mongo Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 I am trying to find info on a specific aircraft operated by 302 Squadron. Is there a website with a comprehensive list of aircraft assigned to 302 Squadron to include dates of service and losses. I am trying to find out what aircraft was flown by Wladislaw Gnys on 21 May 1941 when he was nearly shot down on a mission. Any experts out there that might be able to help me? Jeff "Mongo" Cramer Cincinnati, USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) Hi https://www.polishsquadronsremembered.com/ if nothing there try to view the Orb at the national archives Kew on line https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2504303 cheers jerry Edited June 15, 2019 by brewerjerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) There are plenty of infos available in net about squadron 302, but they are mostly in Polish (google translator will help if needed) . The keyword is "dywizjon 302" what translates to "squadron 302", for example: http://www.polska1918-89.pl/pdf/ten-polski-dywizjon,6321.pdf http://www.polishairforce.pl/dyw302zdj.html https://www.redisbad.pl/redisbad-historycznie-dywizjon-302-poznaski http://www.sww.w.szu.pl/index.php?id=polska_302_dywizjon http://poznan.wyborcza.pl/poznan/7,109268,23874958,dywizjon-poznanski-302-walczyl-o-anglie-wczesniej-niz-slynny.html https://www.samoloty.pl/historia-lotnictwa-hobby-245/historia-lotnictwa-polskiego-hobby-259/dywizjony-psp-1940-1946-hobby-1744/302-dywizjon-mypliwski-hobby-1752 Regards Jerzy-Wojtek P.S. And wiki: https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dywizjon_302 Edited June 15, 2019 by JWM added PS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) More info: http://www.polishairforce.pl/dyw302straty.html It suggest that in may 1941 the squadron was equipped with Hurricanes II Regards J-W Edited June 15, 2019 by JWM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo Posted June 15, 2019 Author Share Posted June 15, 2019 Greetings All; Thank you for the responses and the suggestions for further investigation; I found more information but not complete answers for my research; I shall continue to follow the leads you have provided. JWM: I see that you are in Krakow. I just returned to the US from my first visit to Poland; we spent several days (5-9 June) in Krakow! We very much enjoyed the city. I also spent a day at the Polish Aviation Museum photographing the PZL 11 and all the MiGs and Shukois. Small world! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK4m Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 I met Col. Wladek Gnyś in person in 1996 when he visited the Polish Aviation Museum. I remember him (86 years old then) taking place in the P.11c cockpit and then all of us have seen few tears when he started the old faithful Mercury engine... Actually the street bordering the Museum bears his name since 2001. In May 1941 the No.302 Sq. used a mix of Hurricane Mk.IIAs and Mk.IIBs (in June and July they stepped back to the Mk.Is, standardizing again on the Mk.IIs in early August). Known serials are: Mk.IIA: Z2342 -F, Z2350 -W, Z2386 -C, Z2423 -V, Z2485 -U, Z2667 -E, Z2668 -H, Z2772 -B, Z2806 -A, Z2357, Z2489, Z2497, Z2523, Z2629, Z2673, Z2681, Z2772, Z2773, Z2775, Z2814, Z2815, and Z2816 Mk.IIB: Z3095 -N, Z3165 -K, Z3402 -Z, Z3668 -W, Z3675 -B, Z3982 -S, Z5004 -T, Z5006 -P, Z2913, Z3067, Z3080, Z3086, Z3093, Z3098, Z3099, Z3181, Z3221, Z3238, Z3242, Z3314, Z3323, Z3327, Z3332, Z3425, Z3433, Z3435, Z3436, Z3437, Z3501, Z3672, Z3673, Z3674, Z3676, Z3751, Z3752, Z3980, Z3983, Z5000, and Z5040 However I have no idea which one was flown by (then) P/O. Gnyś on this fatal day. Cheers Michael 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303sqn Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 You can view the ORB online but it is watermarked which obscures some details. The bad news is that May 1941 is missing. According to his autobiography he got married on the 17th May and spent 4 days honeymoon in the country. If that is the 17th + 4 then he would have been on his last day of his honeymoon. Cynk, The Polish Airforce at War, says the last combat at Kenley took part on 21st May at 17.30. If Gnyś was involved then it would be the day he returned from his honeymoon. Gnyś does not mention any combat after returning from his honeymoon, only that the squadron moved to Jurby. He does describe a large battle taking place in which his engine was hit and manged to limp back and land in field. The account is rather confusing. He implies that it took place towards the end of February 1941. He mentions "two more Hurricane squadrons" and "three Spitfire squadrons flying top cover". Then at the end of the account "My Spitfire was spluttering .... ". Either he was not flying a Spitfire or the date is wrong. In Feb 1941 the ORB records him flying P3877 'T' on the 14th and 23rd. In March P33877 'T' on 6th and 8th. Z2485 'U' on 9th and 10th. Z2350 'W' on15th, 19, and 30th. In April there is only one entry for Gnyś Z2485 'U'. May is missing and his name does not appear again until 26th June flying V7042. The place to look would be the combat records. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) @VoyTech might have something to say? (Oops, except now I see that he hasn't been active here for some time.) Edited June 15, 2019 by gingerbob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 3 hours ago, mongo said: JWM: I see that you are in Krakow. I just returned to the US from my first visit to Poland; we spent several days (5-9 June) in Krakow! We very much enjoyed the city. I also spent a day at the Polish Aviation Museum photographing the PZL 11 and all the MiGs and Shukois. Small world! The forum like this makes world smaller! Next time please give a message on coming Cheers J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303sqn Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Right, finally got somewhere last night. Robert Gretzyngier "Poles in Defence of Britain" records the combat as Circus 18 on 21st May. 303 and 306 squadrons were despatched ahead of the main force. 13 303 Spitfires and 12 306 Hurricanes strafed dispersal huts at Berck-sur-Mer. 302 Squadron (1 and 258 squadrons were also involved) acted as close cover for 18 Blenheim bombers raiding the power station at Gosnay. He then quotes the entire passage from the autobiography with a footnote that Gnyś was flying a Hurricane not a Spitfire. P/O Rytka was shot down (later returned via Spain) in Z2423 WX-V. This is the only Hurricane identified. As Gretzyngier always lists all participating aircraft where known one must conclude that there is no existing (or known) documentation that identifies the 302 Hurricanes on that day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 Once again, thank you all for the responses; you have been most helpful! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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