He fought in the Polish-Soviet war and was wounded in the legs on August 16, 1920. Unable to further serve in the infantry, he joined military aviation.
In 1931 he flew around Africa in the Polish aircraft PZL L-2 (SP-AFA), a distance of 25 050 km.
On May 7/May 81933, Skarzynski flew in a small single-seater tourist airplane RWD-5bis (SP-AJU) across the southern Atlantic, from Saint-Louis, Senegal to Maceio in Brazil. The flight took 20 hours 30 minutes (17 hours above the ocean). He crossed 3582 km, establishing a distance record in a private plane FAI class. RWD-5bis was the smallest plane to have ever flown across the Atlantic - its empty weight was below 1000 lb (450 kg) (only high-tech Rutan Voyager of 1986 was a bit lighter).
In World War II, Lt. Col. Skarzynski was a pilot in the 305 Polish Bomber Squadron in Britain. On June 26, 1942, returning from a great bombing mission on Bremen, his Wellington fell into North Sea due to damage. Skarzynski was the only crew member lost—the rest were later rescued.
Between February 1 and May 5, 1931 he, along with Lt. Andrzej Markiewicz, flew around Africa in the Polish aircraft PZL L-2 (registration SP-AFA), a distance of 25 770 km.
On May 7 / May 81933, Skarzynski flew in a small single-seater tourist airplane RWD-5bis (SP-AJU) across the southern Atlantic, from Saint-Louis, Senegal to Maceio in Brazil.
Skarzynski was washed to the sea, and was the only crew member lostâthe rest were later rescued.
Feeds |
Contact