Bomber Brigade

The Bomber Brigade (Brygada Bombowa) was a World War II unit of the Polish Air Force commanded by płk obs. Władysław Heller. It resisted the Invasion of Poland in 1939 as the main aerial reserve of the commander in chief and was used for bombing enemy units in central Poland. It was created just before the war and did not have time to reach full operational readiness. Its equipment consisted of 36 modern PZL.37 Łoś medium bombers and 50 older PZL.23 Karaś light bombers, plus 21 support planes. It was organised into four squadrons, each in turn composed of two escadrilles. It was similar in make-up to the Pursuit Brigade.


 * Polish 2nd Bomber Squadron (II Dywizjon Bombowy), commanded by mjr pil. Jan Biały
 * Polish 21st Bomber Escadrille (21. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. obs. Jan Buczma
 * Polish 22nd Bomber Escadrille (22. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. pil. Kazimierz Słowiński


 * Polish 6th Bomber Squadron (VI Dywizjon Bombowy), commanded by mjr obs. Alfred Bartłomiej Peszke
 * Polish 64th Bomber Escadrille (64. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. pil. Mieczysław Pronaszko
 * Polish 65th Bomber Escadrille (65. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. pil. Maciej Piotrowski

10th Bomber Squadron was previously called: "210 Dywizjon".
 * Polish 10th Bomber Squadron (X Dywizjon Bombowy), commanded by ppłk. pil. Józef Werakso
 * Polish 211th Bomber Escadrille (211. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. obs. Franciszek Omylak
 * Polish 212th Bomber Escadrille (212. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. pil. Stanisław Taras-Wołkowiński

15th Bomber Squadron was previously called: "215 Dywizjon".
 * Polish 15th Bomber Squadron (XV Dywizjon Bombowy), commanded by kpt. pil. Stanisław Cwynar
 * Polish 216th Bomber Escadrille (216. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. obs. Władysław Dukszto
 * Polish 217th Bomber Escadrille (217. Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. obs. Eugeniusz Prusiecki

Some reports mention another Bomber Squadron called: 20th Bomber Squadron was previously called: "220 Dywizjon".
 * Polish 20th Bomber Squadron (XX Dywizjon Bombowy)


 * Polish 55th Independent Bomber Escadrille (55. Samodzielna Eskadra Bombowa), commanded by kpt. obs. Józef Skibiński
 * Communications platoon No. 4 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 4)
 * Communications platoon No. 12 (Pluton łącznikowy nr 12)

Another small Bomber unit was the Flight based at Dęblin, the Polish Air Force Training Academy. During the Invasion of Poland, their unit flew many operations using PZL.23 Karaś light bombers. A picture shows two armed PZL.23 Karaś with the Dęblin emblem badge, flying in formation, the aircraft are numbered "1" and "11".