Bolesław Drobiński

Drobiński made his first flight on a glider in 1934. On 2 January 1938 he entered the Polish Air Force Academy in Dęblin.^[1] After the Invasion of Poland he was evacuated to France via Romania and Italy, then he came to England.^[2]

On 11 September 1940 Drobiński was assigned to the No. 65 Squadron RAF and took part in the Battle of Britain.^[3] On 2 March 1941 he was posted to the No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 15 May 1941 he damaged a Ju 52 which was on the ground. On 21 June 1941 Drobiński heavily damaged the plane flown by German ace Adolf Galland^[4] and forced him to a crash-landing. From 18 March 1942 to 9 August 1942 he was an instructor in No. 58 Operational Training Unit at RAF Grangemouth.^[5] On 18 October 1943 he was ordered to No. 317 Polish Fighter Squadron. On 3 April 1944 he began to work in the Ministry of Defence. On 26 September 1944 he took command of No.303 Polish Fighter Squadron.^[6]

Drobiński was demobilized in 1948. He worked in the oil industry in America. In 1950's he settled in a village in Surrey.^[7] In 1960 he obtained British citizenship. In 1969 he acted as a technical advisor for the Battle of Britain, where he reunited with Galland, who was also a technical advisor for the movie. In 1943 he married a South African woman, they had two sons and a daughter.^[8]

• 18 June 1941 – 2 Bf 109
• 21 June 1941 – Bf 109
• 22 June 1941 – Bf 109
• 25 June 1941 – Bf 109
• 3 July 1941 – Bf 109
• 6 July 1941 – 1/3 Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
• 7 July 1941 – 1/2
• 24 July 1941 – Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
• 24 October 1941 – Bf 109 (probably destroyed)
• 13 March 1942 – Bf 109

Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross
Cross of Valour (Poland), three times
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)