No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron


No. 309 "Land of Czerwień" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron was a Polish squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of 15 squadrons of the Polish Air Force in exile that served alongside the Royal Air Force in World War II. It was at first a reconnaissance squadron, and later converted into a fighter squadron. It was named after the region around the city of Czerwień; which was then in southeastern Poland, and is now in western Ukraine.

History

The squadron was formed in the RAF base at RAF Renfrew near Glasgow on 8 November 1940, and declared operational on 5 December 1940. It was disbanded on 9 January 1947.

Aircraft operated

FromAircraftVersion
8 November 1940Westland LysanderMk.II and Mk.III
1 June 1942 North American MustangMk.I
19 January 1944Hawker HurricaneMk.IV
23 January 1944Hawker HurricaneMk.IIC
1 September 1944North American MustangMk.I
20 November 1944North American MustangMk.III