Polish aviation troops, formed during the First planet War in the Russian business and in France, and after regaining independency in military aviation structures, had their own motor fleet. And it's diverse – from winches and tugboats to Polish Fiats, Harley-Davidson motorcycles or full companies of barrage and reflection balloons for the army.
Aircraft ground handling vehicles – imported until the 1930s, and later gradually replaced by domestically produced ones – were tried to adapt or adapt to the specifics of their services. This resulted in a large variety of types and types of vehicles, especially seen in the group of chassis of balloon winches and towing tractors, frequently replaced by trucks.
II Rzeczpospolita – air regiments
The 2nd Aviation Regiment in Krakow and the 5 remaining regiments (1 in Warsaw, 3 in Poznań, 4 in Toruń, 5 in Lid, 6 in Lviv) had respective twelve motor vehicles, intended for ground handling. The types and types were diverse – from the relics of planet War I to the increasing group of modern products of Polish industry. car and Motor Equipment 22 Squadrons from the 2nd Air Regiment is simply a typical example of the equipment of the wheel cast of each squadron.
22 The Liniowa Squadron derives from the 3rd Wielkopolska Field Squadron, organized at the Poznań Ławica Airport in March 1919. In June 1919 she participated in fights against Germany in the confederate part of Wielkopolska, and since the end of the period she has fought against Bolshevik invader. For the war of 1939, the wheel throw departed on August 26 by rail to Radom, while the air throw (ten PZL.23B Karaś aircraft) moved to the field airport of Wsola, close this city. September battles were fought within the Second Bomb Squadron of the Light Bomb Brigade.
In image 1 transport of 22nd Line Squadron vehicles for summertime exercises in Leśna close Baranowicz on July 10, 1931. From the left: the 1928 Labo-Foto trailer, built in the State Engineering Plant, 2 American GMC Sanitary, produced at the Mechanical Plant "Ursus" a 1.5-ton weightlift Ursus A (early model), French Renault OX (6 x 4) with a capacity of 2.5–3 t (modified MH 2) and Ursus A. Due to the deficiency of paved roads and to the simplification of equipment consumption, 22 Squadrons were frequently transported to train transport exercises. In image 2 crossing to exercise in Dąbrowic on 9 August 1934. Left: Renault OX, Ursusy A.
The 22nd Squadron besides featured motorcycles – initially American Harleye-Davidsony, and after the start of the national production of CWS M111/Sokół 1000 M111 and Sokół 600 M211, produced in the State Engineering Plant. In image 3, made during the exercise in Dąbrowice in 1934, Harley-Davidson motorcycle (model from 1924) was surrounded by squadron officers. The vehicle came from alleged supplemental purchases from the mid-1920s (Harleye-Davidsony appeared in the WP as early as 1919) and most likely did not scope September 1939, as in November 1934 the full army had 118 motorcycles of this brand from 1927 to 1930, and older models were no longer included in the listings.
Picture 4, made at the field airport in Hutniki close Brodów between 10 and 16 September 1938, are vehicles of Polish production: motorcycle kind M111 (CWS or Sokół 1000) and semi-manufactured terrain car PZInż wz. 34 (back), utilized – along with the derived tractor PZInż C4P (flight) – besides for towing aircraft. During the exercises in Jews close Gniezno on 8 September 1937 participated 2.5-tonne Polish Fiats 621 L, produced in the Plant of individual and Semi-Vehicle Vehicles PZInż since 1935. Photo 5 from these exercises presents a fragment of the car park 22 Squadrons: 2 Renaults OX and 2 Polish Fiats 621 L. In 1939 the Polish Army had 1150 Polish Fiat 621 L trucks.
II RP — balloon battalions
Both Air Force Balloon Battalions: 1 BB in Toruń and 2 BB in Jabłonno close Warsaw, at the time of the mobilization, they exhibited independent companies of barrage and reflection balloons for the army and large units and 1 at the disposal of the Chief Command – completely motorized, although besides requisitioned equipment. At the end of the 1930 ’ s, they mostly had winches on Lail’s planet War I car chassis and winches on modern wheeled chassis: Delahaye and Renault OX and semi-threading Citroën-Kégresse. Picture 6 Caquot BD reflection balloon combined with the Renault OX (6 x 4) balloon winch (lifter) during the 1st Torunia Balloon Battalion exercise (maybe in 1936 close Gdynia-Redlov, where the usefulness of firewall and reflection balloons for the Navy was checked).
The latest construction of a motorized winch for balloon battalions was presented in image 7 winch on the chassis of the Polish semi-gaseous car PZInż wz. 34, produced in 1936.
II RP – aviation schools
Picture 8 from 1939, built in the State Engineering Departments, Saurer 4 BLDP 4 t for the transport of sub-straints of the School of Aviation Podchorze from Dęblin to auxiliary airports in Borovina, Zajezierz and Podlodów, where exercise flights were conducted.
Podchorajych School was part of the Aviation Officer Training Center in Dęblin. The groundhandling department of the Centre grouped motor vehicles of different types, in most national productions: Polish Fiats – passenger and truck, Saurery and Ursus and M 111 motorcycles. Similarly, the Centre for Training of Air Petty Officers in Bydgoszcz, as well as the Air School of Shooting and Bombardment in Grudziądz, was equipped.
September 1939
After the German attack on Poland on September 1, 1939, most combat squadrons were flown to designated field airports. method services moved by mechanical, permanent and requisition vehicles. In pictures 9 and 10 "aircraft" Polish Fiats 621 L 2,5 t unidentified unit on retreat routes in the first half of September. The cars in image 10 were placed on the edge of the forest to mask before the air strike. This method of defence was commonly utilized during the German-Russian aggression of 1939. Most wheel throws of fighting squadrons as well as vehicles of another units and military aviation institutions reached Hungary or Romania, where they were interned.
Picture 11 vehicles of an unidentified aviation division at or during the Polish-Romanian border. In the weight center of Poland Fiat 621 L with barrel fuel trailer; on the left Renault OX (6 x 4).
The article presents a selection from a very diverse group of vehicles for ground handling of Polish aviation.
