The Polish Air Force, the aerial warfare branch of the Polish Armed Forces, traces its origins to the second half of 1917 and was officially established in the months following the end of World War I in 1918.
1918–1922
The history of the Polish airforce began at the end of World War I. In 1918, some aircraft escadres were created within the Polish units in allied countries. In Russia, one escadre was created within the Polish I Corps of General Józef Dowbor-Muśnicki, then disbanded along with the Corps in May 1918. In France, seven escadres were created within the army of General Józef Haller (three Breguet XIV: nos. 39, 59, 66, three Salmson 2: nos 580, 581, 582 and one Spad VII no.162). They returned to Poland, equipment intact, in May 1919.
Military aviation in free Poland started even before officially acknowledged date of regaining independence (11 November 1918). Poland was under German and Austro-Hungarian occupation until the armistice, but the Poles started to take control as the Central Powers collapsed. Initially, Polish air force consisted of mostly German and Austrian aircraft left by former occupants or captured from them, mostly during the Greater Poland Uprising. They were first used in a conflict with Ukraine around Lwów (now Lviv) in late 1918. On 2 November Polish units took over an airfield Lewandówka in Lviv, and on 5 November 1918 pilot Stefan Bastyr performed the first combat flight of Polish aircraft (Oeffag C.II). Other actions included the retaliatory bombing of an airfield in Frankfurt (Oder) on 9 January 1919 by LVG C.V aircraft during the Greater Poland Uprising.
From early 1919 Poland was involved in the war with Soviet Russia and started to buy aircraft abroad, both from former Central Powers and allied countries. By mid 1920 there were created 15 scout and 4 fighter squadrons (eskadra in Polish, Nos. 1 to 19) and one bomber squadron (No. 21 destroyer squadron). They were actively used during Polish–Soviet War until a ceasefire in October 1920. Air combat was rare and most of Polish Air Force activity was reconnaissance, light bombing and strafing, especially against Budyonny's cavalry. In that period, the Polish Air Force consisted of a variety of British, French, German, Austrian and Italian aircraft of World War I era. A bulk were reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft; most numerous were: Breguet 14 (158 in total), LVG C.V (151), Bristol F.2 Fighter (106), AEG C.IV (91), SVA.10 (86), Rumpler C.I (84), DFW C.V (63), Salmson 2 (53). In lesser numbers there were used, among others, DH-9, Albatros aircraft (C.I C.VII, C.X, J.I), Hannover CL.II, Hansa-Brandenburg C.I, Halberstadt CL.II Main fighters used were: Fokker D.VII, SPAD VII, SPAD XIII, Oeffag D.III, Ansaldo Balilla, Albatros D.III, Sopwith Dolphin, Fokker E.V (D.VIII).
1923–1932
After the Polish–Soviet War, the World War I vintage aircraft were gradually withdrawn, and the airforce was equipped mostly with French aircraft. From 1924–26, the typical fighter became SPAD 61 (280 planes). The standard light bombers also were French: Potez 15 (245), then Breguet XIX (250) and Potez 25 (316). Potez bombers were produced in Poland. The medium bombers were Farman Goliath and later a military variant of Fokker F-VII.
Before developing fighters of its own design, 50 Czech biplane fighters Avia BH-33 were licence-produced under a designation PWS-A. The first Polish design was a high-wing fighter, PWS-10, which numbered 80 from 1932. The Polish naval airforce used a number of French flying boats, mainly Schreck FBA 17, Lioré et Olivier LeO H-13 and its variant H-135 and Latham 43. All these aircraft were withdrawn from combat units by 1939.
1933–1938
In 1933, the first high-wing, all-metal aircraft designed by Zygmunt Pulawski, the PZL P.7a, entered service in a series of 150. It was followed by 30 improved PZL P.11a aircraft. The final design, PZL P.11c, was delivered in 1935 in a quantity of 175. A modern fighter in 1935, it remained the only Polish fighter until 1939, when it was rendered obsolete by foreign aircraft design. Its development PZL P.24 was built for export only, and was bought by four countries. The new fighter prototype, PZL.50 Jastrząb (Hawk), similar to Seversky P-35 layout, was designed too late to be produced. The two-engine heavy fighters PZL.38 Wilk and PZL.48 Lampart remained prototypes.
