On the occasion of the 15 May Feast Day of the 2nd Aviation Regiment, the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków pays tribute to one of the most important aviation formations of the Second Polish Republic. It was on the grounds of the present-day Museum — the former Rakowice-Czyżyny airfield — that the elite 2nd Aviation Regiment was stationed from 1921 to 1939.
By decision of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, from 1929 onwards, 15 May was the official feast day of the unit. The feast day was intended to emphasise the importance of a modern air force in the reborn state.
The 2nd Aviation Regiment was one of the best trained and equipped units in pre-war military aviation. It was composed of line pilots, fighter pilots, support crews and aviation technicians who trained, served and were stationed right here, in Kraków. At the Rakowice airfield, new technologies were developed, pilots were trained in night flying, and divisions and squadrons were formed that played a key role in the September Campaign of 1939.
It was here that the Regimental Pilot School was established, and here that the unit’s own aviation workshops operated, repairing aircraft and producing parts. In the Kraków sky flew Potez, Breguet, and later RWD-14 Czapla and PZL P.11c aircraft — of which only one example has survived to our times — currently one of the most precious exhibits in our Museum’s collection.
After the outbreak of World War II and the August 1939 mobilisation, the 2nd Aviation Regiment was dissolved, and its squadrons were incorporated into the structures of the “Kraków” Army and the Pursuit Brigade. Although the unit formally ceased to exist, its spirit survived in tradition, memories and history.
Today — more than a hundred years after the unit’s creation (the 2nd Aviation Regiment was formed by order of the Minister of Military Affairs of 20 July 1921) — we continue the mission of preserving the memory of its achievements. The Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, located on the grounds of the former Rakowice-Czyżyny military airfield, cares for the heritage of the 2nd Aviation Regiment through exhibitions, collections, themed guided tours and educational events.
We are proud to recall that in 2024 the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków completed the construction of a new exhibition hangar, which was built precisely on the site of the historic Hangar No. 5, formerly belonging to the 2nd Aviation Regiment.
The design of the new building was created with respect for the heritage of this site. The modern hangar construction recreates the historic spatial layout of the original building, and its form and architectural details reference the original from the 1930s. A special element is the historic gable wall, the only surviving fragment of the pre-war structure, which has been incorporated into the new building, linking history with the present.
On the façade of the annexes, symbols closely associated with the regimental tradition have been placed: aviation checkerboards and an emblem of a galloping horse — the hallmark of the legendary 122nd Fighter Squadron of the 2nd Aviation Regiment. These elements not only restore the historic appearance of the building but also commemorate the people and events that shaped the history of Polish aviation.
Thanks to this investment, the Museum has not only significantly expanded its exhibition space, but has also fulfilled an important mission of protecting national heritage. The new hangar is an example of a harmonious combination of modern standards with deep respect for the past — the history of places, people and machines that built the strength of Polish wings in the first half of the 20th century.
We encourage you to visit our Museum, where the history and spirit of the 2nd Aviation Regiment still lingers in the air. 15 May is an ideal occasion to honour the memory of the soldiers of this elite unit and learn about their contribution to the development of Polish aviation. We therefore warmly invite you to visit the exhibition “History of the 2nd Aviation Regiment”, available under the mezzanine in the Main Hangar.
