Polish Naval Aviation 1945-1990 Attack and reconnaissance forces

Polish Naval Aviation 1945-1990 Photo chronicle 7 plmsz mv

In a small enclosed sea, which is the Baltic Sea, aviation operating over it and acting for the benefit of the Navy has been, is and will be an important component of the state's defense potential.

The difficult reconstruction, almost from scratch, of the naval branch of the armed forces on the coast liberated in 1945 and captured with new borders led to the fact that aviation units appeared as part of the Navy some time later.

Ambitious plans, humble beginnings

The lack of experienced personnel, the lack of aviation infrastructure and technology did not prevent the preparation of the first plan for the development of naval aviation formations, inscribed in the general vision of maritime organizational structures, just a few months after the war. In a document prepared by Soviet officers of the Navy Command (established by organizational order No. 00163 / Org. of the Supreme Commander of the Polish Marshal Michal Rol-Zymerski dated July 7, 1945), there was a provision on the need to form a naval aviation squadron at an airfield built by the Germans during the war under Gdynia, i.e. in Babi Doly. It was to include a bomber squadron (10 aircraft), a fighter squadron (15) and a communications key (4). It was proposed to create a separate fighter squadron in the Swinoujscie area.

On July 21, 1946, the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army issued the "Direction of the Development of the Navy for the period 1946-1949." The naval branch of the armed forces was obliged by them to ensure the safety of airfields and waterfalls, and the training of personnel for naval aviation. Following this, on September 6, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy issued Order No. 31, on the basis of which a freelance aviation department was created in the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy with a staff of two officers and an administrative non-commissioned officer. The head of the department was Cdr. observations Evstafiy Shchepanyuk and his deputy (senior laboratory assistant for academic work), com. Alexander Kravchik.

On November 30, 1946, the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Adam Mohuchi, presented to Marshal Michal Roli-Zymerski the preliminary design of the air defense of the Coast, made by comm. Observation second lieutenant A. Kravchik. It was planned to equip naval aviation with the necessary number of aircraft, including seaplanes, taking into account the expected expansion of the fleet, the needs of the air defense of the Navy's operations area, as well as naval and air bases. The plan provided for the creation by 1955 of 3 fighter squadrons (9 squadrons, 108 aircraft), 2 bomb-torpedo squadrons (6 squadrons, 54 aircraft), 2 seaplanes (6 squadrons, 39 aircraft of two classes), attack squadron (3 squadrons, 27 aircraft), a reconnaissance squadron (9 aircraft) and an ambulance squadron (3 seaplanes). These forces were to be deployed at 6 former German airports: Babie Doly, Dziwnów, Puck, Rogowo, Szczecin-Dąbie and Vicksko-Morsk. These forces had to be distributed fairly evenly, since 36 fighters, 27 torpedo bombers, 18 attack aircraft, all reconnaissance vehicles and 21 seaplanes, and in the west (in the Świnoujście-Szczecin-Dzivnów triangle) there were another 48 fighters. it was planned to collect 27 bombers and 18 seaplanes in the Gdynia region. The most important tasks include: aerial reconnaissance of the Baltic Sea, air cover for naval bases and ships, strikes against marine targets and interaction with coastal units.

First squadron

On July 18, 1947, a meeting was held on the restoration of naval aviation in the Air Force Command. The Navy was represented by Commander Stanislav Meshkovsky, Air Force Command and Brig. drank. Alexander Romeiko. Assumptions are made for the creation of a separate mixed air squadron of the Polish Navy. It was assumed that the squadron would be based in Wicko-Morsk and Dziwnow and that it would be formed in Poznań as part of the 7th Independent Dive Bomber Regiment. The Vico Morski airport, located in the center of the coast, made it possible for even aircraft with a medium tactical range to operate effectively. On the other hand, the airport in Dziwnow allowed for fast communication between the Szczecin coastal region and the naval command in Gdynia.