Germany - 1917 - LVG C.V

All Work and No Play Makes Will...

Since I last posted things have been hectic. I just got completed a series of profiles for the book project I wrote about earlier and hope to be able to share them when the time is right. Site revisions and working up new profile masters and insignias, etc has been keeping me busy. I got sidetracked on a bit of engine building. Slowly I will have made a new set of detailed engines I can insert into the profile and dial in the size. It will help when doing types where only the engine is changed.

My latest profiles have been of LVG aircraft. I have saved posting the best types for last. In either numbers built, success, number of nations using them and length of service. The Late C class LVG aircraft were all these things.

Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. (L.V.G. or LVG) was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.

The raid on London in 1916 was conducted by one LVG C.IV. It dropped its bombs near London Victoria station, but was shot down by French anti-aircraft gunners on its way home.

German Empire

LVG C.V s/n C.9730/17 - 1917

Besides the serial number little is known of this example. The colors are conjectural and based on a excellent profile done by Bob Pearson in 2000 for the L.V.G. C.V Datafile.

Polish Air Force

LVG C.V Poland 1920

I have no solid information on this planes assignments or history. The color scheme was often used on this aircraft type. I have not sen a top view and at the moment thinking the upper wings are dark green to match the varnished linen on the lower wings. I would also assume the simple unbordered red and white check insignia are prominent on the top upper wing surface.

LVG C.V s/n 9667/17 - 1917

The profile is based on this LVG C.V when it served in unknown German training unit in France during the Summer and Autumn of 1918. While assigned to the International Contact Regiment, RKKVF, it flew the first Soviet international flight during the period of April12th through the 15th in 1918.The Russian pilot Khodorovich flew from Vinnitsa to Budapest. It was a 1062 km flight lasting a total of 8 flying hours.

A Short Overview of the LVG C.V

From Wikipedia, LVG C.V, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVG_C.V"

The LVG C.V was a reconnaissance aircraft produced in large numbers in Germany during World War I. It was a conventional two-bay biplane design of its day, with unstaggered wings of equal span and tandem, open cockpits for the pilot and observer. The ailerons, fitted only to the upper wing, featured aerodynamic balances that extended past the wingtips. The fuselage was a semi-monocoque construction skinned in wood.

Following the war, some C.Vs were used as civil transports, while some 150 machines captured by Polish forces were put to use by the Polish army.] Other post-war users included Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia; together operating about 30 aircraft.

References

1. From Wikipedia, LVG C.V, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LVG_C.V"
2. Grosz, Peter M. "LVG C.V. Windsock Datafile 71": Berkhampstead: Albatross Productions. (1998).
3. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing.
4. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions.
5. "World Aircraft Information Files". London: Bright Star Publishing.

Poland - 1920 Ansaldo A.1

Italy's Contribution to the Polish/Bolshevik War

Early days of the Polish Air Service saw a wide range of second hand aircraft filling its ranks. The cash-strapped combative nations involved in the Great War were left with a surplus of military hardware. The newly independent nations fighting fo hold on to their recent independence needed the armament to achieve their goals. Needless to say many countries saw an opportunity to cash in on what was seen as a win/win situation. It was more than economically attractive. Many nations saw the Communist evolution as a threat to the world order. Arming and supporting the nations to the west of Russia was seen as a way to create a buffer zone to contain Soviet expansion.

Ansaldo A.1 of the Kosciuszko Squadron

Ansaldo A.1, 7th Eskadra Mysliwska, Maj. Fauntleroy s/n 1 (16728) July 1920

This example was purchased from the Italians and entered service in July of 1920. The command strip and the number "1" indicate it as the aircraft of the unit commander. It was flown by the American aviator Maj.Fauntleroy.

Ansaldo A.1, 7th Eskadra Mysliwska, kpt. Merian Cooper, s/n 5 (16726) July 1920

This was the personal aircraft of kpt.Merian Cooper, Lwow, July 1920. When flying this aircraft M.Cooper fell into Bolshevik hands after he crash on 13th July 1920. The wooden fuselage has not been repainted. The aircraft still has the original Italian factory markings which have been over-painted with a black "5" and Polish s/n number of 16.5.

Ansaldo A.1, 7th Eskadra Mysliwska, George Crawford, s/n 10 (16.4) July-Oct. 1920

This was the personal aircraft of kpt. Merian Cooper during July-October of 1920. The wooden fuselage has not been repainted. The aircraft still has the original Italian factory markings which have been over-painted with a black "10" and Polish s/n number of 16.4.

A Brief History of the Ansaldo A.1 Balilla

The Ansaldo A.1, nicknamed "Balilla" after the Genoan folk-hero was Italy's only domestically-produced fighter aircraft of World War I. Arriving too late to see any real action, it was however used by both Poland and the Soviet Union in the Polish-Soviet War.

The A.1 resulted from continued efforts by the Ansaldo company to create a true fighter. Their SVA.5 had proved unsuitable in this role, although it made an excellent reconnaissance aircraft and had been ordered into production as such. Ansaldo engineer Giuseppe Brezzi revised the SVA.5 design, increasing the size of the lower wing, and redesigning the interplane strut arrangement. While this produced more drag, it increased the stiffness of the wing structure and reduced stresses in the airframe. Engine power was increased to 150 kW (200 hp) and a safety system to jettison the fuel tank through a ventral hatch (in case of on-board fire) was installed.

The first prototype was completed in July 1917, but acceptance by the air force did not occur until December. Test pilots were not enthusiastic in their evaluation. While they found a marked increase in performance over the SVA.5, the A.1 was still not as maneuverable as the French types in use by Italy's squadrons. This resulted in a number of modifications, including a slight enlargement of the wings and rudder, and a further 10% increase in engine power. This initially proved satisfactory to the air force, and the modified A.1 (designated A.1bis) was ordered into service with 91 Squadriglia for further evaluation.

Reports from pilots were mixed. While the fighter's speed was impressive, it proved unmaneuverable and difficult to fly. Nevertheless, with a need to clear a backlog of obsolete fighter types then in service, the air force ordered the A.1 anyway.

The first of an original order of 100 machines entered service in July 1918. The A.1s were kept away from the front lines and mostly assigned to home defense duties. In the four months before the Armistice, A.1s scored only one aerial victory, over an Austrian reconnaissance aircraft. It was during this time that Ansaldo engaged in a number of promotional activities, including dubbing the aircraft as Balilla, flying displays in major Italian cities, and in August donating an example to Italian ace Antonio Locatelli as his personal property amidst a press spectacle. (This latter publicity stunt backfired somewhat when one week later a mechanical fault in the aircraft caused Locatelli to make a forced landing behind enemy lines and be taken prisoner). Despite all this, the air force ordered another 100 machines, all of which were delivered before the end of the war. At the armistice, 186 were operational, of which 47 aircraft were ordered to remain on hand with training squadrons, and the remainder were to be put into storage and some were sold to Poland.

References

1. From Wikipedia Ansaldo A1 Balilla, "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansaldo_A.1_Balilla"
2. Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions. pp. 62.

Russia - 1920 Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe

Red Stars and a very Red Nose.

In spite of a nasty cold I have been busy working up illustrations for Project X. I will be posting some details in March. I have been jumping between the Great War and the Inter-war period. My focus has shifted to aircraft flown by the Bolshevik forces. Research on the era is very problematic due to lack of records and the language barrier. With the passing of the last witnesses to events during World War One the task has become even more challenging.

The Mysterious Bolshevik Sopwith Snipes

By the late war The British needed a replacement for the aging Sopwith Camel.The new fighter to take up the fight was the Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe. Delivery of the new aircraft to the RAF began in the early Autumn of 1918. The Snipe was faster, easier to fly and structurally stronger than the Camel. These traits helped the Snipe become the preferred front-line RAF fighter during the early postwar era.

Documents show three Snipes were known to have served with the Soviet Air Service. One of the unsolved mysteries is how these aircraft were acquired. Records show no Royal Air Force units supplied with Snipes operating in Russia. The same can be said for the Polish squadrons opposing the Bolshevik forces. Two of the Snipes are fairly well known, almost nothing is known about the third example.

The Two Faces of Nelly

The most famous of the Soviet Snipes was serial number E6351 which was assigned to the 1^st Fighter Detachment. The pilot G. S. Sapozhnikov had the name “Nelly” painted on the starboard side of the fuselage behind the cockpit.

Sopwith Snipe - 1920

The paint scheme was basically the standard PC-10 finish with light gray panels around the cockpit and a natural metal cowl, under-sufaces are clear doped linen. National markings were red stars painted over the British RAF roundels. The rudder was still painted in the standard British tri-color stripes.

Sopwith Snipe - 1920

Sapozhnikov's Snipe was repainted. All of the British markings were removed. The new national markings were only applied to the bottom surfaces of the lower wing. Some profiles show the stars as red, however latest research state they are in fact black. A black Ace of Spades cover the fuselage roundels. The rudder is painted blue with a curved black arrow. Sapozhnikoz was killed in this aircraft when his engine failed on takeoff on December 8, 1920.

Poland 1920-1293 Morane-Saulnier A-1 MoS-30

Polish Advanced Trainers

When Poland became an independent nation, one of the important needs was the creation of an effective air force. In the beginning the core was composed of veterans serving with the Germans and Austrians during the First World War. Soon aviators from many nations joined them to create a formidable fighting force. Still more aviators were needed to defend the promise of independence for this fledgling nation. To meet this need flight schools were created to swell the ranks of combat pilots who would defend their country and eventually fight for freedom during the Second World War.

The Morane-Saulnier A-1 had very modern lines and was very streamlined. Even though 1,210 were produced it never made a big impact at the front during the Great War. By mid-May 1918 it was withdrawn to serve as an advanced trainer, designated MoS 30. When France began aiding Poland in their efforts for independence the Morane-Saulnier A-1 was a perfect fit for use in the Polish Advanced Flying Schools.

Morane-Saulnier A-1 MoS-30 E1 - Advanced Flying School, Poznan Lawica 1920

When the MS A1 was deployed in Poland many of them retained their French markings. I am not sure if they retained the roundels on the wing or if they carried Polish markings.

Morane-Saulnier A-1 MoS-30 E1 - Advanced Flying School, Grudziadz 1922

This is another example of the standard French camouflage pattern. Notable it the lack of wheel covers and color change of the MS logo on the cowling.

Morane-Saulnier A-1 MoS-30 E1 - Advanced Flying School, Grudziadz 1923

In ths profile you see the French camouflage scheme still in use but there is a the shift to use of Polish national insignias.

Morane-Saulnie AI MS-30 E1 - Advanced Flying School, Bydgoszcz 1923

This example has the dark green color we associate with interwar aircraft. One obvious change is the wide pale blue area on the fuselage. This is fairly atypical. Most late Polish aircraft use gray on the lower surfaces.

Poland - 1919 Fokker D.VII Part 1

Three Polish Fokker D.VII

Another day, another Polish aircraft update. I will try to post them in an orderly and thematic manner to avoid any confusion (Being a geezer with memory issues this is more for me than my readers). Recently I have been working on Polish profiles of the Fokker D.VII. I decided to post them by squadron instead of piecemeal.

I have been thinking about offering CD profile collections for sale. I am still considering the format and structure. Whether it would be better as naked images accessed through a HTML menu or as a PDF. I am not sure if there is a demand for another collection by another illustrator. I welcome any feedback on this. If there is a need and market for this I will be offering them on my blog and my main site.

Fokker D.VII, 15.Eskadra Myśliwska, Pilot Unknown s/n 502/18

This example is fairly typical of schemes used for he Fokker D.VII in Poland. Of note is the bomb rack carried by many of the Fokker D.VII in Polish service. All the polish national markings are the simple version.

Fokker D.VII, 15.Eskadra Myśliwska, Sgt. A. Bartkowiak, s/n 503/18, August-1919

The fuselage and wheel covers of this example are painted in a dark finish. The sources I have seen show it as black. The wings and tail plane are covered in a standard lozenge fabric.

Fokker D.VII, 15.Eskadra Mśsliwska, s/n 504/18, Ostrow Wielkopolski Airfield,1921

Here we have another plane covered in five color lozenge cloth. The crippled hand is a personal insignia. I am still searching for the identity of the pilot of this plane.

A Short Incomplete History of the 15.Eskadra Myśliwska

The unit was formed May 25, 1919 in Poznan as 4 Greater Combat Squadron (ie hunting, in contrast to the squadron,field). The commander was Ltn. George Dziembowski. The first squadron had six pilots which flew German aircraft. The unit initially flew three Albatros D.III 2 Fokker D.VII and a Fokker D.VIII (EV). Beginning in July of 1919 the squadron used the French SPAD VII to train pilots. Later on they switched to the Fokker D. VII. On September 20, 1919 the squadron was stationed at the airport Poznań-Ławica, awaiting orders from the Supreme Command.

In February 1920 the Greater Combat Squadron was named Fighter Squadron 15 . The unit was redeployed to the airport in Bydgoszcz as the reserve unit for the Supreme Command. In April 1920 the squadron consisted of seven fighter pilots and 9 Fokker D.VII , 2 SPAD VII and a two-seat multi-role aircraft Albatros B.II (unassembled).

In May 1920 was sent to the front of the Polish-Soviet war and incorporated into the Third Division . On May 16, 1920 the squadron arrived at the airport Wapniarka to Podolia. The squadron specialized in reconnaissance and ground support missions. During combat operations against the Bolsheviks, the 15th squadron used light bombs strafing runs with great effect. On May 24 of 1920, 5 planes destroyed the Soviet artillery battery in Zielonka.During a two day mission (May 27-28) involving the 15th, 5th and 21st Squadrons attacked the Malewannaja railway station, targeting armored trains and rolling stock.

Overall, from May to October 1920, 15 Squadron made 277 sorties, losing four aircraft to ground fire (three aircraft were damaged) one pilot was killed and one wounded. After the war, under the command of 18 January 1921 Fighter Squadron 15 years stationed in Ostrow Wielkopolski .bIn August 1921 the year 15th Fighter Squadron was part of Fighter Squadron V 3 Air Regiment in Poznan-Shoal.

References

1. Tarkovsky, Krzysztof: Polish Air Force in the war with Soviet Russia 1919-1920. Warsaw: 1991. ISBN 83-206-0985-2 ,
2. Goworek, Thomas: The first Polish fighter aviation, Warsaw 1991, ISBN 83-85001-46-8

Poland - 1920 Ground Attack Aircraft

German Ground Attack Airplanes in the Polish Air Force

Once again my obsessive side is showing. I'm up to 45 Polish aircraft and looking at my reference material I see that I can easily break the hundred mark. It has been an opportunity to revisit existing subjects and an excuse to get more lost master files completed. Another benefit is I am learning more about an era and theater I knew little about.

Before Poland gained independence the country was threatened by both Russia to the east and Germany and Austria to the west. Many Poles were faced with the choice of living in hardship or being conscripted into both the western empires. Needless to say many a Pole found their way into the cockpit of German and Austrian aircraft. When the Great War ended the Polish pilots and their aircraft returned to Poland where they were put to use in found the Polish Air Service.

Albatros J.I, 1.Eskadra Wielkopolska “Smok” s/n 6 (Alb.J1.217/18) 1921

This Albatros J.I was named “Smok” which means Dragon in Polish. The name was painted in white on the forward fuselage, just behind of the bare metal engine compartment. When in German service it was assigned the serial number 628/17 or 628/18. The profile shows the plane when it was attached to the Poznan Flying School in 1921. The national markings on the fuselage and rudder are the more complex version which also appear on both the upper top and lower bottom wing surfaces. The overall color scheme is dark green with pale blue lower surfaces. As with many other Polish aircraft the serial numbers are painted in black over a white stripe. The wheels had covers, however the conic spinner is removed.

Halberstadt CL.II 14.Eskadry Wywiadowczej, s/n 201/18 W. Bartkowiak J. Klicze, 1920

The paint scheme is not much different than the original German scheme. The cowling is bare metal and the fuselage is varnished wood. The wings are lozenge pattern camouflage. The Polish markings are the simple version. The wing markings are in the typical locations. The wire wheels were not covered and the conical spinner is removed. The exhaust is atypical, most Halberstadt mounted it horizontally on the right side of the engine. As in the previous profile the serial numbers are painted on a white stripe.

Poland - 1919 Oeffag D-III BA.253

Project Poland: Take Two

It has been a hectic week in the studio. I have been refining my file name schema, switching from shorter names to more descriptive ones including as much vital information as I can in the name to aid in archiving and web searches. It would drive me crazy when a profile for one aircraft type would be mislabeled by a search engine when pulling results. So far the new method seems to work fairly well. It means larger web documents, but improves search accuracy. (Which is always a good thing.)

I have been busy collecting research material and working up quite a few Polish aircraft profiles recently. The new work includes: Albatros C-class two seat types, Halberstadt CL.IIs, Hannover CL.IIIs, SPAD S.7s, AIRCO DH-9s and a large number of Oeffag D-III Series 253s. Since I have completed enough of them it seemed to be a good opportunity to post part 2 of the series on Polish aviation.

The Kościuszko Squadron

Poland's most famous aviation unit was the Kościuszko Squadron, named for the national hero Tadeusz Kościuszko. The pilots were mainly American ex-service pilots. Some were mercenaries, others volunteered. The Americans were joined by several regular French units. These contained (or were alleged to contain) substantial contingents of Polish personnel.

Tadeusz Kościuszko

Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko (born: February 12, 1746, died: October 15, 1817) was a Polish–Lithuanian and American general and military leader during the Kościuszko Uprising. He is a national hero of Poland, Lithuania, the United States and Belarus. Tadeusz Kościuszko fought in the American Revolutionary War as a colonel in the Continental Army. In 1783, in recognition of his dedicated service, he was brevetted by the Continental Congress to the rank of brigadier general in a mass promotion given to all officers who had served during the war. He lreturned to Poland and ed the 1794 Kościuszko Uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia as Supreme Commander of the Polish National Armed Force (Najwyźszy Naczelnik Siły Zbrojnej Narodowej).

The squadron usd a wide range of aircraft built by both sides of World War One. However the Kościuszko Squadron fielded a large percentage of Austro-Hungarian Oeffag D-III Series 253 with great effect.

Oeffag D-III of the Kościuszko Squadron

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, Maj. Cedric E. Fauntleroy, Lwów, Dec. 1919

This was the personal aircraft of the commander of the Kościuszko Squadron, Maj. Cedric E. Fauntleroy. The upper wing and tail plane surfaces are painted dark green as is the fuselage. The lower wings and tail plane are finished in yellow varnish. The forward section of the cowling and engine cover was painted red.

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, s/n.253218, Kpt. Merian Cooper, Kiev, May 1920

This is the personal plane of Kpt. Merian Cooper while in Kiev, May 1920. The upper wing and tailplane surfaces and the rudder are covered in "sworl" fabric. The red forward section is shown in some sources bearing a white border. As with many polish aircraft the wheels did not have a cover.

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, s/n 8, Pilot Unknown, Lwów, February, 1920

This example shares many of the elements of the previous profile. Once again we see the "sworl" camouflage being used. This example has covers on the wheels and the engine cover has been removed.

Oeffag D-III BA.253 Kościuszko Squadron, s/n 10, Pilot Unknown, Lwów, Dec. 1919

This is fairly typical paint scheme. The Polish insignia is the more complex version, and the rudder is yellow varnished, which was a fairly common practice. Once again there is no wheel covers.

History of the Kościuszko Squadron

Excerpt From Wikipedia Polish 7th Air Escadrille

The Polish 7. Eskadra Lotnicza (7^th Air Escadrille), better known as the Kościuszko Squadron, was one of the units of the Polish Air Force during the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921. Formed in late 1918, it was re-formed in late 1919 from US volunteers. It was one of most active Polish squadrons in the war.

The unit was formed when Poland regained independence, on 7 November 1918 in Kraków, as the 3^rd Air Escadrille, utilizing mostly bomber and reconnaissance aircraft left by Austro-Hungarian forces. On 25 November 1918 it was moved to Lwów (current Lviv), where it took active part in fighting of the Polish-Ukrainian War until June 1919. On 21 December 1918, after unification of Polish air units' names, its name was changed to the 7^th Air Escadrille. It was commanded by Jerzy Boreysza, from April 1919 by Stefan Stec. Among pilots was World War I Ace Mieczysław Garsztka. Number of aircraft was variable, in May 1919 it possessed 3 fighters Fokker D.VIII (E.V), 3 reconnaissance Hansa-Brandenburg C.I and 1 LVG C.V. In June 1919 the escadrille was converted into fighter unit, then in September it was withdrawn into reserve. In October 1919 the commander became Ludomił Rayski.

In late 1919 eight American volunteers, including Major Cedric Fauntleroy and Captain Merian C. Cooper, arrived in Poland from France where in September 1919 they had been officially named the Kościuszko Squadron (after the Polish American hero Tadeusz Kościuszko) with Major Fauntleroy as its commander. After reaching Poland the men from Kościuszko Squadron joined the 7th Squadron. More pilots arrived during the following weeks - in all, there served 21 American pilots, along with several Polish pilots, including Ludwik Idzikowski, the ground crew was all Polish. In November 1919 Major Fauntleroy took the command and on 31 December 1919 the escadrille took the name Kościuszko Squadron. Meanwhile the Polish Air Force underwent reorganization. Even though most volunteers asked to be sent to the frontlines as soon as possible, the Polish high command delayed their deployment in view of the coming Polish offensive.

The Kościuszko Squadron was the first air squadron to use a railway train as a mobile flying base with specially designed railroad cars that could transport their aircraft as the front moved and developed. The train also included the squadron's operational headquarters, aircraft spares and repair workshops and living quarters.

The Kościuszko Squadron was first used in the Kiev Offensive in April 1920, rebasing from Lwów to Połonne. Its aircraft were Albatros D.III (Oef) fighters, supplemented by Ansaldo A.1 Balilla. Since there were no air encounters, primary missions became reconnaissance and ground attack. Most of the Squadron's flights were directed against Semyon Budionny's First Cavalry Army. The Squadron developed a tactic of low-altitude machine-gun strafing runs. Polish land commanders highly valued the contribution of the Kościuszko Squadron. General Puchucki of the 13^th Infantry Division wrote in a report: “The American pilots, though exhausted, fight tenaciously. During the last offensive, their commander attacked enemy formations from the rear, raining machine-gun bullets down on their heads. Without the American pilots' help, we would long ago have been done for.”

Merian Cooper was shot down but survived. Budionny had put half a million rubles on Captain Cooper's head, but when he was caught by the Cossacks he managed to convince them that he was a corporal. A few months later he escaped from a POW camp near Moscow to Latvia.

In August 1920 the Kościuszko Squadron took part in the defense of Lwów, and after the Battle of Warsaw it participated in the Battle of Komarów which crippled Budionny's cavalry. Most active days were August 16 and 17, when Escadrille, reduced to 5 uninjured pilots, fulfilled 18 ground attack missions each day.

In 1920 the Kościuszko Squadron made over 400 combat flights.

References

1. Polish 7th Air Escadrille. (2011, November 19). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:00, January 20, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polish_7th_Air_Escadrille&oldid=461440694
2. Wings Palette World War I/Fighters/Oeffag D.III/Ba.153/Ba.253/Poland http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/f/175/29/0
3. Polish Albatros D.III Kościuszko Squadron scheme http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/camouflage-markings/53442-polish-albatros-d-iii-kozusko-squadron-scheme.html
4. Tadeusz Kościuszko. (2012, January 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 09:21, January 21, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tadeusz_Ko%C5%9Bciuszko&oldid=471731506
5. Merian C. Cooper, Faunt-le-Roy i jego eskadra w Polsce : dzieje Eskadry Kos'ciuszki, Wydawnictwa Pism Związkowych, Chicago, 1922.
6. Kenneth Malcolm Murray, Wings Over Poland: The Story of the 7th (Kosciuszko) Squadron of the Polish Air Service, 1919, 1920, 1921, D. Appleton and Co.,1932.
7. Janusz Cisek, Kosciuszko, We Are Here: American Pilots of the Kościuszko Squadron in Defense of Poland, 1919-1921, McFarland & Company, 2002, ISBN 0-7864-1240-2, Google Print

Poland 1918-1921 Breguet Br.14 A2

Breguet Br.14 A2 of the Polish-Soviet War

Slowly but surely I have been busy fleshing out the my collection of profiles for Poland, Belgium, Greece and Turkey. Some of the work has been slowed by the need for new master files. I hope to remedy this in the near future. I have been preparing the raw line drawings for the process of breaking them down into parts which get refined, shaded and stacked up for reassembly. Once the master files are done I can have fun.

As I promised before here is the first installment on Polish Air Force. There is much more to come. I will be posting them by aircraft type to attempt a coherent narrative.

The Birth of Polish Air Power

Military aviation in Poland started shortly after the country regained its independence in November 1918. Initially, the Polish Air Force consisted of mostly German and Austrian aircraft. The aircraft used included captured German Albatros D.III and D.VI, Fokker D.VII and D.VIII, and the Austrian Lloyd C.V and Oeffag D.III, as well as other aircraft types. These planes were first used by the Polish Air Force in the Polish-Ukrainian War in late 1918, during combat operations centered around the city of Lwów (now Lviv).

When the Polish-Soviet War broke out in February 1920, the Polish Air Force used a variety of aircraft from Britain, France and Italy. The most common aircraft in service at this time were the British made Bristol F2B and Italian Ansaldo Balilla fighters. German aircraft were still in use during the Polish-Soviet War The 21. Eskadra Niszczycielska (21st Destroyer Squadron) included a Gotha G.IV on April 30, 1920.

Breguet Br.14 A2, 39 Eskadra Breguetow sn 7460, Krakow Aerodrome mid 1919

This is one of the original Breguet Br.14 A2s assigned to BR39 Escadrille which was sent to Poland after WWI. It is finished in the French standard five-color camouflage scheme. The top wing bore both French and Polish markings, French on the left upper wing, Polish on the right. The rudder has the Polish insignia painted over the original three color French markings.

Breguet Br.14 A2, 16 Eskadra Wywiadowcza, sn 7244, May 1920

This is another French Breguet Br.14 A2 from Escadrille BR39 which became 16 Eskadras when turned over to the Polish Air Force. The basic paint scheme is the same as above, except the rudder has been over-painted and bears the Polish insignia. The marking mid-ship is a young woman scattering flowers. This unit eventually became the fictional Lithuanian squadron sent to fight in the 'Zeligowski's revolt'.

Breguet Br.14 A2 in Polish Service Overview

During the closing days of the Great War France redeployed three French escadrilles to Poland to aid in their struggle for independence and to bolster their defenses against what was seen as a growing threat of Soviet expansion. Escadrille BR39, BR59 and BR66 were redesignated as Polish squadrons. Eventually the French government handed over the surviving aircraft of these escadrilles to the Polish Air Force. Escadrille BR39 became 16EW, Escadrille BR59 became 12EW and Escadrille BR66 became 4EW. The original three Polish squadrons were disbanded by late 1920. Poland ordered an additional 70 Breguet Br.14s and between 1920-21 assigned them to the newly formed 1, 3, 8, 10, 12 and 16 Eskadras. By 1924 the Br14 was showing its age and was replaced by newer designs entering service.

The Br14s assigned to Poland were finished in the standard five-color camouflage scheme and French markings. The French roundels were gradually over-painted with the Polish red and white checkerboard insignias During the transition the aircraft bore a mix of French and Polish markings. Late issue Br14s were painted in a dark green on all of the upper surfaces

Poland sent the 16 Eskadras to aid Lithuania in the 'Zeligowski's revolt' which was fought between 1920 to 1921. 16 EW was sent as a fictional Lithuanian squadron. To help with the masquerade their markings were changed of a red square with white border on left wing and white square with red border on right. The rudder of these aircraft were painted in red and white stripes.

References

1. Aircraft Colours and Markings of the First World War Era: Breguet Br14 http://www.cbrnp.com/RNP/CDv2/Poland/HTML/Aircraft-Breguet_14.htm