Jan Zumbach

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Jan Zumbach
Biafra
Service/branch
Years of service1934–1967
Rank
Wing Commander
Service number1382
Commands held303 Squadron (1942–1943)
Battles/wars
Awards

Jan Eugeniusz Ludwig Zumbach (14 April 1915,

ace and squadron commander during the Second World War. During the Cold War, he became a mercenary in Africa and played a key role in forming the air forces of the breakaway states of Katanga and Biafra
.

Early years

The son of Eugeniusz Zumbach and Halina née Gorzechowska from a family of

111 Eskadra Myśliwska.[3]

Second World War

Zumbach did not fly during the

No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron.[4]

Jan Zumbach (center) with four 303 Squadron comrades beside one of their Hurricane Mark I's

During the

JG 3 Bf 109 over Dover
on 9 May 1941 when returning from a mission, but he was again able to bail out unharmed.

Zumbach became one of the first Allied pilots to engage in combat with a German Focke-Wulf Fw 190, which he damaged; in return, his aircraft was damaged by a "single radial-engined fighter" on 13 October 1941. In December 1941, Zumbach was posted to 58 OTU, and in March 1942 returned to 303 Squadron as a flight commander. In May, he was promoted to squadron leader and took command of the squadron, a post Zumbach held from 19 May 1942 until 30 November 1943.[5]

A Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire with Zumbach's markings

During this period, Zumbach flew three Supermarine Spitfire VBs, serial numbers BM144, EP594 and EN951. All these aircraft carried the same code, RF-D, "RF" being the squadron code for 303 Squadron and "D" the individual aircraft code. All three aircraft carried a cartoon of Donald Duck on the port side of the fuselage, slightly forward of the cockpit. Zumbach's victory tally was marked with German crosses under the cockpit on the port side; confirmed kills were outlined in white, probable kills in red, and damaged aircraft with no outline.

After handing over command of 303 Squadron to Squadron Leader

JG 26 Fw 190 over Arnhem.[4]

On 30 January 1945, Zumbach was posted to HQ, No. 84 Group. While flying an Auster that was used to visit units under the Group's command, he made a navigational error and ran out of fuel. He force-landed in enemy territory and spent the final month of the war as a prisoner of war.

Zumbach's final victory tally was 12 (and two shared) confirmed kills, five probables and one damaged.[6]

Post-Second World War

Roundel of the Biafran Air Force, organised and commanded by Jan Zumbach under the alias "John Brown".

Zumbach was demobilised in October 1946 but continued to fly for a living. Under a Swiss passport, he flew contraband around Southern Europe and the Middle East.[7]

In January 1962, Zumbach was contracted to organise and command Avikat, the air force of Congolese breakaway

nom de guerre of John Brown.[8] Based in Enugu, he became well-known among the locals.[9]
During that time, he also partook in Biafran air force raids, including killing a Nigerian army chief of staff during an attack on Markudi airfield he led.

In 1975, Zumbach published his autobiography, originally available in French under the title Mister Brown: Aventures dans le ciel, it was subsequently published in German, English under the title On Wings of War: My Life as a Pilot Adventurer, and Polish under the title Ostatnia walka: Moje życie jako lotnika, przemytnika i poszukiwacza przygód. (The final battle: My life as a pilot, smuggler, and adventurer).

Memorial plaque to Jan Zumbach in his childhood village of Bobrowo

Zumbach died in unclear circumstances on 3 January 1986 in France, and was buried at Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland.[10] The investigation into his death was closed by order of the French authorities without public explanation.

Decorations

Virtuti Militari Crosses are the most prestigious Polish military awards.

Virtuti Militari, Silver Cross[11]
Cross of Valour (Poland), four times
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) & Bar

In popular culture

Jan Zumbach was portrayed by Iwan Rheon in the 2018 film Hurricane: 303 Squadron.[12]

References

Notes

  1. ISBN 9781912174317
    .
  2. ISBN 978-83-87162-00-9
  3. ^ Dariusz Kaliński (23 May 2019). "Jan Zumbach. Najbardziej kontrowersyjny dowódca Dywizjonu 303". ciekawostkihistoryczne.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Polish Battle of Britain ace born 102 years aog". pap.pl. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  5. ISBN 9781576383308
    .
  6. ^ Shores and Williams 1984, p. 655.
  7. ^ "A Hero to remember – P/O Jan Zumbach, the legendary fighter pilot of 303 Polish Squadron". britishpoles.uk. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  8. ^ Michael Robson. "The Douglas A/B-26 Invader – Biafran Invaders". Vectaris.net. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  9. ^ Garrison, Lloyd (29 July 1967). "Eastern Nigerian Rebels Weather Their First Test". The New York Times. pp. A1, A3.
  10. ^ "35. rocznica śmierci Jana Zumbacha - dowódcy legendarnego Dywizjonu 303". niezalezna.pl (in Polish). 3 January 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  11. ^ "THE POLISH ACE PILOT WHO TOOK THE FIGHT TO GERMANY". rafbf.org. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  12. ^ Michał Sałański (18 August 2018). "„303. Bitwa o Anglię" – reż. David Blair – recenzja i ocena filmu". histmag.org (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2024.

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

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