2nd Tactical Air Force

Preparations for the invasion of France started in the earnest in mid-1943. Air forces in Britain were reorganised, and the 2nd Tactical Air Force was established (the 1st TAF had operated in the Mediterranean). The 2nd TAF was going to provide support to ground troops during fighting on the continent. It included fighter, reconnaissance and light bomber units. After the invasion, as ground troops advanced, they would follow them moving to airfields near the front line. A number of Polish units were allocated to the 2nd TAF; the 1st and 2nd Polish Wings (as Nos. 131 and 133 in the 2nd TAF structure, respectively) and No. 305 Squadron. At dawn on 6 June 1944 allied troops landed on Normandy beaches. This giant amphibious operation involved lots of aircraft, including Spitfires of all No.131 Wing squadrons and of all No. 133 Wing squadrons and of No. 303 Sqn (within an RAF wing), which patrolled the landing area from dawn, each flying four squadron-strength operations. During first days and weeks of the invasion Polish fighter squadrons were mainly busy patrolling the landing area, and attacking ground targets, mainly the transport. The first day of the invasion failed to bring any aerial victories to the Poles, but the next day proved extremely cuccessful for No.133 Wing fighters. On 7 June Nos, 306 and 315 Squadrons fought a number of combats with Luftwaffe fighters, and were credited with a total of 16 German aircraft destroyed, a record among all allied wings. Own losses amounted to three aircraft destroyed (one pilot killed, one in captivity, one returned a few weeks later). In the course of June the two Polish squadrons of no.133 wing put up 91 combat missions (94% of them reconnaissance/attack task) with No.306 carrying out 345 sorties in some 600 hours and No.315, 377 sorties in some 800 hours. No.129 Sqdn added 327 sorties to the wing1s total. The June effort of polish squadrons of both wings in 2nd TAF totaled 2,665 sorties in almost 5,600 flying hours while that of the whole No.18 (Polish) Fighter Sector, which incorporated also No.135 Wing, amounted to 4,909 sorties. The Polish fighters of 2nd TAF scored 39-4-11 victories, and 133 Wing, commanded by W/Cdr
Skalski, with 36 confirmed victories to its credit, was officially named in 2nd TAF HQ communique
a the most saccesful unit the mounth.