Page 48
FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing, Holmsley South,
United Kingdom, June 1944
FZ152, W/Cdr Stanisław Skalski, CO of No. 133 (Polish) Wing, Coolham,
United Kingdom, April-May 1944
Stanislaw Skalski was the commander of
No. 133 Wing in the period from April 4, 1944, to
August 3, 1944. During this period, he used the
Mustang serial number FZ152 as his personal
aircraft. Originally, the P-51B s/n 43-6533 carried
a camouflage scheme in an unusual B scheme,
which had the camouflage colors swapped.
On the fuselage of his Mustang, Skalski had his
initials SS painted by ground personnel, and on
the left side of the fuselage below the cockpit
was the wing commander’s emblem, behind
which there were 17 black crosses with white
borders and four crosses without the borders
painted. During the Allied landings in Normandy,
Skalski’s aircraft was painted with black and
white invasion stripes on the wing and fuselage.
W/Cdr Skalski scored the last two confirmed
victories of his wartime career with his Mustang
on June 24, 1944, without opening fire on his
victims. In fact, on approach to 150 yards, the
enemy Bf 109s made contact with their wings
during an evasive maneuver and both crashed.
Stanislaw Skalski was the most successful Polish
ace of World War II with a record of 23 confirmed
kills, one probable kill and five damage to enemy
aircraft. He was decorated three times by the
British DFC and received numerous other awards.
Stanislaw Skalski was born on November 27, 1915,
in Lambushna near Kodymy (now in Ukraine).
After the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany,
he became one of the two most successful
Polish fighters who took part in the battles
against the German forces. He fled to the UK
via France, joined the RAF in January 1940 and
took part in the Battle of Britain with No. 501 Sqn.
In early March 1942 he was transferred to
No. 306 Sqn as Flight B Commander. In May 1942 he
was promoted and took command of No. 317 Sqn.
In early 1943 he led a special group called the
Polish Flying Team operating as part of No. 145
Sqn on Mk.IXc Spitfires in North Africa. In July
1943 he became commander of the British No. 601
Sqn. Late in the year he returned to the UK, flying
as commander of No. 131 Wing at Northolt, but in
April 1944 he moved to No. 133 Wing, which was
rearmed with Mk.III Mustangs. He remained there
until mid-August 1944. After the war he served
at the headquarters of the British Occupation
Air Force in Germany. On his return to Poland in
1949 he was imprisoned by the Communists on
charges of spying for the West. He spent six years
in prison awaiting execution. In 1956 was Skalski
released and rehabilitated. In 1957 he rejoined
the Polish Air Force. Later he was active in sport
aviation, becoming secretary general and vice-
president of the Polish Aero Club. In October 1988
he was promoted to the rank of General (retired).
He died on November 12, 2004.
KITS 11/2024
INFO Eduard48
November 2024