Jerzy Popławski

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Jerzy Popławski

DFC
Born(1919-10-01)1 October 1919
Model
Died21 June 2004(2004-06-21) (aged 84)
Buenos Aires
Allegiance Poland
 United Kingdom
Service/branch Polish Air Force
 Royal Air Force
RankSquadron Leader
Service number76751
UnitNo. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron
No. 111 Squadron RAF
No. 229 Squadron RAF
No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron
No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron
Commands heldNo. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron
No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron
Battles/warsPolish Defensive War, World War II
AwardsVirtuti Militari; Cross of Valour; Distinguished Flying Cross (UK)

Jerzy Popławski (1 October 1919 – 21 June 2004) DFC was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in exile during World War II with 5 confirmed kills.[1]

Biography[]

Jerzy Popławski was born in 1919. In 1938 he entered the Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin and was commissioned on 1 September 1939. After the Soviet Invasion of Poland he was evacuated to Romania, and on 29 October 1939 arrived in Marseilles via Beirut. He went to Britain in one of the first groups of Polish airmen, on 27 January 1940. He received service no. 76751. After training Popławski was posted to the No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron on 30 July. He was transferred to the No. 111 Squadron RAF on 10 September and on 26 to the No. 229 Squadron RAF. In November 1940 he returned to No. 302 Squadron. On 6 November he was injured in an accident landing a Hurricane. On 16 March 1941 he was assigned to the No. 308 Polish Fighter Squadron. Popławski scored his first victory on 4 September 1941 shooting down a Bf 109. On 30 April he took command of his squadron. On 1 September he was sent as instructor to No. 58 Operational Training Unit. On 17 April 1943 he was given command of the No. 315 Polish Fighter Squadron.

After the war ended Popławski emigrated to Argentina. He died in Buenos Aires.

Aerial victory credits[]

  • Bf 109 – 4 September 1941
  • Bf 109 – 16 September 1941
  • Bf 109 – 21 September 1941
  • Bf 109 – 27 September 1941
  • Bf 109 – 13 October 1941
  • Bf 109 – 8 November 1941 (damaged)
  • Fw 190 – 20 April 1943 (damaged)

Awards[]

Virtuti Militari Ribbon.png Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross
POL Krzyż Walecznych (1940) 3r BAR.PNG Cross of Valour (Poland), three times
DistinguishedFlyingCrossUKRibbon.jpg Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

References[]

  1. ^ "Lista Bajana". polishairforce.pl. Retrieved 21 November 2015.

Further reading[]

  • Tadeusz Jerzy Krzystek, Anna Krzystek: Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii w latach 1940-1947 łącznie z Pomocniczą Lotniczą Służbą Kobiet (PLSK-WAAF). Sandomierz: Stratus, 2012, s. 468. ISBN 9788361421597
  • Jerzy Pawlak: Absolwenci Szkoły Orląt: 1925-1939. Warszawa: Retro-Art, 2009, s. 244. ISBN 8387992224
  • Piotr Sikora: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza Alma-Press. 2014, s. 381-383. ISBN 9788370205607
  • Józef Zieliński: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Agencja lotnicza ALTAIR, 1994, s. 66. ISBN 83862172.
  • Józef Zieliński: Lotnicy polscy w Bitwie o Wielką Brytanię. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza MH, 2005, s. 171-172. ISBN 8390662043
  • "biografia". p. 1. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  • "zwycięstwa w 308 dywizjonie" (in Polish). p. 1. Retrieved 22 June 2012.

External links[]

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