Janusz Żurakowski (12 September 1914 – 9 February 2004) was a Polish fighter and

test pilot A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...

. At various times in his life he lived and worked in Poland, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Early life

Żurakowski was born in 1914 to Polish parents in Ryżawka near

Uman Uman ( uk, Умань, ; pl, Humań; yi, אומאַן) is a city located in Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. Located in the historical region of the eastern Podolia, the city rests on the banks of the Umanka River ...

,Sutherland 1978, p. 248. which had been a village in the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

since 1793, when it was removed from Poland in the Second Partition. In 1921, following the

Polish–Soviet War The Polish–Soviet War (Polish–Bolshevik War, Polish–Soviet War, Polish–Russian War 1919–1921) * russian: Советско-польская война (''Sovetsko-polskaya voyna'', Soviet-Polish War), Польский фронт (' ...

, the

Treaty of Riga The Peace of Riga, also known as the Treaty of Riga ( pl, Traktat Ryski), was signed in Riga on 18 March 1921, among Poland, Soviet Russia (acting also on behalf of Soviet Belarus) and Soviet Ukraine. The treaty ended the Polish–Soviet War. ...

established the frontier between Soviet Russia and the Second Polish Republic. The new border placed Ryżawka in Soviet territory. So the Żurakowski family left their home and escaped into the newly established Polish Republic. Żurakowski was educated at a high school in Lublin, where he learned to fly gliders. In 1934, he joined the Polish Air Force and entered the Polish Air Force Officers' School. After learning to fly powered aircraft, he graduated in 1935 as a sub-lieutenant. He went on to serve as a fighter pilot posted to 161 Fighter Squadron in Lwów, and in 1939 he served as a flying instructor at Dęblin. PZL P7

Second World War

In September 1939, "Black September", Żurakowski had his combat debut in an outmoded PZL P.7 trainer against a squadron of seven German Dornier 17s attacking Dęblin on 2 September. He was able to damage one of the Do 17s but was forced to break off combat when his guns jammed. Following the defeat of Poland, Żurakowski made his way to England via Romania and France. Like many of his compatriots, he was smuggled out of the war zone with false documents and a new identity as a forester. Thousands of the Polish Air Force pilots who had made their way to France fought against Luftwaffe forces in the Battle of France. Żurakowski was originally posted to a fighter unit in France before he was selected to train as a bomber pilot in England. Once he arrived in England, the RAF changed its mind and sent him and the first group of Poles to fighter squadrons, which were rapidly being deployed in anticipation of an attack on Britain in 1940. Żurakowski was first posted as a pilot officer to 152 Squadron before joining No. 234 Squadron initially stationed at

RAF St Eval Royal Air Force St. Eval or RAF St. Eval was a Royal Air Force station for the RAF Coastal Command, southwest of Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. St Eval's primary role was to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south wes ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

, a town named after the patron saint of flight testing. The squadron was moved forward to

RAF Middle Wallop Middle Wallop is a village in the civil parish of Nether Wallop in Hampshire, England, on the A343 road. At the 2011 Census the population was included in the civil parish of Over Wallop. The village has a public house, The George Inn, and a pe ...

on 13 August 1940. He flew the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. 1 against the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

, shooting down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 over the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...

on 15 August 1940. After being shot down nine days later, he returned to duty, shooting down two

Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the ''Luftwaffe's'' fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War ...

Es on the 12th and 13th day after that. Near the conclusion of the Battle of Britain, he scored a "probable" over a Bf 110C on 29 September 1940. Following the decimation of 234 Squadron and its transfer to the north, Żurakowski asked for a transfer to No. 609 Squadron RAF, a Spitfire unit still in the front lines. From there he was reposted as a flight instructor to a succession of Flight Training Units, where he passed on his knowledge of combat flying to a new group of fighter pilots. In 1942, now Flying Officer Żurakowski flew again with his countrymen on Spitfire IIs in No. 315 Squadron, rising to the post of

squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...

of No. 316 Polish Fighter Squadron and deputy

wing leader Wing leader, or wing commander (flying), denotes the tactical commander of a Commonwealth military wing on flying operations. The terms refer to a position, not a rank, although the role was usually taken by an officer ranked wing commander. The p ...

of Polish No. 1 Fighter Wing stationed at

RAF Northolt ("Ready to carry or to fight") , pushpin_map = Greater London , pushpin_label = RAF Northolt , pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Greater London , coordinates = , type = Royal Air Force station , code = , site_area = , height = , owner ...

. He often escorted

USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

bombers on daylight bombing raids. Żurakowski scored a probable over a

G on 17 May 1943 while acting as the wing gunnery officer. He was awarded the

Virtuti Militari The War Order of Virtuti Militari (Latin: ''"For Military Virtue"'', pl, Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari) is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Polish King St ...

, the Polish equivalent of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

in 1943. He also received the Polish Cross of Valour () and Bar (1941) and Second Bar (1943).

Postwar

After the war, Żurakowski, among many other Polish veterans, chose to stay in Britain. In 1944, he was posted to the

Empire Test Pilots' School The Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) is a British training school for test pilots and flight test engineers of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft at MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, England. It was established in 1943, the first of its type ...

, graduating from No. 2 Course on 5 January 1945. From 1945 to 1947, Żurakowski worked as a test pilot with "C" Squadron of the

Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment The Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) was a research facility for British military aviation from 1918 to 1992. Established at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, the unit moved in 1939 to Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, where its wo ...

(A&AEE) at

RAF Boscombe Down MoD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the southeastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the Def ...

, testing naval aircraft for the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the Secretary of State ...

. Never having landed an aircraft on a carrier before, he practised landing on a deck painted on a runway at Naval Air Station East Haven. Following a brief training period, he proceeded to land the Supermarine Seafire, a navalised Spitfire, on the deck of HMS ''Ravager'' without incident. While still at

Boscombe Down MoD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the southeastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the Def ...

, Żurakowski flew over 30 different types of aircraft, including the

Vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deat ...

, the de Havilland Hornet, and the

Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...

. He never let pass "an opportunity to give the staff a display that included single engine aerobatics". Acknowledged as one of the best aerobatic pilots in the UK, he gave a spectacular display at the

Farnborough Airshow The Farnborough Airshow, officially the Farnborough International Airshow, is a trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors. Since its fir ...

in June 1946 with the Martin-Baker MB 5, a piston-engined fighter designed too late to enter war production.Wujastyk 2010, pp. 233–239. Retiring from the RAF as squadron leader in 1947, Żurakowski was employed as chief experimental test pilot for

Gloster Aircraft Company The Gloster Aircraft Company was a British aircraft manufacturer from 1917 to 1963. Founded as the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company Limited during the First World War, with the aircraft construction activities of H H Martyn & Co Ltd of Chelte ...

under Chief Test Pilot

Bill Waterton William Arthur Waterton, AFC & Bar, GM (18 March 1916 – 17 April 2006) was a Canadian and British test pilot, squadron leader and correspondent for the '' Daily Express''. He was awarded the George Medal for saving the flight data when h ...

. When Waterton was in Canada on assignment, Żurakowski assumed the role of acting chief test pilot. Żurakowski tested the many experimental versions of the

, Javelin, and Gloster E.1/44 fighters. He set an international speed record: London–Copenhagen–London, 4–5 April 1950. The attempt was organised by Gloster to sell the Meteor IV to the Danish Air Force, and it succeeded. At the 1951 at Farnborough Airshow, Żurakowski demonstrated a new aerobatics manoeuvre, the "Zurabatic cartwheel", in which he suspended the Gloster Meteor G-7-1 prototype he was flying in a vertical cartwheel. "This jet manoeuvre was the first new aerobatic in 20 years."Sutherland 1978, p. 249. The cartwheel used the dangerously asymmetric behaviour the Meteor had with one engine throttled back. It started with a vertical climb to , by which point the aircraft had slowed to only . Cutting the power of one engine caused the Meteor to pivot. When the nose was pointing downwards, the second engine was throttled back. The aircraft continued to rotate through a further 360 degrees on momentum alone, having lost nearly all vertical velocity. Carrying out the cartwheel and recovering from it without entering an inverted spin (which the Meteor could not be brought out of) required great skill. In April 1952, Żurakowski and his family left for

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, where he became a test pilot for A.V. Roe Canada, concentrating on experimental testing. He broke the

sound barrier The sound barrier or sonic barrier is the large increase in aerodynamic drag and other undesirable effects experienced by an aircraft or other object when it approaches the speed of sound. When aircraft first approached the speed of sound, th ...

on 18 December 1952 as a first pilot in Canada, diving the

CF-100 The Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck (affectionately known as the "Clunk") is a Canadian twinjet Interceptor aircraft, interceptor/fighter aircraft, fighter designed and produced by aircraft manufacturer Avro Canada. It has the distinction of being t ...

fighter, the first straight-winged jet aircraft to achieve this feat. While testing an experimental rocket pack on 23 August 1954, Zura survived an explosion that killed his observer, John Hiebert. During the Avro Canada years, Żurakowski continued to fly as an aerobatic display pilot with spectacular results. Especially successful was the 1955 Farnborough Airshow, where he displayed the CF-100 in a "falling-leaf". He was acclaimed again as the "Great Zura" by many aviation and industry observers. In 1958, he was chosen as the chief development

of the new CF-105 Avro Arrow programme. On 25 March 1958, with Żurakowski at the controls, Arrow RL 25201 took off from

Malton, Ontario Malton is a neighbourhood in the northeastern part of the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, located to the northwest of Toronto. Malton is bounded by Highway 427 to the east, the Brampton city limits (a Canadian National Railway (CN) rail l ...

for its first flight. The flight lasted 35 minutes and was problem-free. Żurakowski continued in the flight test program. He flew Arrows RL 201, 202, and 203 over a total of 21 flights, for 23.75 hours, reaching speeds of Mach 1.89 and an altitude of . After flying Arrow 203 on 26 September 1958, Żurakowski decided to give up test flying for good, fulfilling a promise he had made to his wife to stop experimental flying once he reached the age of 40, although he had already exceeded that age.

Later life

Żurakowski retired from active test flying in November 1958 but continued with the Avro Aircraft company as an engineer in the Flight Test Office. On 20 February 1959, the infamous "Black Friday", Żurakowski, along with the approximately 15,000 employees of Avro and

Orenda Orenda is the Iroquois name for a certain spiritual energy inherent in people and their environment. It is an "extraordinary invisible power believed by the Iroquois Native Americans to pervade in varying degrees in all animate and inanimate na ...

plants, learned that the

Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker ( ; September 18, 1895 – August 16, 1979) was the 13th prime minister of Canada, serving from 1957 to 1963. He was the only Progressive Conservative party leader between 1930 and 1979 to lead the party to an electio ...

government had precipitously cancelled the Avro Arrow programme and its

Orenda Iroquois The Orenda PS.13 Iroquois was an advanced turbojet engine designed for military use. It was developed by the Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer Orenda Engines, a part of the Avro Canada group. Intended for the CF-105 Arrow interceptor, dev ...

engine. The five flying examples and the newly constructed RL-206 (slated for a run at world air speed and altitude records) along with all the assorted factory jigs and tools were broken up. Only the nose of Arrow 206 and sections of other Arrows remain. They are currently on display at the

Canada Aviation Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum (french: link=no, Musée de l'Aviation et de l'Espace du Canada) (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum and National Aeronautical Collection) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The museum is locate ...

in Ottawa. After deciding to leave the aviation world altogether, Żurakowski and his family moved to Barry's Bay, Ontario to build Kartuzy Lodge (located near Clayfarm Bay at Kartuzy Road and Arrow Drive). He and his family operated this small tourist lodge and resort for over 40 years. During this period, he resorted to his engineering background, "tinkering" with a number of sailboats, catamarans, and ice-boats of his own design and construction. Two of his hydrofoil boats are still used by Kartuzy Lodge renters. Following a lingering battle with myelodysplasia, Żurakowski died at Kartuzy Lodge on 9 February 2004.

Honours

In recognition of his contributions to Canadian aviation, Żurakowski was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1973. He was further honoured in 1996 by the

Royal Canadian Mint }) is the mint of Canada and a Crown corporation, operating under the ''Royal Canadian Mint Act''. The shares of the Mint are held in trust for the Crown in right of Canada. The Mint produces all of Canada's circulation coins, and manufacture ...

's release of a commemorative coin, the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, which featured an insert of Janusz Żurakowski. In 1997, he was inducted into the Western Canada Aviation Museum "Pioneers of Canadian Aviation" annals. He was profiled the following year in the documentary film "Straight Arrow". On 23 July 1999, CFB Cold Lake (Alberta) Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment named its new facility, the "Żurakowski Building". And in September 2000, he became an honorary fellow of the Society of Experimental Test pilots, joining the ranks of

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...

, Neil Armstrong, and

Igor Sikorsky Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky (russian: И́горь Ива́нович Сико́рский, p=ˈiɡərʲ ɪˈvanəvitʃ sʲɪˈkorskʲɪj, a=Ru-Igor Sikorsky.ogg, tr. ''Ígor' Ivánovich Sikórskiy''; May 25, 1889 – October 26, 1972)Fortie ...

, among numerous other luminaries. Żurakowski received the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland in 1999.M.P. 2000 nr 5 poz. 115
– point 9 (as ''Żurakowski Jan''). His adopted hometown built Żurakowski Park in 2003, recognizing his contributions to the community and to the world. Two imposing statues of Janusz Żurakowski and his beloved Avro Arrow dominate the arrow-shaped Żurakowski Park (an elongated triangle evocative of the Avro Arrow's profile). It is located at the crossroads of two main streets in Barry's Bay, Ontario. A future museum and visitor's commemorative centre consisting of a gazebo and display area will be located at Żurakowski Park. The former Gloster Aircraft company airfield site at Brockworth has become a residential area in

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

, UK and has a ''Zura Avenue''.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Hamilton-Paterson, James. ''Empire of the Clouds: When Britain's Aircraft Ruled the World.'' London: Faber & Faber, 2010. . * Kusiba, Marek. ''Janusz Żurakowski: From Avro Arrow to Arrow Drive.'' Toronto: Address Press, 2003. . * Rossiter, Sean. ''The Chosen Ones: Canada's Test Pilots in Action.'' Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 2002. . * Sutherland, Alice Gibson. ''Canada's Aviation Pioneers: 50 Years of McKee Trophy Winners''. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1978. . * Waterton, Bill. ''The Quick and the Dead''. London: Frederick Mueller, 1958. * Wujastyk, Stanisław. ''Czasy i Przyjaźnie''. Lublin: Zaklad Literatury Wspólczesnej, 2010. . * Ziółkowska-Boehm, Aleksandra. ''Amerykanie z wyboru.'' Warszawa: 1998. . * Ziółkowska-Boehm, Aleksandra. ''The Roots Are Polish.'' Toronto: Canadian Polish Research Institute, 2004. . * Zuk, Bill. ''The Avro Arrow Story: The Impossible Dream.'' Calgary: Altitude Publishing, 2006. . * Zuk, Bill. ''The Avro Arrow Story: The Revolutionary Airplane and its Courageous Test Pilots.'' Calgary: Altitude Publishing, 2005. . * Zuk, Bill. ''Janusz Zurakowski: Legends in the Sky.'' St. Catharine's, Ontario: Vanwell, 2004. .

External links

Peter Wieslaw Grajda: Web site dedicated to Janusz Zurakowski & the Canadian aircraft Avro Arrow CF105

Zurakowski Park
Barry's Bay official website

a 1951 ''Flight'' advertisement for the Meteor {{DEFAULTSORT:Zurakowski, Janusz 1914 births 2004 deaths Aviation history of Canada Aerobatic pilots The Few Polish aviators Polish aviation record holders Polish military personnel of World War II Polish test pilots Polish World War II pilots Polish emigrants to Canada Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland Recipients of the Virtuti Militari Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland) Royal Air Force officers Royal Air Force pilots of World War II Deaths from leukemia Deaths from cancer in Ontario People from Cherkasy Oblast People from Renfrew County