Major Stanisław Skalski – Aviation ace

Born November 27, 1915, died November 12, 2004

He was a graduate of the Aviation Cadet School in Dęblin (Eagle School). He entered for the competitive examination in January 1936, when there were 6,000 candidates for 100 places. He completed fighter training at the Pilotage College in Grudziądz and in October 1938 became a second lieutenant in the 142nd Fighter Squadron of the 4th Aviation Regiment in Toruń.

On September 1, 1939, he took part in shooting down a German Henschel Hs 126 plane, and a day later he single-handedly shot down two Dornier Do 17s. During the following days, he won the title of aviation ace by shooting down three more enemy planes, including a Junkers Ju 87.

On September 17, after leaving the country, he decided to take an active part in the fight against the occupier as part of the formed Polish Armed Forces in the West. He came to Great Britain via France. On August 3, 1940, he was assigned to No. 302 Squadron and on August 30 to the 501st Fighter Squadron RAF (501 Squadron). On the same day, he shot down a Heinkel He 111 with a Hawker Hurricane and damaged another plane. On September 2, he had already shot down three Messerschmitt Bf 109s. During an air fight, on September 5, he was shot and had to save himself by parachuting from a burning plane. After a short recovery, he returned to flying. On March 1, he was assigned to No. 306 Squadron, where he received the rank of captain and the latest Spitfire model. He flew over Europe covering bombing expeditions. He then commanded Squadrons 316 and 317 to become an instructor in the 58th Operational Training Unit.

During the campaign in North Africa in early 1943, he was the commander of the Polish Fighting Team, named after him as the “Skalki Circus”. It was the best squadron fighting over North Africa.

From December 12, 1943, he commanded the 131st Fighter Wing with three squadrons under his command. In 1944, he was the commander of the 133rd Fighter Wing and fought during the Allied landings in Normandy.

Fellow pilots said he had instinct of a bird. The Germans called it “Flying Death” and the Americans called it “Hurricane Gloria”. He has 18 German planes shot down to his name, 2 shot down as a team (classified as 11/12) and 2 probably show down, and 4 and 1/3 damaged. He is deservedly the best Polish pilot of World War II.

After returning to Poland, he was arrested by the communist authorities in 1948, tortured and sentenced to death. The sentence was not carried out, he was rehabilitated in April 1956 and released from prison on April 11, 1956.

He was lieutenant colonel in the Royal Air Force. Moreover, in 1988 he was appointed brigadier general of the Polish Army.