The following is the

order of battle In modern use, the order of battle of an armed force participating in a military operation or campaign shows the hierarchical organization, command structure, strength, disposition of personnel, and equipment of units and formations of the armed ...

of the Polish Air Force prior to the outbreak of the Polish Defensive War of 1939. During the mobilization waves of March and August of that year, all peace-time units were deployed to airfields throughout the country and attached to respective commands of Air Force, Naval Air Service and squadrons supporting each of the Polish armies. In the last stages of the air campaign, whole units coordinated all actions in the fight against the invaders. The Polish fighters claimed 134 air victories, including 7 enemy aeroplanes shot down by Polish

PZL P.7 The PZLP.7 was a Polish gull wing monoplane fighter aircraft designed in the early 1930s at the PZL factory in Warsaw. It was the main fighter of the Polish Air Force between 1933 and 1935. The PZLP.7 was replaced in Polish service by its follow-u ...

a fighters, 125 by

PZL P.11 The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed and constructed during the early 1930s by Warsaw-based aircraft manufacturer PZL. Possessing an all-metal structure, metal-covering, and high-mounted gull wing, the type held the distinction of ...

fighters of all types (mostly P.11c, several P.11a), and 2 downed by

g. In addition, the Polish air forces had a number of PZL.37 Łoś and PZL.23 Karaś bombers, as well as a number of non-combat planes used for reconnaissance, observation, communications, army cooperation and transport. Among the latter were

Lublin R-XIII The Lublin R-XIII was the Polish army cooperation plane (observation and liaison plane), designed in the early-1930s in the Plage i Laśkiewicz factory in Lublin. It was the main army cooperation plane in the Invasion of Poland. Its variant Lub ...

LWS-3 Mewa The LWS-3 Mewa ("Seagull") was a Polish observation and close reconnaissance aircraft, designed in the late-1930s by the LWS factory. It was ordered by the Polish Air Force, but did not manage to enter service before the outbreak of World War II ...

RWD-8 The RWD 8 was a Polish parasol wing monoplane trainer aircraft produced by RWD. It was used from 1934 to 1939 by the Polish Air Force and civilian aviation. Development The RWD 8 was designed in response to a Polish Air Force requirement in 193 ...

RWD-14 Czapla The RWD-14 Czapla (LWS Czapla) was a Polish army cooperation aircraft (observation, close reconnaissance and liaison aircraft), designed in the mid-1930s by the RWD team, and produced in the LWS factory from 1938. A series of 65 aircraft were b ...

PWS-10 The PWS-10 was a Polish fighter aircraft, constructed in the PWS (''Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów'' - Podlasie Aircraft Factory). It was the first Polish-designed fighter to enter serial production. Design and development First work on a domes ...

and

PWS-26 The PWS-26 was a Polish advanced training aircraft, used from 1937 to 1939 by the Polish Air Force, constructed in the PWS (''Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów'' - Podlasie Aircraft Factory). It was the second most numerous Polish pre-war aircraft ...

Command structure

The Polish war-time command structure was based on inter-war structure of the air forces. Apart from two air

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

s held in reserve by the Commander in Chief (one of them being the

Bomber Brigade The Bomber Brigade () was a World War II unit of the Polish Air Force commanded by płk obs. Władysław Heller. It resisted the Invasion of Poland in 1939 as the main aerial reserve of the commander in chief and was used for bombing enemy units ...

, the other -

Pursuit Brigade The Pursuit Brigade ( pl, Brygada Pościgowa) was a Polish World War II unit of the Polish Air Force. It took part in the Polish Defensive War of 1939 as the main aerial reserve of the commander in chief and was used for air cover of the Polish c ...

), Polish forces were divided onto the following units: * Air regiment ( pl, pułk lotniczy) (Wing or Group) usually 4 squadrons or 8 escadrilles / Flights. * Air squadron ( pl, dywizjon lotniczy) (Squadron) usually 2 escadrilles / Flights. * Air escadrille ( pl, 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 ( pl, eskadra bombowa) * Fighter escadrille ( pl, eskadra myśliwska) * Observation escadrille ( pl, eskadra obserwacyjna) * Reconnaissance escadrille ( pl, eskadra rozpoznawcza) * Staff escadrille ( pl, 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.

Reserve of the Commander in Chief

The strategic reserve of the commander in chief of the

Polish Army The Land Forces () are the land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 62,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military history stret ...

consisted of two air brigades stationed around Warsaw and additional communications squadrons used for easier handling of orders from the headquarters to respective armies. Altogether, on 1 September 1939

Edward Rydz-Śmigły Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły (11 March 1886 – 2 December 1941; nom de guerre ''Śmigły, Tarłowski, Adam Zawisza''), also called Edward Śmigły-Rydz, was a Polish politician, statesman, Marshal of Poland and Commander-in-Chief of Poland ...

had 146 combat aeroplanes and 60 non-combat planes at his disposal.

HQ units

* Communications platoon No. 1 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 1'') * Communications platoon No. 2 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 2'') *

Polish 16th Observation Escadrille The 16th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was under direct command of the Polish HQ. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Eugeniusz Lech. Equipment 7 Lublin R-XIIID air ...

Staff Escadrille Staff may refer to: Pole * Staff, a weapon used in stick-fighting ** Quarterstaff, a European pole weapon * Staff of office, a pole that indicates a position * Staff (railway signalling), a token authorizing a locomotive driver to use a particular ...

Pursuit Brigade (Brygada Poscigowa)

Polish 1st Fighter Squadron of the 3rd Air Regiment Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

(''III/1. Dywizjon Myśliwski'') **

Polish 111th Fighter Escadrille The 111th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force ( pl, 111. eskadra myśliwska) was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army. Created in 1921, immediately after the end of the Polish-Soviet War, the unit inherited the traditions of the f ...

(''111 Eskadra Myśliwska'') **

Polish 112th Fighter Escadrille The 112th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force (Polish: ''112. Eskadra Myśliwska'') was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army. History The Escadrille was created in 1919 by a merger of the earlier 18th Reconnaissance Escadrille and ...

(''112 Eskadra Myśliwska'') *

Polish 1st Fighter Squadron of the 4th Air Regiment Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''IV/1 Dywizjon Myśliwski'') **

Polish 113th Fighter Escadrille The 113th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force (Polish: ''113. Eskadra Myśliwska'') was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army at the beginning of World War II. Crew and equipment On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 planes: fi ...

(''113 Eskadra Myśliwska'') **

Polish 114th Fighter Escadrille The 114th Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force (Polish: ''114. Eskadra Myśliwska'') was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army at the beginning of the WW2. Crew and equipment On 1 September 1939 the escadrille had 10 planes: 6 PZL P. ...

(''114 Eskadra Myśliwska'') **

Polish 123rd Fighter Escadrille The 123rd Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force (Polish: 123. eskadra myśliwska) was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939. History In September 1939 the 123rd Fighter Escadrille was part of the Pursuit Brigade. Some report ...

(''123 Eskadra Myśliwska'')

Bomber Brigade

Polish 10th Bomber Squadron Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''X Dywizjon Bombowy'') **

Polish 211th Bomber Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''211. Eskadra Bombowa'') **

Polish 212th Bomber Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''212. Eskadra Bombowa'') *

Polish 15th Bomber Squadron Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''XV Dywizjon Bombowy'') **

Polish 216th Bomber Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''216. Eskadra Bombowa'') **

Polish 217th Bomber Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''217. Eskadra Bombowa'') * Polish 2nd Bomber Squadron (''II Dywizjon Bombowy'') ** Polish 21st Bomber Escadrille (''21. Eskadra Bombowa'') ** Polish 22nd Bomber Escadrille (''22. Eskadra Bombowa'') * Polish 6th Bomber Squadron (''VI Dywizjon Bombowy'') ** Polish 64th Bomber Escadrille (''64. Eskadra Bombowa'') ** Polish 65th Bomber Escadrille (''65. Eskadra Bombowa'') *

Polish 55th Independent Bomber Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

(''55. Samodzielna Eskadra Bombowa'') * Communications platoon No. 4 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 4'') * Communications platoon No. 12 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 12'')

Army aviation

In addition to the above-mentioned units, the gros of the Polish aviation was attached to land units of corps- and army-size. They were to provide necessary support in all roles. In all, various units of the Polish Army had 288 planes at their disposal, including 246 combat planes and 42 support planes.

Aviation of the Modlin Army

* Communications platoon No. 11 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 11'') *

Polish 41st Reconnaissance Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

(''41. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza'') * III/5. Fighter Squadron (''III/5. Dywizjon Myśliwski'') ** Polish 152nd Fighter Escadrille (''152. Eskadra Myśliwska'') *

Polish 53rd Observation Escadrille The 53rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Modlin Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. pil. Józef Kierzkowski Equipment 7 RWD-14b Czapla airplanes ...

(''53. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'')

Aviation of the Pomorze Army

* Communications platoon No. 7 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 7'') * Communications platoon No. 8 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 8'') *

Polish 42nd Reconnaissance Escadrille The 42nd Reconnaissance Escadrille ( pl, 42 Eskadra Rozpoznawcza) was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the start of World War II. The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army. Aircraft *10 PZL.23B Karaś *1 RWD-8 Pilots * Por. pil. Mieczysław Le ...

(''42. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza'') * (''III/4. Dywizjon Myśliwski'') ** Polish 141st Fighter Escadrille (''141. Eskadra Myśliwska'') ** Polish 142nd Fighter Escadrille (''142. Eskadra Myśliwska'') *

Polish 43rd Observation Escadrille The 43rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Władysław Dawidek. Equipment 7 Lublin R-XIIID airpl ...

(''43. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'') *

Polish 46th Observation Escadrille The 46th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Pomorze Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. pil. Roman Rypson. Equipment 7 Lublin R-XIIID and Lublin R-X ...

(''46. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'')

Aviation of the Poznań Army

* Communications platoon No. 6 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 6'') *

Polish 34th Reconnaissance Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

(''34. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza'') * (''III/3. Dywizjon Myśliwski'') ** Polish 131st Fighter Escadrille (''131. Eskadra Myśliwska'') **

Polish 132nd Fighter Escadrille The 132nd Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force (Polish: ''132. Eskadra Myśliwska'') was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939. It was attached to the Army Poznań. History The unit was formed in 1928 by renaming an earlier ...

(''132. Eskadra Myśliwska'') *

Polish 33rd Observation Escadrille The 33rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Poznań Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Stanisław Zaleski. Equipment 7 RWD-14b Czapla airplan ...

(''33. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'') *

Polish 36th Observation Escadrille The 36th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Poznań Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Bolesław Dorembowicz. Equipment 7 Lublin R-XIIID airp ...

(''36. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'')

Aviation of the Łódź Army

* Communications platoon No.10 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 10'') *

Polish 32nd Reconnaissance Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

(''32. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza'') * (''III/6. Dywizjon Myśliwski'') ** Polish 161st Fighter Escadrille (''161. Eskadra Myśliwska'') ** Polish 162nd Fighter Escadrille(''162. Eskadra Myśliwska'') *

Polish 63rd Observation Escadrille The 63rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Łódź Army. Air crew commanding officers: * kpt. obs. Jan Schram (II - X 1934) * kpt. pil. Kazimierz Wianec ...

(''63. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'') *

Polish 66th Observation Escadrille The 66th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Łódź Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Albert Kubieniec. Equipment 7 Lublin R-XIIID airplane ...

(''66. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'')

Aviation of the Kraków Army

* Communications platoon No.3 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 3'') *

Polish 24th Reconnaissance Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

(''24. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza'') * (''III/2. Dywizjon Myśliwski'') ** Polish 121st Fighter Escadrille (''121. Eskadra Myśliwska'') ** Polish 122nd Fighter Escadrille (''122. Eskadra Myśliwska'') *

Polish 23rd Observation Escadrille The 23rd Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Kraków Army. Air crew Commanding officer: por. obs. Władysław Rewakowicz. Equipment 7 RWD-14b Czapla ai ...

(''23. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'') *

Polish 26th Observation Escadrille The 26th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Kraków Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Stanisław Rzepa. Equipment 7 Lublin R-XIIID airplane ...

(''26. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'')

Aviation of the Karpaty Army

{{see also, Karpaty Army * Communications platoon No.5 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 5'') *

Polish 31st Reconnaissance Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

(''31. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza'') *

Polish 56th Observation Escadrille The 56th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the Karpaty Army. Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Marian Sukniewicz. Equipment 7 Lublin R-XIIID airplan ...

(''56. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'')

Aviation of the Narew Independent Operational Group

* Communications platoon No.9 (''Pluton łącznikowy nr 9'') *

Polish 51st Reconnaissance Escadrille Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

(''51. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza'') *

Polish 151st Fighter Escadrille The 151st Fighter Escadrille of the Polish Air Force ( pl, 151. Eskadra Myśliwska) was one of the fighter units of the Polish Army in 1939. History In September 1939 the 121st Fighter Escadrille was attached to the Operational Group Narew. Cre ...

(''151. Eskadra Myśliwska'') *

Polish 13th Observation Escadrille The 13th Observation Escadrille was a unit of the Polish Air Force at the beginning of the Second World War. The unit was attached to the SGO Narew. __NOTOC__ Air crew Commanding officer: kpt. obs. Lucjan Fijuth Equipment 7 RWD-14b Czapla and 2 ...

(''13. Eskadra Obserwacyjna'')

Naval aviation

* Naval Air Squadron (''Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy'') **

Long Range Reconnaissance Escadrille Long Range Reconnaissance Escadrille (''Eskadry Dalekiego Rozpoznania'') was a unit of the Naval Air Squadron (''Polish Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy'') at the beginning of world war 2. Air Crew Commander: kpt. mar. pil. Roman Borowiec Equipment 2 ...

(''I Eskadra Dalekiego Rozpoznania'') **

Short Range Reconnaissance Escadrille Short Range Reconnaissance Escadrille (''Eskadra Bliskiego Rozpoznania'') was a unit of the Polish Naval Air Squadron (''Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy'') at the beginning of world war 2. Air Crew Commander: kpt. mar. obs. Marian Janczewski Equipment ...

(''II Eskadra Bliskiego Rozpoznania'') * Communications platoon of the Command of Coastal Defense (''Pluton łącznikowy Dowództwa Lądowej Obrony Wybrzeża'')

Aircraft in active service in September 1939

Combat aircraft

* PZL.23 Karaś A/B * PZL.37 Łoś A/B. *

PZL.43 The PZL.43 was a Polish light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft designed in the mid-1930s by PZL in Warsaw. It was an export development of the PZL.23 Karaś. Its main user was the Bulgarian Airforce who called it the Chaika (Чайка, ''gul ...

PZL.46 Sum PZL.46 Sum ('' sheatfish'') was a light bomber of the Polish Air Force before World War II, which, was directed to serial production in the spring of 1939. These planes were in production, but the Polish industry did not manage to produce them bef ...

(PZL.46/I prototype) (one example) *

G *

Lublin R-VIII The Lublin R-VIII was a Polish bomber, reconnaissance aircraft and seaplane designed in the late 1920s by the Plage i Laśkiewicz factory in Lublin. It was the first in-house design of Plage i Laśkiewicz, and the first with the name Lublin. Deve ...

bis (for Navy use) *

(two examples) *

Support aircraft

PWS-24 The PWS-24 was a Polish single-engine passenger aircraft for 4 passengers, built in PWS factory, used from 1933 to 1936 by LOT Polish Airlines. In spite of its limited capacity, it was the only series-built airliner of domestic design ever used ...

bis *

PWS-35 Ogar The PWS-35 ''Ogar'' ( en, Polish Hound) was a two-seat, aerobatic training biplane that was designed by Kazimierz Nowicki, Marian Piątka and Michał Rosnowski at the Lviv Polytechnic in 1935/1936. Design and development The aircraft was desig ...

(one example) * LWS-6 Zubr * RWD-5 (one) *

RWD-13 The RWD 13 was a Polish touring plane of 1935, three-seater high-wing monoplane, designed by the RWD team. It was the biggest commercial success of the RWD. Development The RWD 13 was a touring plane, developed from a line of sports planes RWD ...

RWD-17 The RWD 17 was a Polish aerobatics-trainer aircraft of 1937, parasol wing monoplane, constructed by the RWD team. Development The aircraft was designed for an order of the LOPP paramilitary organization, as an interim trainer aircraft between ...

W *

Bartel BM-4 The Bartel BM.4 was a Polish biplane primary trainer aircraft used from 1929 to 1939 by the Polish Air Force and Polish civilian aviation, manufactured in the Samolot factory in Poznań. It was the first plane of Polish design put into producti ...

Lublin R-XVI The Lublin R-XVI was a Polish passenger and air ambulance aircraft, designed in the 1930s in the Plage i Laśkiewicz factory in Lublin and built in a small series. Design and development The Lublin R-XVI was conceived as a small 4-seater passeng ...

(air ambulances)

References

*"Combat Aircraft of World War Two", by John and Elke Weal, Richard F.Barker and J.M. Bruce, "Polish Aircraft" chapter, P.223-226, Polish aircraft coloured drawings, P.60-61 along drawings explains P.15-16, Ed.Arms & Armour Press, 2-6 Hampstead High Street, London NW3. England, 1977. Polish Air Force