Polish Art Center - White Eagles - The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force 1918-1939

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White Eagles - The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force 1918-1939

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Strictly speaking there was no Polish Air Force in the period covered by this book - the Polish airmen formed the aviation component of the Polish Army -- and Navy. In this context the Polish fliers had to successfully fight for their existence; from the chaotic beginnings in the aftermath of World War I, against political parsimony and flawed planning during the 1930's, and then literally for their lives against the Nazi and Soviet juggernauts of September of 1939. The authors describe, squadron by squadron, in enormous detail, exactly how the well trained but isolated Poles fought bitterly against the invaders. They were overwhelmed , not through want of courage or determination, but by outdated tactics and equipment and enemies greatly superior in number both in the air and on the ground. Poland's loss was, ultimately, the free world's gain when Polish pilots to be some of the most successful in the RAF in summer 1940.
The authors have written several books in Polish but this is their first major title in English. They have had access to much previously unpublished archival material, including original wartime documents, unit war diaries, personal accounts and pictures. The result is the most comprehensive account of the birth and tragic death of the first Polish Air Force to date. Hundreds of archival photographs, color period maps, color illustrations, a section listing Polish military terms and their English translation, and a section listing Polish Air Force ranks and their English translation. This is simply a stunning album.