Here is something unusual.
9th February 1943
It was well before sunrise when after the briefing in the Operation Room of Dale Air Force Station in Wales crews of four Polish Vickers Wellingtons headed for their machines.
They had to do a routine flight over Biscay Bay in order to hunt for the German U boots.
For one of those crews it was to be an unusual day in their career.
This crew consisted of kpt Emil Ladro (1st pilot), ppłk Jan Biały (co-pilot), por. Stanisław Płachciński (navigator), kpr. Kazimierz Chłopicki (wireless), kpr Władysław Piskorski (gunner), plut. Antoni Ulicki (gunner).
They took off at 9.40However they didn't spot any U-boot in the Bay, so after several circles they headed home.
Suddenly the rear gunner reported visual contact - 4 Junkers ju 88 long range fighters that without hesitation attacked the lone bomber.
Polish pilot (Ladro) decided to engage in the dogfight (!), so he dropped all his depth charges and decreased altitude almost to zero.
Ladro tried to perform tight turns in order to enable his gunners to have a clear shot.
After few minutes the crew noticed that after a head to head attack one of the ju88's hit by Piskorski, went down to the sea in flames.
Unfortunately the remaining three German planes damaged the front turret and heavily wounded the gunner.
But nevertheless the crew carried on the fight. In course of continuous attacks the co-pilot Biały was also wounded by schrapnel and the gunsights of the rear gunner were knocked.
More, even the waist mg was damaged, so the Polish crew could also manouver in order to survive.
Pilot Ladro made a series of "fake" attacks and offensive manouvers in order to frighten the Germans. The crew was so determined that in the desperate situation they were ready to ram into the German fighter. But fortunately it wasn't necessary.
After 59 (!!!!!) minutes of fierce dogfight, ju88's disengaged saluting to the Polish crew.
Wellington continued her way back to Britain. They managed to land safely at 5.25 PM in a base of a squadron of Beaufighters commanded by S/L Cartridge (Canadian).
it occured that he, allarmed by the Polish crew of the German fighters led a flight of Beaufighters and shot down the remaining three ju88's.
This action was widely described in the British press (Daily Herald). Of course in the article all the personal data of the crew members were removed in the fear of possible repressions that could meet their families in the occupied Poland.
All the crew was decorated with Virtuti Militari crosses (the highest Polish military medal) by the President of the Polish Republic in Exile Raczkiewicz.
9th February 1943
It was well before sunrise when after the briefing in the Operation Room of Dale Air Force Station in Wales crews of four Polish Vickers Wellingtons headed for their machines.
They had to do a routine flight over Biscay Bay in order to hunt for the German U boots.
For one of those crews it was to be an unusual day in their career.
This crew consisted of kpt Emil Ladro (1st pilot), ppłk Jan Biały (co-pilot), por. Stanisław Płachciński (navigator), kpr. Kazimierz Chłopicki (wireless), kpr Władysław Piskorski (gunner), plut. Antoni Ulicki (gunner).
They took off at 9.40However they didn't spot any U-boot in the Bay, so after several circles they headed home.
Suddenly the rear gunner reported visual contact - 4 Junkers ju 88 long range fighters that without hesitation attacked the lone bomber.
Polish pilot (Ladro) decided to engage in the dogfight (!), so he dropped all his depth charges and decreased altitude almost to zero.
Ladro tried to perform tight turns in order to enable his gunners to have a clear shot.
After few minutes the crew noticed that after a head to head attack one of the ju88's hit by Piskorski, went down to the sea in flames.
Unfortunately the remaining three German planes damaged the front turret and heavily wounded the gunner.
But nevertheless the crew carried on the fight. In course of continuous attacks the co-pilot Biały was also wounded by schrapnel and the gunsights of the rear gunner were knocked.
More, even the waist mg was damaged, so the Polish crew could also manouver in order to survive.
Pilot Ladro made a series of "fake" attacks and offensive manouvers in order to frighten the Germans. The crew was so determined that in the desperate situation they were ready to ram into the German fighter. But fortunately it wasn't necessary.
After 59 (!!!!!) minutes of fierce dogfight, ju88's disengaged saluting to the Polish crew.
Wellington continued her way back to Britain. They managed to land safely at 5.25 PM in a base of a squadron of Beaufighters commanded by S/L Cartridge (Canadian).
it occured that he, allarmed by the Polish crew of the German fighters led a flight of Beaufighters and shot down the remaining three ju88's.
This action was widely described in the British press (Daily Herald). Of course in the article all the personal data of the crew members were removed in the fear of possible repressions that could meet their families in the occupied Poland.
All the crew was decorated with Virtuti Militari crosses (the highest Polish military medal) by the President of the Polish Republic in Exile Raczkiewicz.
