To Danny and all - Polish airmen in the RAF
OLD RED DAMASK
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Franek the confusing thing about Tad Turek, is all the references to him being a teacher in Warrington. Looking at the younger pictures of him, his curly hair stands out as I remember it. So there are no mentions of him as OC of 2354 ATC sqn that was on Grange park in Blackpool. Wouldn't have thought he would have commuted in those days and bring his son John, who I think did go to Blackpool Grammar school.
My first squadron tour, 24 at Colerne, on Hastings, 1962-65. Delightful Polish ops officer called Frank Krecji. Spoken English wasn't one of Frank's strong points (obviously why they made him an ops offr). One of his great talents was portrait photography, and, indeed, I still have a large picture of a mustachioed Fg Off Airsound, looking mildly steely in barathea battledress (remember them?) - complete with suitably battered SD hat, which I think lived in a flying boot overnight. Anyway, Frank's very elegant signature adorns the picture, and I still remember him fondly.
Another thing I remember was his favourite rallying call when out on the razzle - "More beer and bigger voomin". I'm not sure that Frank would have taken kindly to PC.
Bless
airsound
Another thing I remember was his favourite rallying call when out on the razzle - "More beer and bigger voomin". I'm not sure that Frank would have taken kindly to PC.
Bless
airsound
Last edited by airsound; 5th Sep 2018 at 08:59. Reason: barathea
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YS
Jan Walentowicz, ex-307 & 304 Sqn. Passed away in 2011. Do you have any anecdotes on him?
Airsound
František Krejčí was a Czech pilot. Pointed this out to my Czech pal.
Nigel
I wonder if he was doing his duties as a reserve officer? I would need to locate his son, then, I guess he would know. I find one John Turek in Leeds, but not sure if the one.
Jan Walentowicz, ex-307 & 304 Sqn. Passed away in 2011. Do you have any anecdotes on him?
Airsound
František Krejčí was a Czech pilot. Pointed this out to my Czech pal.
Nigel
I wonder if he was doing his duties as a reserve officer? I would need to locate his son, then, I guess he would know. I find one John Turek in Leeds, but not sure if the one.
Thanks, Franek. I apologise both to Poland and to the Czech Republic for misplacing Frank! it's interesting that his name was really Frantisek (can't do the accent!) - because on a recent visit to Prague/Praha, I spent some time talking with the Czechs about one of our - and their - heroes, Josef Frantisek.
airsound
airsound
My uncle, Pilot Officer Wladyslaw Liber, was undergoing pilot training at Carlisle between August 1941 and December 1941. Magisters and Oxfords and was getting 'Average' ratings (I have his log-book). It then just stopped, I believe that he failed a medical. I'm told that he then went on to be an engineering officer for the reminder of the war.
I don't know how much flying he'd done before arriving in England but I have a photograph of my father (Polish Naval officer), Wladek (Polish AF officer) and their older brother (Polish cavalry officer) where Wladek is sporting polish pilot's wings on his collar/lapel.
Not sure how much help that is to your quest but I'd be interested to know more of his story.
I don't know how much flying he'd done before arriving in England but I have a photograph of my father (Polish Naval officer), Wladek (Polish AF officer) and their older brother (Polish cavalry officer) where Wladek is sporting polish pilot's wings on his collar/lapel.
Not sure how much help that is to your quest but I'd be interested to know more of his story.
One of the most colourful characters at Sleap in the early '60s was Adam Wojda, an ex-RAF Polish pilot. A great character, he came to my wedding in 1969. He was frequently grounded, on one occasion for showing me how to fly circuits with a neat little stall turn at each end of the downwind leg "to please these pedants who want square circuits". He also taught me - in an Auster - how to do a steep full-flap fish-tailing final approach (ie side-slipping alternately left and right down to about 50ft) so that you could see the runway ahead. I visited the club many years later to find him propped up on the bar, flying days over, it seems. It was a bit sad. I never did know about his RAF career; I imagine it was fighters but that's all I know. He did not talk about it. He had only a passing acquaintance with discipline, a Polish characteristic that's to be admired. (I can say that as 3 of my grand-children and their Dad now have Polish passports, as their mother always has, in preparation for Brexit.)
airsound
Your #42
If you've got Windows you can.
1. Turn on the Num Lock key on your keyboard
2. Then while pressing the ALT key type in 0154 on the keyboard.
3. This gives you: š
...and that's it - so you can have František!
WT
Your #42
his name was really Frantisek (can't do the accent!)
1. Turn on the Num Lock key on your keyboard
2. Then while pressing the ALT key type in 0154 on the keyboard.
3. This gives you: š
...and that's it - so you can have František!
WT
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airsound
Sure, really no problem, and great that his history surfaced. There were also few RYAF airmen in the RAF post war. Never seen any mention of them, though. As to Josef František, he had a popular first name as his surname.Interestingly, since 1939 upuntil his death he served with the Polish AF, as at some point he get into a conflict with the Czech command. There were a few Czech and Slovaks in the PAF, mostly they have transfered to CzAF during the war.
Kemble
Libera was a technical officer or engineering officer, indeed. You can apply to MoD for his full service record. Unfortunately, there will be not much more than dates and postings. No glamour in servicing aircraft. Did he have lots of photos?
old
I understand that he was Zbigniew Adam Wojda, who passed away nearly 10 years ago. If so, he was quite well known No 303 Sqn pilot with some interesting stories to tell, including design of Polish AF standard. His son John flew in Sleap as well. I understand that Adam joined Shropshire Flying Group in 1957.
Are not you afraid, that they could be expelled?
Sure, really no problem, and great that his history surfaced. There were also few RYAF airmen in the RAF post war. Never seen any mention of them, though. As to Josef František, he had a popular first name as his surname.Interestingly, since 1939 upuntil his death he served with the Polish AF, as at some point he get into a conflict with the Czech command. There were a few Czech and Slovaks in the PAF, mostly they have transfered to CzAF during the war.
Kemble
Libera was a technical officer or engineering officer, indeed. You can apply to MoD for his full service record. Unfortunately, there will be not much more than dates and postings. No glamour in servicing aircraft. Did he have lots of photos?
old
I understand that he was Zbigniew Adam Wojda, who passed away nearly 10 years ago. If so, he was quite well known No 303 Sqn pilot with some interesting stories to tell, including design of Polish AF standard. His son John flew in Sleap as well. I understand that Adam joined Shropshire Flying Group in 1957.
Are not you afraid, that they could be expelled?
Franek,bit of drift here,but have you ever heard of a Dr Theo Opatowski,who was a `performance engineer at Boscombe Down in late `60`s.,particularly helicopters.May have been aircraft engineer earlier..??
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Sycamore
I am not sure if Opatowski was Polish despite the name. Google search produced an Israeli of this name. There were Poles in aviation industry though, eg. Tadeusz Ciastuła in Westland. A number of Poles went to work with Piasecki, and few continued with Boeing. Tandem rotor system was designed by a Polish engineer Wiesław Stępniewski, he later worked on tiltrotors.
I am not sure if Opatowski was Polish despite the name. Google search produced an Israeli of this name. There were Poles in aviation industry though, eg. Tadeusz Ciastuła in Westland. A number of Poles went to work with Piasecki, and few continued with Boeing. Tandem rotor system was designed by a Polish engineer Wiesław Stępniewski, he later worked on tiltrotors.
We had quite a few Poles at de Havilland's at Hatfield, most of whom had flown in the RAF and stayed on. Sadly I can't recall their names as many used anglicised or shortened forms of their real names. One was Tadeusz Szlenkier (known as Ted or Teddy) who ended up at Airbus and another was Roman Szukiewicz who was DH125/HS125 aerodynamics leader.
Someone we knew as Stan Praus was said to have been a senior designer at PZL before the war.
Someone we knew as Stan Praus was said to have been a senior designer at PZL before the war.
There is a u-tube video of the PZL-11 taxiing at Radom....
Franek..thanks ,the Jewish connection was there I think...
Franek..thanks ,the Jewish connection was there I think...
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Stanisław Prauss was indeed an experienced pre-war engineer. Another was Wsiewołod 'Jaki' Jakimiuk, who designed PZL P-11, DHC Chipmunk and led projects of Beaver and Sea Otter. Later in France - Barouder, UK - Sea Venom, and I think he ended his career as a consultant for Tornado.
Here is a well known picture of Szlenkier.
https://www.rp.pl/apps/pbcsi.dll/sto...-308049989.jpg
Here is a well known picture of Szlenkier.
https://www.rp.pl/apps/pbcsi.dll/sto...-308049989.jpg
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Hi Franek, Here's a photo I took last week at Exeter cathedral, commemorating 307 Squadron who defended the city during WW2. I am guessing they were based at Clyst Honiton (now Exeter Airport) although others might have more info. Best regards.
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Yes, they were, though the airfield is usually referred to as Exeter. The plaque commemorates four German aircraft shot down during a Baedeker raid. I think it was during the raid, one of the German aircraft attacked by a Polish crew went ablaze and was seen by many inhabitants, significantly raising their morale.
There was also a rather sad story when in 1970s the local council tried to forget about the squadron.
There was also a rather sad story when in 1970s the local council tried to forget about the squadron.
DIRECTOR
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Franek
Thanks for updating me about Flt Lt Waclaw Nick Niezrecki who passed through my father's hands on Oxfords at RAF South Cerney in1941.I knew he survived the war and you say he ended up on Canberras. I see he died 14th June 1982 just 62 years old. As I said he wrote a very nice letter to my father when he left in August 1941 thanking him for looking after him and his Polish colleagues.
I notice in a thread on pprune a member by the name of Busta in Sept 2014 said he was at Leeming in 1970 when Flt Lt Nick was the UTP and he asked him about the Zurakowski Roll. He said he almost blew a fuse and said he did it first and it should be called the Niezrecki Roll!!!! Anybody know what that Roll is???
Thanks for updating me about Flt Lt Waclaw Nick Niezrecki who passed through my father's hands on Oxfords at RAF South Cerney in1941.I knew he survived the war and you say he ended up on Canberras. I see he died 14th June 1982 just 62 years old. As I said he wrote a very nice letter to my father when he left in August 1941 thanking him for looking after him and his Polish colleagues.
I notice in a thread on pprune a member by the name of Busta in Sept 2014 said he was at Leeming in 1970 when Flt Lt Nick was the UTP and he asked him about the Zurakowski Roll. He said he almost blew a fuse and said he did it first and it should be called the Niezrecki Roll!!!! Anybody know what that Roll is???
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Franek
My instructor on the Jet Provost at 2FTS RAF Syerston in 1966 was Flt Lt T P Antoniak. He retired as a Sqn Ldr in 1975 aged 55 and lived in the Nottingham area
My instructor on the Jet Provost at 2FTS RAF Syerston in 1966 was Flt Lt T P Antoniak. He retired as a Sqn Ldr in 1975 aged 55 and lived in the Nottingham area
Last edited by Sam Dodger; 17th Sep 2018 at 20:31. Reason: Spelling