This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing at Dieppe, France, on 19 August 1942. That was one of the most controversial battles of the Second World War, which also involved extensive air operations to provide direct support for the amphibious assault and to defend the troops and the fleet against the Luftwaffe. This book is a tribute to the 1st Polish Wing, Fighter Commands most successful wing during the operation. The wing provided 10% of the Spitfire squadrons engaged in the battle, suffered 3.5% of losses and was credited by Fighter Command with 17% of all enemy aircraft destroyed. Nos. 303 and 317 Polish Squadrons were the top-scoring units that day. Notably, they achieved this while still flying the Spitfire V variant, while some Fighter Command squadrons already had the much improved Mk IX. Several hundred of carefully selected and extensively captioned images depict Spitfires of the five Polish squadrons, as well as the men who maintained and flew them in support of the Dieppe landings.
The squadron accounted for 10% of the Spitfire squadrons involved in the battle, suffered 3.5% of the losses and was credited by Fighter Command with 17% of all enemy aircraft destroyed. The Polish squadrons No. 303 and 317 were the most successful units on this day. Remarkably, they achieved this while still flying the Spitfire Mk. V, while some Fighter Command squadrons already had the much improved Mk. IX. Several hundred carefully selected photographs with detailed captions show the Spitfires of the five Polish squadrons and the men who waited and flew them in support of the landing at Dieppe.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Grudzien, Robert
Title
Polish Wings. Volume 35: Supermarine Spitfire V. Polish Squadrons over Dieppe
Details
English text, paperback, 311 photos and drawings, large format. 96 pages.