Скачать или смотреть Col. Witold Urbanowicz - meeting with Messerschmitt I

The Battle of Britain was an air battle that lasted from July to October 1940. It was fought over southern England and the English Channel. The most fierce battles took place in August and September. The massive German air offensive was intended to prepare the ground for a landing operation on the British Isles. The goal became to destroy the RAF (Royal Air Force), dominate England's airspace, cut British communication routes, and cripple Britain's war production and national economy.

Initially, the Germans had a significant advantage. The Luftwaffe had 990 fighters and 1,640 bombers at its disposal. The RAF could counter this power with 960 fighter planes and 400 bombers. In addition, the island's defense was supported by 80 radar stations and 1,500 barrage balloons.

The British army in 1940 was unable to stand up to the powerful German army. British aviation was also weak, only the British fleet was stronger than the German fleet, but it could be neutralized with aviation. The Germans had the best aviation in the world at the time,” recalled the commander and one of the leading aces of 303 Squadron Witold Urbanowicz.
Unfair assessment of the Poles

Initially, the British aviation authorities were critical of the Polish fighters because, in the English view, the Poles flew obsolete aircraft, did not speak English and belonged to an army shattered by the Germans.

As Colonel Witold Urbanowicz recalled, one of these critics was Marshal Hugh Dowding, an RAF officer and its commander-in-chief during the Battle of Britain, who wrote a secret report on the matter to the British Air Ministry.

Polish fighters

The situation changed when, after German aviation attacked England, the desperate British aviation authorities decided to engage Polish pilots to fight the Germans. A dozen fighters were then put on trial to see how they would perform. - After a few days we were already instructors for English fighters,” recalled Colonel Witold Urbanowicz.

The official date of formation of Squadron 303 is considered August 2, 1940. The then Polish commander of this unit was Major Zdzislaw Krasnodębski, with Colonel Witold Urbanowicz as his deputy. Command was dual, but the deciding vote in practice belonged to a British officer appointed by the RAF.

The Polish 303rd Fighter Squadron made its debut on August 31 with a magnificent combat feat, shooting down 6 enemy planes with no losses of its own.

Less than a year after the painful September defeat, Polish airmen were given a chance for a rematch in the skies of England. On September 15, 1940 - the decisive day of the Battle of Britain - they showed great class. They were recognized as one of the best and most effective fighter units of World War II.
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Recollections of Col. Witold Urbanowicz - commander of Squadron 303 (RWE, 30.11.1980).