The PZL P.24 was developed as an export version of the PZL P.11, a gull-wing all-metal fighter designed by Zygmunt Puławski. The P.11 was powered with a license-built Bristol Mercury engine. The license did not permit export sales, so the French Gnome-Rhône company proposed using their engines in the P.11. The airframe of the P.Z.L. P.11 being redesigned to accept a new Gnome-Rhone engine designated 14Kds Mistral Major and rated at 760 hp / 567kW. The first P.24/I prototype, based on the P.11a, was flown in May 1933. The initial flight of the P.Z.L. P.24/I prototype ended in a forced landing when the propeller disintegrated. The P.24/I did not fly again until October 1933, showing a need for many modifications which were introduced in the P.24/II second prototype. The second P.24/II prototype, named the “Super P.24”, set a world speed record for radial engine-powered fighters (414 km/h) on 28 June 1934. The third P.24/III prototype was the “Super P.24bis” with a more powerful 694kW 14Kfs engine, flown in 1934 and armed with two 20mm cannon and two machine-guns. The armament was a combination of 20 mm Oerlikon FF cannon and 7.92 mm Colt-Browning machine guns in the wings. The type was shown at the Paris air show in 1934 attracting great interest from the participants.

The aircraft was conventional in layout, with high wings. It was all-metal and metal-covered. The wings had a gull-wing shape, with a thin profile close to the fuselage, to provide a good view for the pilot. This configuration was developed by Zygmunt Pulawski and called “the Polish wing”. The canopy was closed (apart from prototypes). An internal 360 liter fuel tank in the fuselage could be dropped in case of fire emergency. It had conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid.

The first export order came from Turkey, which not only negotiated a licence for the manufacture of the P.24, but also ordered 14 P.24A fighters generally similar to that shown at Paris, 26 P.24C aircraft with four wing-mounted machine-guns, and components plus raw materials for the assembly of 20 more P.24As. The 20 P.24A/Cs were built under license in Turkey in Kayseri, followed by an additional 30 P.24G aircraft. Turkish P.24s were used for training until the late 1940s. Some were refitted with Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines.

Next came an order from Bulgaria for 14 P.24B aircraft which were similar to the P.24C apart from installed equipment and were delivered from early 1938, followed by 24 P.24Cs and 26 examples of the P.24F, the final development of the type, which introduced a 723kW Gnome-Rhone 14N.07 engine of smaller diameter and had twin cannon and twin machine-gun armament. 22 were delivered from Poland in July 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II. The remaining four, lacking propellers, were bombed in the Okecie factory in September 1939 by the Germans.

The P.24E, developed to meet a Romanian requirement, was generally similar to the P.24C: six built by P.Z.L. had 671kW Romanian-built Gnome-Rhone 14Kllc32 engines, but later examples of the 40 or so P.24Es built by I.A.R. in Romania between 1937 and 1939 had the 701kW I.A.R.-built 14KMc36 engine.

In late 1939 I.A.R. developed a low-wing version of the P.24E under the designation I.A.R.80. Some components of the P.24E, mainly its tail section, were used in construction of the IAR 80. The four machine-gun equivalent of the P.24F had the designation P.24G.

The Greek Air Force first bought five P.24As in 1937, then 25 P.24Fs and six P.24Gs in 1938. The contract of the P.24 supply was signed in September, 1936, with final delivery date in May 1937 (due to the delayed delivery of the “Skoda” LK 32 machine guns from the Czechoslovakian construction factory). They had the standard equipment specifications with German radio and American oxygen supply system. They comprised almost the entire fighter strength of this last air force and were deployed with considerable success against both the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica. The fighters were used to guard Bucharest and the Ploieşti oilfields from Soviet bombers at the start of Operation Barbarossa. Flying from Otopeni military airbase, the PZL P.24 fighters managed to shoot down 37 unescorted VVS bombers. 11 were destroyed on the ground. The P.24E was also used for ground attack missions until the end of 1941 and after 1942 it was relegated to training duties because of its obsolescence.

Despite being a better fighter than the P.11, there were few acquired by the Polish Air Force, which preferred to wait for the PZL.50. When it became clear the PZL.50 would not be ready in time to counter the imminent German attack, the PAF resumed production of the P.11 and ordered the P.24. However, no PZL.24s were produced before the war started, and only two were used in the Polish Campaign. Polish Air Force had one PZL P.11g Kobuz which was used during Invasion of Poland. This aircraft, piloted by H. Szczęsny shot down two German aircraft on 14 and 15 of September. Usually this aircraft is identified as a P.24.

Gallery

Variants:

P.24
Enginne: Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs, 930 hp
Armament: two 20 mm cannon and two machine guns.

P.24A
It entered production as the P.24A.

P.24B
The P.24B version was armed with four machine guns.

P.24C
The P.24C was armed with four machine guns and two 50 kg bombs.

P.24D
The P.24D was developed for sale to Hungary, but it was not completed, Hungary purchasing the Fiat CR.32 instead.

IAR P.24E
The P.24E version was license-built in Romania by Industria Aeronautică Română as the IAR P.24E.

P.24F
The P.24F was armed with two cannon and two machine guns and bombs and powered with the more powerful 970 hp (720 kW) Gnome-Rhône 14N-07 engine.

P.24G
The last production version was the P.24G, produced from 1937 and powered with the more powerful 970 hp (720 kW) Gnome-Rhône 14N-07 engine. The P.24G was armed with four machine guns and bombs.

P.24H
The P.24H was to be powered with a Gnome-Rhône 14N-21 engine (1,100 hp) and carry four cannon or two cannon and two machine guns, but it was not completed.

P.24J
The P.24J version was to be armed with four cannon and was to be saled for export.

Specifications:

P.24A
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs, 900 hp / 930 hp (max) (671 kW / 693 kW (max))
Wingspan: 10.71 m (32,80 ft)
Wing area: 17.90 sq.m (192.7 sq.ft)
Length: 7.50 m (22.96 ft)
Height: 2.69 m (8.82 ft)
Empty weight: 1,327 kg (2,925 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,870 kg (4,121 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power/mass: 0.376 kW/kg (0.230 hp/lb)
Maximum speed: 410 km/h (254 mph)
Range: 700 km (435 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,527 ft)
Rate of climb: 11 m/s (2,160 ft/min)
Crew: 1
Armament: 2 MGs, 2 20mm cannon
Bombload: 4 x 12.5 kg bombs

P.24B
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs, 900 hp / 930 hp (max) (671 kW / 693 kW (max))
Wingspan: 10.71 m (32,80 ft)
Wing area: 17.90 sq.m (192.7 sq.ft)
Length: 7.50 m (22.96 ft)
Height: 2.69 m (8.82 ft)
Empty weight: 1,327 kg (2,925 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,870 kg (4,121 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power/mass: 0.376 kW/kg (0.230 hp/lb)
Maximum speed: 410 km/h (254 mph)
Range: 700 km (435 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,527 ft)
Rate of climb: 11 m/s (2,160 ft/min)
Crew: 1
Armament: 4 MGs
Bombload: 4 x 12,5 kg (27,5 lb)

P.24C
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kfs, 900 hp / 930 hp (max) (671 kW / 693 kW (max))
Wingspan: 10.71 m (32,80 ft)
Wing area: 17.90 sq.m (192.7 sq.ft)
Length: 7.50 m (22.96 ft)
Height: 2.69 m (8.82 ft)
Empty weight: 1,327 kg (2,925 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,870 kg (4,121 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power/mass: 0.376 kW/kg (0.230 hp/lb)
Maximum speed: 410 km/h (254 mph)
Range: 700 km (435 mi)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,527 ft)
Rate of climb: 11 m/s (2,160 ft/min)
Crew: 1
Armament: 4 MGs
Bombload: 2 x 50 kg

P.24E
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14KIIc32, 900 hp / 930 hp (max) (671 kW / 693 kW (max))
Wingspan: 10.71 m (32,80 ft)
Wing area: 17.90 sq.m (192.7 sq.ft)
Length: 7.50 m (22.96 ft)
Height: 2.69 m (8.82 ft)
Empty weight: 1,327 kg (2,925 lb)
Loaded weight: 1,900 kg (4,188 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power/mass: 0.376 kW/kg (0.230 hp/lb)
Maximum speed: 408 km/h (253 mph)
Range: 700 km (435 mi)
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
Rate of climb: 11 m/s (2,160 ft/min)
Crew: 1
Armament: 2 MGs, 2 20mm cannon
Bombload: 2 x 50 kg (110 lb)

P.24F
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14N-07, 970 hp (700 kW)
Wingspan: 10.68 m (32,80 ft)
Wing area: 17.90 sq.m (192.7 sq.ft)
Length: 7.81 m (22.96 ft)
Height: 2.69 m (8.82 ft)
Empty weight: 1,329 kg (2,930 lb)
Loaded weight: 2,000 kg (4,409 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power/mass: 0.376 kW/kg (0.230 hp/lb)
Maximum speed: 430 km/h (267 mph)
Range: 700 km (435 mi)
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
Rate of climb: 11,1 m/s (2,165 ft/min)
Crew: 1
Armament: 2 MGs, 2 20mm cannon
Bombload: 2 x 50 kg (110 lb)

P.24G
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14N-07, 970 hp (700 kW)
Wingspan: 10.68 m (32,80 ft)
Wing area: 17.90 sq.m (192.7 sq.ft)
Length: 7.81 m (22.96 ft)
Height: 2.69 m (8.82 ft)
Empty weight: 1,329 kg (2,930 lb)
Loaded weight: 2,000 kg (4,409 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)
Power/mass: 0.376 kW/kg (0.230 hp/lb)
Maximum speed: 430 km/h (267 mph)
Range: 700 km (435 mi)
Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,808 ft)
Rate of climb: 11,1 m/s (2,165 ft/min)
Crew: 1
Armament: 4 MGs
Bombload: 2 x 50 kg

In response to the Polish Air Force’s need to replace its ageing biplane Potez 25 and Potez 27 light bomber/reconnaissance aircraft, a specification was presented to PZL in 1931 (Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze – the State Aviation Works) calling for an all-metal light bomber plane powered by a Bristol Pegasus air-cooled radial engine, which should carry a minimum 600 kg (1330 lb) bomb-load, and whose maximum speed should reach 300 km/h (186 mph). Another requirement was the ability to operate from improvised airfields.

During 1931 P.Z.L. had designed a six-passenger single-engine light transport, the P.Z.L. P.13, for service with LOT, but as it had no appeal to the airline its development was abandoned. It was decided subsequently to use this aircraft as the basis for an army co-operation aircraft accommodating a crew of three, and using as powerplant a licence-built version of the Bristol Pegasus radial engine.

Necessary changes to the project, apart from fuselage redesign, included the addition of wing flaps, and the provision for weapons mountings. The wing was designed by Franciszek Misztal, based on his original stressed-skin main spar concept, which had earlier been only tested on the PZL 19 high-performance touring airplane.

Following evaluation of the design by the Department of Aeronautics, P.Z.L. was instructed to build three prototypes and the first was powered by a 440kW Bristol Pegasus IIM2. Serious problems with the wing’s construction caused delays, and the first prototype, powered by the Bristol Pegasus II M2 engine made its maiden flight in August 1934. This aircraft had the designation P.23/I and name Karas (crucian carp), but testing soon revealed a number of shortcomings. The first prototype revealed many problems, which were overcome by the second and third prototypes. The fuselage was redesigned, with internal bomb bay removed to provide more space for the crew, and engine installation lowered for better visibility. The wing’s mechanization was redesigned with automatic slats added on the leading edge, and the wing root fairings significantly enlarged.

The P.23/II crashed during flight trials, but the P.23/III performed well and during development flying was modified progressively to what was to be production standard.

After additional changes to the engine fairing and the exhaust, the airplane was accepted by the Lotnictwo Wojskowe and given the designation PZL P.23A Karas. In 1935 production orders were placed for 40 examples of the P.23 Karas A with the 433kW P.Z.L.-built Pegasus II, and 210 of the P.23 Karas B with the 507kW P.Z.L.-built Pegasus VIII. The first P.23A Karas A flew in June 1936, but development problems with the Pegasus II engine resulted in these aircraft being relegated to the training role. The production started in the end of 1935 but its pace suffered because of frequent problems with the Pegasus II M2 engines, license-built by the Polish Skoda works (this engine variant was never produced by Bristol). In addition, the leading-edge slats proved unreliable, and were consequently removed. Only 40 P.23As were built and assigned to training duties, pending the availability of the P.23B variant fitted with the more powerful Bristol Pegasus VIII engine, whose production commenced in the summer of 1936. In February 1937 the production reached the pace of 20 aircraft per month, and the original order for 200 P.23s was fulfilled in September 1937. However, the P.23B Karas B began to enter service in mid-1937 and when production ended the type equipped 14 first-line squadrons. Additional 50 aircraft were ordered, and the production of the P.23B variant concluded in February 1938.

One Karas B was modified under the designation P.42 to serve as a development aircraft for the improved P.46 Sum, with a twin fin/rudder tail unit and a retractable ventral gondola. However, the P.46 did not materialise beyond the prototype stage and the P.42 was subsequently converted back to Karas B standard.

The standard Polish light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, the PZL.23 Karaś could not be exported because of licence restrictions on the use of the Polish-built (PZL) Bristol Pegasus engine. Developed under the leadership of Henryk Malinowski, the PZL.43 was an improved export variant of the PZL.23, powered instead by a Gnome-Rhône 14K engine, first flying in February 1937.

Like its P.23, the PZL.43 was conventional in layout, a low-wing, all-metal, metal-covered cantilever monoplane. Its fuselage was semi-monocoque. It had a crew of three: pilot, bombardier and an observer/rear gunner. The pilot and observer’s cockpits were in tandem and glazed with the open rear gunner’s position behind. The bombardier occupied a ventral combat gondola which had a machine gun position at the rear. The fixed undercarriage was heavily spatted, though not suited for rough airfields. Tanks in the centre section of the wings held 740 litres of fuel. A three-bladed propeller was used.

The differences between the two types derived chiefly from use of the heavier and longer (two rows of seven cylinders) Gnome-Rhône engine. To maintain the centre of gravity the fuselage was lengthened by adding one central section which moved the bombardier’s gondola rearwards. The new engine improved performance considerably, for example increasing maximum speed from 319 km/h to 365 km/h. In addition, armament was increased with two forward firing Karabin maszynowy wz. 36 machine guns mounted in offset fairings to clear the radial engine. Up to 700 kg of bombs could be carried under the wings, like the PZL.23. A common option was 24 x 12.5 kg bombs (300 kg in total). A camera was fitted. A P-23B was used for testing metallic three-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller.

No prototype preceded the production series of 12 aircraft completed in 1937. These were designated PZL.43A and powered by Gnome-Rhône 14Kirs motors of 900 to 930 hp (671 to 694 kW). An order was placed in April 1936, with the additional requirement of a more powerful Gnome-Rhone 14N-01 engine and an additional forward-firing machine gun, and 12 were built for the Bulgarian air force, given the designation PZL 43A, and delivered in 1937, reforming their airforce after a period of post-World War I treaty constraints. The Bulgarian Airforce called it the Chaika (Чайка, gull). Because of delays in engine shipments from France, this first series was eventually fitted with Gnome-Rhone 14kfs engines.

This model differed by having the 694kW Gnome-Rhone radial engine, improved crew accommodation, and armament increased by the addition of a second forward-firing machine-gun. The excellent performance of the P.43A Karas led to a repeat order in March 1938, totalling 42, for a further improved P.43B Karas with the 950 to 1,020 hp (708 to 761 kW) Gnome-Rhone 14N.1. Of this total 33 were despatched and delivered by August 1939; of the balance, eight had been packed for despatch and the ninth was in final assembly.

Three complete aircraft from the Bulgarian order were left at Okęcie and these were damaged during an air raid on 4 September and later captured by the Germans in a factory in Warszawa-Okęcie. Some damaged aircraft left at Okęcie airfield were captured by the Germans. Five were repaired and delivered to Bulgaria. Another was tested by the Germans in Rechlin in 1940 before joining the others in Bulgaria in October.

Along with 12 PZL.43s and two PZL.43As delivered by Germany in 1940, these gave Bulgaria a total of 50 aircraft. They initially served in three 12-aircraft squadrons of the 1st Line Group (linyen orlyak). From 1942 they were used in the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment and 2nd Line Regiment. Chaikas were used mostly for training and searching for partisans in Macedonia in 1943–44. Several of them crashed during service and there were difficulties in obtaining spare parts. In 1944 they were withdrawn from combat service and were eventually written off in 1946.

At the time of the German invasion of Poland, nine PLZ.43As of the Bulgarian order were crated ready for delivery or were incomplete, two lacking propellors. Five survived the initial German bombing attacks on the P.Z.L. factory and were moved to the airfield at Bielany and taken over by the Polish Air Force for use by 41 Eskadra Rozpoznawcza (41st Reconnaissance Squadron) which was mostly equipped with PZL.23 Karaś. They undertook reconnaissance duties but by 10 September 1939, there were the only two aircraft remaining. One was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 110 at Michałówek near Sulejówek and the crew killed. The second, damaged by a pair of Messerschmitt Bf 109s, two days later, crash landed in Brześć.

During the September campaign 114 P.23s were flown by first-line units, and additional 11 (including the five PZL 43s) were received as replacements. Of these, only 17 reached Romania on September 17.

Sometimes the aircraft is called the “PZL P.43”, but despite an abbreviation P.43 painted on the tail fin, the letter “P” was generally reserved for fighters of Pulawski’s design (like the PZL P.11).

Gallery

Variants:

PZL.43
First production series, 12 built.

PZL.43A
Second production series with more powerful Gnome-Rhône 14N-01 engine, 42 built.

PZL.43B
Improved version, powered by a 980 hp (731 kW) Gnome-Rhône 14N-01 engine.

Operators:

Bulgarian Air Force operated 50 aircraft

2. jato/ Obrazcow Orliak (2. Squadron of the Exemplary Wing) operated 12 PZL.43
3. Lineen Orliak (Level-flight (bomber) Squadron) operated 36 PZL.43A, 12 in each jato (Squadron)
4. Razuznawatelen Polk (Reconnaissance Regiment) operated PZL.43A between March 1942 and August 1944
5. Lineen Polk (Level-flight (bomber) Regiment) operated PZL.43A between March 1942 and August 1944
6. jato za blisko razuznavanye (Close Distance Reconnaissance Squadron) operated 13 PZL.43A between August 1944 and early 1945
7. jato za blisko razuznavanye operated 11 PZL.43A between August 1944 and early 1945

Luftwaffe tested captured aircraft.

Polish Air Force
41 Eskadra Rozpoznawcza (Reconnaissance Squadron) operated five PZL.43A aircraft

PZL.43A
Engine: 1 × Gnome-Rhône 14N-01, 1020 hp (750 kW)
Wingspan: 13.95 m (45 ft 9 in)
Wing area: 26.8 m² (288 ft²)
Length: 9.95 m (32 ft 8 in)
Height: 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
Empty weight: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb)
Loaded weight: 3,100 kg (6,830 lb)
Useful load: 900-1,325 kg (1,980-2,920 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 3,525 kg (7,770 lb)
Maximum speed: 365 km/h at 4,000 m (227 mph at 13,000 ft)
Cruise speed: 300 km/h at ground level (186 mph at ground level)
Stall speed: 115 km/h (72 mph)
Range: 1,250 km (780 mi)
Service ceiling: 8,500 m (28,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 7.5 m/s (1,480 ft/min)
Wing loading: 115 kg/m² (23.7 lb/ft2)
Crew: 3
Armament:
2 x 7.92 mm PWU wz.36B fixed in nose;
1 x 7.92 mm PWU wz.36R in rear upper station;
1 x 7.92 mm PWU wz.36R in underbelly station;
Bombload: 600-700 kg

P-43B
Engine: Gnome-Rhone 14N-01, 980 hp
Wingspan: 13.95 m
Wing area: 26.80 sq.m
Length: 9.95 m
Height: 3.30 m
Maximum take-off weight: 3525 kg
Empty weight: 2200 kg
Normal takeoff eight: 3100 kg
Maximum speed S/L: 298 kph
Maximum speed at altitude: 365 kph
Cruising speed: 300 kph
Practical range: 1250 km
ROC: 450 m / min
Service ceiling: 8500 m
Crew: 3
Armament: one 7.9-mm front gun and two 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun in rear dorsal and ventral positions
Bomb load external: 700 kg

The installation of a radial engine in the P.Z.L. P.7 diminished the forward view for the pilot that was achieved in the P.Z.L. P.1 with its narrower V-12 engine, and it was proposed to improve this situation by the introduction of a Bristol Mercury radial engine, which was of smaller diameter than the Jupiter that powered the P.Z.L. P.7a.

PZL P.11 Article

This version of the fighter was designated P.Z.L. P.11, but delay in delivery of a Mercury engine from Bristol resulted in the P.11/1 prototype being flown initially, in August 1931, with a 384kW Jupiter IX.ASb engine licence-built by Gnome-Rhone. It was not until December 1931 that the P.11/II was flown with a 395kW Bristol Mercury IV.A enclosed in a long-chord Townend ring. This prototype was later re-engined with a 373kW Gnome-Rhone 9K Mistral engine, with which powerplant it was exhibited at the 1932 Paris Salon de I’Aeronautique.

A third aircraft with a Mercury engine, the P.11/III, served as a pre-production prototype and, following satisfactory official testing, was approved for production for the Polish air force as the P. 11a. However, it was preceded on the production line by 50 Mistral-powered P.11b aircraft for Romania, all of them delivered by the summer of 1934. Production of the P.11a began with a batch of 30, these being similar to late-production P.11b aircraft, but differed by having the 386kW Skoda-built Mercury IV.S2 engine.

The major production variant was the P.11c which adopted more radical measures to improve the pilot’s field of view, lowering the engine and resitting the pilot farther to the rear on a raised seat, and a number of other improvements were incorporated at the same time. Production of this version totalled 175, the first batch being powered by the 418kW Skoda-built Mercury V.S2, but the remainder by the P.Z.L.-built Mercury VI.S2. A version of the P.11c, powered by a licence-built 9K Mistral engine, was built under licence in Romania by I.A.R. under the designation P.11f, about 80 being produced during 1936-38.
Deliveries of the P.11c to Polish fighter squadrons were completed by the end of 1936, and at the outbreak of World War II 12 squadrons were equipped with the type, claiming the destruction of 126 Luftwaffe aircraft for the loss of 114 of their own number. When, in early 1939, it became clear that the planned P.Z.L. P.50 Jastrzab fighter was unlikely to materialise, efforts were made to provide the P.11c with greater capability by the installation of a 626kW licence-built Mercury VIlla engine and four-gun armament. A prototype was flown as the P.11g Kobuz and quantity production was initiated, but the German invasion of Poland, had started before any of these aircraft were delivered.

Gallery

P-11c
Engine: 1 x Bristol Mercury VI.S2, 481kW
Wingspan: 10.72 m / 35 ft 2 in
Length: 7.55 m / 25 ft 9 in
Height: 2.85 m / 9 ft 4 in
Wing area: 17.9 sq.m / 192.67 sq ft
Max take-off weight: 1630 kg / 3594 lb
Empty weight: 1147 kg / 2529 lb
Max. speed: 390 km/h / 242 mph
Ceiling: 8000 m / 26250 ft
Range: 700 km / 435 miles
Crew: 1
Armament: 2 x 7.7mm machine-guns, bombs

A parallel development to the P.6, from which it differed essentially in having a higher-altitude engine and some steel elements in the otherwise all-duralumin fuselage structure, the P.7 was powered by a supercharged Bristol Jupiter VII.F radial affording 520hp at 3050m.

The first of two prototypes, the P.7/I, was flown in October 1930, and featured a close-fitting, helmeted engine cowling, which gave place to a Townend ring on the P.7/II.

PZL P.7 Article

Work on a pre-series batch of 10 of the P.7a fighters began in June 1931 for the Lotnictwo Wojskowe, a further 139 being subsequently ordered.

The P.7a carried two 7.92mm Vickers “E” machine guns and differed from the prototypes in having a P.Z.L.-developed ring cowling, a revised cockpit, shorter ailerons and modified tail surfaces.

The P.7a entered service in the winter of 1932-33, and three first line squadrons were still equipped with this type when the Wehrmacht assault on Poland was launched on 1 September 1939.

Max take-off weight: 1476 kg / 3254 lb
Empty weight: 1090 kg / 2403 lb
Wingspan: 10.57 m / 35 ft 8 in
Length: 6.98 m / 23 ft 11 in
Height: 2.69 m / 9 ft 10 in
Wing area: 17.90 sq.m / 192.67 sq ft
Max. speed: 327 km/h / 203 mph
Range: 600 km / 373 miles

In 1927, the Polish War Ministry opened a contest for a military liaison and observation aircraft. It was meant to operate from casual airfields, used by Army land units. Jerzy Dąbrowski and Franciszek Kott from the PZL works proposed an aircraft, designated initially PZL.2. It was one of the first PZL designs, what was indicated by its low number.

PZL Ł.2 was a high-wing braced parasol wing monoplane, conventional in layout, of all-metal construction. It had a duralumin framed, canvas covered fuselage (engine part was covered with duralumin). Crew of two was sitting in tandem in open cockpits, with twin controls. The observer had a 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun on a ring mounting. The elliptical wing was two-spar, of duralumin construction, canvas-covered, fitted with slats, flaps and flaperons. Wings could be dismounted for transport. The tail was of duralumin construction, canvas covered. It had a conventional fixed landing gear with a rear skid.

It had a 9-cylinder air-cooled Polish Skoda Works licence-built Wright Whirlwind J-5A radial engine delivering 240 hp (179 kW) at take-off and 220 hp (164 kW) nominal, driving a two-blade wooden propeller, 2.7 m diameter (in SP-AFA – metal one). 190 litre fuel tank in a fuselage (600 l in SP-AFA). Cruise fuel consumption was 45-50 l/h.

The first prototype was flown in early 1930 by Capt. Bolesław Orliński (later it received civilian registration SP-ADN) and underwent IBTL testing. In May 1930 the prototype PZL.2 was shown by Bolesław Orliński at air meeting in Brno and Bucharest, where it impressed viewers with short landing and minimal speed. After being fitted with a rear machine gun, it was shown at Paris Air Show in December 1930.

In 1930 the aircraft was tested and evaluated by the Polish Air Force. Thanks to wing mechanization (flats and slats), it had short take-off and landing. It was very advanced combination of high-lift devices in world’s aviation those days. A competing designs Lublin R-X and PWS-5t2, evaluated yet in 1929, were not satisfactory, so the Polish Air Force ordered 60 PZL.2.

The aircraft took part in the second contest for an army co-operation aircraft in July 1931. In spite of advanced high-lift devices and all-duralumin construction of the PZL.2, the air force decided to choose a simpler, cheaper and quite satisfactory Lublin R-XIII plane.

An initial order for 60 PZL.2 was finally lowered to 30, which were built between April 1930 and August 1931. The designation changed then to PZL Ł.2 (Ł for “łącznikowy”, liaison) or Ł.2a (following an early manner of PZL works to mark the aircraft purpose in designation, after a pursuit PZL P.1). Including the prototype, they carried factory numbers 55.1 – 55.31.

PZL L-2 were, in 1931-1932, 13 ET equipment with 1 GB, 43 ET with 4 GB and 63 GB ET 6, independent platoon accompanying 2 GB. One PZL L-2 was used until 1933 and by Dyon Experimental IBTL from 1932. They began to withdraw PZL L-2 units, assigning them to training. They were given to: CWOL / TSO Sztabowa ET and ET to 3 GB.

One of the Ł.2, number 55.10 was converted to a long-distance sports aircraft (civilian registration SP-AFA). It had fuel tanks 600 l and a range of over 2000 km. It was also fitted with a Townend ring.

PZL Ł.2 SP-AFA was used for several long-distance flights. Between 1 February – 5 May 1931 Cpt. Stanislaw Skarżyński with Eng. Andrzej Markiewicz flew it on a tour around Africa, on Warsaw – Belgrade – Athens – Cairo – Khartoum – Juba – Kisumu – Elisabethville – Léopoldville – Port-Gentil – Douala – Lagos – Abidjan – Bamako – Dakar – Port Etienne – Casablanca – Alicante – Bordeaux – Paris – Berlin – Warsaw 25,050 km-route (with some other stops). The aircraft was nicknamed Afrykanka then (Polish: the African female), coinciding with the aircraft registration. The tour proved a durability of the Polish-built aircraft, withstanding different weather conditions and casual airstrips, during 147 flying hours, despite the engine had to be repaired twice on the way. In 7–8 June 1931 Skarżyński flew this aircraft from Poznań in a rally to Bucharest. In July 1932 it hauled Polish gliders SG-21 and SG-28 in international competition in Rhön (piloted by Skarżyński again). It was used in the Military Camp Glider in Ustianowa and then staffs a Training Squadron 1 GB. The aircraft was written off in autumn 1935.

Due to a decrease of orders, there remained parts for several aircraft. In 1930 the PZL proposed to the Polish Navy a liaison and patrol floatplane variant of Ł.2, designated PZL.9, but it was not built. Then, the PZL proposed another patrol and fighter floatplane, basing on Ł.2 parts, PZL.15. It was a low-wing braced monoplane with thin tail boom, and utilized wings, tail and engine of Ł.2. It was not built either. Parts of Ł.2 (wings, tail, engine) were utilized in a passenger aircraft prototype PZL.16.

Serial aircraft were used by the Polish Air Force as liaison and utility aircraft from 1930, first of all in escadres Nos. 43 and 63. From 1932 they were mostly replaced with Lublin R-XIII and relegated for training, among others in Dęblin. Several were damaged in crashes. Since the aircraft started to suffer from fatigue of rivets in frame joints, they were completely written off by the end of 1935.

Produced 1930-1931, 31 were built. The Polish Air Force operated 29 aircraft and the PZL company operated two aircraft.

L-2
Engine: 1 × Skoda-Wright J-5 Whirlwind, 160 kW (220 hp)
Propeller: 2-bladed wooden fixed pitch propeller
Wingspan: 13.4 m (44 ft 0 in)
Wing area: 25.8 m2 (278 sq ft)
Airfoil: D.J.3 (modified NACA M12)
Length: 7.92 m (26 ft 0 in)
Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Max take-off weight: 1282 kg / 2826 lb
Empty weight: 892 kg / 1967 lb
Fuel capacity: 150 l (40 US gal; 33 imp gal)
Maximum speed: 183 km/h (114 mph; 99 kn) at sea level
Stall speed: 63 km/h (39 mph; 34 kn) slats extended
Service ceiling: 4,730 m (15,518 ft)
Time to altitude:
1,000 m (3,300 ft) in 4 minutes 20 seconds
2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 10 minutes 5 seconds
3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 18 minutes 35 seconds
Take-off run: 55 ma (59 sq ft)
Landing run: 45 ma (48 sq ft)
Range: 660 km
Armament: 1x 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Lewis machine gun
Crew: 2

PZL L-2 rally
Engine: 1 × Skoda-Wright J-5 Whirlwind, 160 kW (220 hp)
Wingspan: 13.4 m
Length: 7.92 m
Height: 2.7 m
Wing area: 25.8 m2.
Empty weight: 970 kg
MTOW: 1730 kg / 3,814 lb
Fuel capacity: 630 lt (170 US gal; 140 imp gal)
Max speed 200 km / h
Cruise: 185 km / h
Stall: 77 km / h
Range: 2000 km