Polish pilots in France - 1940 - Polscy piloci we Francji

27.03.1940 Lyon-Bron

Wizyta gen. Sikorskiego i gen. Denian`a, szefa misji Francusko-Polskiej w Lyon-Bron, siedzibie polskiego dywizjonu myśliwskiego.
http://www.polishairforce.pl/menufrancja.html

After the joint Nazi-Soviet victory in the Invasion of Poland of 1939, a large part of both the flying personnel and technicians of the Polish Airforce were evacuated to Romania and Hungary, from where hundreds of them found their way to France. There, in accordance with the Franco-Polish Military Alliance of 1921, and the amendments of 1939, Polish Air units were to be re-created. However, the French headquarters was hesitant in creating large Polish air units and instead most of Polish pilots were attached to small units, so-called keys. Only one large unit was formed, the Groupe de Chasse polonaise I/145 stationed at Mions airfield. However, it was not until May 18, 1940 that it was equipped with planes - and even then these were the completely obsolete Caudron C.714 fighters. After 23 sorties the bad opinion of the plane was confirmed by the front-line pilots. It was seriously underpowered and was no match for the enemy fighters of the epoch. Because of that, on May 25, only a week after it was introduced in active service, French minister of war Guy la Chambre ordered all of C.710s to be withdrawn. However, since the French authorities had no other planes to offer, the Polish pilots ignored the order and continued to use the planes. Although the plane was hopelessly outdated compared to the Messerschmitt Me 109E's it faced, the Polish pilots nevertheless scored 12 confirmed and 3 unconfirmed kills in three battles between June 8 and June 11, losing 9 in the air and 9 more on the ground. Interestingly, among the planes claimed shot down were four Dornier Do 17 bombers, but also three Messerschmitt Bf 109 and five Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters. The rest of the Polish units were using the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighter, slightly more reliable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_Air_Forces_in_France_and_Great_Britain

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[someoneinusa]

Too bad that France caputulated to Nazi Germany soon after...

Well, it is said that French loved their care free lifestyles to much in order to "fight to the end' against German invadors.

Maybe French still have a beautifull historic buildings in their capital Paris, but not much honor. Poles, quite the oposite, Warsaw was distroyed, because Poles put up great fight to the end, never given up to Hitler.

You can build new building, but you can not rebuild your reputation that easly...

[SkibaFelix]

How do I support it?

80,000 Poles fought on the side of the French in 1940.

74,000 lived through it.

60,000 (Polish soldiers even before World War Two were trained to avade capture and civis were part of uniform) did make it out to UK.

Yet, half of them was surprised to find that the French left them to fight alone, again.

The other half did notice that the French were reluctant to put their arms down.

[Camarale]

@Armydicked

You forget the Dewoitine 520 or the Morane, which were as good as the ME109. But, they were in small numbers, due to blind French politicians.

[Armydicked]

My God, look at the DEATH TRAPS France pimped off on the Brave Polish Pilots of 1940!!! Let us compair the Caudron C714 to the Me 109 E: Speed 302mph v. 348mph. Carborated v. Fuel Injected (meaning the French Renault 12R 03 would stall out in a dive/roll). Four dinky 7.5mm guns v. Two 7.9mm and (E-3) Three 20mm FF cannons. Rate of Climb 9.7MIN to 13.1K' v. 7.8MIN to 19.6K'!!! Final Tally: 12KIAs against 13losses Can you say 'DEAD MAN WALKING' ?!!! What is German for 'Meat on the table'?!!!

[Camarale]

@przemaser2

Hundreds thousands jews were deported from all over Europe in Poland. From Netherlands, Hungary Italy, France, Greece, and many other places in eastern Europe. Not all Jews were in Poland. But the name of Poland and Auschwitz Birkenau will always be associated with jews extermination.

[przemaser2]

@Camarale camps were in poland because most jews lives in poland - costs you idiot - germans people are very practice:)

[DuguesclinBZH]

@hague1cameron Weak resistance ?

In just three weeks, 90,000 French soldiers were killed, 123,000 injured, and 1,800 armored vehicles / tanks are destroyed.

And that's not counting the civilian casualties. French soldiers continue to die in combat throughout the war. They are 338,000 French soldiers (and partisans) who died during WWII.

...

Thank you for respecting the dead.

[DuguesclinBZH]

At the Battle of France, some Polish pilots were in the French camp. Due to lack of aircraft, the French gave them Caudron C.714. They were totally obsolete, but the Poles managed to win 12 victories with the "flying coffin".

Very nice performance

[MaximusProteus]

@HeiligesReich2

Sure, sure... so will i see that example i was asking for?

You even didn`t declared war on Britain, but sneakly attacked (typical tactic of honorles cowards) some little garnissons in Malaya, Singapore and Hong - Kong in 1941... that`s TWO years after Germany, Italy etc. went to war !!!

[HeiligesReich2]

@MaximusProteus Too hard to understand history for you.Your knowledge is entire wrong.