RAF No 303 (Torun) Squadron
RAF No 303 (Torun) Squadron Spitfire photographs
Aircrew RAF 303Sqn pilots at RAF Leconfield 24th Oct 1940 IWM CH1535
A group of pilots of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron walking towards the camera from a Hawker Hurricane (probably Hurricane Mk.I, RF-F, V6684) after returning from a fighter sortie at RAF Leconfield, 24th October 1940. Left to right, in the front row are - Pilot Officer Mirosław "Ox" Ferić; Flight Lieutenant John A. Kent "Kentowski" (the CO of 'A' Flight); Flying Officer Bogdan Grzeszczak; Pilot Officer Jerzy Radomski; Pilot Officer Witold "Tolo" Łokuciewski; Pilot Officer Bogusław Mierzwa (obscured by Łokuciewski); Flying Officer Zdzisław Henneberg; Sergeant Jan Rogowski; Sergeant Eugeniusz Szaposznikow. In the centre, to the rear of this group, wearing helmet and goggles is Pilot Officer Jan "Donald Duck" Zumbach.
Imperial War Museum IWM CH 1535 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205212606
Armourers of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron replenishing the 20 mm cannon of a Supermarine Spitfire Mark VB with ammunition, during a gun test in front of the firing butts at RAF Northolt.
Imperial War Museum IWM CH 5506 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210181
AB790 Vb CBAF M45 8MU 31-7-41 452S 5-8-41 308S 1-4-42 engine failed wheels up landing Everidge Kent CE 16-4-42 ASTH SOC 38MU 13-4-43 VASM 21-4-43 fuel syst mods wing stiff 504S 29-6-43 165S 1-7-43 308S 10-10-43 FACB 6-3-44 Basta mods 130S 22-6-44 53OTU 15-8-44 FAAC 8-2-45 ros Braked hard after landing and tipped up Hibaldstow 6-5-45 recat E SOC 25-5-45
Spitfire MkIa X4828, F/Lt Wojciech Kolaczkowski, No. 303 Squadron, RAF Speke, United Kingdom, September 1941
Spitfire Mk.Ia, carrying the serial X4828 and RF-K code, belonged to No. 303 (Polish) Squadron and is representative of the new Day Fighter Scheme, introduced on 19th August 1941. From that date, RAF day fighters were painted in Dark Green and Ocean Grey on the upper surfaces and Medium Sea Grey on the lower surfaces. The aircraft letters were by then changed to Sky, and the fuselage band and spinner remained in the same colour. Note the thin dark border around the letters and the stencil data inscriptions painted on the Ocean Grey surfaces, which are believed to be remnants of the original Dark Earth layer. No. 303 Squadron was moved to RAF Speke from RAF Norholt on 17th July 1941, leaving their Spitfire Mk.llb aircraft behind to receive old war weary Mk.Is for training purposes. RF-K was flown by A Flight leader F/Lt Kolaczkowski, who was later No. 303 Squadron Leader from 21st November 1941 to 7th May 1942. The name Vojtek' is Kolaczkowski's nickname and the name 'Krysia' was the nickname of his girlfriend Kristina. It is not known with certainty if these inscriptions were painted on the right side as well. No. 303 Squadron returned to Norholt on 7th October 1941 to be re-armed with the new Spitfire Mk.Vb and engaged the new German Fw 190As in intense combat on the other side of the Channel.
Eduard https://info.eduard.com/en/11-2025-1/markings-for-spitfire-mkia-1-48
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFG FO Eugeniusz Horbaczewski BL594 Kirton in Lindsey Jun 1942 0A
Info Eduard: BL594 was delivered to No. 242 Squadron in April 1942, but was damaged in an accident in May, subsequently repaired and delivered to No. 303 (Polish) Squadron, which was operating from Kirton-in-Lindsey airfield at the time. Here it was given the code RF-G and became the personal aircraft of F/O Horbaczewski, who had his current score of four confirmed kills and a personal emblem of a somewhat wild-looking Pegasus painted on the fuselage. In early February 1943, No. 303 Squadron moved to Heston, but BL594 remained at Kirton-in-Lindsey airfield and became the personal aircraft of the commander of No. 2 Polish Wing, W/Cdr Alexander Gabszewicz, with the new code G-WX.
Aircrew RAF 213Sqn Johnny Kent book cover 01
Art Roy Cross RAF 303Sqn RF-D Jan Zumbach Kirton in Lindsey 1942 0A
Spitfire MkIIa RAF 303Sqn RFA Impregnable P8385 Northalt April 1941 0A
Spitfire MkIIa RAF 303Sqn RFP at Northolt England 1941 IWM HU111411
Pilot Officer Bolesław Drobiński being helped with his life jacket by Flying Officer Wiktor Strzembosz, both of No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron, with the Spitfire IIA, 'RF-P' in the background. Photograph taken at RAF Northolt, 1941
Imperial War Museum IWM HU 111411 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205231647
Spitfire MkIIb RAF 303(Polish) RFV Bermuda I P8507 Northolt 1941 01
Spitfire MkIXc RAF 303 Polish RFG BS556 TC15015 Supermarine Spitfire MkIX Page 08
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFD Jan Zumbach BM144 Kirton in Lindsey Mar 1942 01
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFD Jan Zumbach EN951 Kirton in Lindsey 1942 01
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFD Jan Zumbach EN951 Kirton in Lindsey 1942 02
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFD Jan Zumbach EN951 Kirton in Lindsey 1942 0A
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFH BM144 escorting a B 17 carrying Montgomery 17th May 1943 IWM 01
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFH BM144 Halszka escorting Gen Montgomery 17th May 1943 IWM 01
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFK Kolacskowski BL670 Northolt 1942 0A
Spitfire MkV 303 Polish Sqn RF-K named 'EVER READY II' Sqn Ldr Wojciech Kolacskowski BL670 Northolt 1942
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303 Polish RFQ Antoni Glowaki Northolt Aug 1942 01
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303Sqn being rearmed at RAF Northolt IWM CH5506
Spitfire MkVb RAF 303Sqn Polish RFD Jan Zumbach EN951 Kirton in Lindsey Lincolnshire Sep 1942 0A
Info Eduard: Jan Zumbach, a Swiss citizen and grandson of a Swiss emigrant, served with No. 111 Fighter Squadron of the Polish Air Force from 1938. After the fall of Poland, he continued the fight with the French GCD I/55. On 2 August 1940 he joined No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF, with which he scored eight kills during the Battle of Britain. On 17 May 1942 he was given command of the squadron. From the end of September until December 1942 he flew Spitfire EN951, previously the personal aircraft of Don Blakeslee of the USAAF 336th FS, 4th FG. The aircraft prominently featured Zumbach’s personal emblem — Donald the Duck nose art — which appeared in several versions on his various Spitfires. During the war, in which he was shot down and briefly imprisoned towards the end, Zumbach’s final score stood at thirteen confirmed kills and five probables. His postwar life was equally adventurous: he became involved in international arms dealing (often illegally) and fought as a mercenary in Africa for the secessionist forces in Katanga and later Biafra. He died under unclear circumstances in Paris on 3 January 1986.
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