Museum 303 named after Lt Col. pilot Jan Zumbach

Museum 303 named after Lt Col. pilot Jan Zumbach in Napoleon near Częstochowa is devoted to Polish aviation from the beginnings of flight to the present day, with particular emphasis on the Second World War and the Battle of Britain. Since 10 October 2017 it has been entered in the register of museums as a Private Aviation Museum.

What the permanent exhibition shows

According to the museum's website the permanent exhibition includes uniforms, flying suits and jackets, items of equipment, combat documentation, photographs, decorations and the personal belongings of pilots. The website mentions several hundred exhibits in the permanent exhibition, and the whole collection numbers over 2,000 objects.

The display is divided thematically: aviation of the Second Polish Republic, the aviation of the Polish Armed Forces in the West, the aviation of the USA, Canada, the Soviet Union and Great Britain, German aviation of the Second World War period (the Luftwaffe), the aviation of the Polish People's Army and modern aviation. A separate section consists of props from a film set.

No. 303 Squadron and the museum's patron

The museum was created with the heroes of No. 303 Squadron in mind, also known as the Kościuszko Squadron. The squadron was formed at the Polish Air Force base in Blackpool in August 1940 from pilots who, after the fall of the September campaign, made their way through Romania to England.

The squadron's distinguishing marks were the pilots' scarlet scarves and the letters RF on the fuselages of the aircraft. The first Polish commander was Maj. Zdzisław Krasnodębski, and among the pilots named on the museum's website is the museum's patron, Jan Zumbach. The website quotes the words of Winston Churchill: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few".

Lessons and offer for groups

The museum runs historical education. There are on-site lessons combined with a tour and a presentation of original aviation memorabilia, model-making and basic aviation lessons, presentations about the aces of Polish aviation, and quizzes. The offer for schools and institutions is prepared individually. A private landing strip is also available to guests.

Surroundings

Napoleon lies in the Lipie municipality. In the area there are nature reserves, among them the Szachownica nature reserve, about 2 km away.

Practical information

• Address: Napoleon 35A, 42-165 Lipie.
• The museum's website states that visits are seasonal: organised groups after prior contact, individual visitors from the beginning of May. Check hours and rules at muzeum303.pl before you travel.
• Further in the area: Danków Castle, about 5 km.