Kraków 2009-12-21
13th Transport Aviation Regiment in Krakow.
1963-2000.
Stationing location – Balice Airport.
History of the 13th Regiment.
13 PLTr was continuously based at Balice Airport near Krakow. For some people of communist orientation, the regiment had its roots in the 13th Independent Transport Aviation Regiment. Maybe yes maybe no. But to preserve the chronology of aviation history, we must write about it. The 13th Independent Transport Aviation Regiment was created, like all Polish units in the East, on the basis of a Soviet Army unit, the 713th Transport Aviation Regiment of the 6th Aviation Army of the Soviet Air Force.
The regiment was officially formed by Order of the Supreme Commander of the Polish Army (in the East) No. 91 of October 31, 1944, at the airport in Jarosław. That is, in Poland, but not in the Lost Lands. We will mention that not a single Polish unit was established in the Lost Lands, and the Soviets made sure that Polish soldiers did not fight in this area. A few days later, the 13th Independent Transport Aviation Regiment was transferred to the Mokre airport near Zamość. Major Pilot Kozakov (Soviet) became the commander. All the time, the Regiment performed tasks for the benefit of the land forces of the 1st and 2nd Polish Armies. The planes delivered training materials, medical supplies, weapons and transported soldiers and communists. In December 1944, according to the staff status at that time, the Regiment consisted of 55 pilots, 11 navigators and 52 Po-2 aircraft. There are no memories of Polish pilots flying in the 13th SPLTr, because they were all Soviets. In 1946, the unit was disbanded.
55th Transport Aviation Regiment. 1963.
At the Balice Airport, in the years 1955-1963, the 2nd PLM (fighter aviation regiment) was based, which also used the Czyżyny-Rakowice Airport. In 1963, a decision was made to disband the 2nd PLM, and in its place a new 55th Transport Aviation Regiment was established, Order No. 040 of April 29, 1963. The 55th PLTr became the continuator of the tradition of the 13th Independent Transport Aviation Regiment. The fighter planes of the 2nd PLM were transferred to other units, and the 55th PLTr adopted Lisunow Li-2 planes from the units in Warsaw.
On May 8, 1963, the command of the 55th PLTr was formed in the Military Unit. 1,616 in storage; Commander Colonel Pilot Aleksander Milart. Deputy commander for political affairs, Major Jan Madej. Chief of Staff Major Mieczysław Hereda. Deputy for supplies, Lieutenant Colonel Kazimierz Srótek. Deputy for engineering and technical matters, Major Edward Ostrowski. Commander of the aviation squadron, Major Stanisław Gomula.
The main tasks of the 55th PLTr included; Securing the airfield maneuver of air regiments and tactical formations. Security of parachute training of the 6th Airborne Division. Carrying out photographic flights (aerofoto). Conducting operational flights involving the transport of cargo for Polish Army units and soldiers. Transport of cargo outside the country.
The basic equipment used in the 55th PLTr were Lisunov Li-2 and Iliuszyn Il-14 aircraft. Both types were adapted for landing parachute jumpers and transporting goods. These machines were obtained from other Polish units, primarily from Warsaw. From May 15, 1963 until June 30, 1963, the first landing of jumpers from the 6th DPD took place at the training ground (airport) in Jawor.
On October 20, 1963, the unit received a banner presented by the Commander of Operational Aviation, Brigadier General Pilot Franciszek Kamiński.
The first new planes delivered to the 55th PLTr were PZL An-2 planes, mass production of which began in 1961 at PZL WSK Mielec. In 1965, the Polish Army already had 42 PZL An-2 aircraft, of which over 30 were produced in Mielec, and a large part of them went to the airport in Balice. PZL An-2 planes were used for; small transport, as a liaison machine, for patrolling, photogrammetry, parachute landing.
In April 1965, pilot captain Bronisława Dudek came to the 55th PLTr from the Dęblin Officers’ Aviation School, at that time one of three women pilots in the Polish Army.
In 1966, a selected part of the flying staff was sent to CCCP for training on a new type of Antonov An-12 transport aircraft, of which our army bought two copies. Antonow An-12 No. 6344307 nb 50 and Antonow An-12 No. 6344308 nb 51. These aircraft were the largest transport machines operated in Poland for many years. The plane was an equivalent of the American Lockheed C-130 Herkules. One of these Antonov An-12 aircraft No. 6344307 nb 50 was lost in a crash on May 13, 1977 in Beirut, burying the entire crew. Crew; aircraft commander, lieutenant colonel pilot Henryk Bajer, (co-pilot) lieutenant colonel pilot Tadeusz Florek, lieutenant colonel navigator Jan Kowalik, flight technician lieutenant colonel Jerzy Grzywalski, key technician major Adam Rybak, landing equipment technician captain Janusz Lech, radiotelegraph operator ensign Kazimierz Krupka, NN, NN. Honor their memory! The second aircraft was used until 1993.
Change of name to 13. PLTr. 1967 year.
In September 1967, in accordance with the trend prevailing in the Polish Army at that time, the unit returned to the name from the period of World War II and by Order of the Minister of National Defense No. 025 of September 30, 1967, it was named the 13th Transport Aviation Regiment.
On September 13, 1972, the first of the Antonov An-26 transport aircraft purchased from CCCP, which ended their service in 2008, landed at the airport.
From 1970, a new structure was in force in the Regiment; 1st Squadron – An-26 planes (12 pieces). 2nd Squadron – An-2 planes. 3rd Squadron – Il-14 (maximum 17 pieces) and An-12 (2 pieces). During this period, the remaining Li-2 aircraft and part of the Il-14 were withdrawn from service. Some Il-14 aircraft were adapted to perform photogrammetric tasks. In the period from January 23, 1979 until January 25, 1979, after the earthquake in Yugoslavia, the Regiment’s planes transported over 100,000 kg of medicine, clothing and tents.
In July 1979, the 2nd Squadron began permanent duty in the National Emergency Medical System.
In 1980, the 13th PLTr began cooperation with the National Bank of Poland, transporting money from the headquarters in Warsaw to several cities in Poland.
In 1982, An-26 aircraft took part in exercises codenamed Shield-82 in Bulgaria.
Since 1985, the 13th PLTr has participated in the Heart Action for the Cardiology Clinic in Zabrze, transporting organs for transplantation led by Professor Zbigniew Raliga. A lamented, excellent doctor, Minister of Health and patriot. In 1985, professor (then assistant professor) Zbigniew Religa asked the General Staff of the Polish Army for help in delivering a heart to a patient who was waiting for a transplant in Zabrze. The organ was to be taken from a deceased patient in Szczecin, and only the air route offered a chance of success. The military came to help at this point. The General Staff of the Polish Army ordered the Air Force to transport the heart from the airport in Goleniów to Katowice as quickly as possible. It was a success, and the cooperation of medical clinics with the Polish Transport Aviation continues (2009).
In 1999, the Republic of Poland joined NATO. Therefore, crews from the 13th PLTr began to participate in the Allied Harbor and Eagle Eye 1999 exercises. The first crew to land at the NATO base in Naples was the crew of Major Pilot Jarosław Budzyński in an An-26 aircraft.
13 PLTr was disbanded on December 31, 2000, pursuant to the Order of the Minister of National Defense No. PF 24 of October 3, 2000, and on January 1, 2001, the 13th Transport Aviation Squadron and the 8th Air Base were formed.
Commanders of the 13th PLTr;
Pilot Colonel Aleksander Milart 4/06/1963 – December 7, 1973. Colonel pilot Henryk Rzemienicki December 8, 1973 – September 2, 1980. Lieutenant Colonel, certified pilot Henryk Boroń, September 3, 1980. – May 6, 1982. Colonel pilot Julian Grzegorczyk 7/05/1982 – January 7, 1985. Lieutenant Colonel, certified pilot Piotr Biliński, January 8, 1985. – November 6, 1986. Lieutenant Colonel, certified pilot Zdzisław Domański, November 7, 1986. – June 8, 1989. Colonel certified pilot Zbigniew Herc 9/06/1989 – January 8, 1994. Lieutenant Colonel, certified pilot Janusz Szpechciński, January 9, 1994. – May 27, 1997. Colonel certified pilot Józef Kurczap 28/05/1997 – July 30, 1999. Colonel certified pilot Tomasz Drewniak 31/07/1999 – December 31, 2000.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman