Bolesław Drobiński Explained
Bolesław Drobiński (23 October 191826 July 1995) was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in World War II with 7 confirmed kills and one shared.
Biography
Drobiński made his first flight on a glider in 1934. On 2 January 1938 he entered the Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin.[1] After the Invasion of Poland he was evacuated to France via Romania and Italy, then he came to England.[2]
On 11 September 1940 Drobiński was assigned to the No. 65 Squadron RAF and took part in the Battle of Britain.[3] On 2 March 1941 he was posted to the No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 15 May 1941 he damaged a Ju 52 which was on the ground. On 21 June 1941 Drobiński heavily damaged the plane flown by German ace Adolf Galland[4] and forced him to a crash-landing. From 18 March 1942 to 9 August 1942 he was an instructor in No. 58 Operational Training Unit at RAF Grangemouth.[5] On 18 October 1943 he was ordered to No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 3 April 1944 he began to work in the Ministry of Defence. On 26 September 1944 he took command of No.303 Polish Fighter Squadron.[6]
Drobiński was demobilized in 1948. He worked in the oil industry in America. In 1950's he settled in a village in Surrey.[7] In 1960 he obtained British citizenship. In 1969 he acted as a technical advisor for the Battle of Britain. In 1943 he married a South African woman, they had two sons and a daughter.[8]
Aerial victory credits
- 18 June 1941 – 2 Bf 109
- 21 June 1941 – Bf 109
- 22 June 1941 – Bf 109
- 25 June 1941 – Bf 109
- 3 July 1941 – Bf 109
- 6 July 1941 – 1/3 Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
- 7 July 1941 – 1/2
- 24 July 1941 – Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
- 24 October 1941 – Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
- 13 March 1942 – Bf 109
Awards
Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross
Cross of Valour (Poland), three times
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
Bibliography
- Tadeusz Jerzy Krzystek, Anna Krzystek: Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii w latach 1940-1947 łącznie z Pomocniczą Lotniczą Służbą Kobiet (PLSK-WAAF). Sandomierz: Stratus, 2012, p. 161.
- Jerzy Pawlak: Absolwenci Szkoły Orląt: 1925-1939. Warszawa: Retro-Art, 2009, pp. 231–232.
- Piotr Sikora: Asy polskiego lotnictwa. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza Alma-Press. 2014, p. 282-285.
- Book: Zieliński, Józef . Asy polskiego lotnictwa . Warsaw . Agencja Lotnicza ALTAIR . 1994 . 43 . ((83-86217-2)). 34751125 . 95149065 . 865104M . pl.
- Józef Zieliński: Lotnicy polscy w Bitwie o Wielką Brytanię. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza MH, 2005, pp. 39–40.
- Józef Zieliński: 303 Dywizjon Myśliwski Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki. Warszawa: Bellona, 2003
Further reading
- Web site: Bolesław Drobiński . 1 . pl . 2012-06-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117024427/http://www.bbm.org.uk/Drobinski.htm . 2015-11-17 .
- Web site: Bolesław Drobiński . Konrad Rydłowski . 1 . pl . 2012-06-21 . 23 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110823113745/http://samoloty.pl/index.php/ludzie-lotnictwa-hobby-1807/zwipzani-z-lotnictwem-hobby-1809/polscy-hobby-2191/drobiski-bolesaw . dead .
- Web site: Bolesław Drobiński . https://archive.today/20130503224014/http://www.mysliwcy.pl/ksiega/drobinski.htm . dead . 2013-05-03 . 1 . pl . 2012-06-21 .
- Web site: zestrzelenia Gallanda . 1 . en . 2012-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150101175314/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Bailouts/bailout_1941.htm . 1 January 2015 . dead .
Notes and References
- Pawlak 2009, p. 231.
- Krzystek 2012, p. 161.
- Sikora 2014, p. 283.
- Web site: Bale out 1941 . 12 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150101175314/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Bailouts/bailout_1941.htm . 1 January 2015 . dead .
- Zieliński 1994, p. 43.
- Zieliński 2019, p. 55.
- Zieliński 2005, p. 40.
- Web site: Battle of Britain London Monument - P/O B H Drobinski . 2012-06-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117024427/http://www.bbm.org.uk/Drobinski.htm . 2015-11-17 .
Poland
United Kingdom