The 3rd Polish Fighter Wing ( pl, 3 Polskie Skrzydło Myśliwskie) was a mainly Polish formation of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, that flew

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...

s. It was part of the

Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain The Polish Air Forces ( pl, Polskie Siły Powietrzne) was the name of the Polish Air Forces formed in France and the United Kingdom during World War II. The core of the Polish air units fighting alongside the Allies were experienced veterans of t ...

. It was formed in June 1943, as the 2nd Polish Fighter Wing, from two Polish squadrons, the No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron and No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron. In September it was merged into the 1st Polish Fighter Wing (which was soon thereafter renamed the 131 Wing). It was reorganized in February 1944. Its composition would not be stable, as Polish Squadrons were frequently exchanged between three Polish wings (the

No. 131 Wing RAF No. 131 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing RAF is a former Royal Air Force wing that was operational during the Second World War, mainly staffed by Polish personnel as part of the Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain. The unit was previously No. ...

(1st Polish) wing, the

No. 133 Wing RAF No. 133 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing RAF is a former Royal Air Force wing that was operational during the Second World War, mainly staffed by Polish personnel as part of the Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain. The unit was previously No. 1 ...

(2nd Polish) wing, and the 3rd Polish Fighter Wing). At various times, this wing included other Polish squadrons, such as the

No. 303 Squadron RAF No. 303 Squadron RAF, also known as the 303rd "Tadeusz Kościuszko Warsaw" Fighter Squadron, was one of two Polish Air Forces in France and Great Britain, Polish squadrons that fought during the Battle of Britain along with No. 302 Polish Fight ...

and

No. 316 Polish Fighter Squadron No. 316 "City of Warsaw" Polish Fighter Squadron ( pl, 316 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Warszawski") was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1941. It ...

. The number of wings was also not constant, as it varied from at one to two.

References

Polish 03 Fighter wings Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1946 Poland–United Kingdom military relations {{World-War-II-stub