Seventy-five years after the death of Jan Wnęk, another aviation tragedy unfolded over the surrounding fields — one of seven Halifaxes of 148 Squadron RAF/RCAF, carrying out the secret mission flight JP276 from Brindisi with supplies for besieged Warsaw, was shot down by the Germans. That day, only two of the seven aircraft returned to Brindisi. Immediately after the downed aircraft crashed, Polish underground soldiers reached the site. The bodies of the airmen were secretly transported to Dąbrowa Tarnowska and buried at the local cemetery. The Gestapo, despite large-scale searches, was unable to discover anything. Only after the war ended were the mortal remains of the airmen exhumed and transferred to the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Kraków. On September 5, 2002, a bronze plaque with inscriptions in English and Polish was embedded in the wall of the church tower in Odporyszów:
“In memory of the airmen of 148 Squadron RAF/RCAF who perished
on a flight to aid the Warsaw Uprising on August 5, 1944.
Capt. Arnold Raymond Blynn – pilot – Canadian
Lt. Harold Leonard Brown – radio operator – Canadian
2nd Lt. George Alfred Chapman – navigator – Canadian
Sgt. Arthur George William Lidell – air gunner – Canadian
Sgt. Charles Burton Wylie – air gunner – Canadian
Sgt. Kenneth James Ashmore – air gunner – Irish
Sgt. Frederick George Wenham – flight engineer – British”
The plaque was funded by the airmen’s families and the Council for the Protection of Monuments to Struggle and Martyrdom, and among the many participants of the ceremony was Mrs. Catherine Jolly — the sister of 2nd Lt. George Alfred Chapman, one of the crew members of the downed aircraft. Thus, in Odporyszów, the memory of the legendary first Polish aviator and of the seven brave foreign airmen who gave their lives bringing aid to others lives side by side.
In 1941, nighttime bombing raids on Germany intensified, causing heavy losses to German cities and industry. To counter them, it was necessary to prepare suitable aircraft equipped with radar devices (radar sights), radio navigation instruments, and powerful gun armament. Such aircraft also needed to be able to remain airborne for long periods thanks to large fuel reserves. The crew of such an aircraft had to consist of at least two people — a pilot and an operator of complex radio equipment. These conditions could initially be met by suitably adapted Junkers Ju 88 and Dornier Do 217 bombers, as well as the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter. In 1941, work began on a new specialized twin-engine night fighter. The choice fell on a previously rejected Heinkel design, which needed to be properly adapted for its new role. In December 1941, the requirements for the aircraft later named the He 219 were finalized. The most experienced pilots from German night aviation were used as consultants in its development. However, the new aircraft continued to face resistance from officials at the RLM (Reich Aviation Ministry) in Berlin, who this time considered the new design too specialized. Nevertheless, the bureaucratic reluctance was overcome, and on November 15, 1942, the He 219 prototype made its first flight. After eliminating certain imperfections, the aircraft was directed to serial production. Here too, the design met with further setbacks — the still hostile attitude of the Reich Aviation Ministry leadership and intensive Allied bombing raids. Production continued at Heinkel’s main factories in Rostock and Vienna. The latter cooperated with the aviation factory in Mielec in occupied Poland. Fuselages for the He 219 were to be produced there and then transported by air (!) using the massive six-engine Me 323 transport aircraft to Vienna for final assembly.
According to new information, Wieliczka near Kraków — specifically its salt mine — was also to be involved in the production of this aircraft. The Germans planned to produce a very important structural component there — a fuselage section with the center wing and engine nacelles. Witnesses reported a large mock-up of some aircraft component that the Germans brought underground and then moved through the mine workings, enlarging the mine corridors to allow its free movement. They also began bringing in various machine tools and preparing foundations for them. The preparatory work was carried out by camp prisoners, mostly of Jewish origin. Whether the Germans actually launched the planned production is, unfortunately, something we do not know.
A total of 268 He 219 aircraft were produced. The fighter enjoyed a good reputation among pilots and was considered a very effective weapon against bombers and night fighters. However, it was not able to tip the scales of victory in Germany’s favor. Had ill-conceived controversial decisions not stood in the way of this good aircraft’s development, the losses among British night bombers would have been much greater.
