Shown, in the photo above, is Wladyslaw Gnys in front of his "Spitfire", from 316th Squadron. In the photo below, are Frank Neubert (on the left) and Wladyslaw Gnys (on the right), 50 years after the war. In the next color photo is Wladysalaw Gnys, during visit in Poland in 90's. He is standing on the left and on the right is his wartime friend pilot Stefan Chalupa. They are in the front of museums P-11c, tactical number "2", just from 121st Figter Squadron. At the end of the page, you will find a color profile of Gnys' PZL P-11c.
In the Autumn of 1931, Wladyslaw Gnys entered Polish military aviation. In 1933, he began air training in Grudziadz. One year later, he was moved to Torun city to begin a fighter course. After 1935, he was a flying instructor at Deblin Training Center. In 1936, he entered Officer School in Bydgoszcz. In May of 1939, Gnys was directed to the 121st Eskadra Mysliwska (Fighter Squadron) in Krakow city. On the 31st of August, that Squadron flew in consistance with III/2 Pulk (Regiment), and was relocated to a reserve-battle airfield in Balice.
In the early morning, of September 1st, 1939, Gnys was woke up by bomb explosions. German bombers were just making a bombing run over Krakow. After a few minutes, he was in his pilot's helmet, ready to battle. "Wladek! Fly with me!" ordered Captain Mieczyslaw Medwecki, the Regiment Commander.
At about 7:00 a.m., (other sources say 5:30 a.m.), two P-11c's moved onto the runway. Just after take off, at about 300 meters altitude, the Polish fighters were suddenly attacked by a pair of German Ju 87B dive-bombers, from I/StG2 "Immelmann". Uffz. Frank Neubert , piloting a "Stuka" coded "T6+GK", sucessfully shot at Medwecki and scored probably the first air victory of WWII. "Jedenastka" ("Eleventh" - popular Polish name of P-11) fell, and commander of the "City of Krakow" Regiment was killed. Gnys was now also under attack, but a few seconds later he shot at a "Stuka" piloted by Lt. Branderburg. From the German aircraft there appeared some smoke, but it managed to escape into the clouds and returned to Nieder-Ellguth Airfield.
Gnys
did not return to his airfield, but flew directly to the German
border. A few minutes later, he noticed a formation of two Do 17E
bombers from KG 77, probably returning from the Krakow bombing.
The Polish fighter pilot attacked the bombers with the advantage
of altitude. After a few passes, both Do 17 bombers crashed in
the country village of Zurada, near Olkusz city. One of the
bombers had the call sign "3Z+FR" on the fuselage. All
6 German crew members were killed (one was identified as Uffz.
Klose). On the return home to base, Gnys met alone He 111, but
his guns were out of ammo.
In September of 1939, Sec. Lt. Wladyslaw Gnys scored, personally, one more He 111. On the 6th (after other sources on 9th morning) of September, with Sgt. Leopold Flanek (Flanek's plane was heavily demaged, but he returned to Kraczewice airfield) and Tadeusz Arabski, he downed one shared kill of a He 111 bomber.
Via Romania, Gnys arrived in France. Here, he was ordered, with Kazimierz Bursztyn and Wladyslaw Chciuk, to Groupe de Chasse 3/1. This squadron was stationed at Toul Croix Airfield and flew Morane MS-406's. The Polish fighters recorded many missions. During an attack on German bombers over Belgium, Bursztyn was shot down. In that battle, Gnys downed one bomber, but upon landing back at his base he crashed in battle damaged plane. During that dramatic air combat over Cambrai, on May 25th, section leader Lt. Bursztyn was killed. After France's capitulation, Gnys escaped to Port Vendres, then through Oran and Casablanca to arrive in Liverpool on July 14th, 1940.
On the 20th of August, 1940, he began his "British"
career in the 302nd Squadron. Gnys took part in the Battle of
Britain. On May 21st, 1941, 302nd Squadron took part, with all
the wings 3 squadrons, in a fighter sweep over France. Sec. Lt.
Gnys returned, this time, in a very badly damaged aircraft.
During the war, he flew in the Polish 309th and 316th Squadrons.
After the 25th of August, 1944, he was 317th Squadron leader (this
squadron's fuselage code was "JH"). Unluckily, two days
after becoming the squadron's leader, Gnys was shot down over
Rouen, in France, by flak fire, during a recon flight. Despite
wounds that he received from German soldiers, after a crash
landing, a few days later Gnys escaped from a POW hospital.
Epilogue: On August 31st, 1989, at 10:00 a.m., and after 50 years after the war, two combatants from either side met again - Wladyslaw Gnys and Frank Neubert - this time as friends. They were the first pilots to score air victories in WWII (?!?).
Wladyslaw Gnys passed away in of March 2000, after hard case of pneumonia.
Here is a left side, color profile, of a PZL P-11c flown by Wladyslaw Gnys. Some sources say the tactical number should be "3" with painted on lower wing surfaces black radio code: "3 - K".
2000.03.22, © WW II Ace Stories.