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No. 309 "Land of Czerwień" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron (Polish: 309 Dywizjon "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej") was a Polish squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of 15 squadrons of the Polish Air Force in exile that served alongside the Royal Air Force (RAF) in World War II.[1] It was at first a reconnaissance squadron, and later converted into a fighter squadron. It was named after the region around the city of Czerwień; which was then in southeastern Poland, and is now in western Ukraine.
| No. 309 "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" (Polish) Squadron | |
|---|---|
 309 Squadron logo | |
| Active | 8 November 1940 – 6 January 1947 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Allegiance |  Polish government in exile |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Role | Reconnaissance squadron; later fighter squadron |
| Part of | RAF Fighter Command |
| Nickname(s) | Ziema Czerwienska |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Henryk Pietrzak |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Codes | AR; from 1944 WC |
History
editThe squadron was formed in the RAF base at RAF Renfrew near Glasgow on 8 November 1940, and declared operational on 5 December 1940. It was disbanded on 9 January 1947.[2]
Commanders
edit| From | |
|---|---|
| 8 November 1940 | ppłk pil. Zygmunt Pistl |
| 12 February 1943 | mjr pil. Witold Jacek Piotrowski |
| 15 November 1943 | kpt. pil. Maciej Piotrowski |
| 3 April 1944 | kpt. pil. Jerzy Gołko |
| 9 September 1944 | kpt. pil. Antoni Głowacki |
| 7 August 1945 | kpt. pil. Henryk Pietrzak |
Aircraft operated
edit
| From | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|
| 8 November 1940 | Westland Lysander | Mk.II and Mk.III |
| 1 June 1942 (flight B) | North American Mustang | Mk.I |
| 19 January 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IV |
| 23 January 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIC |
| 1 September 1944 | North American Mustang | Mk.I |
| 20 November 1944 | North American Mustang | Mk.III |
References
edit- ^ Lewis 1968, pp. 95–97, 125.
- ^ Lewis 1968, p. 96.
Bibliography
edit- Lewis, Peter (1968) [1959]. Squadron Histories, RFC, RNAS and RAF, Since 1912. London: Putnam. SBN 370-00022-6.
External links
edit
- "309 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej"". polishairforce.pl (in Polish). – historic photographs
- "No 309 (Ziema Czerwienska) Squadron". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation.
- Hodyra, Piotr. "Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain 1940-1947".