Chapter 2: The Halberstadt CL.II

  In August 1916, the German Inspektion der Fliegertruppen (Idflieg) adopted a plan to introduce into service two-seat reconnaissance aircraft with a reduced weight, powered by 160-180 hp engines (instead of 220-260 hp). Compared to standard C-class aircraft, the light C-class (C leicht, Cl) machines were to weigh about 250-260 kg less and not exceed the limit of 750 kg. The main idea of Idflieg was to create a two-seat escort aircraft (Schutzflugzeug) capable of protecting heavier machines from attacks by enemy fighters.
  Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke GmbH was among the aviation companies that submitted proposals for the new designs. The company was registered in April 1912 as the Deutsche Bristol Werke Flugzeug Gesellschaft mbH, as an affiliate of the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company of Bristol. In the initial period of its existence, the developing factory mainly produced Bristol Boxkite biplanes and Bristol Prier monoplanes. In the second half of June 1914, the British company withdrew from the undertaking and, as a consequence, the name was changed to Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke GmbH in September 1914.
  After the outbreak of WWI, the factory started license production of the Fokker A.I, A.II, and A.III monoplanes; subsequently they commenced production of the Halberstadt B.I, B.II, and B.III unarmed biplanes. At the turn of 1915, construction of a series of fighters, the Halberstadt D.I, D.II, D.III, D.IV, and D.V, commenced.
  Although the newly developed Halberstadt D.IV fighter failed to enter mass production, some of the solutions used in it were introduced into the emerging light C-class aircraft, the Halberstadt C.II (known as the Cl.II from mid-1917). In November 1916, Idflieg ordered three prototypes, powered by 160 hp Mercedes D.III engines. Work on details of the structure and the assembly of the first machine was carried out in January 1917, and the prototype was rolled out in April.
  Between 2 and 7 May 1917, the prototypes underwent type tests (Typenprufung). Idflieg commission had no major objections to the structure’s strength but before the type was approved for front line service idflieg specified a greater span wing, probably to increase the rate of climb. Based on the results of the second series of tests, a contract was signed for the production of the first batch of 100 machines. A total of 856 of these aircraft had been ordered and built by the end of the war (including 160 by Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG under license).
  First production Halberstadt Cl.II biplanes reached the Western Front at the end of July 1917. Initially, they were used by the Schutzstaffeln (escort flights) and, to a lesser extent, by the Fliegerabteilungen (artillery and air units), as two-seat fighters responsible for escorting heavier reconnaissance aircraft. With time, the Cl.II Halberstadts were almost completely reallocated to the Schlachtstaffeln (attack flights), where they performed ground-attack (close support) duties.
  The Polish air service used 12 Halberstadt Cl.II/Cl.IIa aircraft. Most of these had been built under license by the Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG. Initially, they were used almost exclusively for training and liaison duties. It was only the growing demand of combat units that led to their allocation to the front line. Although the Halberstadt Cl.Ils were able to carry a wireless transmitter and a camera, they were rarely used for photographic reconnaissance or artillery spotting. They were used more often as close support aircraft. However, Polish pilots criticized them as being markedly underpowered and too slow.
  During their service in Poland, the Halberstadt Cl.II biplanes equipped the I Esk. Wlkp., II Esk. Wlkp., Ill Esk. Wlkp. (subsequently renamed 14. Eskadra Wywiadowcza - 14th Reconnaissance Escadrille), 2. Eskadra Lotnicza (subsequently renamed 2. Eskadra Wywiadowcza), 8. Eskadra Wywiadowcza, 10. Eskadra Lotnicza (subsequently renamed 10. Eskadra Wywiadowcza), I Grupa Lotnicza Wielkopolska (I GL Wlkp. - I Wielkopolska Air Group), Stacja Lotnicza Lawica and Szkola Pilotow (Pilot’s School) at Lawica.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 750/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. It was subsequently used at the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. The aircraft was destroyed in an accident at Lawica between 31 March and 7 April 1919.


Halberstadt CI.II (Bay) 752/18

  This aircraft was also captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Along with 42 other machines, it was transferred to the CSL in Warsaw on 27 January. In June 1919, it was delivered for an overhaul to the CWL, where it was destroyed, probably due to negligence.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 753/18

  This aircraft was also captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. In April 1919, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica but was damaged soon after. The repaired aircraft returned to the unit on 25 July 1919.
  On 4 September 1919, it was sent to the I Esk. Wlkp. based at Wojnowice, where it suffered engine failure, leading to the aircraft being sent away for repair. Presumably in early October 1919 it was delivered again to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  It entered the inventory of the 10. EL (subsequently the 10. EW) on 9 February 1920. On 24 April 1920, the unit was deployed to the eastern front and based at Kozenki. Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 753/18 flew the following sorties:
  - 2 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stanislaw Rymkiewicz and/or. obs. Wlodzimierz Gubarow.Takeoff: 17:30, landing: 19:00. Summary: reconnaissance of railway traffic and of artillery positions in the area between Vasilievichy and Khoyniki stations. Friendly troops fired their machine guns in error at the aircraft during the sortie.
  - 4 May 1920 - duty sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stanislaw Rymkiewicz and a mechanic named Milczarczyk. Take-off: 7:30, landing (upon return from Babruysk): 19:30. Summary: cross-country flight to Babruysk in order to organize the allocation of bombs for the unit, combined with reconnaissance along the route of the sortie.
  - 31 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stanislaw Rymkiewicz and plut. obs. Piotr Bukowski. Take-off: 17:00, landing: 17:30. Summary: reconnaissance of the area of Rechytsa - Homiel combined with bombing. The mission was aborted, probably due to engine failure.
  On 22 June 1920, the aircraft was sent away to CSL, and on 12 July it was transferred to CWL, but was not flown again.


Halberstadt Cl.ll (Bay) 781/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Presumably in early February 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. On 9 March 1919, Lawica was visited by representatives of the Allied military mission. Flying displays were planned as part of the event. Plut.pil. Emanuel Juraszek was one of the participating pilots, and he was going to fly Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 781/18, however, the propeller was damaged during taxiing. The aircraft was damaged again on 25 March, and it was transferred for repair at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. On 27 May 1919, it entered the inventory of the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Kleka.
  On 16 June 1919, it was allocated to the III Esk. Wlkp. based at Gora. The unit became part of the Front Galicyjsko-Wolynski (Galician-Volhynian Front) on 23 June. It moved to Stryi three days later, and to Berezhany on 7 July, and it was from there that the aircraft flew its first combat sortie:
  - 17 July 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Emanuel Juraszek and sierz. sztab. obs. Jozef Skoczynski. Polish soldiers fired at the aircraft during a cross-country flight near Buchach. One of the rounds hit the propeller and another hit the exhaust manifold. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing, during which the lower wing was damaged. The aircraft was disassembled and taken by rail to the airfield where the Eskadra wes based.
  In early August 1919 the III Esk. Wlkp. moved to Velyka Berezovytsia. The repair of the damage was completed at the time and after 20 August the aircraft became operational again. Shortly afterwards it took part in another mission:
  - 23 August 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Jozef Mahczak (the Eskadra commander) and kpr. obs. Jozef Klicze. Summary: reconnaissance of the railway line at Velyka Berezovytsia - Ternopil - Zbarazh - Shepetivka - Velyka Berezovytsia, combined with bombing. The following report was filed upon return: At Shepetivka, on the middle track, an armored train, two freight trains on the sides, apparently with troops, 20 railcars, 2 engines under steam. 6 bombs were dropped that exploded on the tracks, one near the armored train. Enemy forces are clearly concentrating in Shepetivka. In fact, the attacked troops were misidentified during the bombing, and the crew accidentally attacked units of the Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic allied with Poland.
  The Eskadra departed the front fine for the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica on 15 September 1919. It probably reached the destination on 20 September. On 1 October 1919, it was decided to deploy it to Buk.
  On 6 October, the aircraft had a 15-minute test flight and then flew to Lawica. Upon completion of the technical inspection, it entered the inventory of the I GL Wlkp. This unit soon moved to the eastern front and deployed at Minsk.
  781/18 was damaged when it overturned, some time before 5 December 1919.
  On 24 April 1920, the aircraft was transferred to the 14. EW(ex-III Esk. Wlkp.) based at Zhodzina. In subsequent days it took part in two combat sorties:
  - 8 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Wladysiaw Bartkowiak and ppor. obs. Henryk Liebek. Take-off: 18:25, landing: 19:30. Summary: reconnaissance of the front line along the river Berezina from Barysaw to Zhortai. Nothing particular was seen during the mission (observation of the ground was hindered by fog).
  - 14 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz. pil. Wladysiaw Bartkowiak and pchor. obs. Jozef Klicze. Take-off: 9:30,10:10 or 12:00. Summary: bombing of the enemy airfield at Krupki (a retaliatory mission for the attack on the Eskadra airfield by two Soviet aircraft about 7:20). The machine was given escort of two SPAD VII fighters of the 19. Eskadra Mysliwska (19. EM - 19th Fighter Escadrille), flown by ppor.pil. Stefan Pawlikowski pchor.pil. Wladysiaw Turowski. An enemy observation balloon was spotted near the Priyamino railway station. The fighter pilots reduced their altitude and made an attempt to shoot it down. It was then that anti-aircraft artillery and a section of three Soviet fighter aircraft joined the engagement. Two of those, flown by Alexandr Petrov and by Kuzin, attacked Turowski’s SPAD VII. He engaged them, but soon his machine gun jammed, so he had to withdraw. At that moment, he noticed Halberstadt 781/18, on fire and spinning down towards the ground. An attack on the observation balloon was also made by ppor. Pawlikowski, but the machine gun fitted in his aircraft also failed, which forced him to climb to a higher altitude. Upon their return, both Polish pilots stated that the escorted aircraft of the 14. EW must have been hit by anti-aircraft artillery because they have not seen it being engaged by enemy fighters. In fact, it fell victim to a third Soviet machine (Nieuport 24bis N4283) flown by Aleksey Shirinkin. Hit from close range, the Polish Halberstadt Cl.II quickly burst into flames and then crashed. The crew bailed out, but their parachutes also caught fire and they were both killed.
  In the first days of June, a fighter flown by Aleksey Shirinkin appeared above the airfield of the 14. EW at Slepyanka. The pilot dropped a package containing a letter and photos from the funeral of the crew.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 782/18

  Another Halberstadt Cl.II captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 9 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  On 13 March 1919, sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak and ppor. pil. Jozef Manczak flew the aircraft from Lawica to Cracow, and they returned on 21 March. Between 24 March and 11 May 1919, the machine flew more similar missions. During most of these kpt. obs. Pawel Muller was the other crew member.
  Probably on 19 April 1919, sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak ferried the aircraft from Lawica to the airfield of the II Esk. Wlkp. at Kleka, with kpt. Leon Raden as a passenger. The machine returned to Lawica on 23 April.
  In early May 1919 sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak and ppor.pil. Josef Manczak flew the machine to Bedzin, where negotiations were held regarding the purchase of aircraft from German air units.
  782/18 was again at the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica by 12 May 1919, at the latest. Nevertheless, on 22 May, the crew of sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak and ppor. obs. Stefan Korcz flew it on a propaganda mission, during which they were to drop 54,000 leaflets over West and East Prussia, including Gdansk (at the time Danzig in Germany). The task was only partially completed, due to a counteraction by German fighters. Details of the operation were described in the report by plk pil. Gustaw Macewicz: I report that in view of the possibility of an offensive action by the Germans, in view of the huge shortages in aviation materials in our country, conducting aerial reconnaissance is extremely difficult, and thus the value of our aerial combat activity is reduced to a minimum. In todays conditions, the only means enabling us to take the airforce is to demand 6 combat [i.e. fighter] aircraft as quickly as possible from Warsaw or from Haller’s army, with or without aviators (because we have a sufficient number of aviators). This is needed because, as known to us, in Torun [known as Thorn to the Germans] alone there is a German combat air eskadra [fighter unit] with 7 Fokkers, and our reconnaissance machines cannot fly in this area, which follows from the fact that during the last reconnaissance to Torun our aviator was chased by 4 German Fokkers and he was forced to land as far as the vicinity of Warsaw.
  During the forced landing, the aircraft was probably slightly damaged and was sent for repair. It can be assumed that the work was completed no later than 21 June. On that day, sierz.pil. Antoni Bartkowiak brought Wojciech Korfanty (the Polish national leader of Upper Silesia) to Sosnowiec, most probably in this Halberstadt Cl.II.
  At the end of June 1919, the aircraft returned to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Due to malfunctions discovered, it was undergoing repairs until 5 July. After 15 August, it was sent to II Esk. Wlkp. (based at Serebryanka. It entered the inventory of this unit on 23 August, and during subsequent months flew the following sorties:
  - 2 September 1919 - ferry flight to Babruysk. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and st. szer. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Takeoff: 7:20. The crew made a forced landing due to a failure. Following repairs, they continued the flight to Babruysk, arriving there on 4 September at 19:04.
  - 12 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 17:45, landing: 18:45. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 13 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and st. szer. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 9:00, landing: 10:10. Summary: bombing of a Soviet armored train.
  - 14 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and st. szer. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 8:40, landing: 10:00. Summary: bombing of a Soviet armored train.
  - 21 September 1919 - duty sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak. Take-off: 9:30, landing: 10:50. Summary: cross-country flight from Babruysk to Minsk.
  - 21 September 1919 - duty sortie. Crew. por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 13:55, landing: 15:25. Summary: cross-country flight from Minsk to Babruysk.
  - 22 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 7:50, landing: 9:40. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 25 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew.por.pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Summary: bombing of a Soviet armored train located on the railway line section between Babruysk and Zhlobin.
  - 29 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 7:50, landing: 9:10. Summary: reconnaissance of the Svislach area. Report from the sortie: An enemy camp of about 30 wagons in the village of Virkov. Enemy trenches between the villages of Kurhany and Vlasovichi on the eastern bank of the river Berezina. Other than that nothing of importance was seen. Flight altitude 800-1000 m.
  - 29 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and por.pil. Edmund Norwid-Kudlo (the Eskadra commander). Take-off: 9:30, landing: 10:50. Summary: repeated reconnaissance of the Svislach area.
  - 30 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por.pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Takeoff: 14:20, landing: 17:32. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Podrech’e - Lyubonichy. Report from the sortie: In the vicinity of Lyubonichy, minor enemy movements towards Podrech’e. Approximately three cavalry platoons on field roads and across the field, followed by 130-150 bayonets of infantry [infantry troops] south of the Kurhany village, 4-5 transport wagons at Kurhany itself, about 100-120 bayonets of infantry [infantry troops] reinforcements rest at Lyubonichy. Approximately 2-3 versts [the Russian verst was nearly equal to a kilometer] north-east of Lyubonichy, a minor cavalry detachment towards Lyubonichy. Ihe enemy is digging in on the eastern bank of the river Berezina directly west of Podrech’e. Two minor transport columns, 8 wagons each, at intervals of 5-6 versts from each other, on the road to Mogilev. I fired the signal pistol three times on a battery located on the southern side of the road to Rahachov before it turns. All the above-mentioned units were strafed by me and by the pilot with the machine gun.
  - 3 October 1919 - combat sortie. Grew, por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 15:55, landing: 15:15. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 4 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew:por.pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 7:55, landing: 10:15. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - river Usha. Report from the sortie: At 8:05 an infantry unit of about 40-80 bayonets [infantry] on the march from Guta to the bank of Berezina. Some of the houses at Podrech’e destroyed. While flying over the front line along the Berezina as far as the river Usha, I noticed a cavalry detachment, two platoons, south of the village of Kutin. Enemy trenches to the east of the villages of Virkov, Chuch’e, further on, the village of Staryi Ostrovparticularly strongly entrenched, the eastern bank of the Berezina strongly entrenched south of Svislach, two rows of trenches between the village of Brodets and north of the mouth of the river Kliava. Near the village of Kaplantsy on the Kliava, a cavalry raid 20-30 horses strong and a minor infantry unit on the march towards the town of Berezina. A house on fire in the eastern part of the village of Shevernichi. A cavalry detachment of 3 platoons, more or less, which the pilot strafed with his machine gun, north of the mouth of the river Usha. At 9:20 one boat with a crew of four and a raft (I noticed no people) crossed Berezina from the eastern to the western bank near the village of Sheypichi.
  - 4 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 16:05, landing: 17:10. Summary: spotting counter-battery fire against enemy artillery batteries in the Podrech’e village area. Report from the sortie: After communicating with the battery using color signal flares, I started the task. I could tell the accuracy of the shells, as long as the explosion was not in the forest. [...] There was no traffic in the Podrech’e area.
  - 5 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski.Take-off: 17:50, landing: 18:50. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 6 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: por. pil. Roman Bejm and kpr. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 16:05, landing: 17:35. Summary: spotting counter-battery fire against enemy artillery batteries in the Podrech’e village area and against an observation post on the river Berezina. Report from the sortie: The first shots too far, after four corrections the shells reached the building and exploded in it. During the firing, shells fell to the right of the battery, despite several corrections, the fire was not moved sufficiently to the left. In total, I fired 18 white, 8 red and 14 green-red signal flares.
  - 9 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. por. pil. Roman Bejm and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 8:50, landing: 10:50. Summary: photographing the bridges on the Berezina in the area of Podrech’e village and of the trenches north of the village of Lovoche. Report from the sortie: The bridge across Berezina, north of the town of Berezina, was photographed from an altitude of 1,200 m, at 10 a. m. on the west side. Another bridge at 10:15 from an altitude of 1,300 m on the south side, Bolshevik trenches at 10:20 on the eastern side from an altitude of1,500 m. There were 11 stationary wagons in a row at the eastern end of the village of Staryi Ostrov. Two trucks drove from the village of Podrech’e towards the road to Mogilev.
  - 15 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 10:45, landing: 12:00. Summary: reconnaissance of the movement of enemy forces from the north of the village of Orekhovka and along the positions they occupied, and of the traffic from the Mogilev and Rahachov roads, low-altitude pass in the vicinity of the village of Virkov in order to boost the morale of the infantry. Report from the sortie: Our transport column and about two infantry companies were entering the village of Virkov on the road from Svislach to Virkov. One company of our infantry was going through a clearing in the forest north of Virkov. Beyond the forest, about 20 km north of Virkov, enemy infantry were escaping and dispersing. I counted about 200 people. More enemy infantry fleeing from the village of Lenevka to Budnevo. The enemy were stretched across the entire road, about 150 people. Cavalry, numbering 30 horses, on the road from Orlino to Batsevichi. I noticed no traffic to the east of Babruysk.
  - 18 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew. plut. pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 9:30, landing: 10:00. Summary: reconnaissance in the area between Svislach and Berezina. The mission was aborted due to an engine failure caused by the use of poor-quality fuel.
  - 18 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Takeoff: 17:05, landing: 18:16. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Svislach.
  The aircraft did no flying after 18 October 1919. Due to the planned re-equipment of the II Esk. Wlkp. with Albatros D.III (Oef) fighters, it was delivered to the 2. EL based at Rowne (now Rivne in Ukraine) on 14 February 1920. Two weeks later it was sent away to the II Ruchomy Park Lotniczy (II RPL - II Mobile Aircraft Park) at Luck (now Lutsk in Ukraine), where the engine was to be overhauled. On 21 April 1920, the airframe was handed over to the CSL, and from there it was transferred to the CWL on 20 May. The aircraft was not used further and was eventually struck off charge.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 783/18

  This aircraft was also captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Between 31 March and 7 April 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness.
  On 28 April 1919, por.pil. Jerzy Dziembowski, commanding the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica ordered a propaganda flight over Upper Silesia. Halberstadt 783/18 with the crew at por.pil. Wiktor Lang and sierz. obs. Jan Kasprzak and Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 2821/18 were selected for the operation. Shortly after taking off from Lawica, the machines entered bad weather, which forced the pilots to land at the Jarocin airfield. The aircraft took off again on 30 April, reaching their designated targets, where the leaflets carried in the cockpits were dropped. During the return flight, a fuel line from the main tank broke in 783/18. The failure resulted in a gasoline leak and forced the pilot to switch to the gravity fuel tank, which allowed him to fly for about 20 more minutes. Consequently, 783/18 had to make a forced landing in German territory. The other aircraft also landed next to the machine of por. Lang, its crew wishing to help repair the malfunction. After the cause of the leak was identified, it turned out that it would not be possible to repair it in the field. Therefore, por. Lang ordered the other crew to return to Lawica immediately. Shortly afterwards, German soldiers arrived there and arrested the two aviators who remained with their aircraft. Eventually they managed to escape and resume service with the Polish air service.


Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 2821/18

  Another Halberstadt from the capture of the airship hangar in Poznan on 2 January 1919. Presumably in February 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. The aircraft was subsequently transferred to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  As noted above, por.pil. Jerzy Dziembowski, commanding the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica ordered a propaganda flight over Upper Silesia by two crews. Halberstadt Cl.II (Bay) 2821/18 with the crew of kpr.pil. Stanislaw Wrembel and sierz. sztab. obs. Josef Skoczynski, together with Cl.II 783/18, were selected for the operation. Shortly after taking off from Lawica, the machines flew into bad weather that forced the pilots to land at the Jarocin airfield. The aircraft took off again on 30 April, reaching their designated targets, where the leaflets carried in the cockpits were dropped. During the return flight, a fuel line from the main tank broke in 783/18, forcing the Halberstadt to land. 2821/18 landed as well. Unfortunately, the problem could not be corrected in the field, and it was ordered to return to their base at Lawica.
  During the further flight, the crew of 2821/18 attacked German infantry units they saw in the area of Kepno. The aircraft was then fired upon by anti-aircraft artillery and then crashed during a forced landing. Kpr.pil. Stanislaw Wrembel, who was slightly injured, managed to evacuate the unconscious sierz. sztab. obs. Jozef Skoczynski under enemy fire and reach Polish positions.


Halberstadt Cl.lla (Bay) 2869/18

  This aircraft was another captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. At the end of May 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Here the aircraft was damaged, probably during an acceptance test flight. In mid-July 1919, it was transferred for repair at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. On 11 September 1919, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. From no later than 21 October 1919, it was at the workshops. The aircraft was damaged, probably in the spring of 1920, and was transferred for an overhaul. The repairs were completed in August 1920, and subsequently, it was entered in the inventory of the WSP at Lawica. It remained in operation at least until the spring of 1921.


Halberstadt Cl.lla (Bay) 2875/18

  This aircraft was another captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. In early April 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. On 17 May 1919, it entered the inventory of the III Esk. Wlkp., then being formed at Lawica.
  The III Esk. Wlkp. moved to Gora on 4 June 1919. The unit flew only a few sorties from there. One of these was flown before 9 June, by the crew of pplk pil. Marek Krzyczkowski (the Eskadra commander) and st. szer. obs. Jozef Klicze. Between 19 and 21 June, the aircraft suffered an accident and was sent away for repairs. On 4 September 1919, it entered the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Shortly afterwards it was undergoing repairs again at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. It was included in the listing of aircraft assembled at Lawica in June 1920. Subsequently, it went to the II RPL based in Lublin.
  On 27 June 1920, it entered the inventory of the 2. EW, operating from Kovel. 23 July 1920, it went to the II RPL in Lublin. From 3 August 1920 it was at the CWL, where its repair was not proceeded with, and it was struck off charge.


Halberstadt Cl.ll 5760/17

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it was in the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Between 31 March and 7 April 1919, it was damaged. In mid-September 1919, the repaired machine went back to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica.
  On 13 October 1919, 5760/17 entered the inventory of the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Babruysk. It flew the following sorties with the unit:
  - 15 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. obs. Jozef Lipinski. Take-off: 15:30, landing: 16:35. Summary: reconnaissance of the movement of enemy forces along the river Berezina and in the area of Svislach. Report from the sortie: No movements at all along the Berezina and near the town of Svislach. Large numbers of stationary transport columns and infantry in the village of Kostrichkaya Slobodka. The troops laid out no signs, so I could not tell if they were ours. Between the villages of Kostrichkaya Slobodka and Patsova Sloboda, on the road towards Patsova Sloboda, about two battalions of troops and a large number of transport columns on the move. 35-40 stationary transport wagons on the Babruysk - Mogilev road, at the intersection of the highway with the river Ola. Five large camp fires in a small corpse on the western side of the Babruysk - Mogilev highway in the direction of Mogilev near Stolpishche, it should be assumed that a portion of the troops are hiding under the trees. The sortie was flown at an altitude of 1,000-1,500 m.
  - 17 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut. pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak met plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Takeoff: 17:05, landing: 18:10. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Svislach. Report from the sortie: On the eastern side of the town of Svislach a bridge completely constructed before crosses the river, and it is torn apart in the middle. To the east and north of the town, both bridges are also torn apart, an enemy transport column, numbering between 17 and 20 wagons, was present at the eastern side of the village of Nesyata, while about 100 people of infantry were stationary in the village. No movement was seen further east and south. The landing was made using flare light. The sortie was flown at an altitude of 500 m.
  - 19 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Takeoff: 13:55, landing: 14:55. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Svislach - Bahushevichy. Report from the sortie: From Svislach to Bychin and further north there are two lines of Bolshevik trenches on the eastern side of Berezina. A transport column of about 40 wagons on both sides of the road in the village of Staryi Ostrov. A transport column of 25 wagons moving from Staryi Ostrov to Kabylianka. An infantry column of 100 people advancing on the western side from Maksimovichi to Putski. 4 trucks driving from the village of Khadechin to Dulebna. All places of concentration of the enemy forces were strafed by the observer and the pilot with their machine guns. The sortie was flown at 1,200 m.
  - 20 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut. pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak and plut. obs. Stefan Kazmierczak. Take-off: 15:20, landing: 16:30. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Svislach - Bychin. Report from the sortie: enemy infantry bivouacking in three places 10 km from the river east of the village of Priterpa, 100-150 men in each place. 4 trucks on the road in the village of Staryi Ostrov. The trenches that extend to the north of the village of Staryi Ostrov were manned in places, from which the aircraft was fired upon. Two boats (dinghies) lay near the river to the east of Staryi Ostrov. A column of infantry of 80 people followed by a transport column of 12 wagons were advancing from the village of Kolbcha towards the village of Ostrovki. The trenches, as well as the infantry, were strafed by the observer with his machine gun.
  - 21 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. obs. Jozef Lipinski. Take-off: 16:05, landing: 17:25. Summary: reconnaissance in the area from the river Berezina to the village of Yakshitsy, and in the area of Svislach and Bychin. Report from the sortie: During the flight according to the task given to me, I saw no troops. I have only found out that the villages of Putski, Staryi Ostrov and Orekhovka are surrounded by trenches.
  - 22 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. Wladysiaw Dziwak. Take-off: 14:15, landing: 15:20. Summary: reconnaissance in the front line area.
  - 24 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and ppor. obs. Eugeniusz d’Elvert. Take-off: 15:40, landing: 16:20. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  - 25 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladysiaw Filipiak and ppor. obs. Eugeniusz d’Elvert. Takeoff: 15:05, landing: 15:40. Summary: reconnaissance in a designated area.
  Between 26 October 1919 and 24 January 1920, the aircraft was not used. On 25 January, it was selected for a combat sortie with the crew of st. szer.pil. Ludwik Patalas and kpr. obs. Henryk Zagierski. 5760/17 took off at 13:30. Shortly after take-off, due to a very low air temperature, the engine stopped. As the aircraft was already above a forest, the pilot made a sharp turn towards the airfield in order to avoid hitting trees. After this maneuver, the aircraft was heading towards one of the hangars. The pilot, st. szer. Patalas, managed to avoid hitting it, but one of the wings struck the ground. The aircraft was badly damaged in the subsequent crash. The crew suffered no major injuries. The machine was sent to Lawica and struck oft charge.


Halberstadt Cl.II (203/18)

  This aircraft was captured on 6 January 1919, at Lawica airfield. By 9 March 1919, it had been transferred to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Between 31 March and 7 April, it went for repairs to the workshops. A week later it was listed as airworthy. On 21 April, it was damaged by sierz. pil. Stanislaw Rozmiarek. Details of the accident were described by the commander of the I GL Wlkp, rtm.pil. Tadeusz Grochowalski: I request three days of arrest for the aviator Rozmiarek who, disregarding repeated warnings and air accidents, yesterday at 6p.m., in a Halberstadt Cl.II aircraft, lifted off downwind, causing a crash of the airframe, destroying the landing gear, propeller, lower wings, and other small parts. The damage was quickly repaired and the aircraft returned to service.
  The aircraft was transferred to the III Esk. Wlkp. on 2 June 1919. Two days later, the unit moved to Gora. The unit flew only a few sorties from there. It cannot be ruled out that at least one of these was flown in Halberstadt Cl.II (203/18).
  The Eskadra became part of the Front Galicyjsko-Wotyhski on 23 June. It moved to Stryi three days later, and to Berezhany on 7 July. On 1 August 1919, it commenced the move to Velyka Berezovytsia. This transfer took a while, from 1 to 12 August. It was probably on 1 August, during a ferry flight to the new airfield, that the engine suffered a serious failure. On 15 September 1919, the Eskadra left for Lawica, where it arrived five days later. The aircraft was put at the disposal of the I GL Wlkp. The new unit handed it over immediately for repairs at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica.
  On 16 November 1919, the aircraft was allocated to the II Esk. Wlkp. It was delivered to its new unit between 21 November and 2 December (during the period the unit operated from Babruysk). Due to the bitter frost during the winter, which prevented air operations, the aircraft did not fly with the Eskadra. In February 1920, the II Esk. Wlkp. started re-forming into the 13. EM. Therefore, on 14 February, Halberstadt Cl.II (203/18) went to the 2. EL based at Rivne. Just two weeks later it was delivered to the II RPL at Lutsk. In mid-April 1920 the aircraft returned to the 2. EW(ex-2. EL). On 18 April it was damaged and sent away to the II RPL, where it was repaired.
  The aircraft was transferred to the 8. E W, based at Lutsk, on 30 September 1920. Due to another engine failure, it was sent away for repairs at the II RPL on 19 November 1920. On 13 December 1920, the Szef Lotnictwa (Head of Aviation) ordered that the aircraft be transferred to the 8. EW upon completion of the overhaul. However, it remained at the II RPL. By 15 March 1921, it had been transferred to Lawica and struck off charge.


Halberstadt CI.II (548/18)

  This aircraft was purchased in Germany, probably at the end of September or in early October 1920. Initially, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. Subsequently, it was placed in storage at the Sklady Lotnicze at Lawica and was not used being eventually struck off charge.



Halberstadt Cl.II Aircraft in Poland

German Serial Type and Manufacturer Works number Polish serial Code number Engine type (works number)
750/18 C1.II (Bay) 1714 205/18 none no data
752/18 C1.II (Bay) 1716 none none no data
753/18 Cl.II (Bay) 1717 208/18 none Mercedes D.III (42981,35266, 43189)
781/18 Cl.II (Bay) 1745 201/18 none Mercedes D.III (33163,35060)
782/18 C1.II (Bay) 1746 202/18 none Mercedes D.III (34648)
783/18 Cl.II (Bay) 1747 none none Mercedes D.III (31944)
2821/18 Cl.II (Bay) no data 204/18 none Mercedes D.III (35640)
2869/18 Cl.IIa (Bay) no data 223/18 55 Mercedes D.III (34412)
2875/18 Cl.IIa (Bay) no data 222/18 none Mercedes D.III (35266,42981)
5760/17 Cl.II no data 206/17 none Mercedes D.III (40686)
no data Cl.II (Bay) no data 203/18 none Mercedes D.III (35775,35890, 34648,30681)
no data Cl.II (Bay) no data 548/18 none Mercedes D.III (35409)

Chapter 4: The Halberstadt C.V

  Based on the experience with the successful Halberstadt Cl.II, Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke GmbH developed a new two-seat reconnaissance aircraft, the Halberstadt C.III, in the autumn of 1917. The biplane was larger and heavier than its predecessor and was powered by a 200 hp Benz Bz.IV engine. The first flight tests, carried out in October were so promising that initial flight trials began soon. The actual Typenprufung took place on 2 February 1918, but ended with a negative decision by the Idflieg. Numerous design flaws were found in the aircraft, and the rate of climb achieved was below expectations. At the end of February 1918, Idflieg expected a quick arrival of a modified version of the aircraft for tests, but Diplom-Ingenieur Karl Theis began work on a completely new type of reconnaissance machine, called the Halberstadt C.V.
  The first example of the new model was completed in early March 1918. The first flights already showed that its flying characteristics were definitely better than those of other reconnaissance aircraft with 200 hp engines. The rate of climb was on par with those achieved by the much lighter Halberstadt Cl.II and Cl.IV. In a competition of 27 types of C-class aircraft organized on 14 March 1918, the Halberstadt C.V reached an altitude of 5,000 m in 24 minutes 18 seconds, an extremely good result; bettered only by the 245 hp Maybach Mb.IVa-powered Hannover C.IV and Rumpler C. VII. At the end of March 1918, Idflieg reported that flight testing had been completed and series production was underway. Static tests were carried out between 26 March and 22 April 1918. They showed the need to introduce a number of changes to the airframe.
  April-June 1918 reports from Idflieg indicated that the performance of the Halberstadt C.V exceeded that of all other reconnaissance aircraft powered by 200 hp engines. By the end of June, combat units operating on the Western Front had received the first ten machines of the new type. Over the next month, this number increased to 50. Combat experience has shown that the design required only minor modifications.
  The Halberstadt C.V proved to be the best mass-produced German close reconnaissance and artillery spotting aircraft. Moreover, it performed very well in photographic reconnaissance and as an attack aircraft. However, it was inferior to some other types, such as the Rumpler C.VII, as a long-range high altitude photographic reconnaissance aircraft (notably, these were tasks for which it had not been designed). Visibility from the cockpit was relatively good. The take-off run was described as short but difficult. The landing run, on the other hand, was of average length and also caused a lot of problems. In the air, the machine was very maneuverable and it had an excellent rate of climb. However, it had a dangerous tendency to fall into a spin. Moreover, the rudder effectiveness was described as insufficient.
  Between June and November 1918, Idflieg placed 14 production orders for at least 1,500 Halberstadt C.V aircraft (the exact number of machines built remains unknown; a total of 192 aircraft were used in combat units as of 31 August 1918). In addition to the parent plant, production was also licensed to Automobil und Aviatik AG, Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG and Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke GmbH.
  12 Halberstadt C.V aircraft were used in the Polish military aviation. At least 11 of these were built under license by Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG in Munich under an order from June 1918. Thanks to their good flying characteristics, they were among the favorite aircraft in Polish service. They were intensively operated, so they ended their service life quite soon. They were primarily used by the II Esk. Wlkp.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6641/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Between 28 April and 4 May 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. Subsequently, for a short time, it was used as an instructional aid at the Szkola Warsztatowa (Workshop School) at Lawica. On 26 August 1919, it was transferred to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. Two days later, it was sent back to the II Esk. Wlkp.
  It was probably damaged during transport, so it was returned to Lawica for repairs. On 13 October 1919, it entered the inventory of the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Babruysk. During service with the unit, the aircraft flew three combat sorties:
  - 18 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. obs. Jozef Lipinski. Take-off: 9:10, landing: 9:30. Due to an engine failure the aircraft returned to the home airfield.
  - 19 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. obs. Jozef Lipinski. Take-off: 13:35, landing: 15:35. Summary: reconnaissance along the route. During the mission, the observer fired from an altitude of 400 m at an enemy unit spotted in the village of Chyhyryn, firing 150 rounds. During the flight on the route of Bykhav - Chyhyryn, the aircraft received a single hit in the elevator.
  - 21 October 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and plut. Wladyslaw Dziwak. Take-off: 14:30, landing: 15:35. Summary: reconnaissance of the movement of enemy forces on the Mogilev road and the front line in the area of the river Berezina.
  Due to the planned re-equipment of the II Esk. Wlkp. with the Albatros D.III (Oef) fighters the aircraft was transferred to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica in the first half of February 1920, and placed in storage at the depot, and subsequently struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6642/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Along with 42 other machines, it was transferred to the CSL in Warsaw on 27 January. Subsequently, it went to the CWL for assembling and inspection. The aircraft probably suffered an accident during an acceptance test flight. By 24 June 1919, it had been delivered to the CSL. On 11 September 1919, it was sent to Lawica (the acceptance commission found damage to the fuselage and wings). At least from 21 January until 10 February 1920, the aircraft was at the workshops. Its repair was abandoned, however, and it was struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6643/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. At the end of April 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness.
  On 8 June 1919, the crew of ppor. pit. Ludwik Piechowiak and ppor. obs. Andrzej Plachta (both from the I Esk. Wlkp.) flew a combat sortie in this machine, which consisted of a reconnaissance on the route of Poznan - Srem - Gostyn - Leszno - Krzywin - Dolsk - Srem - Poznan. The aircraft was escorted by Fokker D.VII (OAW) 8430/18 flown by rtm.pil. Tadeusz Grochowalski. The following observations were made in the report made after the sortie: At 7:10 p.m. I noticed a train going from Gostyn to Leszno and I accompanied it almost to Leszno. No movement or transport of troops was noticed at the railway station in Gostyn. There were no enemy aircraft in the air. There was no firing against our aircraft by enemy artillery.
  Before 15 June 1919, the aircraft was sent back to the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Kobylniki. A few days later it took part in another combat sortie:
  - 18 June 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz. pil. Jozef Muhlnickel and sierz. sztab. obs. Tadeusz Kostro. Take-off: 20:25, landing: 21:20. Summary: reconnaissance along the route. Report from the sortie: Route of the flight - from Kruszwica via Inowroclaw, Nowa Wies' to Kirschgrund [now Leszyce in Poland], after that over the forest before the Vistula, to the place where the Vistula crosses the Kingdom border [i.e. the former border between the German and Russian zones of occupation of Poland] and back through Gniewkowo. East of Labiszyn [...] I noticed quite long fresh trenches, which are aligned with the old front lines. To the east of Rojewice I was tasked to detect batteries in unknown places. This task was impossible for me because of strong mist.
  Presumably, it was in this aircraft that the crew of sierz. pil. Jozef Muhlnickel and sierz. sztab. obs. Tadeusz Kostro flew another mission. In early July 1919, they were ordered to drop leaflets meant for Poles living in Bydgoszcz (known as Bromberg to the Germans). After completing this task, they headed for Schneidemuhl (now Pila in Poland), where they dropped the rest of the printed matter. During the flight over the town, two German Fokker D.VII fighters were scrambled to intercept the Polish aircraft. As one of the fighters approached, the observer fired a warning burst at it, which caused the pair to give up any further attempts to intercept the Polish machine, which returned safely to the airfield.
  The II Esk. Wlkp. set off for the Eastern front on 29 July 1919. Already on 4 August 1919 it deployed to Khozhevo, and the aircraft flew one combat sortie from there:
  - 6 August 1919 - group combat sortie. Crew: kpr.pil. Antoni Smytkowski and st. szer. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski. Take-off: 5:55, landing: 7:20. Summary: bombing of the railway station in Minsk by a section of three Halberstadt C.V and one LVG C.V biplanes, escorted by Fokker D.VII (OAW) 8355/18 flown by por.pil. Edmund Norwid-Kudlo. The observer took four 12.5 kg bombs on board. Despite the morning mist rising over Minsk, the section reached its target and began bombing without problems. Apparently, the attack resulted in a steam engine depot probably set on fire and one locomotive damaged; moreover, 28 Soviet soldiers were killed and 12 more seriously injured; according to another report, two steam engines were destroyed, an armored train was damaged, and tracks were broken.
  On 9 August 1919, the II Esk. Wlkp. moved to Serebryanka. The aircraft was taken there by rail, which suggests that it may have been damaged or suffered a failure during the sortie on 6 August. It was sent back to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica on 14 August. No repair was undertaken. The aircraft went into storage, and was subsequently struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6644/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it was transferred to the II Esk. Wlkp. then being formed at Lawica and marked with the code No. II. On 2 April 1919, the unit departed to the front line and deployed at Kleka. In subsequent weeks, the aircraft flew at least six sorties.
  The Eskadra moved to Kobylniki on 7 June 1919. Between 21 June and 5 July, the aircraft was sent back to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. It was probably seriously damaged and struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6645/18

  Another aircraft captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919 it was restored to airworthiness and entered into the inventory of the II Esk. Wlkp. It was probably exchanged for Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6648/18 before the unit left the front line, and went to the Szkola Obserwatorow at Lawica. In early May 1919 it was delivered again to the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Kleka. In mid-June 1919, it went to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. Between 28 July and 3 August 1919, it was allocated to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. On 30 August, it returned to the II Esk. Wlkp. based initially at Serebryanka, and from 2 September, at Babruysk. During service with the unit, the aircraft flew two sorties:
  - 7 September 1919 - cross-country flight to Babruysk. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and kpt. obs. Leon Raden. Take-off: 8:20, landing: 9:35.
  - 12 September 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and kpt. obs. Leon Raden. Take-off: 17:25, landing: 18:35. Summary: bombing of a Soviet armored train.
  Around the end of September and beginning of October 1919, the aircraft was sent to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6646/18

  Another aircraft captured on 2 January 1919 at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it was transferred to the II Esk. Wlkp. then being formed at Lawica, and marked with the code No. I. On 2 April 1919, the unit departed to the front line and deployed at Kleka.
  In subsequent weeks the aircraft flew at least six sorties.
  Before 26 May 1919, the aircraft was sent to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where presumably it was allocated for use at an air observers’course. At the end of June, it returned to the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Kobylniki. The Eskadra set off for the eastern front on 29 July 1919. By 4 August, it was deployed at Khozhevo. The aircraft was lost during its first combat sortie:
  - 6 August 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak and sierz. sztab. obs. Tadeusz Kostro. Take-off: 5:55. Summary: bombing of the railway station in Minsk by a section of three Halberstadt C.Vs and one LVG C.V escorted by Fokker D.VII (OAW) 8355/18 flown by por. pil. Edmund Norwid-Kudlo. The observer took four 12.5 kg bombs on board. Despite the morning mist rising over Minsk, the section reached its target and began bombing without problems. Apparently, the attack resulted in a steam engine depot probably set on fire and one locomotive damaged; moreover, 28 Soviet soldiers were killed and 12 more seriously injured; according to another report, two steam engines were destroyed, an armored train was damaged, and tracks were broken.
  During the bombing, the crew of Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6646/18 noticed that an armored train was departing from another Minsk station towards Barysaw. They decided to drop their last bomb on it. The observer hit the railway track in front of the train, forcing it to stop. Consequently, the pilot descended from 1,500 m to 600 m, allowing the observer to start strafing with his machine gun. The crew of the armored train returned fire using an anti-aircraft gun. Shrapnel from one of the shells hit the wing of the Polish machine, starting a fire. Under the circumstances, the pilot had no choice but to make a forced landing.
  The circumstances of the landing and capture by Soviet soldiers were described in detail in a press article published in the Polska Flota Napowietrzna journal No. 6-7/1919: Attempting to evade the pursuit, they alighted, risking their lives, on a forest, 30-35 km beyond Minsk, at a significant distance from the rail track and train. Fortunately, they avoided crashing and climbed down from the trees without injuries. The machine burst into flames. However, they did not manage to escape and hide, because they were noticed by Red Army soldiers nearby, who immediately ran up and, waving their rifles, threatened to shoot them on the spot. The situation was unenviable. It was necessary to act at once. To talk their way out somehow, lie or cheat, whatever, just to appease the aggressors. Then one of our airmen comes up with an unusual idea. Since they were both in flying suits and nothing outside revealed their affiliation with the Polish Army in any way, they decided to pretend to be German Bolsheviks and, without deliberation or hesitation, began to tell the Bolsheviks in a broken Russian they had learned once during their stay in Ukraine that they had flown to them intentionally from Warsaw, where they had been forced to serve in the Polish Army, wanting to get to Russia to work and fight together with them. This unusual explanation of our men somehow convinced the Bolsheviks, who calmed down so much that they even looked at them with friendship and respect. The alleged German friends were taken to Minsk, where they were presented to the HQ of the group operating on the Minsk front. Here our brave men, who were looking in vain for an opportunity to escape, were welcomed enthusiastically.
  Eventually, both aviators managed to escape and return to the unit (plut.pil. Wladyslaw Filipiak was the first to report, arriving on 13 August 1919).


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6647/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. Before 8 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it was transferred to the II Esk. Wlkp. then being formed at Lawica, and marked with the code No. III. On 2 April 1919, the unit departed to the front line and deployed at Kleka. In subsequent weeks the aircraft flew at least six sorties.
  At the end of May 1919, it was sent back to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was overhauled in July. During an acceptance test flight, it turned out that the aircraft required additional work (or it was damaged). In September 1919 it was at the workshops again. Its further repair was abandoned, however, and it was struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6648/18

  Another aircraft from the airship hangar in Poznan, captured on 2 January 1919. Before 24 March 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it was transferred to the II Esk. Wlkp. then being formed at Lawica and marked with the code No. IV. On 2 April 1919, the unit departed to the front line and deployed at Kleka.
  In subsequent weeks the aircraft flew at least three sorties. During the last one, the aircraft made a forced landing about 65 km from the airfield and was damaged. Subsequently, it was sent to Lawica, where repairs commenced between 18 and 25 August 1919. Soon, the overhaul was aborted, and the aircraft was struck off charge.

Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6649/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919 at the airship hangar in Poznan. In mid-April 1919, it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was restored to airworthiness. Subsequently, it was transferred to the II Esk. Wlkp. then being formed at Lawica. On 2 April 1919, the unit departed to the front line and deployed at Kleka.
  In subsequent weeks the aircraft flew at least two sorties.
  Before 27 May 1919, it was sent back for repairs to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. At the end of June, it returned to the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Kobylniki. The Eskadra set off for the eastern front on 29 July 1919. Already on 4 August, it was deployed at Khozhevo, and five days later it moved to Serebryanka. From 2 September 1919, it was based at Babruysk. During the period spent on the Eastern front, the aircraft flew two combat sorties:
  - 6 August 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Stefan Luczak and kpt. obs. Leon Raden. Take-off: 5:55, landing: 7:20. Summary: bombing of the railway station in Minsk by a section of three Halberstadt C.V and one LVG C.V biplane escorted by Fokker D.VII (OAW) 8355/18 flown by por.pil. Edmund Norwid-Kudlo.The observer took four 12.5 kg bombs on board. Despite the morning mist rising over Minsk, the section reached its target and began bombing without problems. Apparently, the attack resulted in a steam engine depot probably set on fire and one locomotive damaged; moreover, 28 Soviet soldiers were killed and 12 more seriously injured; according to another report, two steam engines were destroyed, an armored train was damaged, and tracks were broken.
  - 23 August 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Stefan Luczak and kpt. obs. Leon Raden. Take-off: 7:15, landing: 9:45. Summary: bombing of the railway station and fortress in Babruysk. The observer dropped four 12.5 kg bombs on the designated targets.
  On 8 September 1919, the aircraft was damaged and sent back for repairs at the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. No repair was undertaken - it went into storage and was subsequently struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6650/18

  This aircraft was captured on 2 January 1919 at the airship hangar in Poznan. Along with 42 other machines, it was transferred to the CSL in Warsaw on 27 January. Subsequently, it went to the CWL for assembling and inspection. The aircraft probably suffered an accident during an acceptance test flight. By 24 June 1919, it had been delivered to the CSL. On 11 September 1919, it was sent, less its engine, to Lawica (the acceptance commission found damage to the fuselage and wings). No repair was undertaken, and the machine was struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (Bay) 6661/18

  This aircraft was captured on 4 February 1919, after it was hit by ground fire of the Polish infantry and forced to land (the German crew were taken prisoners). One of the participants of this action, Antoni Jasiak, reported: In the morning at Slupia Kapitulna one aircraft was shot down with 2 officers who were taken prisoners, the entire company with rifles participated in shooting at the aircraft.
  The damaged aircraft was transferred to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. It appears for the first time in surviving documentation at the end of October 1919, (at the time it was at the workshops). On 16 November 1919, it entered the inventory of the II Esk. Wlkp. based at Babruysk. It failed to fly any combat sortie.
  Due to the planned re-equipment of the II Esk. Wlkp. with the Albatros D.III (Oef) fighters, in the first half of February 1920, the aircraft was transferred to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica and placed in storage at the depot, and subsequently struck off charge.


Halberstadt C.V (207/18)

  The aircraft was probably captured on 6 January 1919 at Lawica airfield. Before 24 March 1919, it went to the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. Later on, it was transferred to the II Esk. Wlkp. It was lost in an accident at Kleka, killing the crew of plut.pil. Lukasz Durka and plut. obs. Stanislaw Kruszona.The crash was caused by a pilot error and by the use of poor-quality fuel.



Halberstadt C.V Aircraft in Poland
German Serial Type and Manufacturer Works number Polish serial Code number Engine type (works number)
6641/18 C.V (Bay) 2161 none none Benz Bz.IV (22373)
6642/18 C.V (Bay) 2162 none none Benz Bz.IV (34911)
6643/18 C.V (Bay) 2163 none none Benz Bz.IV (34843)
6644/18 C.V (Bay) 2164 none II Benz Bz.IV
6645/18 C.V (Bay) 2165 none none Benz Bz.IV (30746)
6646/18 C.V (Bay) 2166 none I Benz Bz.IV (32936)
6647/18 C.V (Bay) 2167 none III Benz Bz.IV
6648/18 C.V (Bay) 2168 none IV Benz Bz.IV
6649/18 C.V (Bay) 2169 none none Benz Bz.IV (33183)
6650/18 C.V (Bay) 2170 none none Benz Bz.IV (34887)
6661/18 C.V (Bay) 2181 none none Benz Bz.IV (34539)
no data C.V no data 207/18 none Benz Bz.IV

Chapter 3: The Halberstadt CI.IV

  The first front-line successes of the Halberstadt Cl.II aircraft prompted the designers of Halberstadter Flugzeugwerke GmbH to start working on an improved model with better flying characteristics and maneuverability. The new type was designated Halberstadt CI.IV. The prototype was first flown in February 1918. In the same month, type tests (Typenprufung) began. Static testing of the airframe was completed between 5 and 27 March 1918.
  By shortening the fuselage of the Halberstadt CI.IV by 76 cm compared to the Cl.II, it was possible to reduce the empty weight of the airframe by 73 kg, which translated into a significant improvement in the rate of climb and maneuverability. An order for a pre-production batch of 150 Halberstadt CI.IV biplanes was placed by Idflieg at the turn of April 1918. The first machines were delivered to front line units in June, quickly acclaimed as the best in the Cl-class.
  The main shortcoming of this aircraft was its insufficient longitudinal stability (a side effect of the shortening of the fuselage), which made the aircraft more demanding to fly. Attempts were made to remedy this by adding a frame to the tail section thereby extending the fuselage by 40 cm. This modification was to be introduced on the aircraft built under license by the Luftfahrzeug Gesellschaft mbH, while the parent factory was to await initial feedback from combat crews before implementing it.
  As of 31 August 1918, a total of 136 Halberstadt CI.IV aircraft were in use with combat units. Although they were used extensively for close ground support, losses suffered by the units were surprisingly low. By the end of hostilities, Idflieg had placed seven production orders for a total of 1,300 machines. Ultimately, at least 837 were built, including 348 at the Luftfahrzeug Gesellschaft mbH factory.
  Only three Halberstadt CI.IV biplanes were used in the Polish air service. At various times they were used by the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, 2. EW, 14. EW, 3. Pulk Lotniczy (3. PL - 3rd Air Regiment, formed on 29 August 1921 at Lawica), and WSP in Grudziadz. The last one was operated until the second half of March 1923.


Halberstadt CI.IV 5894/18

  The aircraft was probably captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. It appears for the first time in surviving documentation on 21 January 1920 (at the time it was at the workshops of the Stacy a Lotnicza Lawica).
  On 7 April 1920, it was sent to the 2. EW based at Rivne. It reached the unit on 16 April. Unfortunately, it was lost during its first sortie:
  - 20 April 1920 - duty/combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Stefan Niewitecki and ppor. obs. Jan Zardecki. Summary: crosscountry flight to Zviahel (the aircraft landed at 12:00), and subsequently a cross-country flight to Berdychiv. During the flight, the machine was hit by ground fire and made a forced landing. The crew was captured by the Soviets, but managed to escape from captivity.
  In May 1920, the aircraft was found by Polish troops and sent to the Stacy a Lotnicza Lawica. It was included in the listing of aircraft assembled at Lawica in June 1920.
  5894/18 was transferred from the 3. PL to the WSP in Grudziadz on 3 August 1922. The aircraft was lost in an air crash on 24 March 1923. The accident was caused by an engine failure and pilot error (after the engine stopped, the pilot allowed the aircraft to suddenly lose speed and enter a spin). Por.pil. Stanislaw Chlopecki, an instructor of the WSP in Grudziadz, was killed, and szer. Leon Michalski, who was a passenger, was seriously injured.


Halberstadt Cl.IV (525/18)

  This aircraft was probably purchased in Germany in the summer of 1920. Initially, it went to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. It appears for the first time in surviving documentation on 22 May 1921 - at the time it was in the inventory of the 14. EW based at Grudziadz.
  The aircraft was destroyed in an air crash on 4 June 1921. While flying in bad weather, the crew of por.pil. Stefan Berezowski and por. obs. Mieczyslaw Danecki lost their bearings and made an emergency landing in Germany. The aircraft overturned upon touchdown and por. Danecki suffered a serious head injury, from which he died two days later. Parts of the aircraft were brought back to Poland and struck off charge.


Halberstadt Cl.IV (w/n 1770)

  This aircraft was probably captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. It appears for the first time in surviving documentation on 7 April 1920 (that day it was transferred from the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica to the inventory of the 2. EW). It reached the unit, based at Rivne, on 16 April. Presumably it was damaged during a test flight and transferred for repairs to the II RPL on 26 April. In July 1920, it went, less its engine, to the CWL. Its repair was not undertaken, however, and it was struck off charge.



Halberstadt CI.IV Aircraft in Poland
German Serial Type and Manufacturer Works number Polish serial Code number Engine type (works number)
5894/18 CI.IV no data none none Benz Bz.IV (34127, 35266)
Mercedes D.III (33123)
no data C1.IV no data 525/18 none Mercedes D.III (34145)
no data C1.IV 1770 none none Mercedes D.III (37272)

Chapter 6: The Hannover CI.V

  In 1915, due to the growing needs of the German air service, Hannoversche Waggonfabrik AG (Hawa), the famous manufacturer of railway rolling stock, established an aircraft construction department (Abteilung Flugzeugbau). Initially, it dealt with the license production of the Aviatik C.I, Rumpler C.Ia and Halberstadt D.II. But when, in August 1916, Idflieg adopted a plan to introduce light two-seat reconnaissance aircraft into service, Hawa was among the aircraft companies that submitted new design proposals. Despite a lack of any previous experience with production of their own designs, the Hannover Cl.II biplane, developed by a team led by Diplom-Ingenieur Hermann Dorner, proved relatively successful. Admittedly, its performance was inferior to that of the Halberstadt Cl.II, but it entered mass production anyway, in August 1917, and subsequently it was used by combat units in large numbers. During subsequent months, improved versions were developed; the Hannover Cl.III and Cl.IIIa.
  The Hannover CI.V biplane powered by a 170 hp Mercedes D.IIIa engine, based on a scaled down and aerodynamically refined airframe of the C.IV, was the last wartime design of Hannoversche Waggonfabrik AG engineers. Three prototypes were built at the turn of June 1918, which were subjected to static tests. The results indicated the necessity to strengthen the elevator, rudder, undercarriage, and the wing center section.
  Despite the shortcomings that were found, Idflieg ordered a batch of 20, for front line evaluation. The first Hannover CI.V manufactured was subjected to type tests (Typenprufung), and these were successfully passed upon retest on 7 October 1918. Despite satisfactory results, Idflieg decided that the order for CI.V machines would not be increased. The reason was that Idflieg had issued two new class specifications for Jagdzweisitzer (two-seat fighter) and a light Schlachtflugzeug (ground-attack aircraft) to address requests of the German air service.
  It soon turned out that a slightly modified Hannover CI.V could prove an ideal candidate for the Jagdzweisitzer class. Thanks to the fitting of the 185 hp BMW IIIa engine and a conventional tail (tested already in June 1918), it had a high speed and rate of climb, and very good maneuverability, equal to the single-seat Albatros D.III during mock dogfights. Positive opinions about the CI.V led to the placing of an order for 20 pre-production machines, to be built in two-seat fighter configuration, armed with two fixed and one flexible machine guns, and subsequently load-tested to single-seat fighter specifications. A total of 46 Hannover CI.V fighters had left the assembly lines by the cessation of hostilities. Another 62 examples were built after the Armistice.
  One aircraft of the type was used in the Polish air service. It was Hannover CI.V 9671/18, built as the first Jagdzweisitzer configuration machine.


Hannover CI.V 9671/18

  This aircraft was purchased in Germany and in mid-May 1919, it flew from East Prussia to Poland. Subsequently, it flew to Ciechanow, where it was collected by por. Emil Jacewicz and ppor. Kowalski. Then, it was delivered to the CSL. Between 9 and 18 June 1919, it underwent an inspection at the CWL. The aircraft was test flown by por.pil. Kazimierz Jesionowski on 28 July, and subsequently it went to the OSOL in Warsaw.
  On 23 August 1919, the acceptance commission of the CWL requested the Inspektor Wojsk Lotniczych (Inspector of the Air Forces) to hand Hannover CI.V 9671/18 over to the Wydzial Techniczny Sekcji Zeglugi Napowietrznej (Technological Department of the Aerial Navigation Section) for examination of its structure. The inspection was carried out at the CWL until 6 October 1919. After it was completed, the machine was again placed in storage at the CSL.
  On 24 March 1920, it was decided to transfer the aircraft to the inventory of the 9. EW. A few days later it was damaged during taxiing and was sent for repairs to the CWL. On 14 September 1920, the aircraft entered the inventory of the 12. EW based at Markowszczyzna. While used by the unit it flew two combat sorties:
  - 20 September 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: kpt.pil. Waclaw Iwaszkiewicz and por. obs. Maksymilian Kowalewski. Takeoff: 9:20, landing: 10:50. Summary: reconnaissance sortie towards Kuznica.
  - 21 September 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: kpt.pil. Waclaw Iwaszkiewicz and pchor. obs. Leonard Hudzicki. Take-off: 16:10, landing: 17:45. Summary: reconnaissance of the positions between Kuznica and Odelsk, and cooperation with the infantry. The crew attacked enemy trenches and an infantry troop between Zaspicze and Odelsk, dropping a total of 25 kg of bombs and firing 270 rounds. During the mission, the aircraft was fired at by field artillery. It overturned during landing and was damaged. After a few days, it was sent back to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, and subsequently struck off charge.



Hannover CI.V in Poland

German Serial Type and Manufacturer Works number Polish serial Code number Engine type (works number)
9671/18 CI.V no data none none Mercedes D.III (43625, 33815, 11456)

Chapter 5: The LVG C.VI

  In August 1917, the Luft-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH began work on a new C-class aircraft powered by a 200 hp Benz Bz.IV engine. In October, the finished design was approved by Idflieg, which ordered three prototypes, designated LVG C.VI. By 5 January 1918, the LVG C.VI had reached the final assembly stage and it was first flown later that month. The subsequent Typenprufung was completed in February 1918. The results were more than satisfactory and the C.VI was recommended for front line service.
  The layout of the new LVG C.VI was similar to that of the earlier C.V, but it was refined aerodynamically. It was smaller and lighter, which gave it better handling characteristics and performance (including a higher rate of climb). The first production order was placed in March 1918. Three months later, a total of 173 LVG C.VI were in operation with the combat units on the Western Front. As of August 1918, they already had 400 aircraft of this type. By the end of the hostilities, production orders had been placed for at least 1,253 machines, and the assembly lines remained in operation until the end of January 1919.
  The LVG C.VI had a high level speed and rate of climb, and very good maneuverability. They were liked by their crews for the ease of piloting and safety. They performed best in close reconnaissance and artillery cooperation missions, although they were slightly inferior in these roles to the Halberstadt C.V that was regarded as the best aircraft of its class.
  A total of 13 LVG C.VI biplanes were operated by the Polish air service (two more were never placed in service). Four of these were civilian conversions, without the standard observer’s cockpit, armament, or other military equipment. The necessary modifications were made in Poland by installing machine gun rings. During their service, the LVG C.VI biplanes were in the inventory of the II Szkola Pilotow in Cracow, III Esk. Wlkp. (subsequently renamed 14. EW), III GL, 3. EL, 5. EL, 7. EL, 12. EW, 15.EM, OSOL in Torun and WSP at Lawica. At least one machine was used until the end of 1924.


LVG C.VI 1505/18

  The aircraft was taken over on 15 November 1918, at the Warsaw airfield. Subsequently, it was delivered for an overhaul to the CWL. By the end of February 1919, it had been made airworthy again, and subsequently it was sent to Lviv, where on 18 April 1919, it entered the inventory of the 7. EL. While used by the unit it flew six combat sorties:
  - 10 May 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Mieczyslaw Garsztka and por. obs. Kazimierz Swoszowski. Summary: reconnaissance of the positions of Ukrainian troops deployed in the Lviv area. The observer took thirteen photographs of enemy trenches, and spotted a Ukrainian observation balloon near the railway station at Stare Selo.
  - 14 May 1919 - group combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Mieczyslaw Garsztka and por. obs. Kazimierz Swoszowski. Summary: attack against Ukrainian troops in the area of Kulykiv. The aircraft was hit several times by machine gun fire from the ground, but returned safely to Lviv without problems.
  - 20 May 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Mieczyslaw Garsztka and ppor. obs. Aleksander Senkowski. Summary: attacking spotted enemy troops. The crew bombed and strafed Ukrainian transport column. The aircraft was hit by ground fire in the target area (the engine was damaged), and the crew had to make a forced landing on the Polish side of the front line.
   - 1 June 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Mieczyslaw Garsztka and por. pil. Kazimierz Swoszowski. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Ternopil - Staryi Ostrov - Berezhany.
  - 6 June 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Mieczyslaw Garsztka and por. obs. Kazimierz Swoszowski. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Staryi Ostrov - Terebovlia — Pidhaitsi.
  - 1 June 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. Mieczyslaw Garsztka and por. obs. Kazimierz Swoszowski. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Radyvyliv - Uhniv - Dubno - Brody. The crew strafed an enemy column spotted at Brody.
  In July 1919, the aircraft was already heavily worn out and was only fit for short combat sorties. It went to the III Park Lotniczy (III Park Lotn. - III Aircraft Park) in Lviv for repairs on 5 August 1919. It was made airworthy again before the end of the month. The machine was probably damaged again during an acceptance test flight.
  Por. pil. Franciszek Peter flew a six-minute technical flight on the aircraft on 26 April 1920. About two months later it was transferred to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. At least from 15 January 1921, it was at the OSOL in Torun.
  LVG C.VI 1505/18 was lost in an accident on 25 May 1921. While flying at an altitude of 2,000 m the aircraft entered a spin. Eventually, the crew of sierz.pil. Jozef Zuromski and por. obs. Chmielewski managed to make a forced landing in a forest area (both suffered minor injuries). The badly damaged aircraft was struck off charge.


LVG C.VI 1574/18

  The aircraft was purchased in Germany in early September 1919 and delivered to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. Initially, it was handed over to the workshops. The aircraft was transferred to the III Esk. Wlkp., based at Buk, on 6 October 1919. At the end of October the unit was deployed to the eastern front and based at Zhodzina. While used by the III Esk. Wlkp. the aircraft flew four sorties:
  - 6 October 1919 - test flight over the airfield at Buk. Flight time: 5 minutes.
  - 28 October 1919 - test flight over the airfield at Zhodzina. Flight time: 4 minutes.
  - 5 November 1919 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Jozef Manczak and sierz. obs. Jozef Klicze. Take-off: 15:55, landing: 16:30. Summary: reconnaissance along the front line on the route of Vyalikaya Ukhaloda - Stayki - Nemanitsa - river Scha - Barysaw. During the mission, the observer bombed the railway station at Stayki, dropping 50 kg of bombs.
  - 6 March 1920 - test flight over the airfield at Zhodzina. Flight time: 10 minutes.
  8 March 1920 the aircraft was delivered to the 12. EW based at Kisyalyevichy. While used by the unit, LVG C.VI 1574/18 flew the following sorties:
  -11 March 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 10:55, landing: 11:55. Summary: photographing targets in the area of Parichi - Horki - Belitsa. During the sortie the observer took a total of thirteen photos.
  - 29 March 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. Klotz (intelligence officer of the 14. Dywizja Piechoty/14th Infantry Division). Take-off: 16:00, landing: 17:45. Summary: reconnaissance of bridges on the river Drut’, road traffic on the Mogilev and Rahachov highways, of the Rahachov - Bykhav railway line, and the territory west of Drut’ in the area of Chyhyryn and Hrabovets.
  - 9 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 8:00, landing: 10:45. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Shatilki - Yakimava Slabada - Rechytsa - Kalinkavichy - Mazyr.
  - 11 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 10:10, landing: 12:30. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Yakimava Slabada - Rechytsa and bombing of the railway station at Rechytsa. A total of 50 kg of bombs were dropped on the buildings. Three photos of the station were also taken. The aircraft was missed by two artillery shells fired at it over Shatilki.
  - 12 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 6:10, landing: 8:20. Summary: reconnaissance along the route combined with bombing and strafing of ground targets spotted. At 7:00 Soviet transport columns were attacked from an altitude of 400 m, dropping a total of 50 kg of bombs. In addition, two artillery pieces located on the northern bank of Berezina, 2 km from Yakimava Slabada, were strafed from an altitude of 200 m (200 rounds were used).
  - 14 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 4:50, landing: 6:50. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Yakimava Slabada - Gorval’ and over the railway line of Vasilievichy - Gorval’, finding out the direction of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the vicinity of Shatilki. During the flight, the observer strafed an enemy steamship on the river Berezina (400 rounds were used). In addition, the crew bombed two locations, dropping a total of 50 kg of bombs. During the mission the aircraft was under antiaircraft artillery fire that missed it.
  - 16 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and por. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 8:45, landing: 10:40. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Yakimava Slabada - Baraviki - Yalany combined with photography of enemy positions. The observer took a total of 27 photos. The aircraft was missed by 30-40 shells fired by artillery deployed on the left bank of Berezina.
  - 17 April 1920 - group combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and por. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Takeoff: 5:50, landing: 8:10. Summary: attacking transport columns, artillery positions, and infantry troops spotted in the area of Shatilki - Yakimava Slabada - Baraviki - river Berezina. The crew bombed and strafed targets. During a cross-country flight over Berezina, Soviet ships were firing at the aircraft.
  - 17 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: siez.pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and por. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 9:50, landing: 11:35. Summary: reconnaissance and attacking targets spotted along the route. Five Soviet ships operating on Berezina in the area of Otrub - Yakimava Slabada were bombed and strafed.
  - 1 May 1920 - test flight over the airfield at Kisyalyevichy. Flight time: 5 minutes.
  - 2 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 9:30, landing: 10:50. Summary: reconnaissance of the area of Krasny Bereg - Zhlobin in search of enemy airfields and reconnaissance of the area of Zhlobin - Rahachov combined with dropping several thousand leaflets. Two guns mounted on flatcars fired at the aircraft when above the station at Zhlobin. The observer took five photographs of the station.
  - 2 May 1920 - combat sortie. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Krasny Bereg - Zhlobin - Rahachov - Babruysk. Flight time: 1 hour 45 minutes.
  - 3 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. Klotz (intelligence officer of the 14. DP). Take-off: 17:00, landing: 18:00. Summary: dropping orders for an infantry unit and reconnaissance in the area of Krasny Bereg - Zhlobin. The deployment location of the unit was not found. A total of 60 kg of bombs were dropped on the railway station at Krasny Bereg. Two guns mounted on flatcars fired at the aircraft when in the target area. A total of 30 kg of leaflets were dropped over Zhlobin. In addition, an armored train was strafed.
  - 7 May 1920 - combat sortie. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Parichi - river Ola - Yakimava Slabada. Flight time: 1 hour 40 minutes. The task was not completed due to a low cloud base.
  - 8 May 1920 - combat sortie. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Parichi - Ryn’ya. Flight time: 1 hour 15 minutes. The task was completed only partially due to a low cloud base.
  - 8 May 1920 - combat sortie. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Yakshitsy. Flight time: 2 hours 5 minutes.
  - 9 May 1920 - combat sortie. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Zhlobin - Shatilki. Flight time: 1 hour 40 minutes.
  - 10 May 1920 - group combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and pplk Wladysiaw Anders (commanding the 15. Pulk Ulanow Wielkopolskich/15th Regiment of Wielkopolska Lancers). Summary: bombing of the enemy airfield at Pirevichi. Take-off: 5:00, landing: 7:05. The Polish aircraft were attacked over the target by three Soviet Nieuport 24s. The crews dropped their bombs hastily and turned back towards their airfield. LVG C.VI 1574/18 was attacked no less than six times by one of the fighters. According to Polish reports, the Nieuport 24 was apparently shot down by pplk Anders, but this is not corroborated by Russian documents. The crew of LVG C.VI 1574/18 managed to return to their airfield (the aircraft was probably damaged, as it did not fly again until 26 June 1920). Kpt. pil. Wladysiaw Jurgenson (the Eskadra commander) and pchor. obs. Tadeusz Dzierzgowski were less fortunate, their LVG C.V 3344/17 also attacked and shot down. They were captured; kpt. Jurgenson was murdered, while pchor. Dzierzgowski returned to Poland after the war.
  - 26 June 1920 - group combat sortie. Crew: pchor. pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Adam Karpinski. Takeoff: 4:45, landing: 5:50. Summary: bombing of ammunition and food depots at the village of Saralataye. The crews saw no explosion of the stored munitions after the attack (the
information about their location was probably incorrect).
  - 30 June 1920 - night combat sortie. Crew: pchor. pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 22:45, landing: 23:40. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Zhlobin - rail bridge across the river Ola. The sortie involved bombing of the railway station at Ryn’ya (a total of 50 kg of bombs was dropped) and the rail bridge (a total of 25 kg of bombs were dropped). The aircraft was seriously damaged during landing.
  LVG C.VI 1574/18 went to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica for repairs in early July 1920. Following the overhaul, probably at the end of August 1920, it entered the inventory of the 14. EW (ex-III Esk. Wlkp.). At the time the unit was based at Lawica, replenishing the equipment and staff. At the beginning of September it was sent to the eastern front again.
  In early December 1920 the 14. EW moved to Grudziadz. As of 21 January 1921, LVG C.VI 1574/18 was declared fit for front fine use despite a damaged fuselage. On 12 February 1921 the aircraft was transferred to I RPL in Grudziadz, where it was struck off charge.


LVG C.V11599/18

  The aircraft was taken over on 15 November 1918 at the Warsaw airfield. In early February 1919, after completion of an overhaul at the CWL, it entered the inventory of the 3. EL based at Lublin. The aircraft was assembled on 14 February 1919. The following day, the crew of por.pil. Jozef Krzyczkowski and ppor. obs. Tadeusz Antonowicz performed a test flight.
  On 10 March 1919, the crew of ppor.pil. Tadeusz Prauss and ppor. obs. Aleksander Laguna were ordered to ferry the aircraft to the new base of the Eskadra. The flight ended in an accident. Por. Prauss described it as follows: It was going reasonably well until Chelm. Later, fog commenced, so that I was flying at 30 m, but on the river Bug the fog was reaching the ground and I had to turn back. I tried to break above the clouds, while doing that I slid on my wing and lost sight of the railway line, which I found again, with difficulty. We were caught by hail between Chelm and Lublin, and heavy rain just before the airfield. I had to go around it, because I had already had enough of the attempts to fly through the hail and clouds, to be getting wet now. The flight did not end very fortunately: during my absence, the airfield had gotten completely soft in the rain, and my LVG plunged into the soft peaty ground up to its axle. I landed on my back, and my observer, ppor. Laguna, having hit the ground with his head, lay for three days as if lifeless.
  The damaged aircraft was repaired on site by the 3. EL (it had a broken propeller, damaged radiator and rudder). It was airworthy again on 7 April 1919, and was prepared for a ferry flight to Kovel. The crew was ppor. pil. Tadeusz Prauss and sierz. Karol Debski (mechanic). Immediately after takeoff, the engine failed, forcing the pilot to land. The aircraft was seriously damaged upon touchdown. The pilot escaped uninjured, while the mechanic suffered numerous bruises. No further attempt was made to repair the aircraft and it was struck off charge.


LVG C.VI 3963/18

  This aircraft was taken over on 15 August 1919, near Husiatyn.The pilot, an Austrian serving in the Ukrainian army, presumably escaped from his unit to the Polish side. Members of the 5. EL arrived at the site of the landing and secured the aircraft.
  No later than 1 October 1919, it went to the III Park Loin, in Lviv, where the radiator and fuel tank were repaired, among other repairs. On 9 December 1919, 3963/18 flew to Kamianets-Podilskyi as a personal aircraft of kpt.pil. Stefan Bastyr, commanding the III GA. This was probably in connection with the inventory of air force materiel captured from the Ukrainian Army. At least from 10 February until 15 March 1920, the aircraft was operated by the 5. EL. It was ferried from Dzhuryn to Lviv on 15 March.
  On 10 April 1920, the aircraft was flown by kpt.pil. Stefan Bastyr from Lviv, heading for Velyka Berezovytsia. Due to the engine overheating, the III GL commander decided to return to Lviv immediately. Eventually, the machine reached Velyka Berezovytsia a few days later, and then returned to Lviv on 17 April.
  In May 1920, the III Park Lotn. in Lviv overhauled the engine and the cooling system. The aircraft remained with the unit until at least 10 June 1920, and then it was struck off charge.


LVG C.VI 7705/18

  This aircraft was probably captured on 2 January 1919, at the airship hangar in Poznan. It was assembled and made airworthy again at the turn of December 1919. It crashed on 20 January 1920, with the crew of sierz. pil. Antoni Bartkowiak and por. obs. Henryk Rybka (both suffered minor injuries). The aircraft was subsequently struck off charge, while the useable parts were delivered to the CWL.


LVG C.VI 9092/18

  This LVG C.VI belonged to the Lithuanian air service. In March 1927, during a training sortie to reach an altitude of 5,000 m, its crew lost their bearings and landed in the Vilnius area (on the Polish side of the border) due to lack of fuel. The crew members were detained in the Modlin fortress, and subsequently returned to Lithuania. The aircraft, on the other hand, went to the CSL at Dublin. In 1928, through diplomatic agency of Latvia, the engine of the aircraft was returned to Lithuania and the airframe was struck off charge.


LVG C.VI (229/18)

  The aircraft was purchased in Germany and it was delivered to the workshops of the Stacy a Lotnicza Lawica on 12 January 1920. On 4 February 1920, the commander of the IV Esk. Wlkp. (later the 15. EM) applied for allocation of the machine to his unit. The request was denied and the aircraft remained in the inventory of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. The aircraft was dispatched on 7 April 1920, to the 12. EW based at Kisyalyevichy. It entered its inventory on 15 April, and then flew the following sorties:
  -18 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Franciszek Jach and sierz. obs. Roman Swiecicki. Take-off: 5:50, landing: 7:40. Summary: dropping newspapers and packages over designated locations, collecting mail from the 14. DP, and reconnaissance and locating the positions of own troops. In addition, the crew attacked enemy artillery positions, dropping a total of 50 kg of bombs on these and firing 200 rounds.
  - 30 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Leon Loria. Take-off: 16:30, landing: 17:45. Summary: dropping 10,000 leaflets in the area of Rahachov and Zhlobin.
  - 1 May 1920 - cross-country flight Babina - Babruysk. Flight time: 15 minutes.
  - 1 May 1920 - test flight over the airfield at Kisyalyevichy. Flight time: 10 minutes.
  - 3 May 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Boleslaw Gallus and por. obs. Andrzej Plachta. Take-off: 5:10, landing: 6:15. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Rahachov and dropping leaflets. During the sortie the aircraft was twice fired at by anti-aircraft artillery.
  - 3 May 1920 - duty sortie. Summary: photographing the parade of the 14. DP. Flight time: 1 hour.
  - 8 May 1920 - combat sortie. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Babruysk - Parichi - Ryn’ya. Flight time: 1 hour 10 minutes. The task was completed only partially due to a low cloud base.
  - 6 June 1920 - combat sortie. The engine failed during the sortie. Sierz. pil. Jozef Jakubowski attempted to land in the area of Parichi. The aircraft was seriously damaged (the crew escaped serious injuries).
  On 24 June 1920, the machine was delivered to the CWL. A few days later it was sent to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica, where it was struck off charge.


LVG C.VI (514/18)

  The aircraft was purchased in Germany and it flew to the Stag a Lotnicza Lawica on 10 July 1920. There is no further information about its service history.


LVG C.VI (550/18)

  The aircraft was purchased in Germany, probably at the end of 1920, and subsequently brought to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. From no later than 15 January 1921, it was used at the OSOL in Torun, where it underwent an overhaul before 18 October 1921. It was on charge of the unit until at least 11 January 1923. During the service it flew the following sorties, among others:
  - 15 January 1921 - training flight. Crew: chor.pil. Wladyslaw Dittmer and ppor. obs. Was. Take-off: 10:40, landing: 11:10.
  - 16 October 1922 - reconnaissance training flight. Crew: por.pil. Stanislaw Pawlowski and por. obs. Gebarowicz. Takeoff: 14:40, landing: 15:30.
  - 20 October 1922 - photo reconnaissance training flight. Crew: par.pil. Stanislaw Pawlowski and ppor. Zoledowski. Take-off: 11:30, landing: 12:10.
  - 26 October 1922 - reconnaissance training flight. Crew: por.pil. Stanislaw Pawlowski and ppor. obs. Wajda. Take-off: 8:50, landing: 9:50.
  - 26 October 1922 - reconnaissance training flight. Crew: por.pil. Stanislaw Pawlowski and ppor. obs. Czechowski. The flight was interrupted by an engine failure and a forced landing near Torun. Take-off: 10:10, landing: 10:15.
  - 11 January 1923 - photo reconnaissance training flight (target: Bydgoszcz airfield). Crew: por.pil. Stanislaw Pawlowski and por. obs. Kowalczyk. Take-off: 9:30, landing: 11:00.


LVG C.VI (serial not known)

  This aircraft was captured in the second half of November 1919, in a shipment of Ukrainian air force materiel at the railway station at Kamianets-Podilskyi. By 17 April 1920, it had been transported to the III Park Lotn. in Lviv. Upon inspection of its technical condition, the aircraft was earmarked to be disassembled and struck off charge.


LVG C.VI (w/n 5062)

  This aircraft was purchased from the German airline Danziger Luft-Reederei GmbH by por. Karol Dubicz-Penther, a Polish intelligence officer, on 28 August 1920. The machine had been converted to an unarmed civilian version after the war and had the German registration D-49 in the first German Luftfahrzeugrolle. It was probably heavily worn out, and therefore it was delivered to the Sklady Lotnicze at Lawica and struck off charge.


LVG C.VI (w/n 5074)

  LVG C.VI (w/n 5074) was used by the Ukrainian air service. It was taken over by Polish troops in early October 1919, after it landed near Komarovichi. The machine had been built in an unarmed civilian version and previously belonged to the Deutsche Luft-Reederei GmbH (it had the German registration D-56).
  10 October 1919, it went to the inventory of the II Szkola Pilotow in Cracow. It was destroyed in an accident on 12 November 1919 (the crew: ppor.pil. Artur Skokowski and szer. Judycki, were not injured). The aircraft was subsequently transferred to the workshops of the II Szkola Pilotow in Cracow and struck off charge there.


LVG C.VI (w/n 5086)

  The aircraft was purchased from Danziger Luft-Reederei GmbH aviation company by por. Karol Dubicz-Penther, a Polish intelligence officer, on 28 August 1920. The machine had been built in an unarmed civilian version and had the German registration marking D-63 in the first German Luftfahrzeugrolle. It was probably heavily worn out, and therefore it was transferred to the Sklady Lotnicze at Lawica and struck off charge.


LVG C.VI (w/n 5098)

  The aircraft was captured on 8 December 1919, at Lawica airfield, where Lt.d.R. Siegfried Gussmann, a German pilot, landed in error. This is how it happened, according to an account by Leon Paulus, a fitter serving with the IV Esk. Wlkp.: While working at the armory of the IV Eskadra, we heard the humming of a machine over Lawica at 3:45 p.m. Thinking that it was plut. Rozmiarek or Galusik returning from Berlin, we dashed to the airfield. A German machine was landing at that moment. When we got there, the German aviator asked: Ist das hier Hundsfeld (is this Psie Pole [Polish name of Hundsfeld] ?) We, knowing nothing, answered nothing. He asked vigorously for the second time: Ist das hier Hundsfeld bei Breslau (is this Psie Pole near Wroclaw [Polish name of Breslau] ?) Cwikowski: this is Lawica. He replied: In welcher gegend ist den Lawica, (in which area is Lawica located?) Paulus: Lawica ist in der gegend von Posen, Sie sind in Polen (Lawica is located near Poznan, you are in Poland), this is where he lowers his goggles and wants to start to take off. We jumped to the left wing and turned the machine three times in a circle. Edmund Andrzejewski, who helps in the canteen, joined us and helped us hold the airframe, while the aviator shouted loudly: Last mich los (let me go), more soldiers arrived at the same time and one jumped onto the machine, asking the German what his intentions were. Ich will zur Halle rollen, last mich nur los (I'm going to the hangar, just let me go). The soldier, who was now also in the machine, called in the same way for us to let go of the machine. Half of us let the machine go. At that moment, instead of going to the hangar, the aviator started to take off again. We, however, held tight and turned the machine five to seven times around. Soon afterwards, a private dashed in with a rifle and forced the German to leave the machine. The aviator took with him a bouquet of flowers, two coats (one of which was made of rubber), a trunk, two pairs of gloves and a wrist watch that was attached to the controls. We escorted him to the guardhouse.
  A report on this was also filed by sierz. Rutkowski, who served as the duty officer of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica when the aircraft landed: On 8.12.1919 at 4:15 p.m. I was walking through the station to the main office, when a whole bunch of soldiers (about 30) led a German officer to the stations duty officer. I asked him where he came from. He said: von Berlin (from Berlin). Where does he want to go? He: Habe in Posen Bekannte, mochte sie besuchen und dann nach Breslau fliegen. (I have friends in Poznan, I want to visit them and then fly to Wroclaw). Then, I handed him over to the guardhouse and went to look for the station commander, whom I failed to find. I called por. Dziembowski on the phone, but I did not find him at home because he had left with the commander to a certain estate. When I phoned there and asked, I was told that they had just left for Lawica. According to an order from ppor Grzywacz, I took the German officer to the canteen. Soon the commander arrived and I handed the detainee to him. Together with the officer, I gave his trunk to the watch office.
  A report on the landing of the German aircraft was also prepared by the Oddzial Informacyjny Dowodztwa Okregu Generalnego (Intelligence Section of the General District HQ) in Poznan and sent to the Inspektorat Lotnictwa (Aviation Inspectorate) in Warsaw: German 2nd Lt. Siegfried Gussmann landed in error at the airfield at Lawica near Poznan on the 8th inst. The aircraft (LVG C.VI type) was seized by the Stacja Lotnicza at Lawica, and the above mentioned aviator is at the disposal of the Oddz. II. D. O. Gen. in Poznan. The papers found on him and his testimony established the following state of affairs: 2nd Lt. in Reserve Siegfried Gussmann was discharged from the [German] armed forces on 10 February 1919. However, on the basis of a certificate of 18 March 1919, issued by the Jagdgeschwader Frhr. v. Richthofen Nr. 1 Jagdstaffel 11, Idflieg, Berlin, he remains in use as a liaison officer between Idflieg Berlin and Fliegerersatz Abt. 12 Cottbus, as a recruiting officer and as a professional consultant in the collection and purchase of aircraft materials in the Berlin - Cottbus area. The above mentioned joined the Deutsche Luft Reederei company in Berlin, which sold him the aircraft seized by our authorities. The German state aviation authority in Berlin issued to him an aircraft permit and an aircraft pilot’s certificate. The Deutsche Luft Reederei company issued him with a certificate for a trip from Johannisthal (near Berlin) to Wroclaw. On the 8th of this month the aviator Gussmann left Johannisthal and on the same day was captured in the uniform of a German officer near Poznan. Siegfried Gussmann was explaining that he was not an officer, but worked in a civilian air navigation company, and he only wore the officer’s uniform to enjoy facilitations in trade business. He cannot prove his status as a civilian person, and the attached document issued by the Jagdgeschwader states that, despite his discharge from service, he has continued to work for military purposes.
  A separate report about the landing was prepared by the Inspektor Wojsk Lotniczych (Inspector of the Air Forces) gen. ppor. Gustaw Macewicz, who submitted it to gen.ppor. Kazimierz Sosnkowski, the Vice Minister of Military Affairs: I report to you, Sir, as follows: on 8 December 1919, a German pilot, 2nd Lt. Gussmann, landed at the Stacja Lotnicza at Lawica, assuming that he was at Psie Pole near Wroclaw. The LVG C.VI type aircraft was detained by the Stacja Lotnicza, and the pilot was directed to the Departament II MSW (II Department of the Ministry of Military Affairs) to clarify the purpose of his journey. Currently, the Departament II informs me that the pilot has been released and sent to the IWL to discuss the matter of the aircraft “put at the disposal” of the Stacja Lotnicza at Lawica, thus to discuss the issue of compensation in the amount of 50,000 German marks. Pursuant to the provisions of the peace treaty, until a specific peace treaty is concluded, enemy aircraft can not fly over foreign territory, even if they are not armed, so a German aircraft caught in Poland as above is subject to confiscation without compensation, especially a military-type aircraft.
  The confiscated LVG C.VI (w/n 5098) was allocated to the WSP at Lawica. From 1 until (at the latest) 21 February 1920, it was at the workshops. Before 19 April 1920, it was going to be sent to the front line, to the I GL Wlkp, but this never happened. Due to the failure to carry out the orders pplk pil. Marek Krzyczkowski, the commander of the group, asked in his letter of 19 April 1920, that the commander of the WSP at Lawica be punished and ordered to transfer the aircraft immediately.
  At the end of April 1920, the machine was damaged and it went to the workshops of the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica for repairs. During this work, the observer’s cockpit was also modified, including the fitting of a machine gun ring from a Halberstadt Cl.II. The aircraft was then sent by rail to the front line, where on 21 June 1920, it entered the inventory of the 14. EW based at Slepyanka.
  Shortly later it was damaged again and sent back for repairs to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica. On 1 September 1920, the LVG C.VI was delivered to the 12. EW (ex-I Esk. Wlkp) based at Markowszczyzna. It flew the following sorties with the unit:
  - 19 September 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz.pil. Ignacy Makomaski and ppor. obs. Adam Karpinski. Take-off: 10:15, landing: 13:15. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Hrodna - Druskininkai - Lipsk. Near the village of Bartniki the aircraft was missed by artillery fire.
  - 24 September 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and por. obs. Jerzy Roszkowski. Take-off: 12:30, landing: 14:15. Summary: reconnaissance of the enemy positions in the area between Kuznica and Indura. During the mission, the observer spotted an artillery unit in the village of Boyary, on which he dropped a total of 25 kg of bombs.
  - 25 September 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: pchor. pil. Kazimierz Burzynski and ppor. obs. Adam Karpinski. Takeoff: 13:10, landing: 15:15. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Hrodna - Rusota - Hozha. During the return flight, the observer noticed an undamaged Polish aircraft parked on the ground near the village of Zamczysk.
  - 25-26 September 1920 - combat sortie. Crew. plut. pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and ppor. obs. Jerzy Roszkowski. Summary: dropping orders for the troops at Parechcha and Marcinkonys. Take-off from Markowszczyzna at 17:20. Both orders were dropped over the railway station at Parechcha. About 19:20 the falling dusk forced the crew to land on the highway at the village of Stock. They took off again the following day at 7:50. The landing at the Eskadra airfield at Markowszczyzna took place forty minutes later.
  - 26 September 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and ppor. obs. Jerzy Roszkowski. Take-off: 16:20, landing: 18:20. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Ozery - Skidzyel' and dropping leaflets over enemy positions. The crew strafed enemy transport columns near Ozery and Birulichy (200 rounds were used). Altogether 10,000 leaflets were dropped over the designated points.
  - 1 October 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and ppor. obs. Jerzy Roszkowski. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Navahrudak, Mir, Stowbtsy, Ishkol’d’, Tsyryn. Take-off (from Hrodna - the new base of the Eskadra): 12:20. Having used up almost all fuel, the aircraft made a forced landing at Lida at 15:10. The crew took off again at 17:40 and arrived at Hrodna 50 minutes later.
  - 5 October 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and ppor. obs. Jerzy Roszkowski. Take-off (from Lida, the new airfield of the Eskadra): 9:00, landing: 11:30. Summary: reconnaissance of own troop movements in the area of lake Svitiaz and the villages of Tsyryn, Mir, Stowbtsy, Turets, Karelichy, Nechnevichi, Vselyub, Morino. No reconnaissance was flown in the area of the last two villages, due to lack of fuel.
  - 6 October 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and ppor. obs. Adam Karpinski. Take-off: 13:20, landing: 15:15. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Ivye, Yuratishki, Vishnyeva, Olshany, Hrauzyski, and Dieveniskes.
  - 8 October 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and ppor. obs. Jerzy Roszkowski. Take-off: 10:25, landing: 12:30. Summary: dropping leaflets (10,000 pieces) in the area of Smarhon’ and lake Vishnyeva.
  - 10 October 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: plut.pil. Jozefat Skrzypek and ppor. obs. Adam Karpinski. Take-off: 13:20, landing: 15:10. Summary: dropping orders for the 3 Dywizja Piechoty Legionow (3rd Legions Infantry Division) spread out on the march near the village of Salos. The observer made a drop in front of the infantry troop that was accompanied by the HQ and the band. The orders were found and picked up.
  On 10 November 1920 the aircraft was transferred to the inventory of the WSP at Lawica. In June 1921 it went to the 15. EM based at Ostrow Wielkopolski. The transfer of the machine to the unit was connected with the planned support for Polish insurgent troops in Silesia. As the main combat operations had ended and peace talks continued, the pilots of the unit were banned from flying over the area where the fighting had previously taken place.
  Between 11 and 20 June 1921, taking off from Czestochowa, the aircraft flew several demonstration sorties along the Polish-German border. Probably immediately upon the end of the fighting, the 15. AM handed it over to the OSOL in Torun.


LVG C.VI (221/18)

  This unarmed civilian version was purchased in Germany, and subsequently brought to the Stacja Lotnicza Lawica on 25 August 1919. Initially, it went to the inventory of the Szkola Pilotow at Lawica. At least from 21 January until 21 February 1920, it was at the workshops; most probably the machine gun ring was fitted during this time.
  On 25 February 1920, pplk pil. Marek Krzyczkowski, commanding the I GL Wlkp. applied to the Szef Lotnictwa for an allocation of an aircraft that would be used for photo reconnaissance. The request was accepted and the unit, based at Minsk, received this LVG at the beginning of March
1920.
  On 10 April 1920, the aircraft was delivered to the 12. EW based at Kisyalyevichy. While with the unit it flew the following sorties:
  - 10 April 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Kazimierz Ziembinski and sierz. obs. Henryk Gizaczynski. Take-off: 15:10, landing: 17:20. Summary: reconnaissance of the area between Yakshitsy and Babruysk, and delivery of the machine to the base of the 12. EW.
  - 9 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 5:25, landing: 6:00. Summary: reconnaissance, including the area of Plesy - Ryn’ya and the Babruysk - Zhlobin railway line.
  - 10 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 9:45, landing: 10:40. Summary: reconnaissance, including the area of Kavali - lake Wiachowo - Bortniki and the Babruysk - Zhlobin railway line. One bomb was dropped on enemy transport columns spotted in the area of Ryn’ya, and another on the village of Starosel’ye (it exploded 100 meters from the buildings).
  - 13 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 8:55, landing: 9:45. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Ryn’ya - Mikhalevo - Pol’kovichi - Starosel’ye and the Babruysk - Zhlobin railway line. Enemy transport columns spotted in the area of Mikhalevo were strafed. A total of 37.5 kg of bombs were dropped near the village of Plesy.
  - 14 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 9:10, landing: 10:00. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Ryn’ya - Bortniki - Starosel’ye and the Babruysk - Zhlobin railway line. While above the railway station at Ryn’ya, the aircraft came under fire from a Soviet armored train (it was probably then that the aircraft received two minor machine gun hits). Two road trucks were spotted and bombed at Bortniki, dropping a total of 50 kg of bombs.
  - 15 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Summary: reconnaissance along the left bank of Berezina from Babruysk to Svislach and collecting orders from the Szefostwo Lotnictwa. 4 Armii (Aviation HQ of the 4th Army). Take-off (Kisyalyevichy): 6:55, landing (Minsk): 8:10. Takeoff (Minsk): 17:30, landing (Kisyalyevichy): 19:00.
  - 16 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 10:50, landing: 13:10. Summary: reconnaissance along the left bank of Berezina and Dnieper from Babruysk to Bychin.
  - 17 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Summary: reconnaissance along the left bank of Berezina from Babruysk to Yakimava Slabada. Take-off (Kisyalyevichy): 7:00, landing (at the Dyemby railway station in order to locate the 10. EW): 8:05. Return take-off: 14:10, landing at Kisyalyevichy: 15:20. During the sortie reconnaissance was flown over the left bank of Berezina from Shatilki to Babruysk.
  - 18 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 10:00, landing: 10:45. Summary: reconnaissance, including the area of Pankratovichi - Shchadryn. Three bombs, for a total of 37.5 kg, were dropped on both these locations.
  - 20 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 7:05, landing: 7:50. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Ignatsovka - Lyubonichy. Ignatsovka was bombed, dropping two bombs.
  - 23 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 9:20, landing: 10:45. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Ignatsovka - Lyubonichy - Bortniki - Ryn’ya - Wiachowo and the Babruysk - Zhlobin railway line. Ignatsovka and Lyubonichy were bombed, dropping a total of 50 kg of bombs.
  - 24 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor.pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 19:10, landing: 20:10. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Lyubonichy and along the river Ola to the Ryn’ya railway station. The aircraft was fired upon by a single gun near the bridge across the river Ola. During the sortie a total of 50 kg of bombs were dropped.
  - 29 June 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: ppor. pil. Franciszek Jach and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 17:00, landing: 18:00. Summary: reconnaissance over the left bank of Berezina from Lyubonichy to Svislach and dropping leaflets. In addition, the crew bombed two targets, dropping a total of 37.5 kg of bombs. Due to a propeller failure, the pilot aborted the sortie and returned to the airfield.
  - 24 July 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: pchor. pil. Gallus and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 8:00, landing: 9:45. Summary: reconnaissance, including the area of Hrodna, along the river Neman and the Augustow Canal. During the sortie one bomb was dropped on the barracks in Hrodna.
  - 4 August 1920 - combat sortie. Crew: sierz. pil. Alojzy Blazynski and ppor. obs. Bogdan Kwiecinski. Take-off: 11:00, landing: 13:05. Summary: reconnaissance in the area of Biala - Konstantynow - Janow, dropping leaflets and orders for the 14. DP and the 4 Armia. The observer strafed enemy troops spotted.
  The aircraft probably remained in the inventory of the 12. EW until September 1920.



LVG C.VI Aircraft in Poland
German Serial Type and Manufacturer Works number Polish serial Code number Engine type (works number)
1505/18 C.VI no data none 23 Benz Bz.IV (31341, 31165, 31998)
1574/18 C.VI no data none none Benz Bz.IV (34843, 36089)
1599/18 C.VI no data none 22 Benz Bz.IV (22465)
3963/18 C.VI no data none none Benz Bz.IV (25240)
7705/18 C.VI no data none none Benz Bz.IV
9092/18 C.VI no data none none Benz Bz.IV
none C.VI 5113 221/18 none Benz Bz.IV (35772)
no data C.VI no data 229/18 none Benz Bz.IV (35570)
no data C.VI no data 514/18 none Benz Bz.IV
none C.VI no data 550/18 none Benz Bz.IV (34887)
none C.VI 5062 none none Benz Bz.IV (25496)
none C.VI 5074 none 56 Benz Bz.IV
none C.VI 5086 none none Benz Bz.IV (33204)
none C.VI 5098 none none Benz Bz.IV (31403, 4799, 33274)
no data C.VI no data none none Benz Bz.IV