| No. 302 (City of Poznan) Polish Fighter Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 13 July 1940 - 18 December 1946 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | Polish Government in exile |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Role | Fighter and escort |
| Part of | RAF Fighter Command |
| Nickname | Dywizjon Myśliwski "Poznański" |
| Aircraft | Hawker Hurricane Supermarine Spitfire North American P-51 Mustang |
| Engagements | Battle of Britain Mopping-up over France Defence of Exeter Convoy escort Operation Jubilee Bomber escort Battle of Normandy Crossing the Rhine |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Wacław Król |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Codes | WX (Oct 1941 - Jan 1945) QH (Jan 1945 - Dec 1946) |
No. 302 (City of Poznan) Polish Fighter Squadron RAF (Polish: 302 Dywizjon Myśliwski "Poznański") was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1940. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during the World War II.
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It inherited the traditions, along with the emblem and a large part of the initial crew, of the pre-war Polish III/3 Fighter Squadron composed of the 131st and 132nd Fighter Escadrilles.
The Squadron was one of the four Polish-cored Royal Air Force squadrons that participated in the Battle of Britain. It consisted mostly of Polish pilots, many of whom were veterans. The squadron was formed on July 10, 1940. They piloted some Hawker Hurricanes and were put under the No. 12 Group RAF. As the combat became more fierce, the 302 was moved to RAF Duxford, north of London, where the squadron operated from September 14 through September 25. At some point afterwards the squadron operated from Chailey. On June 11, 1944, 302 became the first Polish Squadron to land in France, five days after D-Day. It was fighting as part of No. 131 Polish Fighter Wing when its airfield was attacked by Jagdgeschwader 1 during Operation Bodenplatte in January 1945.
No. 302 Polish Squadron lost 20 pilots killed, 12 missing and 9 taken prisoners, 63 aircraft destroyed and 43 damaged by the enemy’s air defense.
It was disbanded on 18 December 1946[1][2], at RAF Hethel.[3] A replica Hurricane in 302 squadron markings is the gate guardian at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1940 | March 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| March 1941 | May 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIa |
| May 1941 | July 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| July 1941 | October 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIb |
| October 1941 | September 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mks.Vb, Vc |
| September 1943 | February 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IX |
| February 1945 | December 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.XVI |
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