On Thursday, 18 December 2025, an extremely interesting lecture by Dr Mariusz Niestrawski was held in the conference hall of the Polish Aviation Museum, devoted to the beginnings of Kraków’s military aviation in the reborn Polish Republic after years of subjugation. The event attracted great interest — the hall was packed to capacity with aviation history enthusiasts, military history aficionados and people connected with our Museum.
Dr Mariusz Niestrawski — researcher, curator and populariser of aviation history, widely known to the public from the YouTube channel “Lotnicza Historia Polski” (Aviation History of Poland) — took the audience on a journey to the years 1921–1925, i.e. the crucial period of the formation of the 2nd Aviation Regiment. The lecture focused on the regiment’s personnel, its organisational structure, squadrons and equipment used, as well as on the process of building military aviation as a new, albeit formally “fifth”, branch of the Polish Armed Forces.
The speaker, drawing on facts, documents and archival materials, demonstrated the dynamics of the development of Polish aviation in the first years after regaining independence. His narrative revealed a picture of an environment full of passion and determination, which even then recognised the potential of aviation as a potentially decisive factor in future armed conflicts.
The special dimension of the meeting was underlined by the venue — the seat of the Polish Aviation Museum, located on the site of the former Rakowice-Czyżyny airfield, the birthplace of the 2nd Aviation Regiment. Thanks to the lecture, participants could better understand the roots, traditions and spirit of the formation that built Polish wings over the years.
During the event, there was also an opportunity to purchase the latest book by Dr Mariusz Niestrawski entitled “More Than the Fifth Branch”. The publication expands on the topics discussed during the lecture — from the organisation of units and personnel matters of pilots, through aircraft and equipment, to the history of Polish aviation factories. The rich illustrative material and index of persons make the book a valuable resource for historians, genealogists and modellers alike.
