‘Life & Death In The Blink Of An Eye’

The Duxford based ‘Polish Heritage Flight’ will pay tribute to 302 ‘City of Poznan’ Squadron & both Flt Lt Tadeusz Chlopik & Wing Commander Julian Kowalski, with a ‘dual scheme’ for the 2023 Season.

Based at Duxford for a short period during the Battle of Britain, it was on a fateful day of September 15th 1940 that 302 Squadron & both Chlopik & Kowalski were scrambled to intercept German Bombers over RAF North Weald.

Flying Hurricane P2954 WX-E, Flt Lt Chlopik shared the destruction of a Dornier 17 before being shot down over North Weald. Despite bailing out he was killed. He was just 32 years old.

Flt Lt Tadeusz Chlopik is buried in Sutton Road Cemetery in Southend on Sea.

Julian Kowalski flying Hurricane P3935 WX-D destroyed a Dornier 17 and damaged another. He went on to Command 302 Squadron and in April 1944 Commanded No.1 Polish Wing from RAF Northolt. He was released in 1947 at the rank of Wing Commander.

At the end of the Second World War, with Poland now under Soviet Communist occupation, like many it was felt unsafe to return home so Julian Kowalski remained in England. He started a career designing agricultural equipment for ‘Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies LTD’. He lived in Ipswich until his death in December 1986.

Hawker Hurricane G-HURI will wear 302 Squadron Markings for the 2023 Season with the markings of Flt Lt Tadeusz Chlopik (P2954 WX-E) on the Starboard side and Wing Commander Julian Kowalski (P3935 WX-D) on the Port side.

The 302 Squadron markings have been kindly sponsored by Vintage Fabrics at Audley End. Our deepest thanks and gratitude to the team. www.vintagefabrics.co.uk

The Polish Heritage Flight is a volunteer project endorsed by the Historic Aircraft Collection.

Posted on 5 June 2023 under General news