Hello Forum members !

[Stephen]

Hello ,
Just found this great site ...
I live in Preston , Lancashire .
I have just started model building am just beginning an Airfix 1/24th scale Spitfire .
The pilot represents the Polish pilot Jan Zumbach (Swiss actually) .

I wonder if Anyone could help Me please ..I cannot decide if He is wearing a Flying jacket beneath the "Mae West" or R.A.F blue ?
I am trying to make a good job of this would be very pleased if Someone could enlighten Me ?

Best Wishes ,

Stephen ..

 

[fubar57]

Greetings from Canader, Stephen. Head off to the Model Section and start a thread in the Start to Finish section. You will receive more help than you could imagine.

Geo

 

[vikingBerserker]

Welcome aboard Stephen!

 

[Stephen]

Thank You both ..I will do that .

Steve ..

 

[Wurger]

Welcome to the site.

 

[Airframes]

Hi Stephen, and welcome from a bit further south, in Cheshire (although I lived near Preston for a couple of years.)
First, why do you think Jan Zumbach was Swiss?
He was Polish, born in Brodnica, Poland. Having attended the Deblin flying school, he fought with the PAF and after escaping the onslaught of German and Soviet forces, travelling via Bulgaria, he then flew with the Armee de l'Air in France, before escaping to England and flying, originally, with 303 Sqn in the Battle of Britain, before leading the Polish Wing, as a Wing Commander, later in the war.
He also got up to some 'unorthodox' activities, including diamond smuggling, and leading the miniscule Biafran Air Force, before his somewhat mysterious death, in Paris, at the age of 71.
From what I remember of the original mouldings of this kit from 1970, when it was released as a Mk1, the pilot figure is depicted wearing an Irvin jacket, and this would be typical for pilots flying the MkV at altitude at the time 'Johhny' Zumbach was with the Squadron when they had this Mark of Spit.

 

[Thorlifter]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Gnomey]

Welcome.

 

[Njaco]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Welcome to the asylum Stephen, you have come to the right place for help and guidance.

 

[Wayne Little]

Welcome aboard mate!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

G'day Stephen and welcome to a great place to while away the time. Preston used to be as regular stop on my many trips back to England, and I can vouch for how cold Preston station is while heading for Blackpool where my mum used to live. I also worked a Samlesbury for a while.

 

[Wurger]

First, why do you think Jan Zumbach was Swiss? He was Polish, born in Brodnica, Poland....

Not exactly Terry...

He was born on the 14th April 1915, Ursynów, Congress Poland, Russian Empire and was the son of a Polish-born Swiss father and a Polish mother from a family of landowners. Zumbach was registered as a Swiss citizen and hid his nationality in order to join the Polish Air Force. But he always felt a Pole , undoubtedly.

 

[Lucky13]

Welcome to our ever so slightly dysfunctional family Stephen....

 

[Airframes]

Ah, thanks for that Wojtek, and therefore apologies to Stephen.
I knew of his Polish born, Swiss father, and had assumed he had dual nationality, but considered himself Polish. The reason I mentioned Brodnica, is that he describes his childhood in the town, when aircraft came on a 'Flying Circus', which started his love of aviation, and I got the impression he was born and raised there.
I've recently read 'For your Freedom and Ours', after reading '303 Squadron', and it covers the history of the Polish struggle, and the Poles in the RAF, especially the Kosciuszko Squadron, extremely well - even including a short lesson in the pronunciation of some Polish names and words!

 

[Wurger]