Mushroom Model Publications

Polish Wings 6: Supermarine Spitfire I/II

by  Wojtek Matusiak

Reviewed By  Brian R. Baker, IPMS# 43146

MSRP: £6.99 ISBN: 978-83-89450-55-5 Contact the publishers at www.mmpbooks.biz . This delightful little publication covers the operational career of the Spitfire I and II as flown by Polish pilots in the Royal Air Force during the first half of World War II. The author is to be commended for his extensive research, and the very unusual photos not only of the aircraft, but also of many of the pilots and ground crews who were associated with these early model Spitfires. It is a fascinating story, and the author tells it in very readable text. The author's sources include material from the Polish Aviation Museum in Cracow, various RAF records, and pilots' notes and logbooks. The research is most impressive. The author states that at least 1,500 Spitfires were operated by Polish units in the Royal Air Force during the war, which if accurate, means that the Poles were very large scale operators of Spitfires, second only to the British. The author begins with the story of the Polish Air Force's attempts to acquire Spitfires in 1939. However, the German invasion prevented delivery, and any Spitfires that the Poles might have obtained are stated to have eventually wound up in Turkey. Later, Polish pilots and units were active during the Battle of Britain, usually mixed in with British and Commonwealth organizations, but subsequently in an exclusive Polish Wing. Sometimes the aircraft carried distinctive Polish unit emblems, which are well illustrated in the photos and color drawings. The author researched every unit that operated these marks of the Spitfire, and the story of their day-to-day operations makes for very interesting reading. For the modeler, this book is especially valuable. I have not seen this subject examined in such minute detail before, and the photos are accompanied on the same page by excellent color profile drawings illustrating the markings and color schemes used by the aircraft. The writer assumes that the reader is familiar with British camouflage and markings, so the Polish variations are emphasized. At the end of the book, a series of color photos illustrates surviving Spitfires known to have been operated by Polish pilots. Additional material deals with Polish ferry pilots, including at least one Polish woman who ferried Spitfires. This book is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in Polish Spitfire units during World War II. Thanks to Mushroom Model Publications and to IPMS/USA for the review copy.

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