Potez XV

In Poland.

Shortly after Brig. Gen. F. L. Léveque took over as head of Department IV of Air Navigation, a memorandum was drawn up in June 1923 regarding the development of military aviation in Poland. The Potez XV A2 was recommended as a typical line aircraft. The expansion plan, after subsequent changes, reached its final form on 31.10.1924. It assumed the possession of 28 line squadrons of 10 Potez type aircraft each.

In the years 1924-1927, 170 units were purchased in France (according to [4] - 110 units - probably a mistake?, while according to [5] - 150 units), including 2 standard aircraft for our manufacturers. Of the aircraft produced in France, 17 units were delivered by flight. The first six, in the 1st Alpine Rally 23.09.-8.10.1924 in the group of Colonel Pilot Aleksander Serednicki and the next 12 in the Pyrenean Flight 16-30.07.1925 in the group commanded by Brig. Gen. Pilot Włodzimierz Zagórski. The rest were delivered by sea. Deliveries were completed in June 1927. 135 Potez XV A2 aircraft were built in Poland under license. Of these, 100 were built in the years 1925-1927 in Zakłady Mechaniczne Plage & Laśkiewicz (ZM Pl & L), while another 35 were built in PWS in 1925. In total, the Polish Air Force received 305 Potez XV A2 aircraft. The aircraft was given a numerical designation of type: 40. In 1925, one Potez XV A2 was experimentally equipped with Darné 7.92 mm machine guns: 1 fixed and 2 coaxial. Due to frequent jams, the Darné machine guns were not accepted. In 1934, the 3 PL park converted one aircraft into a "blank" version for training in piloting without the ground in sight. Several aircraft were adapted to tow the "H" sleeve for training in air shooting.

In 1924, it was planned to purchase 8 Potez XV A2 hydro seaplanes. The airframes were to be equipped with floats. The drive was to be the same engines as in the land version. The order was not fulfilled.
The first three series-production aircraft of Polish production took part in a flight to Bucharest under the command of Gen. Zagórski from 31 August to 8 September 1925. The following line squadrons were equipped with Potez XV A2s: 11th, 12th; 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 41st, 42nd, 61st, 62nd, 64th, 65th; night destroyer squadrons: 13th and 14th. The short-lived line squadrons received a few each: 35th, 36th, 43rd, 44th, 55th, as well as air photo platoons in the 1st and 3rd PL. In 1926, there were about 150 Potez XV A2s in the combat squadrons. The only Potez XV A2GR long-range, was assigned as a training aircraft to Lt. Pilot Franciszek Żwirka. The Potez were correct in flight, but too stable for combat aircraft. The engine had too little excess power. The Potez XVs were used in combat during the May Coup of 12.05-15.05.1926. They took part in operations on the side of the forces of the Government of President Stanisław Wojciechowski. The combat involved line squadrons from 1, 2, 3 and 4 PL. The aircraft took off from Mokotów Airport and were used for bombing, strafing with on-board weapons, reconnaissance and observation, communications, propaganda and demonstration flights. In total, 62 bombs weighing 12.5 kg were dropped during the combat days (of which 58 from Potez XVs) and 700 rounds of ammunition were fired. One Potez XV was shot down after take-off at Mokotów on 14.05.1926.
In 1928, the Potez XV aircraft were considered obsolete and replaced by the Potez XXV and Breguet XIX aircraft. Withdrawn from the line squadrons, they were sent to flight schools and training squadrons in regiments and other units. In the role of training and combat aircraft, they were used by: CWOL /OSL, SPL in Dęblin, CSPPL in Bydgoszcz, LSSiB in Grudziądz, SPRL in Radom and CWTL in Bydgoszcz. They were in training squadrons of regiments from 1 PL to 6 PL, in the Training Company of the Aviation Service Department at Winiary, and later in the Aviation Service Battalion at Ławica, and in training squadrons: the Main Airport at Mokotów, the Main Equipment Depot at Dęblin and the Central Aviation Works at Mokotów. The last aircraft were withdrawn from use at the turn of 1936 /1937.

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