After the fall of Poland in 1939, many of the Polish military left the country and sought the opportunity to continue the fight against the Germans with the armed forces of other countries. When it came to pilots and ground crew, the UK wanted bomber crews and France wanted fighter pilots and mechanics. So it was that the British formed bomber units with Polish crews and the French started training fighter pilots to fly French aircraft.

This training took part in Montpellier and was planned by the Polish authorities to form an all-Polish Squadron. Of course, the French had other plans and wanted to integrate sections of Polish pilots into extant units. And that is just what happened.

Conversion training went much faster than expected by the French, but that shouldn't have been a surprise as these men were, for the most part, experienced pilots with hundreds of flight hours. They were provided MS.406 fighters. Not the best of the time and bordering on obsolescence, but they were all that was readily available.

This then, is the story of each of these various sections and their combat record from formation until the eventual collapse of the French government in June of 1940. Each section is dealt with separately and a provided in a diary format. There are photos of the pilots and planes involved with little biographies of these men placed in separate tables throughout the book. In addition to these pilots, those who flew as individuals with French units on the D.520 and MB.152 are also covered.

In line with other MMP books, there are a complete set of tables and many pages of superlative profiles and three-views, all in full color. Combined with an interesting selection of period photos, one has a complete look at the rather hurried and harried existence of these men. A book that I found to be quite interesting to read and I know you will as well.

March 2008

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