SEVENTH CIRCLE

by Piotr Górka

Jun 1944  Normandy Operation Overlord. Mustang Mk.IIIs of No.133 Wing (Polish) engaged   

    with FW-190s in a dogfigh. This unit was top score  in 2nd TAF in June 1944.

L/E 320 Limited Edition signed & numbered prints

Each of these editions are individuall numbered

Overall print size:   25 3/4"wide  20"high    65,5 x 51 cm

Image size:  21"wide  14 3/4"high      53,2 x 37,5 cm

Printed On HQ Acid Free Permanent   Paper 250 Gr

S/N 220 Signed and Numbered FIVE signatures       PRICE 195 €  plus postage

signed by

Wing Commander   STANISLAW SKALSKI  VMIV VMv CV*** DSO DFC**

Flight Lieutenant  TADESZ GORA  VM CV*

Flight Lieutenant  TADEUSZ KWIATKOWSKI  CV

Warrant Officer  JAKUB BARGIELOWSKI  VM CV** DFC

Warrant Officer  JAN POMIETLARZ  VM CV

A/P 70 Multi Signatures TEN signatures      PRICE 270 €  plus postage

signed by

Wing Commander   STANISLAW SKALSKI  VMIV VMV  CV*** DSO DFC**

Squadron Leader  MICHAL CWYNAR  VM CV*** DFC

Squadron Leader  TADEUSZ ANDERSZ  VM CV** DFC DFCUSA

Flight Lieutenant  TADESZ GORA  VM CV*

Flight Lieutenant  TADEUSZ KWIATKOWSKI  CV

Flying Officer  BOZYDAR NOWOSIELSKI  CV

Warrant Officer  JAKUB BARGIELOWSKI  VM  CV** DFC

Warrant Officer  JAN POMIETLARZ  VM CV

Warrant Officer MARIAN JANKIEWICZ  CV

Warrant Officer ZYGMUNT JAESHKE  CV

 ...This Mustang of yours in combat with an FW 190 is really something. It might seem that the Mustang is too close to the Focke-Wulf, but sometimes we would manage to get very close, so that when passing the enemy aircraft you could see all the details in the cockpit, the pilot, his face. This sometimes shows perfectly in frames from camera gun films that I was able to watch at the end of the war. Well done!!!

S/Ldr Michal Cwynar

315 sqn , Co. 316 Sqn PAF

2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE IN OPERATION 'OVERLORD'

        Preparations for the invasion of France started in the earnest in mid-1943. Air forces in Britain were reorganised, and the 2nd Tactical Air Force was established (the 1st TAF had operated in the Mediterranean). The 2nd TAF was going to provide support to ground troops during fighting on the continent. It included fighter, reconnaissance and light bomber units. After the invasion, as ground troops advanced, they would follow them moving to airfields near the front line. A number of Polish units were allocated to the 2nd TAF; the 1st and 2nd Polish Wings (as Nos. 131 and 133 in the 2nd TAF structure, respectively) and No. 305 Squadron. At dawn on 6 June 1944 allied troops landed on Normandy beaches. This giant amphibious operation involved lots of aircraft, including Spitfires of all No.131 Wing squadrons and of all No. 133 Wing squadrons and of No. 303 Sqn (within an RAF wing), which patrolled the landing area from dawn, each flying four squadron-strength operations. During first days and weeks of the invasion Polish fighter squadrons were mainly busy patrolling the landing area, and attacking ground targets, mainly the transport. The first day of the invasion failed to bring any aerial victories to the Poles, but the next day proved extremely cuccessful for No.133 Wing fighters. On 7 June Nos, 306 and 315 Squadrons fought a number of combats with Luftwaffe fighters, and were credited with a total of 16 German aircraft destroyed, a record among all allied wings. Own losses amounted to three aircraft destroyed (one pilot killed, one in captivity, one returned a few weeks later). In the course of June the two Polish squadrons of no.133 wing put up 91 combat missions (94% of them reconnaissance/attack task) with No.306 carrying out 345 sorties in some 600 hours and No.315, 377 sorties in some 800 hours. No.129 Sqdn added 327 sorties to the wing1s total. The June effort of polish squadrons of both wings in 2nd TAF totaled 2,665 sorties in almost 5,600 flying hours while that of the whole No.18 (Polish) Fighter Sector, which incorporated also No.135 Wing, amounted to 4,909 sorties. The Polish fighters of 2nd TAF scored 39-4-11 victories, and 133 Wing, commanded by W/Cdr Stanislaw Skalski.

Combat film 2TAF F/O Pietrzak 306 Sqn 07 June  1944   Mustang

Attacking        Me 109

North American Mustang IIIs of 306 Sqn Polish Air Force at Coolham around D-Day wings. Due to the enormous concentration of aircraft in the air and of the anti-aircraft weaponts on the surface,all aeroplanes flying in support

of the invasionwere given special markings in the form of broad black-and-white bands around the fuselage and

wings to minimisey the risk of friendly fire.

Combat film 2 TAF F/L Potocki 306 Sqn 07.June.44. Mustang

Attacking       Me 109

POLISH FIGHTER WINGS IN D-DAY AND D-DAY+1

       At dawn on 6 June 1944 allied troops landed on Normandy beaches. This giant amphibious operation involved lots of aircraft, including Spitfires of all No. 131 Wing squadrons and of No. 303 Sqn (within an RAF wing), which patrolled the landing area from dawn, each flying four squadron-strength operations. During the first days and weeks of the invasion Polish fighter squadrons were mainly busy patrolling the landing area and attacking  ground targets, mainly transport. The first day of the invasion failed to bring any aerial victories to the Poles but the next day proved extremely successful for No. 133 Wing fighters. On 7 June Nos. 306 and 315 Squadrons fought a number of combats with Luftwaffe fighters and were credited with a total of 16 German aircrafts destroyed, a record among all allied wings. Own losses amounted to three aircraft destroyed one pilot killed, one in captivity, one returned a few weeks leter

Armorers load UZ-V of 306 Sqn with 1000-lb bombs; Ford, end of June 1944.

Combat film 2 TAF F/S Bargielowski 315 Sqn12.6.44 Mustang

Attacking      Fw.190.

 W/Cdr Skalski's FZ152 'SS' in the invasion markings, getting ready for its next operations; Coolham, 18 June 1944.