History of Polish Air Force - 1939

1939

For more details on this topic, see Opposing forces in the Polish September Campaign#Polish Air Force.

Type	Model	Total	Incl. in combat formations	Remarks
Number of planes on September 1, 1939
Fighters	PZL P.11	175	140
	PZL P.7	105	30
Line planes	PZL.23A	35	0
	PZL.23B	170	120
Bomber planes	PZL.37 Łoś	61	36
	PZL.30 Żubr	15	0
Associate planes	Lublin R-XIII	150	55
	RWD-14 Czapla	60	40
Total		771	421

At the beginning of the Invasion of Poland, by 1 September 1939, all the Polish combat aircraft had been deployed to the field; contrary to a common belief based on German propaganda, they avoided destruction in bombed air bases. The German bombers managed to destroy mostly trainer planes on the airfields. The fighter planes were grouped in 15 escadres (five of them constituted the Pursuit Brigade, deployed in Warsaw area). Despite being obsolete, Polish PZL-11 fighters shot down over 170 German planes. The bombers, grouped in nine escadres of the Bomber Brigade, attacked armoured columns, suffering heavy losses. Seven reconnaissance and 12 observation escadres, deployed to particular armies, were used primarily for reconnaissance. Most of the Polish airforce was destroyed in the campaign, and the rest of the aircraft were captured or withdrawn to Romania. Subsequently, the Romanians employed the remaining aircraft for their own use. A great number of pilots and air crews managed to escape to France.