S/Ldr Michal Cwynar VM DFC R.I.P.
 

S/Ldr Michal cwynar VM DFC died yesterday, 26 May 2008, at his home in Dumfries, Scotland, at the age of 93.
Born on 14 November 1915, he joined the Polish Air Force before the war, becoming a fighter pilot with the 1 Air Regiment in Warsaw. During the 1939 campaign over Poland, flying PZL P.11 fighters with 113 Eskadra Mysliwska, he was credited with 1-1-0 German destroyed. At the time he had the rank of kapral pilot (equivalent of LAC in the RAF). Evacuated (like thousands of Polish servicemen) through Rumania and the Mediterranean, he joined the Polish section with the French GC III/6, flying with it in June 1940. Following evacuation to Britain he joined the newly formed No. 315 Squadron (the fifth Polish fighter squadron formed on British soil) in early 1941. He then served with it until October 1944, eventually rising to command the B Flight (from 7 June 1944). While flying with No. 315 he was credited with 4 and 1 shared German aircraft destroyed plus 1 and 4 shared V1s destroyed. Between his two combat tours he was an instructor at 58/61 OTU (May-November 1943). Following completion of his second tour he was an instructor at No. 16 (Polish) SFTS (January-May 1945). In July 1945 he took command of No. 316 Sqn, becoming one of only a handful of
Polish fighter pilot who rose to such post having started the war in 'other ranks'. After the war he settled in Dumfries, Scotland, where he lived ever since.
A great pilot, renowned among his colleagues for his outstanding aerobatics, he was an unassuming and modest person, a true gentleman.

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