Polish Greatness (Blog): Polish Air Force 1939 The Order of Battle

In the months preceding the September invasion, entire fleets of Polish squadrons were deployed throughout the countryside in a mass mobilization from March to August 1939. Each of the squadrons were assigned to act as support for the Air Force Command of various Polish Armies.

The Order of Battle of the Polish Air Force represents the pre-war structure of the squadrons. With the exception of two air brigades, the structure is the same. Without going into detail of each one, I would just like to list them if only to demonstrate the official organization of the Polish Air Force.

The Polish Air Force was divided according to the following units: Each escadrille was identified by its name and number according to the tasks it was assigned to do.

Air Regiment consisting of 4 squadrons or 8 escadrilles.
Air Squadron (2 escadrilles)
Air Escadrille ( 8 to 12 planes)
Bombing escadrille
Fighter escadrille
Observation escadrille
Reconnaissance escadrille
Staff escadrille

Though the Polish Squadrons were few in numbers, they were highly organized as can be seen by the following units:

HEADQUARTERS

Communications platoon No. 1 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 1)

Communications platoon No. 2 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 2)
Polish 16th Observation Escadrille

Staff Escadrille

PURSUIT BRIGADE

Polish 1st Fighter Squadron of the 3rd Air Regiment (III/1. Dywizjon Myśliwski)

Polish 111th Fighter Escadrille (111 Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 112th Fighter Escadrille (112 Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 1st Fighter Squadron of the 4th Air Regiment(IV/1 Dywizjon Myśliwski)
Polish 113th Fighter Escadrille (113 Eskadra Myśliwska)
Polish 114th Fighter Escadrille (114 Eskadra Myśliwska)
Polish 123rd Fighter Escadrille (123 Eskadra Myśliwska)

BOMBER BRIGADE

Polish 10th Bomber Squadron (X Dywizjon Bombowy)

Polish 211th Bomber Escadrille(211. Eskadra Bombowa
Polish 212th Bomber Escadrille((212. Eskadra Bombowa)

Polish 15th Bomber Squadron (XV Dywizjon Bombowy)

Polish 216th Bomber Escadrille (216. Eskadra Bombowa)

Polish 217th Bomber Escadrille (217. Eskadra Bombowa)

Polish 2nd Bomber Squadron (II Dywizjon Bombowy)

Polish 21st Bomber Escadrille (21. Eskadra Bombowa)

Polish 22nd Bomber Escadrille (22. Eskadra Bombowa)

Polish 6th Bomber Squadron (VI Dywizjon Bombowy)

Polish 64th Bomber Escadrille (64. Eskadra Bombowa)

Polish 65th Bomber Escadrille (65. Eskadra Bombowa)

Polish 55th Independent Bomber Escadrille (55. Samodzielna Eskadra Bombowa)

Communications platoon No. 4 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 4)

Communications platoon No. 12 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 12)

ARMY AVIATION

These squadrons provided essential support to army land units. Altogether the Polish Army had 288 planes including 246 fighter aircraft and 42 support planes.

AVIATION OF THE MODLIN ARMY

Communications platoon No. 11 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 11)

Polish 41st Reconnaissance Escadrille (41. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)III/5.
Fighter Squadron (III/5. Dywizjon Myśliwski)
Polish 152nd Fighter Escadrille (152. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 53rd Observation Escadrille (53. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

AVIATION OF THE POMORZE ARMY

Communication platoon No. 7 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 7)

Communications platoon No. 8 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 8)

Polish 42nd Reconnaissance Escadrille (42. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)

(III/4. Dywizjon Myśliwski)

Polish 141st Fighter Escadrille (141. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 142nd Fighter Escadrille (142. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 43rd Observation Escadrille (43. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Polish 46th Observation Escadrille (46. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

AVIATION OF THE POZNAN ARMY

Communications platoon No. 6 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 6)

Polish 34th Reconnaissance Escadrille (34. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)

(III/3. Dywizjon Myśliwski)

Polish 131st Fighter Escadrille (131. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 132nd Fighter Escadrille (132. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 33rd Observation Escadrille (33. Eskadra Obserwacyjna

Polish 36th Observation Escadrille (36. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

AVIATION OF THE LODZ ARMY

Communications platoon No.10 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 10)

Polish 32nd Reconnaissance Escadrille (32. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)III/6. Dywizjon Myśliwski)

Polish 161st Fighter Escadrille (161. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 162nd Fighter Escadrille(162. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 63rd Observation Escadrille (63. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Polish 66th Observation Escadrille (66. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

AVIATION OF THE KRAKOW ARMY

Communications platoon No.3 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 3)

Polish 24th Reconnaissance Escadrille (24. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)(III/2. Dywizjon Myśliwski)

Polish 121st Fighter Escadrille (121. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 122nd Fighter Escadrille (122. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 23rd Observation Escadrille (23. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

Polish 26th Observation Escadrille (26. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

AVIATION OF THE KARPATY ARMY

Communications platoon No.5 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 5)

Polish 31st Reconnaissance Escadrille (31. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)

Polish 56th Observation Escadrille (56. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

AVIATION OF THE NAREW INDEPENDENT OPERATIONAL GROUP

Communications platoon No.9 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 9)

Polish 51st Reconnaissance Escadrille (51. Eskadra Rozpoznawcza)

Polish 151st Fighter Escadrille (151. Eskadra Myśliwska)

Polish 13th Observation Escadrille (13. Eskadra Obserwacyjna)

NAVAL AVIATION

Naval Air Squadron (Morski Dywizjon Lotniczy)

Long Range Reconnaissance Escadrille (I Eskadra Dalekiego Rozpoznania)
Short Range Reconnaissance Escadrille (II Eskadra Bliskiego Rozpoznania)
Communications Platoon of the Command of Coastal Defense
(Pluton łącznikowy Dowództwa Lądowej Obrony Wybrzeż)