The Spanish CASA C-295M planes of the 13th Squadron of the Polish Air Force

If I ask who is the largest European operator of the Spanish CASA C-295 transport aircraft, many would answer Spain. No, that's not the case.

The Spanish military transport aircraft C-295 reaches 300 orders with 41 operators
This is how a Spanish C-295 military aircraft from the 35th Wing prepares for takeoff

The CASA C-295, currently manufactured by Airbus, is the greatest success of the Spanish aeronautical industry (300 aircraft lost with 41 operators, as announced by Airbus last year) after the C-212 Aviocar, of which 483 units were sold. As expected for a Spanish aircraft, the Spanish Air Force was its first operator, currently operating 13 C-295Ms, the tactical transport version. In addition, the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) operates a C-295W. There are 14 aircraft in total.

Currently, and waiting for Spain to receive the 16 C295W MPA/MSAs ordered in 2023 (6 will be the MPA maritime patrol version and 10 MSA maritime surveillance versions), the largest European operator of the C-295 is the Polish Air Force, which was the first export customer of this aircraft. The Polish government decided to acquire 17 C-295Ms in 2001, with the first deliveries in 2003.

Poland was also the first operator to lose a C-295 in an accident, specifically on January 23, 2008, when aircraft 019 crashed in a wooded area while approaching Mirosławiec Air Base. Its four crew members and all 16 soldiers on board died. The accident was due to human error. Military experts noted that the C-295 was "the safest aircraft" in the Polish Air Force. The wreckage of the crashed aircraft is currently in the Mirosławiec Forest, as a memorial to those who died in that accident.

The 16 Polish C-295s are operated by the 13 Eskadra Lotnictwa Transportowego (13th Air Transport Squadron), established on 31 December 2000 (this year is its 25th anniversary) and operating out of the Krakow-Balice Military Air Base, located next to Krakow John Paul II Airport. This unit is dedicated to transport, training, and mission support. Polish C-295 pilots are trained to operate these aircraft at night, using night vision goggles. and in addition to the C-295s, it also operates. This squadron also operates Polish-made, STOL-capable PZL M28B/PT Bryza light transport aircraft (it is the Polish rival of the C-212).

On Thursday, July 24th, the YouTube channel Combat Camera DORSZ published an excellent video of the C-295Ms and M28B/PTs of the 13th Squadron in flight. The images are of magnificent quality and show these aircraft (the flight included 3 C-295s, one of them acting as a filming aircraft, and 2 M28B/PTs) performing a flight to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 8th Air Transport Base in Krakow-Balice:

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Main image: Combat Camera DORSZ. Other photos: Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej .