Battle of Britain Album #32: Polish Air Force in Britain

RAF instructor of No. 18 Operational Training Unit showing a drogue, which received a generous peppering of bullets during a training flight, to Polish airmen at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. The airmen operated a Vickers K-type gas-operated machine gun from the rear gun position of a Fairey Battle light bomber during the flight. They are probably future members of No. 301 Bomber Squadron. The airman third from the left is Sergeant Kazimierz Sawicz. Imperial War Museum photo CH 580.

 

RAF instructors of No. 18 Operational Training Unit lecturing Polish armorers (probably future ground crew of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) how to fuse smoke bombs for target practice at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 581.

 

Two airmen of the Polish Air Force Depot at RAF Blackpool receiving instruction on the controls of an aircraft, probably a Vickers Wellington medium bomber, during ground training at Squires Gate aerodrome, 27 August 1940.

 

Fairey Battle Mk. I light bomber (L5271 'U') of No. 18 Operational Training Unit with a Polish trainee (probably a future member of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) on board circling the airfield prior to landing at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 589.

 

A Polish air gunner (probably a future member of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) shooting a Vickers K-type gas-operated machine gun from the rear gun position of a Fairey Battle light bomber of No. 18 Operational Training Unit during a training flight at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. He is shooting at a drogue towed by another aircraft. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 576.

 

A Polish air gunner (probably a future member of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) shooting a Vickers K-type gas-operated machine gun from the rear gun position of a Fairey Battle light bomber of No. 18 Operational Training Unit during a training flight at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. He is shooting at a drogue towed by another aircraft. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 577.

 

A Polish pilot (probably a future member of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) of No. 18 Operational Training Unit putting undercarriage and flaps down of his Fairey Battle Mk. I light bomber preparatory to landing after a bombing exercise over the Cardigan Bay at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. The aircraft on the ground is a Handley Page Harrow I, serial number K6955, of No. 75 Squadron. Imperial War Museum photo CH 590.

 

Fairey Battle Mk. I light bombers (L5136 ‘S’ and N2045) of No. 18 Operational Training Unit with Polish trainees (probably future members of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) on board on the way to the bombing range over Cardigan Bay during a training session from No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 588.

 

A distant photograph of a Polish air gunner (probably a future member of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) shooting a Vickers K-type gas-operated machine gun from the rear gun position of a Fairey Battle light bomber of No. 18 Operational Training Unit during a training flight at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. He is shooting at a drogue towed by another aircraft. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 578.

 

A Fairey Battle Mk. I light bomber of No. 18 Operational Training Unit with a Polish trainee (probably a future member of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) on board banking away from a low level attack on the bombing range over Cardigan Bay during a training session, 14 July 1940. Its first bomb burst near the target floating on the surface of the sea. No. 18 OTU was formed at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 586.

 

A Fairey Battle Mk. I light bomber of No. 18 Operational Training Unit with a Polish trainee (probably a future member of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) on board scoring almost a direct hit on the bombing range over Cardigan Bay during a training session, 14 July 1940. No. 18 OTU was formed at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 585.

 

RAF instructor of No. 18 Operational Training Unit analyzing the results of a bombing exercise over the Cardigan Bay with Polish trainee airmen (probably future members of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. The exercise was carried on Fairey Battle Mk. I light bombers. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 587.

 

A Polish instructor (or translator) of No. 18 Operational Training Unit lecturing Polish airmen (all probably future members of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) on the .303 Vickers K-type gas-operated machine gun at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. The airman operating the gun is Sergeant Kazimierz Sawicz. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 573.

 

Instructor of No. 18 Operational Training Unit lecturing Polish airmen (all probably future members of No. 301 Bomber Squadron) on the .303 Vickers K-type gas-operated machine gun at No. 9 Bombing and Gunnery School at RAF Penrhos, 14 July 1940. The airman operating the gun is Sergeant Kazimierz Sawicz. No. 18 OTU was formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, Bomber Command, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons. Imperial War Museum photo CH 574.