No. 317 Squadron RAF

No. 317 "Wilno" Polish Fighter Squadron
317 Squadron logo
Active	22 February 1941 – 18 December 1946
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	Polish government in exile
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Fighter Squadron
Part of	RAF Fighter Command
Nickname(s)	Dywizjon Myśliwski "Wileński"
Commanders
Notable commanders	Stanisław Skalski Władysław Gnyś
Insignia
Squadron Codes	JH (Feb 1941 – Dec 1946)

No. 317 "Wilno" Polish Fighter Squadron (Polish: 317 Dywizjon Myśliwski „Wileński") was a Polish fighter squadron formed in Great Britain as part of an agreement between the Polish Government in Exile and the United Kingdom in 1941. It was one of several Polish fighter squadrons fighting alongside the Royal Air Force during World War II.

The squadron was formed at RAF Acklington on 22 February 1941 and reached operational readiness on 24 April 1941. It was equipped with Hurricane Mk.Is until July when it received Mk.IIs. The squadron moved south in June and received Spitfires in October. As with most Fighter Command squadrons it alternated its operations between offensive sweeps from bases in the south and defensive duties whilst based in the north and midlands. In June 1943 the squadron was allocated to the 2nd Tactical Air Force and moved to RAF Heston. During the buildup to the invasion of Normandy the squadron carried out offensive sweeps in preparation for the landings. After the invasion they conducted ground attack operations in support of Allied ground forces, moving to the continent in August. The squadron arrived in Belgium in October 1944 and Germany in April 1945, remaining there as part of the occupation forces until disbanding as a Polish fighter unit on 3 January 1947 (it had earlier disbanded as a RAF fighter unit at RAF Hethel on 18 December 1946).