Witold Urbanowicz (1908 ― 1996) is the most famous fighter pilot of the Polish Air Force from the World War II period. His legend was created in the period before the outbreak of the Second World War, when in August 1936 he shot down a Soviet reconnaissance plane in the Polish sky (for what he was not credited because the action was covered up for political reasons), and then in the role of instructor at the famous Polish Aviation Academy in Dęblin from October of the same year, until the German attack on Poland on September 1, 1939. Personally, as an exemplary leader and tireless guardian, he led a group of fifty of his cadets on the evacuation route to Romania, on the way to a new stage of warfare, first in France and then in Great Britain. His fame reached the late years of the 20th century, because in 1995 he was promoted to honorary General of the Polish Air Force for all his services to the homeland.

Witold Urbanowicz is a symbol of certain period of Polish national history, and especially of Polish skilled pilots who made a decisive contribution to the defense of Great Britain during the famous air battle in the summer and autumn of 1940. With his 15 aerial victories over the invaders, German planes with black crosses on the fuselage and wings, he himself contributed to the glory of his 303rd squadron, which he led as a Commanding Officer since September 7th, thus becoming the 6th most successful fighter pilot of the most famous air battle in the history of the world. His most famous saying, referring to the time he commanded 303rd Squadron, was: "We do not beg for freedom, we fight for it!"

In the rank of Squadron-Leader, he moved from the European battlefield and found new warrior inspiration in the famous "Flying Tigers" of American General Claire Lee Chennault, in which he flew during a three-month period in 1943 (September-November) in the sky above China. He became the only Polish pilot in history to shoot down not one, but two Japanese fighters, flying an American Curtiss "P-40" fighter aircraft. He was awarded American and Chinese medals, and then from August 1944 until the end of the war in Europe, he served as a Polish military attaché at the Embassy in Washington, with the rank of colonel.

After the end of the war in Europe, he returned to Britain in July 1945, and from there to Poland in 1946. Nevertheless, he decided, after the unpleasant episode of his return to post-war Poland, which since 1945 was dominated by Polish communists who arrested him on several occasions as a suspected, potential British spy, to move to New York as a political émigré, where he lived a modest life with his wife Jadwiga and their son Witold Jr. He worked in the US aviation industry for several US commercial airlines, retiring in 1973. He wrote five novels with the theme of combat aviation that were published in the US, but not in Poland because they were censored there at the time. After the social changes of the 1990s in Poland, he made his first visit to his homeland in 1991. He received his last call in May 1996 on the occasion of the solemn celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the 1st Aviation regiment (1 Pułk Lotniczy)) in which he served before the war. It was the last time he set his feet on Polish soil, where he was born on March 30th 1908, in the village of Olszanka in the far northeast of his beloved homeland. He died in New York on August 17th 1996 and he was buried in Doylestown (Pennsylvania). His wartime score was 17 confirmed and one probable aerial victory.

As to the symbol of Polish aviation, to the great pedagogue for younger generations, to the fearless leader in battle, to the wise Commander and to the loyal Polish patriot, our association dedicates this unique POLO-shirt (of the Brand "Mark IX") with the aim of eternal memory of the Gentleman that Witold Urbanowicz was in war and in peace. Although he was nicknamed "Cobra" yet in first years of his fighter-pilot career, we found inspiration for the design of this POLO-shirt in first war-time publication of Arkady Fiedler’s book "303 Squadron" of 1942 in which Author used the nickname "Witur" for Urbanowicz. The famous Battle of Britain Day (September 15th 1940) was the day of 2 air-victories Urbanowicz scored in his personal contribution to that epic day in world’s history.