Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

THE DETAILS CONTAINED IN THIS FORM ARE GIVEN BY F/O. J.A. NICHOLLS, Intelligence Officer No. 303 /Polish/ Squadron.

1945-04-01 D + 298

COLTISHALL.

No operational or practice flying owing to preparation for movement of Squadron and Servicing Echelon which will take place on 3rd, April 1945. Aircraft ready for handed over to a Squadron which will arrived on our place. – Coltishall.
Weather: 8/10 cloud at 2500 feet. Visibility very good. Rain in the afternoon hours.

1945-04-02 D + 299

COLTISHALL.

No operational or practice flying. The Personnel of Squadron and Servicing Echelon completely ready for the movement. Weather and visibility were very good, except mist in the morning.

1945-04-03 D + 300

COLTISHALL.

The main rails party /Personnel of both Unit’s / moved to Railway Station, BAXTON Lames where from were moved by train t the new place R.A.F. ANDREWS FIELD, Essex.
Weather: cloud 9/10 tops unknown., Visibility 7-7 miles.

J. Jasinski F/Lt [Autograph]
/J. JASINSKI, F/Lt.,/
for Squadron Leader, Commanding,
No. 303 /Polish/ Squadron.

H.Q. 12 GROUP
RECEIVED
15 APR 1945
ACTION………
INFORMATION ………

THE DETAILS CONTAINED IN THIS FORM ARE GIVEN BY F/O. J.A. NICHOLLS, Intelligence Officer of this Unit.

1945-04-04 D + 301

ANDREWS FIELD

The Squadron’s and Servicing Echelon personnel arrived to RA.F. ANDREWS FIELD /as a new place/ on 15.35 hrs on 3rd, April, 1945. The movement went according to plane.
Squadron to be reequipped with MUSTANGS IV of which 4 have been received.
Weather: 6/10 cloud with visibility 15 miles.

1945-04-05 D + 302

ANDREWS FIELD

Taxying practice carried out by all flying personnel of this Unit.
Weather: 6/10 – 9/10 cloud – 500 – 2.000 ft. Visibility 5 – 7 miles.

1945-04-06 D + 303

ANDREWS FIELD

No flying. Weather” 10/10 – 500 – 1500 ft. Tops 8-10,000 ft. Morning mist.

1945-04-07 D + 304

ANDREWS FIELD

No flying. Weather 10/10 cloud. Visibility 1 ½ miles. Rain.

1945-04-08 D + 305

ANDREWS FIELD

First solo practice flying on Mustang’s carried out. 7 sorties were flown for a total of 5.45 hrs. Weather and visibility veery good.

1945-04-09 D + 306

ANDREWS FIELD

Practice flying carried out on Mustangs IV.

1945-04-10 D + 307

ANDREWS FIELD

Practice flying carried out on Mustangs IV. Weather and visibility were very good.

1945-04-11 D + 308

ANDREWS FIELD

Practice flying carried out on same aircraft. 12 Mustangs of local flying, 14 Mustangs on Sector Recco. Pilots making evry good progress in flying on Mustangs IX as a new aircraft.

1945-04-12 D + 309

ANDREWS FIELD

Local and Sector Recco were carried out according to plan. Weather 6/10 cloud. Visibility unlimited.

1945-04-13 D + 310

ANDREWS FIELD

Practice flying carried out. Weather and visibility very good.

1945-04-14 D + 311

ANDREWS FIELD

Formation, Sector Recco and A/T were carried out on Mustang I and IV.
Weather: 2/10 cloud at height 17,000 feet. Visibility 15 – 18 miles.

1945-04-15 D + 312

ANDREWS FIELD

Practice flying carried out on Mustang IV. Weather and visibility good.

1945-04-16 D + 313

ANDREWS FIELD

Formation and Local flying carried out on Mustang IV. Weather and visibility good.

1945-04-17 D + 314

ANDREWS FIELD

Formation and local flying carried out on Mustangs I and IV. Weather 5/10 cloud at height 9/12.000 feet. Visibility very good.

1945-04-18 D + 315

ANDREWS FIELD

Formation flying carried out on Mustangs IV, The Weather and visibility were very good.

1945-04-19 D + 316

ANDREWS FIELD

13 Mustangs IV carrued out Formation flying. The weather and visibility were very good.

1945-04-20 D + 317

ANDREWS FIELD

Squadron Formation flying carried out. The weather 7/10 – 3/10 cloud with visibility 15 miles.

1945-04-21 D + 318

ANDREWS FIELD

No operational or practice flying carried out owing to adverse weather. Cloud 9/10 – 10/10 at height 4 – 5,000 feet. Visibility poor.

1945-04-22 D + 319

ANDREWS FIELD

4 Mustangs IV carried out formation flying. Weather” 8/10 cloud. visibility 6 – 8 miles.

1945-04-23 D + 320

ANDREWS FIELD

16.15
RAMROD 1552. Escort on penetration to 150 Lancasters bombing FLENSBURG. 8 aircraft /Mustangs IV/ led by S/Ldr. B.H. DROBINSKI, D.F.C., in company with 316 /P/ Squadron and 122 Squadron airborne from base 16.15. Over target 18.30 – 37. Landed base 21.03. The Wing was led by W/Cmdr RUDLAND, D.F.C.,Operation according to plan. Bombers did met bomb owing to cloud over target. Wing swept north of 55° N and attacked 3 staff cars on road running east from RISE /55.18N – 0846E / One flamer, two damaged, one lorry on fire and overturned at BEDSTRD / 55.04N – 0908E / Light and medium flak inaccurate intense from N of ROMO / 55.09N – 08.32 E /. Weather: 9/10 – 10/10 English coast to approx. 7°E., 8,000 ft. 1,000 thick.

1945-04-24 D + 321

ANDREWS FIELD

No operational flying. Wing released at 12.30 hrs for training.
P.2419 F/O. pil. KROK damaged his a/c MUSTANG IV KH. 770 during training flying. Cat. “AC”. Form 7650 actioned.

1945-04-25 D + 322

ANDREWS FIELD

07.10
RAMROD 1554. Sweep to sthd side of 250 Lancasters bombing BERCHTESGADEN. 10 Mustangs IV led by S/Ldr. B.H. DROBINSKI, D.F.C., in company with 316 /P/ and 122 Sqdn led by W/Cmdr. RUDLAND, D.F.C., airborne 07.10 from base. Landed B.86 to refuel 12.00 hrs. Landed base 17.09. According to plan. Results of bombing appeared excellent and evry concentrated. Large numbers of bombers made second run. Bomber formation good bur very long. One bomber seen to be hit [aber] T/A and go in no parachute seen to open. Intense moderate accurate medium flak from target. At ERDING a/f 15 JU 52, 12 ME. 109, 20/30 U/I a/c dispased south and east of A/F, these include 2/3 jet and 1/4 engined a/c. No attacks carried out according to instructions. One U/I a/c. seen burning on perimeter tuck at MANCHING. 3 large U/I a/c also seen. Weather. Good, no cloud, patches of ground haze. Visibility unlimited.
07.10
During take off at approximately 07.05 W/O pil. SKRZYDLO /794969/ positioned himself as No.2 to this Commanding Officer approximately 10 yards away. The runway was visible to him for approximately 20 to 30 yards ahead /Mist/ His Leader increased speed and he followed. His Leader developed swing to port and as he approached edge of runway. Pulled the a/c up, he also endeavoured to do this but the aircraft landed to port . [..] could not increase speed as there was danger of colliding with his leade, so He decided to land ahead, on touching down He jettisoned tanks and switched engine, but his speed forced the aircraft through the hedge. The aircraft MUSTANG KH. 767 cat “AC” – Form 7650 actioned.
11.55.
On date beside stated F/O. pil. SIKORSKI, T. /P.2352/ flew from Bertchesgarten to B.86. On arrival He made a normal circuit and approach. Upon touching down his port wheel seized, causing the aircraft to swing violently to port. He applied starboard brake in an effort to correct the swing but the aircraft left the runway, causing damage to the starboard oleo leg, wing attachments. Aircraft Mustang IV KH.866 cat. “B” Form 7650 actioned.

1945-04-26 D + 323

ANDREWS FIELD

No operational or practice flying carried out owing to adverse weather conditions.
Weather: 10/10 cloud – 1500 feet. Visibility 2 miles. Wing released at 13.00 hours.

1945-04-27 D + 324

ANDREWS FIELD

No operational or practice flying carried out. Weather: 10/10 cloud, visibility 2 – 3 miles.

1945-04-28 D + 325

ANDREWS FIELD

Three Mustang IV carried out Formation flying. Two a/c have been tested.
10,.55.
P.2419. F/O. pil. KROK J. during the above mentioned formation training what was at 10.55 taking off as No. 2. On increasing throttle whos speed was approximately 50 mph the engine cut out and then picked up again violently. The aircraft swung to port, He endeavoured to correct the swing by the use of the right rudder and right brake in order to get aircraft on runway. This did not help as the swing was so violent, so He increased throttle in order to help the hedge in front of him but as the aircraft lifted off the ground his left undercarriage leg struck a tractor which He had not seen and which was standing in front of the edge, causing the aircraft to strike some trees and crash. Aircraft MUSTANG IV. KH. 855 Cat. “B”.

1945-04-29 D + 326

ANDREWS FIELD

No operational or practice flying carried out owing to adverse weather condition. Cloud 9/10 at height 1500 feet with visibility 1 – 2 miles.

1945-04-30 D + 327

ANDREWS FIELD

No operational or practice flying were carried out. Weather: cloud 10.10 at height over 2000 feet. Visibility 1 1/2 mile. Rain.

CONSOLODATED flying times for month ended on 30.4.45 as stated: A/ Operational day hours. Mustang I – Nil., Mustang IV. – 78.15 hrs. B/ Operational night hours: Mustang I – Nil. Mustang IV – Nil. C/ Non operational day hours: Mustang I – 6.05. Mustang IV – 363.35. D/ Non operational night hours: Mustang I – Nil, Mustang IV. – Nil. E/ Total hours from the month of April, 1945 is 447.55 hrs flown by this Squadron.

[Illegible]
c/z /B.H. DROBINSKI /
Squadron Leader, Commanding,
No. 303 /Polish/ Squadron.