September '39 Memoir...
PZL P.11c:
The only preserved of it's kind. Legend of the September 1939 campaign and workhorse of polish fighter squadrons. This very machine actually took part in Sempetmber Campaign, piloted by Lt. Waclaw Krol, who shot down Henschel 126 and Heinkel 111 (1st and 5th september)
Description taken from wikipedia:
The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed in early 1930s by PZL in Warsaw. It was briefly considered to be the most advanced fighter design in the world. The PZL P.11 served as Poland's primary fighter defence in the Polish campaign but by that point was outdated due to rapid advances in aircraft design.
By 1 September 1939, the fighter squadrons had been deployed to remote airfields, so they were not bombed by the Germans. During the Polish campaign, the P.11 fought against more modern German bombers and fighters. Not only were the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110 faster and better armed, but also most German bombers were faster
Despite the German superiority, the P.11 managed to shoot down a considerable number of German aircraft, including fighters, but suffered heavy losses as well. The exact numbers are not fully verified. A total of 285 German aircraft were lost according to Luftwaffe records, with at least 110 victories credited to the P.11 for the loss of about 100 of their own
Some Interesting facts:
* At dawn on 1 September, Cpt. Mieczysław Medwecki flying a PZL P.11c was shot down by a German Ju 87, having the dubious honour of becoming the first aircraft shot down in the Second World War.
*The first Allied air victory was achieved 20 minutes later by Medwecki's wingman, Wladyslaw Gnys who shot down two Dornier Do 17s with his P.11c.
*The PZL P.11c was also the first aircraft to successfully ram an enemy aircraft in the Second World War.
*The first large air battle of the Second World War took place in the early morning of 1 September over the village of Nieporęt just north of Warsaw, when a German bomber group of about 70 Heinkel He 111 and Dornier Do 17 was intercepted by some 20 P.11 and 10 P.7 fighters and had to abandon their mission to Warsaw
September '39 Memoir...
PZL P.11c:
The only preserved of it's kind. Legend of the September 1939 campaign and workhorse of polish fighter squadrons. This very machine actually took part in Sempetmber Campaign, piloted by Lt. Waclaw Krol, who shot down Henschel 126 and Heinkel 111 (1st and 5th september)
Description taken from wikipedia:
The PZL P.11 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed in early 1930s by PZL in Warsaw. It was briefly considered to be the most advanced fighter design in the world. The PZL P.11 served as Poland's primary fighter defence in the Polish campaign but by that point was outdated due to rapid advances in aircraft design.
By 1 September 1939, the fighter squadrons had been deployed to remote airfields, so they were not bombed by the Germans. During the Polish campaign, the P.11 fought against more modern German bombers and fighters. Not only were the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110 faster and better armed, but also most German bombers were faster
Despite the German superiority, the P.11 managed to shoot down a considerable number of German aircraft, including fighters, but suffered heavy losses as well. The exact numbers are not fully verified. A total of 285 German aircraft were lost according to Luftwaffe records, with at least 110 victories credited to the P.11 for the loss of about 100 of their own
Some Interesting facts:
* At dawn on 1 September, Cpt. Mieczysław Medwecki flying a PZL P.11c was shot down by a German Ju 87, having the dubious honour of becoming the first aircraft shot down in the Second World War.
*The first Allied air victory was achieved 20 minutes later by Medwecki's wingman, Wladyslaw Gnys who shot down two Dornier Do 17s with his P.11c.
*The PZL P.11c was also the first aircraft to successfully ram an enemy aircraft in the Second World War.
*The first large air battle of the Second World War took place in the early morning of 1 September over the village of Nieporęt just north of Warsaw, when a German bomber group of about 70 Heinkel He 111 and Dornier Do 17 was intercepted by some 20 P.11 and 10 P.7 fighters and had to abandon their mission to Warsaw