STANISLAW  SKALSKI

Stanislaw Skalski was born on the 27th of  October 1915, he Completed Pilot Training School in 1938, Skalski  was ordered to the 142nd Fighter Squadron in Torun. On the 1st of  September 1939 he downed a German Hs 126 reconnaissance aircraft In September 1939, Skalski reached "ace status", by personally downing 6 German aircraft (1 Ju 86, 2 Do 17, 1 Ju 87, 2 Hs 126), plus 1 Hs 126 shared with another pilot. Furthermore, he damaged another three planes (1 Bf 109, 1 Hs 126, 1 Ju 87). Skalski flew his last sortie with his P-11c on 16 September. The next day he fled the country, as did several other Polish pilots, to Romania, and from there to fight in France and England. On 12 August 1940, 2/Lt Skalski joined 501 Squadron RAF (commander S/Ldr H.A.V. Hogan) and took part in the Battle of Britain. Stanislaw Skalski's part in the combat of 5th of  September 1940, was very dramatic. Early in the morning, 501 Squadron took off to attack a large group of German aircraft. In the first attack Skalski managed to hit an He 111 bomber, and set its right engine on fire. Following this, the Polish pilot shot down one of the escorting Bf 109s. The pilot of the Bf 109 bailed out. A few minutes later, as Skalski flew alone at 8000 meters altitude, he made a surprise attack on another Messerschmitt. With success! But in turning to his map to note the area of the victory, his own aircraft was hit by a well-aimed burst of fire. The shells slammed into the fuel tanks and the "Hurricane" immediately caught fire. Skalski bailed out from his diving fighter and parachuted to the ground. Severe burns kept him in a hospital for six weeks. During the Battle of Britain, Skalski shot down a total of six German planes.

Capt. Skalski was given the command of the Polish 317 Squadron for five months. On the 1st of  October 1942 317 Sqn was given a new commander, Capt. Zbigniew Czajkowski, and Skalski's African career began. The Polish Fighting Team or PFT,  and more known as  "Skalski's Circus", was made up of the best Polish fighter pilots. All fifteen of them volunteered and Capt. Stanislaw Skalski was their commander. Operational duty for the PFT began on the  17th of  March 1943. The first combat missions were in Spitfire's Mk Vc trop fighters, but after a week the unit was re-equipped with new Spitfire Mk IX (while other flights of the 145th still flew the Mk V!). On the  28th of  March 1943, the PFT drew its first blood. The flight led by Skalski encountered a group of Ju 88's escorted by Bf 109Gs of II./JG 77. No fighter planes were shot down on either side, but Skalski and another pilot claimed killings of two Ju 88s.

On the  18th of  April 1943, the Polish Team of 145 Sqn ('C' Flight) sustained its only loss, as F/Lt Wyszkowski, lagging behind a formation, was bounced from the sun by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 - Rotte of 7./JG 53 'Pik As'. Unteroffizier Georg Amon shot down the Spitfire, Wyszkowski crash-landed in enemy territory and was taken prisoner by the Germans. This was Amons first victory. Two months later (on the  25th of  June 1943,  when JG 53 was based in Sicily, the Luftwaffe's Fighter General Adolf Galland (visiting Sicily at that time) personally ordered Amon to be court-martialled for cowardness, Galland claimed that Amon had deliberately turned away from combat to avoid confrontation with B-17s. However, the general confusion on Sicily at that time saved Amon from the court-martial. With a total of nine victories, Amon was shot down by AA over Germany on the  2nd of  April 1945 and was taken prisoner by the Allies. On the  6th of  May 1943, "Skalski Circus" fought its last aerial combat. On this occasion, Skalski and Sgt. Sztramko downed 2 Bf 109s. On the  13th of  May 1943 the war in Africa was over. During two months, the Polish pilots had shot down a total of 26 German and Italian planes. Capt. Skalski scored 4 aircraft

After the Flight was disbanded, Capt. Skalski did not leave this theatre of war. As commander of 601 Squadron RAF County of London, he took part in the invasions of Sicily and Italy. He returned to England in the end of 1943. Stanislaw Skalski was the most successful Polish ace of WW II, with a record of 22 confirmed victories. Three times he was awarded the British DFC, and he received many other medals. Following his return to Poland after the war, he was imprisoned by the Communist regime in 1949, on a charge of espionage for the West. He spent 6 long years in a jail, waiting for execution. That was his "reward"  a fate he shared with many other Polish soldiers returning from the West for their heroic and sacrificing duty. In 1956, Skalski was finally released from prison.  On his release, Skalski was re-admitted to the Air Force, an offer he accepted with some hesitation. He flew the Soviet-built MIG fighters, and in 1972 he ended a distinguished career with the rank of general. He became the President of the Polish Aero Club before retiring to Warsaw, where he led a lonely life. Skalski was remembered as a great individualist and man of action. One of his pilots described him as an eagle in the air, he was a great commander and a brilliant leader and we would follow him to hell if necessary.

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