White Eagles

White Eagles PDF Author: Bartłomiej Belcarz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781902109732
Category : Air power
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Polish fliers had to fight for their existence from the chaotic beginnings in the aftermath of World War I, through the Nazi and Soviet juggernauts in September 1939. In White Eagles the authors describe, squadron by squadron in enormous detail, exactly how the well trained but isolated Poles fought bitterly against their invaders. Using outdated tactics and old equipment, they proved to be the most successful and courageous airmen to defend England during the summer of 1940.

White Eagles

White Eagles PDF Author: Bartłomiej Belcarz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781902109732
Category : Air power
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
Polish fliers had to fight for their existence from the chaotic beginnings in the aftermath of World War I, through the Nazi and Soviet juggernauts in September 1939. In White Eagles the authors describe, squadron by squadron in enormous detail, exactly how the well trained but isolated Poles fought bitterly against their invaders. Using outdated tactics and old equipment, they proved to be the most successful and courageous airmen to defend England during the summer of 1940.

Forgotten Few

Forgotten Few PDF Author: Adam Zamoyski
Publisher: Pen and Sword Aviation
ISBN: 9781844150908
Category : World War, 1939-1945
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
By the beginning of 1941 there was a fully fledged Polish Air Force operating alongside the RAF. With 14 Squadrons it was larger than any other of the Air Force from Nazi-occupied Europe that had joined the Allies. Over 17,000 men and women passed through the ranks of the Polish Air Force while it was stationed in the UK. They shot down 745 enemy aircraft, with a further 175 unconfirmed. They dropped thousands of bombs and laid hundreds of mines, flying 102,486 sorties notching up a total of 290,895 operation flying hours. They achieved this at a cost of 1,973 killed and 1,388 wounded. They won 342 British gallantry awards.

Air Force Combat Units of World War II

Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF Author: Maurer Maurer
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428915850
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 520

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Book Description


The Polish 'Few'

The Polish 'Few' PDF Author: Peter Sikora
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1526714876
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 883

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Book Description
They came to fight for freedom and their country, they came to fight Germans. Men of the Polish Air Force, who had escaped first to France and then to Britain, to fly alongside the Royal Air Force just as Fighter Command faced its greatest challenge the Battle of Britain.Many of the Polish airmen joined existing RAF squadrons. The Poles also formed their own squadrons, but only four became operational during the Battle of Britain: Nos. 300 and 301, were bomber squadrons, with another two, Nos. 302 and 303, being fighter squadrons. Flying Hawker Hurricanes, both 302 and 303 squadrons were active by the middle of August 1940, just when they were most needed, at the height of the Battle of Britain, with Fighter Command stretched to its limit.The Polish squadrons, battle-hardened from their encounters with the Luftwaffe during the invasion of Poland and Battle of France, soon made their mark. In particular, 303 Squadron become the highest-scoring unit of Fighter Command.In total, 145 Polish pilots, the largest non-British contingent in Fighter Command at the time, fought in the Battle of Britain. While Winston Churchill praised the contribution of the Few, the pilots of many nationalities who had defended Britain, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding was more specific: Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcome of the Battle would have been the same.

History of the Polish Air Force, 1918-1968

History of the Polish Air Force, 1918-1968 PDF Author: Jerzy B. Cynk
Publisher: Osprey Publishing (WA)
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description
Beskriver det polske flyvevåbens historiske udvikling i perioden 1918-1968.

A Question of Honor

A Question of Honor PDF Author: Lynne Olson
Publisher: Vintage
ISBN: 0307424502
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 514

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Book Description
A Question of Honor is the gripping, little-known story of the refugee Polish pilots who joined the RAF and played an essential role in saving Britain from the Nazis, only to be betrayed by the Allies after the war. After Poland fell to the Nazis, thousands of Polish pilots, soldiers, and sailors escaped to England. Devoted to liberating their homeland, some would form the RAF’s 303 squadron, known as the Kosciuszko Squadron, after the elite unit in which many had flown back home. Their thrilling exploits and fearless flying made them celebrities in Britain, where they were “adopted” by socialites and seduced by countless women, even as they yearned for news from home. During the Battle of Britain, they downed more German aircraft than any other squadron, but in a stunning twist at the war’s end, the Allies rewarded their valor by abandoning Poland to Joseph Stalin. This moving, fascinating book uncovers a crucial forgotten chapter in World War II–and Polish–history.

The Polish Campaign, 1939

The Polish Campaign, 1939 PDF Author: Steve Zaloga
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 214

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Book Description
The Polish Campaign of 1939 was the first violent demonstration of the effectiveness of the Blitzkrief tactics of the German Army. This book takes little-known Polish documentary sources to provide a look at the battles from the perspective of the Polish Army.

Polish Aces of World War 2

Polish Aces of World War 2 PDF Author: Robert Gretzyngier
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472800583
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 171

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Book Description
Illustrated throughout, this book describes the action pilots of the Polish Air Force saw from the first day of World War 2 until the final victory in Europe. Flying hopelessly outmoded P.11 fighters in defence of their country in September 1939, a handful of aviators inflicted serious losses on the Luftwaffe before being overwhelmed. The survivors escaped to then neutral Hungary and Romania, before being ordered to France by the new C-in-C of exiled Polish Armed Forces, General Sikorski. As this book describes, with the invasion of Western Europe in May 1940, the surviving pilots were once more thrust into desperate action in newly-formed Polish units

No Greater Ally

No Greater Ally PDF Author: Kenneth K. Koskodan
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1780962223
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 273

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Book Description
An in-depth history of the Polish soldiers who served in World War 2, with previously unpublished first-hand accounts and rare photographs. There is a chapter of World War II history that remains largely untold; the monumental struggles of an entire nation have been forgotten, and even intentionally obscured. This book gives a full overview of Poland's participation in World War II. Following their valiant but doomed defence of Poland in 1939, members of the Polish armed forces fought with the Allies wherever and however they could. Full of previously unpublished accounts, and rare photographs, this title provides a detailed analysis of the devastation the war brought to Poland, and the final betrayal when, having fought for freedom for six long years, Poland was handed to the Soviet Union.

Apollo's Warriors

Apollo's Warriors PDF Author: Michael E. Haas
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 9780788149832
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
Presenting a fascinating insider's view of U.S.A.F. special operations, this volume brings to life the critical contributions these forces have made to the exercise of air & space power. Focusing in particular on the period between the Korean War & the Indochina wars of 1950-1979, the accounts of numerous missions are profusely illustrated with photos & maps. Includes a discussion of AF operations in Europe during WWII, as well as profiles of Air Commandos who performed above & beyond the call of duty. Reflects on the need for financial & political support for restoration of the forces. Bibliography. Extensive photos & maps. Charts & tables.