Polská stíhací skupina [1943-1943]

Polish Fighting Team
Polish Fighting Team "Skalski's Circus"
(Polish Team "Skalski's Circus")
Polish fighter group "Skalski's Circus"
Group of 15 Polish volunteer fighters fighting in Tunisia -1943

code sign
ZX ( same as 145th RAF Squadron) and individual numbers 1 -10

history
13.02.1943 - formed at Kirby Base
20.02.1943 - transferred to Middle East Command
17.03.1943 - operational at Boughrara Base, Bou Grara Airfield /
08.05.1943 - last operational flight from Hergla base - Tunis
22.07.1943 - group disbanded

operational subordination
as "C" Squadron of 145 Squadron RAF, together with 43 Squadron and 601 Squadron part of 244 Fighter Wing (Wing) RAF Western Desert, later1st TAF

The reason for the unit's deployment was the Polish Air Force Inspectorate's desire to gain combat and command experience of its pilots (and future commanders) in tactical cooperation between the air force and ground forces prior to the anticipated deployment of Polish fighters in Western Europe after the opening of the Second Front. After the squadron was disbanded, S/Ldr Skalski became commander of 601st Squadron, S/Ldr Horbaczewski became commander of 43rd Squadron, and F/Lt Drecki became squadron commander of 152nd Squadron. The other pilots returned to Britain, where they soon became S/Ldr Król Commander 302nd(pol.) Squadron and F/Lt Arct Squadron Commander 303rd(pol.) Squadron.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#149243 Version : 0

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Znak Polish Fighting Team .
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#149245 Version : 0
commander
13.02.1943-22.07.1943 - S/Ldr Stanisław Skalski


staff
Acting S/Ldr Stanisław Skalski
F/Lt Wacław Król
F/Lt Karol Pniak
F/Lt Eugeniusz Horbaczewski
F/O Władysław Drecki
F/O Ludwik Martel
F/O Kazimierz Sporny
F/O Mieczysław Wyszkowski
F/O Bohdan Arct
P/O Jan Kowalski
W/O Władysław Majchrzyk
W/O Bronisław Malinowski
W/O Mieczyslaw Popek
F/Sgt Kazimierz Sztramko
F/Sgt Marcin Machowiak


Acting W/Cdr Tadeusz Rolski - liaison officer and deputy commander of Maj. Skalski
Acting W/Cdr Mateusz Iżycki - delegate of the Polish Air Force, participated in several operational flights


armament
15.03.1943 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VB Trop and Mk.VC
26.03.1943 - Supermarine Spitfire F Mk.IXC
ZX-1 (EN 459)
ZX-2 (EN 247)
ZX-3 (EN 361)
ZX-4 (EN 313)
ZX-5 (EN 267)
ZX-6 (EN 315)
ZX-7 (EN 268)
ZX-8 (EN 286)
ZX-9 (EN 300)
ZX-10(EN 261)
to be delivered later as part of the replenishment:
ZX-0 (EN 355)
ZX-1 (EN 462)
ZX-4 (EN 257)
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#190845 Version : 0
Seznam vítězství a ztrát Polish Fighting Team "Skalski's Cirkus" v roce 1943.

Potvrzených 25 sestřelů PFT :

28.03.1943 S/Ldr S. Skalski Ju-88 .
28.03.1943 F/Lt E. Horbaczewski Ju-88
02.04.1943 F/Sgt M. Machowiak Bf-109
02.04.1943 F/Lt E. Horbaczewski Bf-109
02.04.1943 S/Ldr S. Skalski Bf-109
04.04.1943 S/Ldr S. Skalski Bf-109
04.04.1943 F/Lt W. King Bf-109
06.04.1943 F/Lt E. Horbaczewski Bf-109
07.04.1943 W/O B. Malinowski Bf-109
07.04.1943 F/O K. Sporny Bf-109
20.04.1943 F/O L. Martel Bf-109
20.04.1943 F/O W. Drecki Bf-109
20.04.1943 W/O M. Popek MC.202
20.04.1943 F/Lt W. King MC.202
20.04.1943 W/O W. Majchrzyk MC.202
20.04.1943 F/O B. Arct Bf-109
21.04.1943 F/Lt W. King Bf-109
22.04.1943 F/Lt E. Horbaczewski Bf-109
22.04.1943 F/Lt E. Horbaczewski Bf-109
22.04.1943 F/O K. Sporny Bf-109
22.04.1943 F/O K. Sporny Bf-109
22.04.1943 F/Sgt K. Sztramko Bf-109
22.04.1943 F/Sgt K. Sztramko MC.202
28.04.1943 W/O M. Popek MC.202
06.05.1943 F/Sgt K. Sztramko Bf-109

Sestřely PFT nepotvrzené :

06.04.1943 F/O M. Wyszkowski Bf-109
18.04.1943 F/O B. Arct MC.202
20.04.1943 F/O L. Martel Bf-109

Poškozené stroje PFT:

02.04.1943 F/Sgt M. Machowiak Bf-109 .
02.04.1943 F/O B. Arct Bf-109
04.04.1943 F/O L. Martel Bf-109
06.04.1943 W/O W. Majchrzyk Bf-109
08.04.1943 W/O M. Popek Bf-109
20.04.1943 F/O W. Drecki Bf-109
21.04.1943 F/O B. Arct Bf-109
30.04.1943 F/Sgt M. Machowiak Fw-190
06.05.1943 S/Ldr S. Skalski Bf-109

Ztráty PFT:

18.04.1943 F/O M. Wyszkowski - sestřelen outfit Bf-109, fell to zajetí.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#149249 Version : 0

This post has not been translated to English yet. Please use the TRANSLATE button above to see machine translation of this post.

Legendární velitel Polish Fighting Team „Skalski's Cirkus“ maj. Stanisław Skalski ve svým Spitfire v Tunisu.Pod kabinou označená vítězství Skalského.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#149250 Version : 0

This post has not been translated to English yet. Please use the TRANSLATE button above to see machine translation of this post.

Startující letouny Spitfire jednotky PFT na základně Goubrine - červen 1943.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#149251 Version : 0
Pilots of Polish Fighting Team "Skalski's Circus" posing in front of Spitfire ZX-5 (EN 267). Standing from the left are :F/O Sporny, F/O Martel, F/Lt Pniak, F/O Drecki, F/Lt Horbaczewski, W/O Majchrzyk, F/Sgt Machowiak, F/Sgt Sztramko,F/Lt Król, S/Ldr Skalski, F/O Wyszkowski; kneeling on the ground: P/O Kowalski and W/O Malinowski.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#149982 Version : 0
The wreckage of the Spitfire ZX-0 (EN-355) on which F/O Mieczysław Wyszkowski was shot down - the only loss of the Polish Fighting Team during the fight in Africa. F/O Wyszkowski fell into captivity.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Polska-stihaci-skupina-1943-1943-t39359#158234 Version : 0
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