Polish Fighting Team: Difference between revisions

Polish Fighting Team
Polish Fighting Team
	Badge of the Polish Fighting Team
Active	13 February 1943 to 22 July 1943
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	Polish Government in exile
Branch	Royal Air Force
Part of	Desert Air Force
Nickname(s)	"Skalski's Circus"
Battle honours	North African Campaign
Insignia
Unit code	ZX + individual number (0-10)
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Supermarine Spitfire

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The Polish Fighting Team (PFT) (Polish: Polski Zespół Myśliwski), also known as "Skalski's Circus" (Polish: Cyrk Skalskiego), was a Polish unit which fought alongside the British Commonwealth Desert Air Force in the North African Campaign of World War II, during 1943. Its nickname was derived from its commanding officer, F/Lt Stanisław Skalski.

History

Members of the Polish Fighting Team in Tunisia (clockwise from upper left): Wacław Król, Bohdan Arct, Władysław Majchrzyk, Władysław Drecki, Ludwik Martel and Mieczysław Popek

In late 1942 Polish Air Force Staff Command requested RAF permission to send a group of specially chosen pilots to the North African theatre of operations to acquire experience in operating as a part of a tactical air force in preparation for future Allied landings on the European continent.

Volunteers had to be experienced (with at least 30 operation missions completed) and some 70 volunteers were considered before 15 pilots were chosen for the operational tour of 3 months.

Formed at Northolt on 5 February 1943 as the Polish Fighting Team, initial preparations for overseas service took place at RAF West Kirby, and the unit embarked on 24 February, arriving in Tunisia on 13 March 1943.

The team was initially attached as 'C' flight, to No. 145 Squadron RAF of flying ace S/L Lance Wade (another non-Commonwealth enlistee), equipped with the Spitfire Mk V and operating from Bou Grara Airfield, 150 miles west of Tripoli.

Commencing operations on 18 March the unit gained an immediate reputation for combat effectiveness. The unit re-equipped with the Spitfire Mark IX in late March.

Flying officer Mieczysław Wyszkowski was the only casualty in the PFT, shot down and taken prisoner-of-war on 18 April. Following the surrender of the German Army in Africa on 13 May, the PFT was disbanded.

Three pilots stayed on and became part of Desert Air Force units; Skalski became Commanding officer (CO) of No. 601 Squadron, Horbaczewski CO of No. 43 and Drecki a Flight Commander in No. 152.

Locations

13 March 1943 - Bou Grara Airfield
11 April 1943 - La Fauconnerie Airfield (64 kilometres (40 mi) inland from Sfax)
15 April 1943 - Goubrine Airfield
6 May 1943 - Hergla Airfield
20 May 1943 - Ben Gardane Airfield

Squadron equipment

15 March 1943 - Supermarine Spitfire F. Vb Tropicalised and Vc (inter alia: AB168, ER539 -7)
23 March - 26 May 1943 - Supermarine Spitfire F. IXc (inter alia: EN261 -10, EN267 -5, EN268 -7, EN286 -8, EN300 -9, EN315 -6, EN361 -3, EN459 -1)

Scores

Team scores for March–May 1943
destroyed	25
probable	3
damaged	9

Personnel

F/Lt Stanisław Skalski (CO) (claimed 3-1-0)
F/Lt Waclaw Król (2i/c) (3-0-0)
F/O Bohdan Arct (1-1-2)
F/O Wladyslaw Drecki (1-0-1)
F/O Eugeniusz Horbaczewski (5-0-0)
F/O Jan Kowalski
F/O Ludwik Martel (1-1-1)
F/O Karol Pniak
F/O Kazimierz Sporny (3-0-0)
F/O Mieczyslaw Wyszkowski (POW on April 18) (0-1-0)
W/O Marcin Machowiak (1-0-2)
W/O Wladyslaw Majchrzyk (1-0-1)
W/O Bronislaw Malinowski (2-0-1)
W/O Mieczyslaw Popek (2-0-1)
W/O Kazimierz Sztramko(3-0-0)

Notes

References

Bohdan Arct: Cyrk Skalskiego Warsaw, 1970, MON

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{one source|date=July 2010}}
-{{Infobox Military Unit
+{{Infobox military unit
 |unit_name= Polish Fighting Team
 |image=[[Image:Polish Fighting Team.png|150px|Badge of the Polish Fighting Team]]
 |caption=Badge of the Polish Fighting Team
 |dates= 13 February 1943 to 22 July 1943
-|country= Poland
+|country= {{flagicon|UK}} [[United Kingdom]]
+|allegiance= {{flagicon|POL}} [[Polish Government in exile]]
-|allegiance=
+|branch= [[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|23px]] [[Royal Air Force]]
-|branch=
 |type=
 |role=
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 |garrison=
 |garrison_label=
-|nickname="Skalski Circus"
+|nickname="Skalski's Circus"
 |patron=
 |motto=
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 }}
+[[File:PFT Spitfire MK9 ZX6.jpeg|thumb|Polish Fighting Team's [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire Mark IXCs]], with [[No. 145 Squadron RAF]] at Goubrine Airfield in Tunisia. Pilot in foreground 'ZX-6' is PTF [[Commanding officer|CO]] [[Stanisław Skalski]].]]
-The '''Polish Fighting Team''' (PFT) ({{lang-pl|Polski Zespół Myśliwski}}), also known as "Skalski's Circus" ({{lang-pl|Cyrk Skalskiego}}), was a [[Poland|Polish]] unit which fought with the [[Commonwealth of Nations|British Commonwealth]] [[Desert Air Force]] in the [[North African Campaign]] of [[World War II]], during 1943. Its nickname was derived from its commander, [[Stanisław Skalski]].
+The '''Polish Fighting Team''' (PFT) ({{langx|pl|Polski Zespół Myśliwski}}), also known as "Skalski's Circus" ({{langx|pl|Cyrk Skalskiego}}), was a Polish unit which fought alongside the [[Commonwealth of Nations|British Commonwealth]] [[Desert Air Force]] in the [[North African Campaign]] of [[World War II]], during 1943. Its nickname was derived from its [[commanding officer]], [[Flight lieutenant|F/Lt]] [[Stanisław Skalski]].
 ==History==
+[[File:Lotnicy.png|thumb|left|Members of the Polish Fighting Team in Tunisia (clockwise from upper left): Wacław Król, [[Bohdan Arct]], Władysław Majchrzyk, Władysław Drecki, Ludwik Martel and Mieczysław Popek]]
-In late 1942 Polish Air Force Staff Command requested the RAF permission to send a group of pilots to the North African theatre of operations to aquire experience in operating as a part of a tactical air force in preparation for future Allied landings on the European continent.
+In late 1942 Polish Air Force Staff Command requested RAF permission to send a group of specially chosen pilots to the North African theatre of operations to acquire experience in operating as a part of a tactical air force in preparation for future Allied landings on the European continent.
-Volunteers had to be experienced (with at least 30 operation mission completed) and about 70 volunteers were considered before some 15 pilots were chosen for the operational tour of 3 months.
+Volunteers had to be experienced (with at least 30 operation missions completed) and some 70 volunteers were considered before 15 pilots were chosen for the operational tour of 3 months.
-formed in Northolt on 5 February 1943 as the Polish Fighting Team, initial preparations for overseas service took place at [[RAF West Kirby]], and the unit embarked on 24 February, arriving in North Africa on 13 March 1943.
+Formed at [[Northolt]] on 5 February 1943 as the Polish Fighting Team, initial preparations for overseas service took place at [[RAF West Kirby]], and the unit embarked on 24 February, arriving in [[Tunisia]] on 13 March 1943.
-The team was initally attached as 'C' flight, to [[No. 145 Squadron RAF]], flying the [[Supermarine Spitfire]] Mark IX and operating from [[Bu Ghara]] 150 miles west of [[Tripoli]].
+The team was initially attached as 'C' flight, to [[No. 145 Squadron RAF]] of [[flying ace]] [[Squadron leader|S/L]] [[Lance Wade]] (another non-[[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] enlistee), equipped with the [[Supermarine Spitfire (early Merlin-powered variants)#Mk V (Types 331, 349 and 352)|Spitfire Mk V]] and operating from [[Bou Grara Airfield]], 150 miles west of [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]].
-The unit gained an immediate reputation for combat effectiveness.
+Commencing operations on 18 March the unit gained an immediate reputation for combat effectiveness. The unit re-equipped with the [[Supermarine Spitfire (late Merlin-powered variants)#Mk IX (type 361)|Spitfire Mark IX]] in late March.
-[[Flying Officer]] [[Mieczysław Wyszkowski]] was the only casualty in the PFT, shot down and taken [[prisoner-of-war]] on 18 April. The [[German Army]] in Africa surrendered on 13 May and the PFT was disbanded.
+[[Flying officer]] Mieczysław Wyszkowski was the only casualty in the PFT, shot down and taken [[prisoner-of-war]] on 18 April. Following the surrender of the [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|German Army]] in Africa on 13 May, the PFT was disbanded.
+Three pilots stayed on and became part of Desert Air Force units; Skalski became [[Commanding officer]] (CO) of No. 601 Squadron, Horbaczewski CO of No. 43 and Drecki a [[Royal Naval Air Service#Officer ranks|Flight Commander]] in No. 152.
 ===Locations===
-* 13 March 1943 - [[Bu Grara]]
+* 13 March 1943 - [[Bou Grara Airfield]]
-* 11 April 1943 - [[La Fauconnerie]]
+* 11 April 1943 - La Fauconnerie Airfield ({{convert|64|km}} inland from [[Sfax]])
-* 15 April 1943 - [[Goubrine]]
+* 15 April 1943 - [[Goubrine Airfield]]
-* 6 May 1943 - [[Hergla]]
+* 6 May 1943 - [[Hergla Airfield]]
-* 20 May 1943 - [[Ben Gardane]]
+* 20 May 1943 - [[Ben Gardane Airfield]]
 ===Squadron equipment===
-* 15 March 1943 - [[Supermarine Spitfire]] F VB Tropicalised and VC (inter alia: AB168, ER539 -7)
+* 15 March 1943 - [[Supermarine Spitfire]] F. Vb Tropicalised and Vc (inter alia: AB168, ER539 -7)
-* 23 March - 26 May 1943 - [[Supermarine Spitfire]] F IXC (inter alia: EN261 -10, EN267 -5, EN268 -7, EN286 -8, EN300 -9, EN315 -6, EN361 -3, EN459 -1)
+* 23 March - 26 May 1943 - [[Supermarine Spitfire]] F. IXc (inter alia: EN261 -10, EN267 -5, EN268 -7, EN286 -8, EN300 -9, EN315 -6, EN361 -3, EN459 -1)
 ===Scores===
 {|class="wikitable"
-|+ Team scores for March-May 1943
+|+ Team scores for March–May 1943
 ! align="center" |destroyed
 | align="right" |25
@@ Line 103: / Line 109: @@
 == Personnel ==
-*F/Lt Stanislaw Skalski (C.O.) (claimed 3-1-0)
+*[[Flight lieutenant|F/Lt]] [[Stanisław Skalski]] ([[Commanding officer|CO]]) (claimed 3-1-0)
-*F/Lt Waclaw KROL (3-0-0)
+*F/Lt Waclaw Król ([[Second-in-command|2i/c]]) (3-0-0)
-*F/O Bohdan ARCT(1-1-2)
+*[[Flying officer|F/O]] [[Bohdan Arct]] (1-1-2)
-*F/O Wladyslaw DRECKI (1-0-1)
+*F/O Wladyslaw Drecki (1-0-1)
-*F/O Eugeniusz HORBACZEWSKI (5-0-0)
+*F/O [[Eugeniusz Horbaczewski]] (5-0-0)
-*F/O Jan KOWALSKI
+*F/O Jan Kowalski
-*F/O Ludwik MARTEL (1-1-1)
+*F/O Ludwik Martel (1-1-1)
-*F/O Karol PNIAK
+*F/O [[Karol Pniak]]
-*F/O Kazimierz SPORNY (3-0-0)
+*F/O [[Kazimierz Sporny]] (3-0-0)
-*F/O Mieczyslaw WYSZKOWSKI* POW(0-1-0)
+*F/O Mieczyslaw Wyszkowski ([[Prisoner of war|POW]] on April 18) (0-1-0)
-*W/O Marcin MACHOWIAK (1-0-2)
+*[[Warrant officer#Royal Air Force|W/O]] Marcin Machowiak (1-0-2)
-*W/O Wladyslaw MAJCHRZYK (1-0-1)
+*W/O Wladyslaw Majchrzyk (1-0-1)
-*W/O Bronislaw MALINOWSKI (2-0-1)
+*W/O Bronislaw Malinowski (2-0-1)
-*W/O Mieczyslaw POPEK (2-0-1)
+*W/O Mieczyslaw Popek (2-0-1)
-*W/O Kazimierz SZTRAMKO(3-0-0)
+*W/O Kazimierz Sztramko(3-0-0)
 ==See also==
@@ Line 130: / Line 136: @@
 {{Polish Fighting Team}}
 {{WWII Polish Air Force in Britain}}
 [[Category:Squadrons of the Polish Air Force]]
 [[Category:Military units and formations of Poland in World War II]]
+[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1943]]
+[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1943]]
-[[pl:Polski Zespół Myśliwski]]

v t e Polish Fighting Team
Commander	Stanisław Skalski
Flight personnel	Bohdan Arct Władysław Drecki Eugeniusz Horbaczewski Jan Kowalski Wacław Król Marcin Machowiak Władysław Majchrzyk Bronisław Malinowski Ludwik Martel Karol Pniak Mieczysław Popek Kazimierz Sporny Kazimierz Sztramko Mieczysław Wyszkowski
Equipment	Supermarine Spitfire

v t e Polish Air Force in the United Kingdom during the Second World War
Wings	No. 131 Wing RAF (No. 1 Polish Wing) No. 133 Wing RAF (No. 2 Polish Wing) No. 3
Squadrons	300 "Ziemi Mazowieckiej" 301 "Ziemi Pomorskiej" 302 "Poznański" 303 "Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki" 304 "Ziemi Śląskiej im. Ks. Józefa Poniatowskiego" 305 "Ziemi Wielkopolskiej im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego" 306 "Toruński" 307 "Lwowskich Puchaczy" 308 "Krakowski" 309 "Ziemi Czerwieńskiej" 315 "Dębliński" 316 "Warszawski" 317 "Wileński" 318 "Gdański" 663rd Polish Air Observation Post Squadron
Other units	Polish Fighting Team 138 Special Duty Squadron (Polish Flight "C") 1586 Special Duty Flight