No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron


No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron RAF was a Polish fighter squadron formed in the United Kingdom as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History

The squadron inherited the traditions, along with the emblem and a large part of the initial crew, of the pre-war Polish III/3 Fighter Squadron composed of the 131st and 132nd Fighter Escadrilles.
The Squadron was one of the four Polish-cored Royal Air Force squadrons that participated in the Battle of Britain. It consisted mostly of Polish pilots, many of whom were veterans. The backbone of the squadron was formed by 13 pilots who served with the I/145 Polish Fighter Squadron and were evacuated from France during the last stages of the German invasion of France.
The squadron was formed on 10 July 1940, equipped with Hawker Hurricanes the squadron was part of No. 12 Group RAF. As the combat became more fierce, the 302 was moved to RAF Duxford, north of London. The squadron operated from there as part of the Duxford Wing, 12 Group's 'Big Wing' formation, from 14 September through 25 September.
Having enjoyed some success on East Coast patrols following the Battle of Britain, No. 302 Squadron re-located to RAF Jurby, Isle of Man, where they commenced night flying training and low level work.
On the 17th May 1943, whilst the squadron was at RAF Hutton Cranswick, there was a change of flight commanders. ‘A’ flight commander Zulikowski was replaced by Witold Łanowski who transferred from 317 sq and ‘B’ flight commander Chełmecki was replaced by Bolesław Gładych. Łanowski and Gładych would both transfer to the USAAF in early 1944 both flying with the famous ‘Zemke’s Wolfpack’, the 56th Fighter Group.
At some point afterwards the squadron operated from RAF Chailey. On 11 June 1944, 302 became the first Polish Squadron to land in France, five days after D-Day. It was fighting as part of No. 131 Polish Fighter Wing when its airfield was attacked by Jagdgeschwader 1 during Operation Bodenplatte in January 1945.
No. 302 Polish Squadron lost 20 pilots killed, 12 missing and 9 taken prisoners, 63 aircraft destroyed and 43 damaged by the enemy's air defence.
It was disbanded on 18 December 1946, at RAF Hethel. A replica Hurricane in 302 squadron markings was the gate guardian at the Imperial War Museum Duxford until it was repainted in 242 squadron markings in February 2018.
No. 302 Polish Squadron is mentioned in the historical novel Leaden Skies by Italian novelist Mathilde Bonetti as the Squadron her main character, a Polish fighter pilot, flies for.

Commanders