The Rocket-Missile Man of Pakistan: Air Commodore Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz
The Rocket-Missile Man of Pakistan: Air Commodore Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz
Ever since Pakistan got independence she saw hundreds of faces that served the country to their best, played more than just a vital role in its development and made the country proud by all means. One of such names is Air Commodore Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz. Air Commodore Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz was a prominent and distinguished Polish Pakistani military scientist and aeronautical engineer who is looked up to as one of the chief architects of Pakistan’s Space Program.
Born in 1908 in Serbia, Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz has a unique kind of fascination for aviation technology, rocket science and aircraft designs. At the age when other children collect marbles and play with cars Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz had a hobby of collecting different kinds of aircraft models only. Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz graduated from Serbia’s most prestigious institute of that time- Warsaw University of Technology in 1920 with a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering and later earned his PhD degree from the same institute.
During his time at Warsaw University of Technology he along with his friends, university fellows, teachers and other eminent scholars of the field laid foundation of Aeroklub Polski where he did extensive research in the field and got the golden chance of working in close collaboration with Polish aeronautical engineers of that time.
Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz after earning his PhD degree joined Polish Air Force in the capacity of an aeronautical engineer and fighter pilot. He later migrated to GreatBritain where he was immediately accepted to serve in Royal Air Force as Reservist Polish Pilot. He served Royal Air Force in critical times of World War II and as the situation got worse many members of Royal Air Force were sent to different countries. Pakistan was fortunate that Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz along with 29 more Polish pilots, engineers and scientists migrated to Pakistan.
In Pakistan he was deployed at Karachi airbase where his primary responsibilities include train our fighter pilots and play a role in setting up technical institutes. During the first three years of his tenure, he served Academy of PAF as chief scientist too. After building capacity of members of PAF he was transferred to Peshawar airbase where his job responsibilities were even more critical.
Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz was a fighter, a brave warrior who not only fought courageously during World War II, but defended Lahore during Indo-Pak war of 1965. The nation’s asset also held the key position of PAF’s Air Marshal.
The mission of Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz’s life was to establish grounds for space engineering and he worked day and night for that in Pakistan. Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz worked closely with Dr. Abdus Salam, the only Noble prize winner of the country and was among those few people who convinced President Ayub Khan that how important it is for Pakistan to have space and nuclear program. As a true patriot Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz had all of his faith in Pakistan’spotential to grow as the strongest nation of the region. He believed that that day is not far away when Pakistan will haveits own nuclear and space program which will help the country maintaining peace and sovereignty. His dream came true, but he wasn’t able to see its realization. Pakistan launched its
firstdigital communication satellite in 1990 that was exactly 10 years after the demise of the prodigious scientist and engineer. He was also involved in the launch of Rehbar-1, Pakistan’s first rocket. Rather, he is believed to be the chief designer and developer of the program. Towards the end of his career he was serving Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) of Pakistan as administrator.
Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz met an unfortunate deadly accident on January 8, 1980 leaving a legacy of intellectualism and technological advancement behind. He was buried in Christian Cementary in Karachi with full military honor. His name is engraved on a memorial there along with other Polish scientists that served the country, at Monument of General Władysław Turowicz in PAF Museum Karachi and as General Władysław Turowicz at Space Complex (SUPARCO), Lahore Center. As an individual he has received many honors like Sitara-e-Pakistan, Tamgha-e-Pakistan, Sitara-e-Khidmat, Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Abdus Salam Award in Aeronautical Engineering and ICTP Award in Space Physics.
https://defence.pk/threads/the-rocket-missile-man-of-pakistan-air-commodore-władysław-józef-marian-turowicz.395499/page-2
There is even a documentry on them in Polish
https://defence.pk/threads/documentary-on-polish-pilots-in-pakistan-air-force.375134/
@django @The Sandman @Hell hound @Moonlight
Zofia Turowics was the first female pilot of Pakistan
Her husband Władysław Turowicz died in 1980 after long term career in Pakistani military aviation industry and forces. He came to Pakistan in 1948 and his wife joined soon after for the three-year contract with Pakistan Air Force which aimed to transform Pakistan Air Force into permanent and effective Air Force of the region. Turowicz set up technical institutes in Karachi. He taught and revitalized Pakistan Air Force Academy as its chief scientist. He initially led the technical training in the airbase and a part of the Polish specialists in the technical section in Karachi. However, they were transferred and accommodated in Peshawar.
In 1952, Turowicz, along with several Polish fighters, were promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. He was also promoted to the rank Lieutenant Commander when he became an Air Force Commander of Pakistan Air Force’s Chaklala Airbase. Promoted several times again along with other Polish Air Force general, became an Air Commodore and a Deputy Chief of Air Staff, in charge of Pakistan Air Force Training Department.
Turowicz was involved in building the face of what is called modern Pakistan. His service added to the pride of the new nation and likely added Polish sense of being statesman to the military and scientific personnel he trained over the years.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Turowicz along with other Polish pilots rose to prominence and fame as they helped in successfully defending Lahore and Pakistan. Turowicz, Squadron Leader Anotnii Zbigniew Jedryszek, and other Polish pilots were awarded the Sitara-e-Pakistan. Honorary Pakistani citizenship was also bestowed upon Turowicz, as well as, some other Polish pilots by the President of Pakistan, Ayub Khan.
Turowicz was actively and heavily involved in Pakistan’s space program. According to his close sources, Turowicz was passionate and fascinated with the Russian and American space program. In 1966, the Government of Pakistan transferred him to SUPARCO, Pakistan’s national space agency, where he worked as a chief scientist and an aeronautical engineer. Together with noted Pakistani theoretical physicist, Dr. Abdus Salam, who later won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 convinced president Khan to launch space program for peaceful purposes. He was sure that Pakistan will develop rocket technology and launch its first satelite due course of time. He insisted on sufficient funds for research and development of this sector. His prediction came true, when 10 years after the death of Air. Mar. Gen. Władysław Turowicz, Pakistan launched its first indigenously developed experimental digital communication satellite from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People’s Republic of China aboard a Long March 2E. His vision did come true but unfortunately, he wasn’t there to see it.
He successfully convinced the United States Government to invest and train Pakistan’s scientists in the field of rocket technology. He is widely credited with setting up the rocket fuel factories and rocket technology laboratories and research institutes in Pakistan. He was one of the chief designers of Sonmiani Satellite Launch Centre.
He did not stop with Space Programme though. Turowicz initiated himself Nuclear weapons programme in 1970 and laid foundation of research and production that led to Pakistani independent source of Nuclear military potential.
His entire family lived in Pakistan ever since they have entered the country in 1948. His three daughters live in Pakistan and two of them married Pakistanis.
Zofia and Władysław Turowicz were partners both on the ground and in the air where she often joined him as a navigator during his flights. They both had independent military aviation careers before arrival to Pakistan and had been multiawarded and internationally recognised gliders and para shooters.
They are both buried at the catholic cemetery in Karachi in Pakistan and both had been awarded Pakistani citizenship.
Poles in PAF
Air Cdre Wlady first from right
@Arsalan @unleashed @Mugwop @EAK @notorious_eagle @User
Wlady was someone who dedicated his life for a better Pakistan when he was heading SUPARCO we were miles ahead of our rivals
