Battle of Britain Album #22: No. No. 303 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF

-+A group of pilots of No 303 Polish Fighter Squadron RAF walking toward the camera from a Hawker Hurricane after, purportedly, returning from a fighter sortie. Left to right, in the front row are; Pilot Officer Mirosław Ferić, Flight Lieutenant John A Kent (Commander of 'A' Flight), Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak, Pilot Officer Jerzy Radomski, Pilot Officer Witold Łokuciewski, Pilot Officer Bogusław Mierzwa (obscured by Łokuciewski), Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Sergeant Jan Rogowski and Sergeant Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. In the centre, to the rear of this group, wearing helmet and goggles is Flying Officer Jan Zumbach. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1535.

 

Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Flight Lieutenant John A Kent "Kentowski" and Flying Officer Marian Pisarek, all from No. 303 (Polish) Squadron, standing by Hurricane Mk I V6684 RF-F at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1531.

 

Pilots of No. 303 (Polish) 'City of Warsaw' Squadron at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Pilot Officers Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach (left) and Mirosław "Ox" Ferić, two of its aces, playing with the squadron's puppy mascot. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1537.

 

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Left to right: Pilot Officer Bogusław Mierzwa, Pilot Officer Witold "Tolo" Łokuciewski, Pilot Officer Mirosław "Ox" Ferić, Flight Lieutenant John A Kent "Kentowski", Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak, Pilot Officer Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach, Pilot Officer Jerzy Radomski, Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Sergeant Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1534.

 

Josef František was a gifted fighter pilot who achieved a remarkable record of thirty-one confirmed victories and one probable victory in aerial combat during the Second World War. This made him the top Allied fighter ace of the first year of the war. Three of these confirmed victories came over Poland, eleven over France and seventeen during a six week period of the Battle of Britain. Although an ethnic Czech, František served with the highly successful 303 'Kosciuszko' Polish Fighter Squadron of the RAF. He died in a flying accident on 8 October 1940, three weeks after the drawing was made. Artist: Cuthbert Julian Orde, 19 Sep 1940. Imperial War Museum photo Art.IWM ART LD 421.

 

A score of 126 destroyed enemy aircraft, accounted by No. 303 (Polish) Squadron during the Battle of Britain, chalked on the fuselage of a Hurricane at Leconfield, 24 October 1940. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1536.

 

The first four Polish recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron wearing their awards after a presentation ceremony by Air Marshal Sholto Douglas at RAF Leconfield, 15 December 1940. Left to right: Squadron Leader Witold Urbanowicz, Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg, Pilot Officer Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach and Pilot Officer Mirosław "Ox" Ferić. Imperial War Museum photo CH 1839.