Description

315 Squadron was the tenth Polish squadron formed in Britain and the fifth Polish day fighter squadron. It was also the squadron with which a young pilot named Francis Gabreski received combat experience before joining a USAAF unit. He flew eleven sorties with the Squadron during January and February 1943.

The book recounts the history and experiences of the 315 Squadron. But, for all practical purposes, the prose is not much more than a brief introduction to the extensive collection of pictures that cover each period of the Squadron’s existence. As was the case with the Eagle Squadron, it seems that newly formed squadrons of non-British flyers, like the 315 squadron, inherited run down Hurricanes. It was not long before they moved on to Spitfires and then onto Mustang IIIs. This monograph is full of great pictures of the Hurricanes, Spitfires and Mustangs that wore the PK code letters and the pilots who flew them. The book concludes with the post war experience of the 315 Squadron, including a couple of picture of natural metal Mustang IIIs in the Squadron’s marking.

For those interested in the specifics of the 315 Squadron, the appendices are excellent. There is a list of commanding officers, those killed in action, the names of the Squadron’s pilots, losses, victories and a listing of the aircraft and the serial numbers and the codes that were applied.