Pre-WWII historical photograph showing Polish 75 mm wz. 36 anti-aircraft guns and a Goertz acoustic sound locator on display at Pole Mokotowskie in Warsaw, May 3, 1939.
Polish 75 mm Anti-Aircraft Batteries at Pole Mokotowskie (May 1939):
This rare pre-WWII archival photograph, dated May 3, 1939, documents a public military demonstration by the Polish Armed Forces at Pole Mokotowskie in Warsaw. The image shows heavy anti-aircraft weaponry deployed by the elite 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment named after Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły (1 Pułk Artylerii Przeciwlotniczej).
Taken during the Constitution Day celebrations just four months prior to the outbreak of World War II, the display showcased Warsaw's modern air defense grid (Obrona Przeciwlotnicza Warszawy).
Technical Breakdown of Equipment:
The photograph captures key anti-aircraft artillery and acoustic detection systems utilized by Poland in 1939:
- 75 mm armata przeciwlotnicza wz. 36: In the foreground, an artillery crew surrounds the modern 75 mm anti-aircraft gun Model 1936. Manufactured by the Starachowice Works (Zakłady Starachowickie), this modern gun featured high muzzle velocity, effective altitude ceiling exceeding 9,500 meters, and a rapid-fire semi-automatic breech block.
- Goertz Acoustic Sound Locator: Visible in the background on a towed wheeled trailer is an Austrian-made Goertz sound locator (aparat słuchowy Goertz). Before the widespread introduction of radar, these directional acoustic mirrors used large horns to detect the engine sounds of approaching enemy bomber formations and calculate their bearing and elevation.
- Personal Infantry Equipment: Nearby crews wear standard Polish Wz. 31 steel helmets, and stacked Wz. 29 Mauser rifles are visible in tripod stacks on the field.
Defense of Warsaw in September 1939:
During the September Campaign of 1939, elements of the 1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment played a critical role in repelling Luftwaffe tactical bombing raids over the Polish capital:
- Air Defense Effectiveness: Equipped with 75 mm wz. 36 heavy guns and 40 mm Bofors light AA guns, the regiment claimed numerous Luftwaffe aircraft downed during the initial weeks of the siege of Warsaw before ammunition reserves were exhausted.
- Archival Preservation: The original glass plate negative is preserved in the Polish National Digital Archives (Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe — NAC).
📍 Location: Pole Mokotowskie, Warsaw, Poland
📅 Date: May 3, 1939
📷 Photographer: Unknown (NAC Collection Archive)
📰 Primary Source: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe (NAC / ZBIAM Records)
Recommended reading:
- History of the Polish 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (1924–1939)
- Technical specifications of the 75 mm wz. 36 Starachowice AA gun
- Pre-radar aerial detection: The Austrian Goertz acoustic sound locator
- Air Defense of Warsaw during the September Campaign of 1939