On Wednesday, 9 April 2025, the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków hosted a special guest — Mr Richard Dajda, son of Narcyz Dajda, a pilot of the Polish Air Forces in the West, who during World War II flew the Supermarine Spitfire SM411 — the very aircraft that can be admired in our collection today.
During his visit, Richard Dajda, in the presence of Museum Director Tomasz Kosecki, donated to our collection his father’s original flight jacket from the World War II period. This symbolic gesture not only enriched our collection but also stands as a remarkable example of care for preserving the memory of Polish aviators who fought in the West.
Let us recall that Narcyz Dajda was one of only two Polish pilots who had the opportunity to fly the Supermarine Spitfire SM411. The example in the Museum’s collection was manufactured in 1944 and assigned to the 421st Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). In 1956, it was transferred to the RAF Museum in Hendon. In 1967, it took part in the filming of Battle of Britain, and in 1977, it was transferred to the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków. It is currently displayed in the markings of the Polish 308th Kraków Fighter Squadron, as specimen TB995 ZF-O.
This was already another visit by Richard Dajda and his family to our Museum. We are glad that we are a place worth returning to and are proud that such a unique memento as an original jacket of a Polish aviator who fought during World War II in Great Britain has found its place in our collection. We thank the Dajda family for this precious gift and for co-creating a space of remembrance for the heroes of Polish aviation.
We encourage you to view the photo report from the handover:
