12 Facts About Jan Zumbach

Jan Zumbach joined the Polish Army in 1935 and served as an infantryman until 1936 when he transferred to the Polish Air Force.

Jan Zumbach did not fly during the German invasion of Poland due to a broken leg from a flying accident during the summer of 1939.

Jan Zumbach was shot down by a JG 3 Bf 109 over Dover on 9 May 1941 when returning from a mission, but he was again able to bail out unharmed.

Jan Zumbach became one of the first Allied pilots to engage in combat with a German Focke-Wulf Fw 190, which he damaged; in return, his aircraft was damaged by a "single radial-engined fighter" on 13 October 1941.

In December 1941, Jan Zumbach was posted to 58 OTU, and in March 1942 returned to 303 Squadron as a flight commander.

In May, he was promoted to squadron leader and took command of the squadron, a post Jan Zumbach held from 19 May 1942 until 30 November 1943.

On 30 January 1945, Zumbach was posted to HQ, No 84 Group.

Jan Zumbach was demobilised in October 1946 but continued to fly for a living.

In January 1962, Zumbach was contracted to organise and command Avikat, the air force of Congolese breakaway state of Katanga, commanding it until December 1962.

Jan Zumbach went on to deal in second-hand aircraft before again becoming a mercenary in 1967, as he organised and commanded the air force of Biafra, flying the B-26 Invader, using the nom de guerre of John Brown.

In 1975, Jan Zumbach published his autobiography, originally available in French under the title Mister Brown: Aventures dans le ciel, it was published in German, English under the title On Wings of War: My Life as a Pilot Adventurer, and Polish under the title Ostatnia walka: Moje zycie jako lotnika, przemytnika i poszukiwacza przygod.

Jan Zumbach was portrayed by Iwan Rheon in the 2018 film Hurricane: 303 Squadron.