

10/10 cloud and visibility ½ mile. Mist and rain.
One aircraft on weather test only. No further flying.
P/O L.Kraszewski posted to No. 19 Squadron for flying duties.
P/O Wyganowski posted from 288 Squadron for flying duties.
Sgt. Idrjan posted from 1489 T.T.Flight for flying duties.

1943-01-21

Weather 3/10 cloud – visibility 3 miles.
10.10 13 Spitfires VB of the Squadron lead by S/Ldr. Bienkowski and .accompanied by W/Cdr.Kolaczkowski left Kirton for Duxford, landing AT 11.10, but taking off immediately for Northolt arriving at 11.50 hours.
14.30 The Squadron took off from Northolt as part of the Polish Wing comprising Nos. 303, 306, 315, 316 Squadrons under W/Cdr. Janus on “Rodeo OperatioN. The English coast was crossed at Beachy Head and the French coast in the direction of Abbeville. The Squadron was then flying at 24,000 feet. Near Abbeville the Squadron saw, some distance away, about 15 F.W.190’s. The Squadron turned ‘up sun’ and attempted to close with the enemy aircraft. They however, headed in a southerly direction and the Squadron was not able to engage them. Apart from this the operation was uneventful and the Squadron returned by way of Le Touquet – Hastings, landing at Northolt at 16.05 hours. Weather over France – visibility good – 9/10 cloud between 12/21,000 feet.
16.30 The Squadron left Northolt landing at base 17.20 hours.

1943-01-22

10/10 cloud and visibility Nil due to mist and rain. No flying.
Notification received of the following promotions; to the rank of Flying Officer /P.W.R./
P/O A Glowacki wef. 1[Illegible].7.42. P/O A.Damm /Missing/ wef. 15.8.42. P/O S. Baran, P/O T.Kolecki, P/O S.Podobinski, P/O M.Szelestowski, P/O F.Turek and P/O Z.Wojda.

1943-01-23

10/10 cloud – visibility ½ mile. Afternoon 2/10 and visibility 3 miles – sunshine.
12.00 One section scrambled in direction of Withersea at 12,000 feet. Course 55° was given by Operations and section proceeded about 70 miles from coast. At 12.20 a Ju. 88 was seen at a distance of between 3,000 and 4,000 yards and about 1000 feet below. The section closed to between 1,000 and 7,00 yards at which distance P/O Wojda opened fire with cannon only. The Ju. dived into cloud and was followed by the section. It was seen again for a short time on breaking cloud, but before the section could close it again again entered cloud. P/O Wojda went above cloud and Sgt. Dabrowski below, but it was not seen again. The section was then recalled by Operations landing at base at 13.00 hours. Weather over sea – visibiity good. Cloud between 8,000 feet and 10,000 feet.
12.20 One aircraft /S/Ldr.Bienkowski/ on scramble on course 100° - 18’ to 35 miles from English coast at height of 10,000 – 14,000 feet. Nothing to report and down 13.15. Weather 8/10 cloud – 4,000 feet. 6/10 – 7,000. Visibility 2,000 yards.
14.50 One section on Rescue Patrol in Region of Spurn Head at height of 3,000 feet and 5 to 10 miles from the coast. No dinghy was seen. 10/10 cloud visibility 1 – 2 miles.

1943-01-24

Weather 10/10 cloud – Visibility Nil due to fog and mist. 6/10 cloud visibility 2 miles and sunshine later in day.
One aircraft on weather test only.

1943-01-25

0905 10/10 cloud Visibility one mile. Afternoon visibility Nil rain.
Operation was arranged for the morning and 15 aircraft left Kirton arriving Gravesend 10.15. Weather in the south was deteriorating and the operation was cancelled after arrival of Sqdn at Gravesend. 15 aircraft left for Kirton-in-Lindsey landing 14.00 hours. No further flying.

1943-01-26

Weather 9/10 cloud visibility 3 miles. Afternoon 6/10 visibility 4 – 5 miles.
12.50 One section ‘scrambled’ to patrol in the region of North Coates at a height of 16,000 feet. No interception. Weather – clouds at height of 20,000 feet. Visibility 10 miles. Both aircraft down 13.20.
12.55 One aircraft /S/Ldr. Bienkowski/ on patrol course 080° 8’at height of 15,000 feet. No interception. Weather 4/10 cloud at 4000 ft. 9/10 at 18,000 feet. Vis. 10 miles.
Training flying: Dog fighting, low flying and formation – cine gun and local flying.

1943-01-27

10/10 cloud visibility 2 miles, increasing later to 4 miles.
09.50 One section ‘scrambled’ to patrol off North Coates to a distance of 40 miles from the coast at a height of 20,000 feet. Nothing to report. 8/10 cloud at 15,000 feet. 9/10 at 20,000 ft. visibility 8 miles. Both aircraft down 10.30
Training formation flying, and attacks – dog fighting and low flying. Cine gun practices.
P/O Stasik forced landed near Messingham with engine trouble. Pilot uninjured a/c Bat B.

1943-01-28

10/10 cloud – visibility 3 miles.
12.40 Two aircraft on Rescue patrol over the sea. Nothing to report. Down 14.15.
Training: Bomber attacks, formation and cine gun practices.
P/O Turek posted to 222 Squadron for flying duties. F/Sgt. Chojnack and Sgt. Brygider posted to 19 Squadron for flying duties. F/O L. Ciastula posted to 303 for flying duties.
Notification received of movement of Squadron on 1st Feb. 1943 to R.A.F. Heston.

1943-01-29

9/10 cloud visibility 1 mile.
10.15 One aircraft ‘scrambled’ on course 60° 15’ for 20 miles. Patrol at height of 13,000 ft. 5/10 cloud at 4,000 ft. vis. 10 miles.
Training flying – Formation and cine gun practices. Low flying.
F/Lt. Klosin posted to No. 316 Squadron for Ops. Room duties.

1943-01-30

7/10 cloud visibility 3 miles increasing at times to 6.
Two aircraft on test flying.
Equipment being packed in connection with movement.

1943-01-31

10/10 cloud visibility 1 – 2 miles. Strong wind and rain.
No flying. Squadron released from readiness 13.00 hrs.
Preparations completed for the Squadron move and equipment loaded ready for move at 07.30 on 1.2.43.