Project: Pilots

Bohdan Arct

A Polish fighter pilot and author of popular books. He fought, among others, with No. 306 Fighter Squadron and the Polish Fighting Team known as Skalski’s Circus. He also commanded No. 316 Fighter Squadron.

He finished the war with a record of 3 confirmed and 3 probable kills.

After returning to Poland in 1946, he devoted himself to writing.

Richard Ira “Dick” Bong

One of the most successful American pilots in the Pacific theater of operations.

He finished the war with 40 aerial victories.

He was killed on August 6, 1945, during a test flight of a P-80 Shooting Star jet aircraft.

Pierre Clostermann

A French pilot and fighter ace. He fought in the ranks of the RAF — first with No. 341 Free French Fighter Squadron, and later with Nos. 602, 274, and 56 RAF Fighter Squadrons.

He achieved 33 confirmed and 5 probable aerial victories.

After the war, he went on to build a successful career as an entrepreneur, writer, and politician.

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Mirosław Ferić

A Polish pilot and fighter ace. He fought with the 11th Fighter Squadron, later in France, and took part in the Battle of Britain as a member of No. 303 Fighter Squadron.

He achieved 9⅓ confirmed aerial victories and one probable.

He was killed during a training flight while performing aerobatics on February 14, 1942.

Josef František

A Czech pilot and fighter ace.

After the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, he escaped to Poland with a group of fellow pilots. Until September 1939, he served at the Air Training Centre in Dęblin. He took part in the Defensive War as a reconnaissance pilot. Interned in Romania, he escaped with other airmen to France and later to the United Kingdom. Assigned to No. 303 Fighter Squadron, he took part in the Battle of Britain, quickly becoming the most successful Allied pilot.

He achieved 17 aerial victories.

He was killed on October 8, 1940, during a low-altitude flight.

Guy Gibson

A British night fighter pilot who later flew Lancaster heavy bombers. Commander of No. 617 “Dam Busters” Bomber Squadron, famous for its raid on the Ruhr Valley dams.

He was killed on September 19, 1944, during a raid on Rheydt.

Zdzisław Henneberg

A Polish pilot and fighter ace. After the Defensive War of 1939, he fought in France, where he scored his first aerial victory. In August 1940, he became a pilot and squadron commander in No. 303 Fighter Squadron.

He achieved 8½ confirmed victories and one probable.

He was killed on April 12, 1941, during a mission over France.

Eugeniusz “Dziubek” Horbaczewski

A Polish pilot and one of the most successful Polish fighter aces.

In August 1941, he began his service with No. 303 Fighter Squadron. He later fought with No. 302 Fighter Squadron, served in Africa as a member of the so-called Skalski’s Circus, and went on to command No. 43 RAF Squadron and No. 315 Fighter Squadron.

He achieved 16½ confirmed aerial victories and one probable.

He was killed on August 18, 1944, in a fierce battle during which he shot down three Fw 190s.

Ivan Kozhedub

A Soviet pilot of Ukrainian origin and the most successful Allied fighter ace of World War II.

He flew his first combat mission with the 240th Fighter Aviation Regiment (IAP) in August 1943. He ended the war with the rank of Major, credited with 62 aerial victories.

After the war, he continued to serve in the Soviet Air Force. During the Korean War, he commanded the 324th Fighter Aviation Division. He also served as the commander of the Moscow Military District and as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

Karel “Kut” Kuttelwascher

A Czech pilot and the most successful Czech fighter ace.

He escaped from Czechoslovakia in the spring of 1939. Initially, he served in the French Foreign Legion in Algeria. After the outbreak of the war, he fought in France with GC III/3 Squadron. Later, he took part in the Battle of Britain as a member of No. 1 Fighter Squadron. From April 1942, the squadron began conducting night operations known as “night intruder” missions.

As a night fighter pilot, he achieved 16 aerial victories.

After the war, he briefly returned to Czechoslovakia but later emigrated again to the United Kingdom, where he worked as a pilot for British Airways.

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Eino Luukkanen

A Finnish fighter pilot and one of the most successful Finnish fighter aces.

He took part in the Winter War as a member of LeLv 24, during which he shot down three Soviet aircraft. From March 1943, he commanded LeLv 34.

He achieved 56 aerial victories.

After the war, he was involved, among other things, in espionage on behalf of Sweden.

Adolph “Sailor” Malan

A South African pilot and fighter ace.

He saw active combat from the very beginning of the Second World War and also took part in Operation Dynamo in June 1940. From August 1940, he commanded No. 74 RAF Squadron, and in later years he served as the commander of the Biggin Hill airbase.

He achieved 27 individual victories, 7 shared, and 3 probable.

After the war, he returned to South Africa, where he began a career as a political activist.

Werner “Vati” Mölders

A German pilot and fighter ace.

As a pilot of the Condor Legion, he took part in the Spanish Civil War, during which he achieved 14 aerial victories. In 1939, he commanded JG 53, and from July 1940, he led JG 51. During the Battle of Britain, he became the first German pilot to reach 40 career victories. In September 1941, on the Eastern Front, he scored his 101st aerial victory, after which he was withdrawn from combat flights.

He achieved a total of 101 aerial victories.

He was killed on November 22, 1941, in a plane crash at the airfield in Gądów, Wrocław.

Saburo Sakai

A pilot of the Imperial Japanese Navy and one of the most successful Japanese fighter aces.

He achieved his first aerial victory during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. Between 1941 and 1944, he fought against the Americans in battles over New Guinea, Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima. He took part in a famous engagement in which he defended against attacks from more than a dozen American F6F Hellcats.

He achieved 64 aerial victories.

Otto Smik

Czechoslovak pilot of Slovak origin, fighter ace.

He took part in the Battle of France and later trained in the United Kingdom. In 1943, he began serving with No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF, was soon transferred to No. 15 Squadron, and later to No. 122 Squadron RAF.

He achieved 8 aerial victories.

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Witold Urbanowicz

A Polish pilot and fighter ace.

He scored his first victory in 1936, shooting down a Soviet R-5 reconnaissance aircraft. Transferred to the Air Training Centre in Dęblin, he did not take part in the Defensive War of 1939. In January 1940, he made his way to the United Kingdom. After completing training, he served with No. 320 Fighter Squadron and later with No. 601 RAF Squadron. In August 1940, he became commander of “A” Flight in No. 303 Fighter Squadron, and by September, he was commanding the entire squadron. In 1943, he volunteered for service with the U.S. 14th Air Force in China, where, as a pilot of the famous Flying Tigers, he shot down two Japanese aircraft.

After the war, he settled in the United States, where he worked for American Overseas Airlines, the YMCA, and American Airlines.

He achieved 15 aerial victories.

Hans “Hasse” Wind

A Finnish pilot and fighter ace.

He did not take part in the Winter War. In August 1941, he was assigned to LeLv 24, with which he fought in the Continuation War.

He achieved 75 aerial victories.

Jan “Donald” Zumbach

A Polish fighter pilot and one of the most successful Polish air aces.

Due to an injury, he did not take part in the Defensive War of 1939.

In August 1940, he joined No. 303 Fighter Squadron and took part in the Battle of Britain. In 1942, he assumed command of the 303 Squadron. In 1943, he commanded the 3rd Polish Fighter Wing, and between 1944 and 1945, the 133rd Polish Fighter Wing.

During the war, he shot down 13 aircraft confirmed and 5 probably.

After the war, he led a colorful life as a mercenary and smuggler.