AAR - BrisWingsofGlory WGS Campaign 1, Mission 16 - Polish Air Force 1939-45

[Carl_Brisgamer]

France 1940 Mission 16 Defensive Patrol Toulon 15/06/1940



By the morning of 15 June 1940 it was clear that France was on the edge of defeat. In the north the Luftwaffe had gained air superiority over the Armee de l'air and in the south the French escadrille where finding it more difficult to source replacement aircraft and parts. At Chissey airfield the ground crew of GCII/7 worked around the clock cannabilising damaged machines to keep at least some of their Dewoitines operational. On that day only three D.520 fighters flight ready as reports were received the Regia Aeronautica were conducting large scale bombing raids on Toulon and the island of Corsica.







Before dawn the commander of the Patrouille Polonaise Lieutenant Władysław Gnyś has been dispatched to conduct a reconnaissance of the airfield at Feurs just outside Lyons in preparation for a move that evening. This left Lt. Tadeusz Kowalewski (Red 4) in command of the Polish flight. His first wingman was Sous Lieutenant Tadeusz Nowak (Red 5) who had just returned to duty having recovered from wounds received in action against Luftwaffe bombers back on the 10 May 1940. His second wingman was Sgt. Tadeusz Arabski (Red 3), an NCO pilot flying his first operational sortie. The flight was scrambled and headed south towards Toulon, climbing through cloudy skies to 6000 metres.



Thirty minutes later the Poles were approaching Toulon .....



..... where they observed a flight of Fiat CR.42s directly ahead and 1000 metres below them.



The crew for the mission from left to right - Wayne (whisky sierra) and Rod flying for Poland, Ned in the red shirt flying OPFOR, Paul (seated), our host and Polish pilot, and Charlie (provost121) and his bride, also taking an Italian fighter.



The Italians obviously spotted the Polish flight moments later as one of the Fiats waggles its wings and banks towards the looming threat.



This time Lt. Kowalewski orders his flight to maintain formation, making a high speed pass on one of the Fiat biplanes. Kowalewski looks on with satisfaction as he sees bullet strikes around the cowl of the Italian fighter.



The D.520's flash past the slower biplanes .....



..... but not before one of the agile Fiat 'Falcos' turns into their attack, replying with a burst at Arabski's machine.



As the Poles reverse course the Italians follow up their attackers .....



..... and the combat soon devolves into an old-fashioned dogfight!



Each pilot takes snap shots at whatever opponent crosses their nose .....



..... until the flights separate .....



..... only to re-join the aerial melee.



Lt. Kowalewski scores a hit on one of the Fiats, a 7.5mm bullet holing the fuel tank.



As a trail of white fuel vapour spews from the damaging tank the Italian pilot, flight commander cpt. Luigi Filippi (flown by Ned) decides to break for home, his fighter's Fiat A.74 14 cylinder engine having taken damage earlier in the battle.



Cpt. Filippi escapes the fight, denying Kowalewski that fifth victory which would mark him an ace fighter pilot.



Just seconds later Sgt. Arabski .....



..... and then S-Lt. Nowak inflict critical damage on the remaining CR.42 biplanes leaving both trailing oily black smoke.



Right about then forum member Russell (Skippy) arrived at the shop in time to bring on another CR.42 to bolster the ranks of the Regia Aeronautica.



Russell's Fiat enters the battle as the two damaged biplanes fight back against the Poles.



Immediately after another Fiat CR.42 joins the battle (as Ned brings on a replacement aircraft).



Now the Poles are outnumbered and cannot seem to deal any fatal blows to the nimble Italian fighters.



They continue to manoeuvre around each other .....



..... with the Poles wary of being dragged into turning fights.



A tell-tale trail of smoke shows S-Lt. Nowak has scored a hit on one of the newly arrived Fiats.



Nowak follows up on his attack .....



..... but again cannot finish his opponent.



The dog-fight over the small French town east of Toulon continues ....



..... until Tadeusz Kowalewski fires a well aimed burst at long range .....



..... that sends a CR.42 spiralling down out of control. Kowalewski watches the aircraft fall and crash - his fifth confirmed victory. The Italian pilot sottotenente Sante Schiroli bails out uninjured and is quickly captured by local gendarmerie.



With numbers now even the Polish flight regains the upper hand ......



..... and just moments later Sgt. Arabski downs a second CR.42 with a well aimed burst of 20mm cannon shells, claiming his first victory on his first mission. The Italian pilot tenente Mario Rigatti also manages to bail out to join his comrade in captivity.



With his wingman Schiroli down and his own aircraft badly shot about Tenente Mario Benedetti breaks off and heads for home. His Fiat CR.42 will get him back to base but will never fly again.



The last Regia Aeronautica fighter flown by Sgt.Mag. Renzo Borro of the 75⁰ Squadriglia, 23^o Gruppo also breaks for home, evading a final pass by S-Lt. Nowak.



The skies clear and with their ammunition exhausted and fuel running low, the Patrouille Polonaise of GCII/7 form up for the return trip to Chissey. Lt. Kowalewski and Sgt. Arabski bring their D.520's back without too much damage, but Tadeusz Nowak's machine is practically a flying wreck. Red 5 is converted to components that afternoon, leaving GCII/7 with just one serviceable D.520 and one undergoing minor repairs.

Lieutenant Tadeusz Kowalewski is congratulated by Commandant Durieux on achieving the status of 'Ace' with his five victories. The CO of GCII/7 decorated Kowalewski with the Croix de Guerre just as he had his comrade Władysław Chciuk the day before. A recommendation was also forwarded to the Free Polish Forces HQ recommending the officer for the Krzyz Walecznych, the Polish Cross of Valour. Unlike the previous evening however there was no time for celebration. GCII/7 was in the middle of a tactical move by night to a the new airfield at Feurs. Despite the state of near-exhaustion of both air and ground crews the move was completed by dawn. With only one operational aircraft the escadrille was stood down for the 14 June, but the Poles had only a couple of hours sleep when they were woken with movement orders. All Polish pilots and ground crew were relieved of duty with GCII/7 effective immediately and to report to Bordeaux. It was with heavy hearts the Poles made their farewells to their French comrades with whom they had lived and fought side by side for so many months. Within the hour the former members of the GCII/7 Patrouille Polonaise had left Chissey by truck and before nightfall were entrained for the French coast.

By the time news of the French armistice reached them a week later on 22 June 1940, Władysław Gnyś, Tadeusz Kowalewski, Tadeusz Nowak and the rest of their band were already on board a British freighter bound for England, widely referred to by the Poles as the 'Island of Last Hope'. It was there they would make their final stand against Hitler's Luftwaffe.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

As the Polish airmen make the hazardous journey across the Channel to England, let's take the opportunity to assess the results of the missions flown in the defence of France.

Confirmed Victories

The six pilots of the Patrouille Polonaise of GCII/7 were credited with sixteen victories:



RAF aircrew credited with victories during the Battle of France:

F/O. John Newberry, Sgt. James Kendrick & LAC. Harold Baker (Blenheim Mk.IV crew) - 1 victory (1 Bf 109E)

The following Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica aircrew were also credited with aerial victories during the Battle of France:

Hptm. Wilhelm Balthasar EK2 (Bf 109E pilot) - 4 victories (1 Blenheim Mk.IV, 3 MS.406)
Ltn. Hermann Reifferscheidt EK2 (Bf 109E pilot) - 2 victories (1 MS.406, 1 Glenn Martin 167F)
Ltn. Carl-Hans Röders EK2 (Bf 109E pilot) - 2 victories (2 D.520)
Obgr. Hans Lass (Bf 109E pilot) - 1 victory (1 Blenheim Mk.IV)
Ltn. Ludwig Franzisket (Bf 109E pilot) - 1 victory (1 D.520)
Uffz. Emil Clade (Bf 109E pilot) - 1 victory (1 D.520)
Uffz. Fritz Schupp & Gefr. Karl Nechwatel (Bf 110C crew) - 1 victory (1 MS.406)
Tte. Mario Benedetti (CR.42 pilot) - 1 victory (1 D.520)

Aircraft Losses

Armee de l'Air
Destroyed - 12
Scrapped - 7
Total - 19

Royal Air Force
Destroyed - 2
Scrapped - 0
Total - 2

Luftwaffe
Destroyed - 13
Scrapped - 6
Total - 19

Regia Aeronautica
Destroyed - 4
Scrapped - 1
Total - 5

Aircrew Casualties

GCII/7 Patrouille Polonaise
KIA - 0
WIA - 4
PW - 0

Royal Air Force
KIA - 0
WIA - 0
PW - 6

Luftwaffe
KIA - 3
WIA - 5
PW - 25 (all repatriated after the Fall of France).

Regia Aeronautica
KIA - 1
WIA - 0
PW - 3 (all repatriated after the Fall of France).

[Nightbomber]

Carl, oh man, I'd love to give you a strong hug for what you do!
Another super entertaining game for me and - hope - for your merry gang!
Great show of my fellow countrymen this time. Please congratulate sincerely all of the participants, but Wayne, Rod and Paul especially!
Thank you sir!

[Aardvark1430]

Carl,
what a fantastic AAR, REP fired, well deserved
cheers,
Guus

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Thanks for the responses, I am glad you are enjoying the reports.

The Battle of Britain missions we are currently playing are actually based on historical missions flown by the pilots of No.303 (Kościuszko) Squadron RAF. The players agreed to this, despite sometimes leaving them at a disadvantage. I hope in playing (and reporting these missions here on the forum) we are in some small way commemorating the service of these pilots who gave their all so far from home.

[gully_raker]

Great to read more of this great Campaign Carl.
Well done to you & all the Pilots!

[Stumptonian]

Looking forward to the next chapter.

[Gotham Resident]

Well done! Great job keeping all this documented and easy to follow!

[tikkifriend]

Fantastic Carl.

[Future Pilot]

Great!