A Question of Honor. The Kosciuszko Squadron: Forgotten Heroes of World War II, Lynne Olson & Stanley Cloud. (Knopf, 2003)
Foreign contribution
From the very beginning of the war, the Royal Air Force accepted foreign pilots to supplement the dwindling pool of British pilots. On 11 June 1940 the Polish Government in Exile signed an agreement with the British Government to form a Polish Army in Britain and, specifically, a Polish Air Force. The first two (of an eventual ten) Polish fighter squadrons went into action in August 1940. In total 4 Polish squadrons took part in the battle (300 and 301 Bomber Squadrons; 302 and 303 Fighter Squadrons) with 89 Polish pilots. Together with more than 50 Poles fighting in British squadrons, a total of 145 Polish pilots defended the British sky. Polish pilots were among the most experienced in the battle, most of them having already fought in the September Campaign in Poland and the Battle of France. One must also point out the very high level of pilot training in the pre-war Poland. 303 Squadron, named after the Polish-American hero General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, achieved the highest number of kills (273) of all the fighter squadrons engaged in the Battle of Britain, even though it only joined the combat on August 30. To put things in perspective, 5% of pilots were responsible for 12% of the total scores of the Battle.
There was also a significant input of Czechoslovak pilots in the Battle of Britain. Two Czech fighter squadrons, 310 and 312, took part in the battle. Together with Czech pilots serving in other allied units, a total of 87 Czechs defended the British sky. Of them, Josef Frantisek, flying with 303 Polish Squadron, was the most efficient allied ace of the Battle of Britain, with 17 confirmed kills.
Three squadrons of American volunteers, known as Eagle squadrons, also fought with the RAF in this period, the first becoming operational in February 1941.
http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Battle_of_Britain
http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Polish_contribution_to_World_War_II
From the very beginning of the war, the Royal Air Force accepted foreign pilots to supplement the dwindling pool of British pilots. On 11 June 1940 the Polish Government in Exile signed an agreement with the British Government to form a Polish Army in Britain and, specifically, a Polish Air Force. The first two (of an eventual ten) Polish fighter squadrons went into action in August 1940. In total 4 Polish squadrons took part in the battle (300 and 301 Bomber Squadrons; 302 and 303 Fighter Squadrons) with 89 Polish pilots. Together with more than 50 Poles fighting in British squadrons, a total of 145 Polish pilots defended the British sky. Polish pilots were among the most experienced in the battle, most of them having already fought in the September Campaign in Poland and the Battle of France. One must also point out the very high level of pilot training in the pre-war Poland. 303 Squadron, named after the Polish-American hero General Tadeusz Kosciuszko, achieved the highest number of kills (273) of all the fighter squadrons engaged in the Battle of Britain, even though it only joined the combat on August 30. To put things in perspective, 5% of pilots were responsible for 12% of the total scores of the Battle.
There was also a significant input of Czechoslovak pilots in the Battle of Britain. Two Czech fighter squadrons, 310 and 312, took part in the battle. Together with Czech pilots serving in other allied units, a total of 87 Czechs defended the British sky. Of them, Josef Frantisek, flying with 303 Polish Squadron, was the most efficient allied ace of the Battle of Britain, with 17 confirmed kills.
Three squadrons of American volunteers, known as Eagle squadrons, also fought with the RAF in this period, the first becoming operational in February 1941.
http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Battle_of_Britain
http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Polish_contribution_to_World_War_II
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