6 Eskadra Lotnicza

Callsign : TIGERS

Nato Tiger Association status : full member

On 18 September 1944, the Soviet 658-y Shturmovoy Aviatsionnyy Polk (Assault Aviation Regiment), operating the Ilyushin Il-2M3 Sturmovik, was transferred to  the Lotnictwo Wojska Polskiego (Air Force of the Polish Army) and on 12 October 1944, in Bely Kolodets near Volchansk (Former Soviet Union territory), reformed into the 6. Pułka Lotnictwa Szturmowego (Assault Aviation Regiment).

The 6th Attack Regiment’s first combat tasking was to destroy a railway station in Bergsdorf, Germany, in support of the Battle of Berlin.

On 6 June 1945 the name was changed into 6. Szturmowy Pułk Lotniczy (Assault Aviation Regiment).

In 1946, the regiment became part of the 2 Dywizja Lotnictwa Szturmowego (Assault Air Division) and was stationed at the airport in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland.

In 1950, the regiment became part of the newly formed 8 Dywizja Lotnictwa Szturmowego (Assault Aviation Division), operating the Ilyushin Il-10, and from 1 September 1950 to 1957, it was once again called the 6. Pułka Lotnictwa Szturmowego.

In October 1952, the regiment once again changed its location.  This time they moved to Piła airfield, what would be their home for the next 45 years.

While based at Piła, the regiment underwent several aircraft changes.  Between 1955 and 1957, the Polish Air Force began replacing the Il-10 with Polish-manufactured MiG-15 and MiG-15 bis (Polish designations, LIM-1/LIM-2).

With the added capabilities of these aircraft, the regiment changed in 1957 into 6. Pułka Lotnictwa Myśliwsko-Szturmowego (Fighter-Attack Aviation Regiment), and on 24 November 1982 into 6. Pułka Lotnictwa Myśliwsko-Bombowego (Fighter-Bomber Aviation Regiment).

Continuing to upgrade its capabilities, the MiG-15s were replaced with Polish-manufactured MiG-17s (Polish designations LIM-5M/LIM-6/LIM-6bis) during the 1960s.

In 1982, the 6th Fighter Attack Regiment was selected as the first Polish Air Force unit to fly the Su-22.  By 1984, the regiment no longer operated MiG aircraft.  The first 11 Su-22 aircraft arrived at Piła in November 1984.  The delivery process continued until 1985, by which the regiment totalled 40 Fitters divided among three squadrons.  The mascot of each squadron was a flying tiger, with the wing colours varying by squadron.  The first squadron of the 6th Regiment painted its tigers wings in pink, second in black and third in blue.  For the first time a tiger mascot was painted on Su-22 number 3005, which was the first one delivered, and the last to leave the regiment.

The Polish Air Force began to downsize in 2000 and formed two tactical squadrons: the 6. and 7. Eskadry Lotnictwa Taktycznego  (Tactical Aviation Squadrons), both located at the newly designated 33. Baza Lotnicza (Air Base) at Powidz.  The majority of the former 6.Pułk personnel became part of the new 6.Eskadra and elected to return to its historical logo, the flying tiger.

In 2002, the Polish Air Force selected the Lockheed Martin F-16 "Fighting Falcon" as its newest combat aircraft.  Pilots and maintenance personnel selected to transition to the F-16 began training in the United States, while the remaining 6.Eskadra Su-22 personnel became part of the 7.ELT.  The 6.ELT moved to 31. Baza Lotnicza at Poznan-Krzesiny to receive the newly trained F-16 personnel.

31. Baza Lotnicza officially became the 31 Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego (Tactical Air Base) on 1 April 2008 and the new name of the Eskadra became 6. Eskadra Lotnictwa (Aviation Squadron).

In 2010, a competition for a new emblem of the 6.EL was announced by the squadron commander.  Winner was the design drawn by Junior Warrant Officer Krystian Pietruszczak.

(all aircraft are to scale, not all drawings show an aircraft in 313 markings)

Aircraft

Ilyushin Il-2M3 Sturmovik (Stormtrooper) (USSR)

Ilyushin Il-2M3 Sturmovik (Stormtrooper) (Poland)

Ilyushin Il-10 (NATO reporting name 'Beast')

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (NATO reporting name 'Faggot')

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (NATO reporting name 'Fresco')

Sukhoi Su-22M4 (NATO reporting name 'Fitter')

General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon

General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon

6.Pulk Lotnictwa Mysliwsko-Bombowego

6.Pulk Lotnictwa Mysliwsko-Bombowego (aircrews)

6.Pulk Lotnictwa Mysliwsko-Bombowego (groundcrews)

6.Eskadry Lotnictwa Taktycznego

6.Eskadry Lotnictwa Taktycznego

Eskadra 1, 6.Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwsko-Bombowego

Eskadra 2, 6.Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwsko-Bombowego

Eskadra 3, 6.Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwsko-Bombowego

6.Eskadra Letka (current unit patch)

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text & picture sources : own collection & library + the world wide web / No copyright infringement intended : drawings, photos, etc. belong to the rightful owners.