Polish Air Force Order of Battle in 1939 - Command Structure

Command Structure

The Polish war-time command structure was based on inter-war structure of the air forces. Apart from two air brigades held in reserve by the Commander in Chief (one of them being the Bomber Brigade, the other - Pursuit Brigade), Polish forces were divided onto the following units:

  • Air regiment (Polish: pułk lotniczy) (Wing or Group) usually 4 squadrons or 8 escadrilles / Flights.
  • Air squadron (Polish: dywizjon lotniczy) (Squadron) usually 2 escadrilles / Flights.
  • Air escadrille (Polish: eskadra lotnicza) (Flight) usually 8 to 12 planes.

Each escadrille was given a respective number and a proper name, depending on its main tasks. Hence the escadrilles were divided onto:

  • Bombing escadrille (Polish: eskadra bombowa)
  • Fighter escadrille (Polish: eskadra myśliwska)
  • Observation escadrille (Polish: eskadra obserwacyjna)
  • Reconnaissance escadrille (Polish: eskadra rozpoznawcza)
  • Staff escadrille (Polish: eskadra sztabowa)

The second number in the name of each of the fighter squadrons shows part of which air regiment the unit was part of, prior to mobilisation. For example the III/1 dywizjon myśliwski (composed of 111 eskadra myśliwska and 112 eskadra myśliwska) was part of the 1st Air Regiment located in Warsaw.

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