303 SQUADRON – VOLUME 2 (14 JULY 1941 – 12 NOV 1943)

By mid-1942 303 Squadron was an entirely different unit. Most of the pilots who had shaped its legend in the Battle of Britain were either posted away, missing or killed. However, a new generation of outstanding pilots had now grown in 303, including such aces as Flying Officers Bolesław Drobiński, Bolesław Gładych and Eugeniusz Horbaczewski, and Flight Sergeant Mieczysław Adamek.

Until the end of 1942, 303 Squadron was still the only Polish Air Force fighter unit to have had all its new squadron and flight commanders appointed from amongst its pilots.

In early 1943, for the first time in 303’s history, flight commanders’ posts were taken over by outsiders who had never served with the squadron. In July 1943 the new squadron commander was also posted in from another unit. Clearly, 303 had become just one of several equal fighter squadrons in the Polish Air Force.

This second volume covers the mid-war years when allied air forces gradually mounted pressure over the Continent, preparing step-by-step for the eventual invasion of France.