Włodzimierz Adam Kolanowski (11 August 1913 – 31 March 1944) was a Polish Vickers Wellington bomber "Observer and Captain" flying from England when he was taken prisoner during the Second World War.

He took part in the 'Great Escape' from the Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp in March 1944 and was one of the men recaptured and subsequently shot by the Gestapo.

Kolanowski was born in Pawłowice, Leszno County, Poland only about 60 miles from Stalag Luft III where his father worked as a cook in the palace of Count Christopher Mielżyński.

[3][4] Kolanowski was in command of Vickers Wellington Mark IV (squadron codes GR-Z, serial number "Z1277") on the night 7–8 November 1941 attacking the German city of Mannheim.

The bomber received anti-aircraft flak damage and had to land near Maldegem, Belgium where its entire crew were made prisoners of war.

678 in prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III in the province of Lower Silesia near the town of Sagan (now Żagań in Poland).

In prison camp he was regarded as an extremely important member of the escape group, not only as he had grown up only 60 miles away but also as he was experienced in surveying techniques for map making.

In the freezing night air he made the best progress possible and hid in woods about twenty miles from the camp during daytime then proceeding through two villages until captured by the German auxiliary police of Hitler Youth on 28 or 29 March.