Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 In Polish Service
When Germany invaded Poland in September 1939, many experienced Polish airmen escaped through Romania to France, determined to continue the fight against the Axis powers. These men formed the nucleus of the Polish Air Force in exile, which came under French command in 1939–1940. Among the aircraft types they flew in combat during the Battle of France, was the Morane-Saulnier M.S.406, France’s principal fighter at the outbreak of World War II.
The M.S.406 was a single-seat, low-wing monoplane powered by a 860 hp Hispano-Suiza 12Y engine and armed with a 20 mm cannon and two 7.5 mm machine guns. Although modern when introduced in 1938, by May 1940 it was already being outclassed by the faster and more heavily armed German Messerschmitt Bf 109E. Nonetheless, in the hands of skilled and battle-hardened Polish pilots, the Morane proved capable of holding its own in the chaotic air battles over France.
After their arrival in late 1939, Polish aviators were regrouped into training centres at Lyon-Bron, Montpellier, and Clermont-Ferrand, where they were retrained on French aircraft and flight procedures. Most were assigned to French Air Force squadrons (Groupes de Chasse) rather than forming entirely independent Polish units. As a result, Polish pilots flew the M.S.406 within mixed squadrons such as GC I/2 “Cigognes,” GC I/6, GC II/6, GC I/10, GC II/10, and GC III/7, among others. Each of these units saw heavy fighting in May–June 1940, and in nearly all of them, Polish pilots distinguished themselves through skill and determination.
Among the notable Polish aces flying the Morane was Captain Władysław Gnys, already credited with the first Allied air victories of World War II during the September Campaign. Serving with GC II/7, he scored additional kills in France while flying the M.S.406. Lieutenant Antoni Ostowicz, Lieutenant Stanisław Karubin, and Sergeant Bolesław Drobiński were also among the Polish airmen credited with victories over German aircraft in the Morane. Despite being hampered by the M.S.406’s limited speed and climb rate compared with the Bf 109, these pilots achieved a number of confirmed kills during the brief but intense campaign.
Combat experience revealed both the strengths and weaknesses of the M.S.406. It was manoeuvrable, had pleasant handling characteristics, and could absorb considerable battle damage, but it was underpowered, poorly armed, and lacked self-sealing fuel tanks. Polish pilots, veterans of the 1939 campaign, often employed energy-conserving dogfighting tactics and teamwork to offset these deficiencies. Their familiarity with the Bf 109 from earlier encounters over Poland also helped them anticipate German attack patterns, occasionally turning apparent disadvantages into tactical advantages.
When France collapsed in June 1940, surviving Polish airmen flew their Moranes to unoccupied French airfields or across the Mediterranean to North Africa. From there, many continued their journey to Britain, where they would later form famous Royal Air Force units such as No. 302 “Poznański” and No. 303 “Kościuszko” Squadrons, which became legends during the Battle of Britain.
