Remember. Inspire. Unity. PAMIĘTAMY. INSPIRUJEMY. ZJEDNOCZENI
On 11th November 2019 the Polish Heritage Flight (PHF) was formed. As part of the Historic Aircraft Collection based at Duxford in Cambridgeshire, the PHF aims to bring to life the stories of all those that came to the ‘Island of last hope’ to take up the fight from Britain in the Second World War.
Whilst our Hawker Hurricane tells the story of the Polish squadrons during the Battle of Britain, the Polish story during the Second World War is varied and crucial.
From the soldiers, armoured & airborne divisions that helped to liberate Europe, to the Bomber Command crews who flew Battles, Wellingtons & Lancasters. Supply operations flown & Coastal Command helping to keep the crucial Atlantic convoys safe. The Polish Navy destroyers & submarines that served with the Royal Navy, the Warsaw Uprising and of course the Enigma codebreakers. Poland fought all over the world from the first day to the last day of the Second World War. “First To Fight”.
With Poland being passed to Soviet communist control at the end of the war, its people unable to go home for fear of imprisonment or murder, many started new lives away from the country they had fought so hard for. They had “Won the war, but lost the freedom”.
PHF are a non-profit volunteer organisation. The aeroplanes operate under huge financial commitments and our aim is to keep them flying for as long as possible.
Runway25 are honoured to support and work in partnership with the PHF producing collectable merchandise that will ultimately contribute to the aims of Remember. Inspire. Unity.
PAMIĘTAMY. INSPIRUJEMY. ZJEDNOCZENI
To find out more about the PHF, please visit
Photo © Darren Harbar Photography –
www.darrenharbar.co.uk
The Polish Heritage Flight are planning a commemorative flight from Duxford in the UK to Deblín in Poland, to commemorate the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the 100th Anniversary of the Polish Air Force University at Deblín. Scheduled to take place in August 2025.
In partnership with the Polish Air Force Memorial Committee, this historic flight will be undertaken by Hawker Hurricane G-HURI, which wears the markings of 302 ‘City of Poznan’ Squadron, based at RAF Duxford in September 1940. The sight & sound of a Hawker Hurricane in Poland will be a symbol of our eternal gratitude to the Polish People and those who came to Britain to fight for freedom and never lived, or were able to return home.
Since forming the PHF in 2019 it has always been our dream to bring the aeroplanes to Poland. It would be a fitting conclusion to a Project that has worked so hard to tell the Polish story in the UK for the past 5 years. During the Flight we hope to take in other historic locations in Poland but its critical we raise the required funds first.
