Polish Air Force Operations Record Books 1940-1947

1942-12-01

WOODVALE.

Weather slightly improved, though it was not very good in the early morning. 19 Sorties in all for formation flying, low attacks and photo attacks. One aircraft practiced navigation and one was engaged on weather testing. One of our pilots who was practicing Z-Z suddenly had engine trouble. He had to crash land and luckily found a fleld. The aircraft was severely damaged but he escaped injury. Further investigation by the Engineer Officer showed that the accident was due to a technical failure in the engine.

1942-12-02

Flying rather limited. Only one flight flew. The flying consisted of formation, low flying, and cine camera gun practices.

1942-12-03

Flying again limited. It consisted of one aircraft test and one aircraft did weather testing and Z-Z landing practices. No night flying carried out owing to the weather.

1942-12-04

Flying limited to three aircraft practicing Z-Z landings. The weather deteriorated in the late morning.

1942-12-05

Flying consisted of 12 aircraft doing Squadron formation flying. One aircraft was tested. No flying after 1200 hours owing to the weather.

1942-12-06

Flying a little more extensive. It consisted of 18 sorties for the following practices. Cine-camera gun, low flying, altitude flying, squadron formation and D/F homing.

1942-12-07

Flying training carried out. 8 Sorties for several training flights. Dog fighting, camera attacks, interception and D/F homing. Two aircraft, 4 pilots and servicing party left for Valley for Air Firing practices.

1942-12-08

Flying was a little more extensive today. 20 sorties were made in all, aerobatics, D/F homing, and Z-Z landings being the main features. Interception practice with Beaufighters was also carried out.

1942-12-09

WOODVALE.

13 sorties in all carried out today. Formation flying and D/F homing were the main features. There was also cloud flying, low flying and altitude flying carried out. Army co-operation in the form of attacks on transport columns was carried out.

1942-12-10

Flying limited to 2 Sorties. One for a weather test over the Blackpool range, the second for an aircraft test and Z-Z landings.

1942-12-11

Flying very restricted. Only two sorties made. One for D/F homing and the other for navigation purposes.

1942-12-12

Flying more intensive today. 22 sorties in all being carried out for different exercises. Flight formation, D/F homing, Z-Z landings, battle formations and attacks. Night flying was planned but had to be cancelled owing to a land fog beginning in the late afternoon.

1942-12-13

Very nice weather from early morning. The day was used for very extensive air to air firing. 26 sorties were made for firing and 6 for drogue towing. The other flying, 14 sorties in all was used for dog fighting, battle formation and Z-Z landings.

1942-12-14

18 sorties made today for a whole days flying and night flying. Battle formation flying in flights was exercised. Z-Z landings, cine-camera gun and photo attacks were carried out. Two aircraft did Night flying. 2 aircraft proceeded to Valley, for Air to Air firing. Mechanics and tools had left the day before.

1942-12-15

No flying during the morning. In the afternoon 4 aircraft from “B” Flight were scrambled. They patrolled Woodvale area. No enemy machines unfortunately were encountered. Flight formation. Cine-camera gun. D-F homing and aerobatics were the exercises practiced as well today.

1942-12-16

No flying during the day. Night flying was planned. One aircraft flew for weather testing but Night flying had to be cancelled, owing to the weather.

1942-12-17

Flying very limited owing to adverse weather conditions. One aircraft flew for only 20 minutes for weather testing.

1942-12-18

No flying owing again to the bad weather. The Pilots at the Dispersal were given a lecture by one of the Polish Pilots from another Fighter Squadron on how he escaped from France after having been shot down.

1942-12-19

WOODVALE.

Owing to bad weather there was no flying again today. Raining all day. The Flights were not called to readiness.

1942-12-20

With the improvement in the weather, flying was undertaken. 25 sorties in all through the day, for the following exercises: Z-Z landings, aerobatics, formation flying and Fighter Night. Night flying was planned but owing to the weather deteriorating, it could not be carried out.

1942-12-21

Flying training was continued. Formation flying, Z-Z landings, D/F Homings and aerobatics being practiced. 22 Sorties carried out today.

1942-12-22

Weather continued to be good. 40 sorties today in all. Day flying consisted of air to air firing, formation flying, and aerobatics. In the evening, Night Flying was carried out, the last aircraft landing at 2250 hours.

1942-12-23

Flying training continued. 13 sorties. Night flying was started but had to be cancelled at 1855 hours owing to bad weather coming on again.

1942-12-24

No flying today.

1942-12-25

No flying again today. The two sections of each flight were at 30 minutes available until 1600 hours. At the time stated, one section was called to readiness and eventually released at 1720 hours.

1942-12-26

No flying again today. Until 1300 hours two sections were at 30 minutes readiness. From that time until 1725 hours, when the Squadron was released, one section was at readiness and one at 30 minutes readiness.

1942-12-27

No flying. One section at readiness for only 20 minutes, in the morning. For the rest of the day 2 sections were at 30 minutes available. Released at 1725 hours.

1942-12-28

WOODVALE.

With the improvement in the weather, flying training was resumed. 26 sorties were made for cine-camera gun practices, Formation flying and low flying. In the afternoon, 5 aircraft of A Flight took off for Formation and low flying practices. While they were flying it became very cloudy. They were over the hills near Blackburn and had to fly with the aid of instruments. All aircraft went into the clouds but only four came out. F/O. Pucek could not be found or traced, neither could Operations trace him. After the pilots had landed, S/Ldr. Czaykowski and F/O. Lukaszewicz took off in under to continue to search. No news was received about him from any source. The two aircraft landed after extensive searching.

1942-12-29

Flying consisted only of fifteen aircraft searching for our missing pilot. No trace could be found of him though.

1942-12-30

The search for the missing pilot continued, unfortunately without any positive results. Other flying consisted of formation and cine-camera gun practices.

1942-12-31

No flying owing to bad weather.