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As the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain draws closer, plans are underway to fly a Hawker Hurricane fighter plane to Poland in honor of the Polish airmen who played a pivotal role in defending Britain from the Luftwaffe. 

Organized by The Polish Heritage Flight (PHF) and The Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, the August flight is also timed to coincide with the centenary celebrations marking the founding of the Polish Air Force University in Dęblin, central Poland.

The project will see an original Hawker Hurricane, marked with the insignia of the 302 'City of Poznań' Squadron, which was stationed at RAF Duxford in September 1940, fly from Duxford to Dęblin.

Founded in 2019 by volunteers from Duxford’s Historic Aircraft Collection, PHF has presented planes at airshows across the UK, but this marks their first attempt to bring the Hurricane to Poland, a goal project coordinator Derek Rusling and his team are eager to fulfill.

“We’re not Polish, nor do we have any Polish heritage, but in 2019, we realized that while people talked about Hurricanes and Spitfires, they weren't discussing the people who flew them," Rusling tells TVP World. "We wanted to uncover the human side of the story, which led us to delve into the Polish squadrons that served in the RAF during WWII."

While Poland’s 303 Squadron—famous for its remarkable success during the Battle of Britain—has received widespread recognition, the story of 302 Squadron is less known. Through his research, Rusling discovered that 302 Squadron, initially based at RAF Leconfield, was relocated to RAF Duxford in September 1940, during the most intense period of the Battle of Britain.

Airmen from 302 Squadron pictured in 1944. Photo: Public domain

“The common perception is that 303 Squadron was elite compared to 302, but that wasn’t true. In fact, 302 had highly experienced pilots; they just weren’t at the frontlines of the battle as early as 303,” Rusling says.

For Rusling and his team, it made sense to repaint the Hurricane to reflect 302’s markings, bringing history full circle. After the repaint, the plane returned to Duxford in June 2023, marking the first time in 83 years that a Hurricane bearing 302 Squadron’s colors had been seen at the airbase.

“The response has been overwhelming,” says Rusling. “Many in the UK are aware of the Polish Air Force’s contributions, but they didn’t fully understand the extent of it. We’ve built a dedicated following, even among people with no Polish background, who are fascinated by the story.”

The descendants of former Polish pilots have also been moved by PHF’s efforts.

“We thought interest would fade after the veterans passed, but the opposite has happened,” says Rusling. “Families are eager to learn more about their ancestors, and we’re regularly approached with old letters, photos, and documents about 302 Squadron.”

Some stories are particularly poignant. "We’ve become close with the son of a former pilot who flew Spitfires in Normandy with 302," says Rusling. "His father believed that after the war, he and his comrades would help liberate Poland—a heartbreaking belief, as that never happened."

The 302 Squadron, which landed in France just five days after the D-Day landings, became the first Polish unit to do so. The pilots would later fight in the Battle of Normandy and in Germany, before the squadron disbanded in 1946.

PHF’s efforts to preserve and share the history of 302 Squadron have not gone unnoticed. In 2022, the Polish Embassy in London awarded the group Poland’s Silver Military Cross for their work.

“We were humbled by the recognition,” says Rusling. “It meant the world to us.”

However, significant financial hurdles remain. The team needs to raise €42,000 to fund the Duxford-to-Dęblin flight, with the major costs arising from the plane’s fuel, insurance, and logistics. “Every 90 minutes of flight time costs €1,800 just for fuel alone,” Rusling explains.

The PHF team is actively seeking donations to cover these costs through their JustGiving campaign.

For Rusling and his team, the goal of seeing a Hurricane soar over Polish skies is deeply symbolic. Although this particular Hurricane didn’t see action in the Battle of Britain, it is a wartime original, having been built in Canada in 1942 and used for training before being restored in the UK in the 1980s. Many of its components remain original, including the undercarriage.

Once the only privately owned airworthy Hurricane in Europe, it is now ready to fly once more, honoring the memory of those who fought for freedom. "We hope that the sight and sound of this Hurricane in Poland will serve as a symbol of our eternal gratitude to the Polish airmen who fought for ‘your freedom and ours,’" Rusling adds.

What was the Battle of Britain?

After Germany’s successful occupation of France, Hitler expected Britain to seek peace. Instead, the UK chose to fight, prompting the Germans to plan an invasion, Operation Sealion. To succeed, the Germans needed control of the skies over Britain.

Between the summer and autumn of 1940, the Battle of Britain raged over southeastern England. The Luftwaffe attempted to obliterate the RAF’s airfields and communication hubs, but by early September, the Germans shifted tactics, targeting London instead—a mistake that allowed the RAF to regroup.

Winston Churchill famously said during the battle: “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.”

Around 3,000 RAF pilots participated, including men from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, France, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, and Rhodesia. The largest foreign contingent, however, was Polish. Flying in two squadrons—302 and 303—the Polish pilots overcame initial British mistrust and became known for their skill and courage. With 126 kills, 303 Squadron achieved the highest number of enemy aircraft downed.

Sir Hugh Dowding, RAF Fighter Command's commander-in-chief, acknowledged the Polish contribution: “Had it not been for the magnificent work of the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcome of the battle would have been the same.”

Source: TVP World