Red Stars – Black Cross’s Ally over Poland. Soviet Aviation over East Part of Poland in IX, X 1939, a New Book

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

There will be edited a new book in Poland concerning Soviet-Polish air war in 1939. It should be released in August or September 2008. Just now I have done some author’s and editorial’s corrections. The end of editorial works is seen, :-)

The title: Red Stars – Black Cross’s Ally over Poland. Soviet Aviation over East Part of Poland in September, October 1939.

The book has about 200 pages (size A-5), about 51.400 words. There are 16 color drawings of Soviet and Polish planes, plus about 60 black and white photos. Some used photos are known but other are not.

For many English readers it is not good information - the whole book is done only in Polish. There are no any English text, summary etc. I do not suppose, that this material could be done in English in the future (it is quite small market for such “strange” stories). Maybe I am wrong?

This is the first book focused about this quite less know small air war on the beginning of WW II. The Soviet during invasion on Poland (17 IX 1939) had also used quite large air forces (about 3.300 combat, land military planes). During this very short war there were used in fact less aviation forces - about 1.000 combat planes. There were in fact not so many air combats between Soviet invasion air forces and Polish Lotnictwo Wojskowe.

During this air war Soviet had used additional (beside to VVS RKKA) aviation forces like: a few NKVD air units, plus tens of civil planes taken from GVF - Aeroflot. The last, large, air force, which was also used against Poland was maritime aviation (Baltic and Black See aviation units).
The Soviet planes had done the last combat flights about 7 October 1939. Soviet air units had done the last flights later, then Luftwaffe against Poles.

This is the third material, which I have written about this particular topic. First was printed in 2003, next in 2005, and just now it will be a book.
The whole material has been written with the support of many sources: Soviet archive document, Polish documents, many book printed in Russian, Poland and other countries and last but not least – support of friends.

Other my texts about this “small Russian-Poles air war”:

2005: Ratas over Eastern Part of Poland. I-16 During Soviet Aggression on Poland. „Szczury” nad Kresami. Myśliwce I-16 podczas sowieckiej agresji na Polskę IX-X 1939 r., p. 7, 18 b&w photos, [in:] Militaria XX wieku 5 (8)/2005.
2003: Soviet Aviation in War over Poland, September 1939, Vol. 2. Lotnictwo sowieckie w wojnie nad Polską wrzesień 1939 roku, cz.1; p. 6, 7 b&w photos, [in:] Militaria i Fakty 5-6/2003.
2003: Soviet Aviation in War over Poland, September 1939, Vol. I. Lotnictwo sowieckie w wojnie nad Polską wrzesień 1939 r., cz. 1; p. 5, 7 b&w photos, [in:] Militaria i Fakty 4/2003.

Regards,
Mirek Wawrzyński

[robert]

Hi,

do we already have a release date?

Regards

Robert

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Hi
Nice information. My book is just edited in Poland. Since 5 IX 2008 it is possible to buy it in Warsaw/Poland, :-)

Editor: Agencja Wydawnicza CB
Title: Czerwone gwiazdy sojusznik czarnych krzyży nad Polską. Lotnictwo sowieckie nad Kresami wrzesień – październik 1939 r.
Author: Mirosław Wawrzyński
Sizet: A-5
Pages: 219 (185 str. tekstu plus 32 str. kredy)
Photos b&w: 46 i 1 mapa
Colors: 8 pages: I-16 typ 5 i 10, I-15bis, SB, DB-3, R-5, R-Zet, U-2/Po-2, PWS-26, RWD-8, PZL P.7a, P.11a i P.11c, PZL.23, PZL.37.


You may see more but only in Polish

http://www.dws.org.pl/viewtopic.php?f=96&t=121689

[Jason]

Where can I get a copy from a place that will ship to America?

Jason

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Good question?
Send me off the board mail, I will think with your case.

mirwaw_xl@wp.pl

Regards,
mw

PS.
You are aware the book is whole in Polish, no any English part, no translation etc.

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Better late then never, :-)

Last days, some pages taken from my book are hanged on Jacek Jackiewcz web side:

http://www.kecay.info/

There are some pages of text, and a few photos, color drawings. You may see them:

http://www.kecay.com/mirek.htm

Regards,

Mirek Wawrzyński

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Hi
There is quite long article in Polish aviation magazine Aero about the last air flight fighting over Poland in SO/SGO "Polesie" (25 IX - 5 X 1939); 1 PWs-26 and 2 X RWD-8 (46 flights in this period). The title is "Ostatnie biało-czerwone szachownice". This is very extended material, which was first edited in my book "Red Stars over Poland".

The article has 16 b&w phots, pp. 4-13, [in:] Aero nr 1(20)/2009.

The 1st/cover page:

http://kagero.pl/index.php?option=com_c ... &Itemid=29

M. Wawrzyński

[Vitellius]

Originally Posted by Mirek Wawrzynski

Hi
There is quite long article in Polish aviation magazine Aero about the last air flight fighting over Poland in SO/SGO "Polesie" (25 IX - 5 X 1939); 1 PWs-26 and 2 X RWD-8 (46 flights in this period).

What fighting? Those planes were not combat planes. Just training and observation assets.

[Franek Grabowski]

They were flying combat missions and were targets for enemy fire. Does it not qualify for fighting?

[Vitellius]

Originally Posted by Franek Grabowski

They were flying combat missions and were targets for enemy fire. Does it not qualify for fighting?

What combat missions or fighting?

RWD-8 was unarmed sport plane reaching 175 km/h, PWS-26 was a biplane with top speed 217 km/h carrying one MG and two 12,5 kg bombs - essentially World War I design. Those planes could not carry out any combat missions in 1939 aside of communication and recon duties. Every their combat use would be kamikaze-style operation. I am surprised their pilots flown them at all supposedly praying not to meet any German combat aircraft!

Yet possibly Polish forces had only such "combat planes" in late September...