Three-seat helicopter with enclosed cabin, open-frame rear fuselage, skid u/c, GRP main rotor and one 180hp Narkiewicz WN-6S six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled piston engine mounted at an angle behind cabin section. The only prototype of SM-4 Łątka (Latka) was built in 1962 and ground-tested, but was not flown, because its prototype engine 180 hp WN-6S was not fully tested and not approved for flight.
Produced jet fighters up to 1951, when defense cuts were made; then turned to Mi-1/SM-1 helicopter production and a helicopter design office was formed. Initially, Polish aircraft, license-built or native, were produced under name of PZL: Polskie Zaklady Lotnicze. In 1957 WSK renamed WSK im Zygmunta Puiawskiego. Production of SM-1 ended late 1960s and Mi-2 production began in 1965/
Under political reorganization in 1956, the Polish aircraft industry was revived with production of Soviet aircraft and some indigenous types. In foreign markets most Polish aircraft subsequently appeared under the PZL title, such as the PZL-101 Gawron and PZL-104 Wilga utility aircraft of 1960 and 1962 respectively, the first being a development of the Yak-12. The Gawron was used extensively as an agricultural aircraft, along with the PZL-built An-2 biplane, but later purpose-built dusters and sprayers were built. PZL types are produced under three separate organizations: PZL “Warszawa-Okecie” SA, WSK “PZL-Mielec” SA, and PZL-Swidnik SA.
PZL-Swidnik undertakes helicopter production and development. Origins in 1951, manufacturing components for LiM-1 fighters (Polish version of MiG-15). First helicopter production was SM-1 (Mil Mi-1), of which huge numbers were completed, followed by SM-2. Mil Mi-2 was first flown in Soviet Union in September 1961 as twin-turboshaft helicopter, but all production transferred to Poland in 1964, allowing first Polish-built Mi-2 to fly in November 1965; production lasted until 1996, after 5,450 had been built in a large number of variants for civil and military roles. Kania first flown June 1979 as modernized development of Mi-2 using U.S. Allison turboshaft engines and AlliedSignal Bendix/King avionics, but only some 13 built to date. W- 3 Sokol first flown November 1979 as 12-passenger civil/military intermediate multipurpose helicopter with twin turboshafts, of which well over 100 built to date and some exported; many variants, Polish armed forces versions including W-3RM Anakonda for air/sea rescue, and W-3W Sokol and similar W-3WA each with 23 mm cannon and outriggers for missiles, rockets and other weapons; SW- 5 is anticipated development of W-3 using French avionics. S-1W Huzar antiarmor and attack helicopter expected to fly 1999 and be built for the Polish armed forces; based on W-3 design. Four/five-seat SW-4 light utility single-turboshaft helicopter first flew October 1996.
The M-18 was designed in co-operation with Rockwell International in the USA to FAR Part 23 standards. It uses several components of the then Rockwell S2R Thrush, including the outer wing panels. The cockpit is a sealed unit and has a similar layout to the Snow S2D-600. With a requirement for a crew seat, the rear canopy was later redesigned with a hatch on the port side for entry to a rear facing seat. The earlier M-18 models that were converted and new production aircraft were designated M-18A.
Described as a low wing agricultural mono¬plane with fixed landing gear, the unswept cantilever wings are of constant chord, with 2o 30’ dihedral on the centre section and 6o on the outer panels. The wing sections are NACA4416 at the root and NACM412 at the tip. The aircraftis fitted with a steel-capped wing spar with all-metal, two section, trailing-edge flaps, actuated hydraulically. Metal slotted ailerons and metal wing tips complete the 58’ wing span and 430.56 sq ft wing area.
The fuselage is of all-metal tubular construc¬tion and incorporates an all-metal tailplane. It stretches 31 feet long and in a flying attitude stands at 15’01”. The hopper is made from glass fibre and has a capacity of 2,500 litres, or 660 US gallons. The aircraft’s empty weight is 5,445 lbs with a maximum take-off weight of 11,684 lbs. It has a maximum speed of 138 knots and a stalling speed, with flaps extended, of 59 knots. The pilot being accommodated in a cockpit stressed to survive an impact of 40g. Special materials and treatment limit airframe corrosion to a minimum.
PZL-Mielec built three prototype aircraft powered by the uprated P.Z.L. ASz-621R engine. The first, for testing, was non-flying, but the second aircraft, SP-PBW, and the third aircraft, SP-PBZ, first flew on 27 August 1976 and 2 October 1976 respectively. From April 1978, a batch of ten pre-production aircraft were built, of which two were non-flying test aircraft. Five of them used for operational trials, in Eastern Europe and and two were used in trials in Egypt during the summer of 1978. Another was test flown (on 11 November 1978) as a firefighter to test the concept. The Polish type certificate was issued on 27 September 1978 and two aircraft from this batch were sold to Yugoslavia the following year.
Deliveries of the second batch of five air¬craft began in 1980, with four going to Canada. Canadian certification of the fire-fighting version was awarded on 10 March 1980. Another batch of ten aircraft was built in 1980, six of which went to Canada.
Production of the M-18 began following the receipt of Polish certification on 27 September 1978, but came to an end in 1984, shortly after the M-18A two-seat version was certificated by the Polish authorities. A dedicated two-seat agricultural trainer, designated the M-18AS, was constructed with a smaller hopper to allow an instructor to sit behind the pilot, and flew for the first time on 21 March 1988. Five were built by 1992.
In common with most East European air¬craft, Dromaders are built in batches. This is evident in the constructor number sequences. In the Soviet Union series of numbers are used, however, PZL-Mielec used an alphabetical and numerical sequence. The prototype Dromaders used 1ZP and the production Dromader 1ZO.
Mielec has produced a two-seat trainer Dromader, the M-18BS, first flying in November 1997.
The fifth batch to come out of Poland saw the first aircraft, 1ZO05-01, being delivered to the USA as N42255. Of the fifteen aircraft built, nine were sold to the United States, three to Hungary and two to Cuba. The fifteenth airframe was used for spares. In 1981 the Polish com¬pany had two new customers. Turkey purchased four aircraft and South Africa two. Hungary, Cuba and the USA were the main buyers until 1982, when Bulgaria purchased four aircraft and followed with another fourteen by the end of that year. From December 1983, the Greek Air Force took delivery of eighteen aircraft for use as fire bombers. As mentioned above, Cuba took delivery of their first M-18 in January 1981 and by October1988, forty-six aircraft had been reg¬istered in that country.
The nine-cylinder, supercharged radial engine, the AS-621z, which drives the four-blade PZL-Warszawa SP.00 propeller, has been the only power plant supplied by the factory. Operators in the United States have taken advantage of this large airframe with some replacing the PZL radial with turbine power. Turbine Conversion of Nunica, MI, converted some M-18/M-18A aircraft by installing P&WPT-6A-45 and -65 series engines and 800 US gallon hoppers. Delta Turbines have also converted a number of Dromaders to turbine power, fitting a TPF-33-10UA. One of the most unusual conversion was the installation of a 1000 shp Lycoming T53-L-3 from a Grumman OV-1 Mowhawk.
By the end of 1997, six hundred and eighty-three aircraft had been registered and more air¬craft were awaiting assembly.
The M-18B Dromader is certified under European Aviation Safety Agency EASA A.056.
PZL Mielec M-18a
Engine: 1 x P.Z.L. Kalisz ASz-62IR radial, 746kW
Max take-off weight: 4700 kg / 10362 lb
Empty weight: 2470 kg / 5445 lb
Wingspan: 17.7 m / 58 ft 1 in
Length: 9.47 m / 31 ft 1 in
Height: 3.7 m / 12 ft 2 in
Wing area: 40.0 sq.m / 430.56 sq ft
Max. speed: 237 km/h / 147 mph
Cruise speed: 185 km/h / 115 mph
Range: 520 km / 323 miles
M18A
Engine: ASz-621RM, 967 hp
Prop: AW-2-30, 4 blade
Wing span: 58 ft
Wing area: 430.56 sq.ft
Length: 31 ft
Hopper cap: 2500 lt (660 USG)
Empty wt: 5445 lb
MTOW: 11,684 lb
Max speed: 138 kts
Stall: 59 kts
M18AS
Seats: 2
One of the P.Z.L. Mielec early postwar projects was the P.Z.L. Mielec MD-12 short-range light transport, the first of several prototypes flying initially during August 1959.
A cantilever low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, it had retractable tricycle landing gear and was powered by four Narkiewicz WN-3 radial engines in wing-mounted nacelles. Accommodation was provided for a flight crew of two on a separate flightdeck, and the main cabin could accommodate 20 passengers or, when cleared of its easily-removed seating, up to 1900kg of cargo.
Only four aircraft, including one four static trials, were built: 1st prototype SP-PAL, 2nd SP-PBD and the 4th was MD-12F SP-PBL prototype, the one that survived in Krakow Museum.
The MD-12 did not progress beyond the prototype stage, but a photographic survey version was produced in small numbers. Designated MD-12F, and first flown in prototype form on 21 July 1962, this had its internal accommodation arranged for a crew of up to seven, providing four camera positions and a darkroom at the rear of the cabin. Plans was cancelled after the fatal crash of the first MD-12 prototype
MD-12F
Engines: 4 x Narkiewicz WN-3, 246kW
Wingspan: 23.2 m / 76 ft 1 in
Length: 15.8 m / 52 ft 10 in
Height: 5.95 m / 20 ft 6 in
Wing area: 57.0 sq.m / 613.54 sq ft
Max take-off weight: 7000 kg / 15432 lb
Loaded weight: 5025 kg / 11078 lb
Max. speed: 305 km/h / 190 mph
Ceiling: 5200 m / 17050 ft
Range w/max.fuel: 2100 km / 1305 miles
Crew: 2
Passengers: 20
Design of the P.Z.L. Mielec TS-11 Iskra (Spark) two-seat turbojet-powered primary and advanced trainer began in 1957, being intended as a replacement for the TS-8 Bies two-seat basic trainer. Four prototypes were built, and the first flight of the type was recorded on 5 February 1960.
PZL Mielec TS-11 Iskra Article
Following type approval during 1961 initial deliveries began in March 1963, and the TS-11 became operational with the Polish air force in 1964. Since that time well over 500 have been built, manufactured not only for use by the nation’s air force, but also for export to India, which procured 50. A cantilever mid-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, the TS-11 has retractable tricycle landing gear and is powered by a single turbojet mounted within the fuselage, aft of the cockpit.
Early aircraft were powered by the Polish-designed HO-10 turbojet developing 780kg thrust, but from the mid-1960s TS-11s have been powered progressively by the 2,205 lb / 800kg thrust SO-1 turbojet, the similarly rated but improved SO-3, or the uprated SO-3W. The Iskra was being replaced in Polish air force service by the I-22 Iryda.
Later developments were the Iskra 100 with attack capability and the Iskra 200, built as single and two seaters. The Indian Air Force also operated the Iskra 100.
Limited production of the 1987 version of the TS-11, the Iskra-Bis DF, continued at Mielec. The Iskra-Bis DF is a tandem-seat combat and reconnaissance trainer powered by a single uprated 10.8kN SO-3W turbojet. It is equipped with a 23mm cannon in the forward fuselage, an S-13 camera gun, and four underwing hardpoints for 100kg of bombs, rockets, and gun pods. For recon¬naissance training three cameras may be carried, one in each intake fairing and one in the cockpit floor.
Engine: 1 x Narkiewicz turbojet, est 1,760 1,980 lbs.t. (800 900 kgp)
Max speed, 497 mph (800 kph)
Service ceiling 39,370 ft (12 000 m)
Loaded weight, 7,496 lb. (3 400 kg)
Span, 32 ft 9.5 in (10 m)
Length, 36 ft 1 in (11m)
Height, 10ft 10 in (3.3 m)
PZL-WSK TS 11 bis DF Iskra
Engine: 1 x SO-W3, 1100kg
Installed thrust: 10.8 kN
Span: 10.06 m / 33 ft 0 in
Length: 11.15 m / 37 ft 7 in
Wing area: 17.5 sq.m / 188.37 sq ft
Height: 12 ft 6 in / 3.500 m
Empty wt: 2560 kg / 5644 lb
MTOW: 3840 kg / 8466 lb
Max speed: 770 kph / 478 mph
Initial ROC: 1140 m / min
Ceiling: 37730 ft / 11,500 m
T/O run: 660 m
Ldg run: 720 m
Fuel internal: 1200 lt
Range: 675 nm / 1250 km
Armament: 1 x 23 mm
Hardpoints: 4
Bombload: 400kg
Crew: 2
On 23 July 1955 the first prototype was flown of a two-seat basic trainer designated P.Z.L. TS-8 and later named Bies (Fiend). A cantilever low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear, powered by a Narkiewicz WN-3 radial engine and accommodating two in tandem beneath a jettisonable transparent canopy, initial deliveries to the Polish air force began in 1958.
The type established several class speed records, and that set on 20 May 1957, of 320.362km/h over a 2000km closed circuit, remained unbeaten until August 1982.
Built until 1962, this fully aerobatic trainer remained in service for some six years, initial deliveries of the TS-11 Iskra which replaced it in service in the Polish air force beginning in 1964.
Engine: 340 hp / 246kW Narkiewicz WN 3
Span, 34 ft 5 in (10.5 m)
Length, 27 ft 10 in (8.5 m)
Wing area, 205.6 sq.ft (19.1 sq.m)
Height, 3.3 m (11 ft 10 in)
Empty weight, 2,359 lb (1070 kg)
Loaded weight, 5,417 lb (1550 kg)
Max speed, 194 mph (312 kph)
Cruise, 168 mph (270 kph)
Initial climb, 1340 fpm (6.8 m/sec)
Service ceiling, 19,685 ft (6000 m)
Range 497 mls (800 km)
Following an agreement between the Polish and Soviet governments for the design and production of a new large agricultural aircraft, allocated the designation P.Z.L. Mielec M-15, design of this aircraft was initiated in late 1971 and the initial LLP-M15 prototype made its first flight on 30 May 1973. One M-15 prototype and five pre-production aircraft followed, and completion of the development programme was signified by the award of a full certificate of airworthiness on 4 April 1979.
The M-15 had unequal-span biplane wings, twin tailbooms extending aft to twin fins and rudders united by a high-set tailplane and elevator, and fixed tricycle landing gear. A central fuselage nacelle provided accommodation for the pilot and, to his rear, had a cabin to seat two ground crew during ferry flights between operating areas. The single turbofan power-plant was mounted above the fuselage nacelle, and two streamlined chemical hoppers occupied the full gap between each wing, mounted directly beneath the tailbooms, their combined chemical capacity 2900 litres.
Powered by a 3,300-1b thrust Ivehenko AI-25 turbofan, it was also fitted with an Ivehenko AI-9 APU, which provides power for engine starts, refuelling and pumping chemicals into the two 1460-litre hoppers located between the wings. The cockpit was air-conditioned and behind was space for two ground crew and their gear, tools, spares, etc. The upper wing was equipped with a variety of high-lift devices, while the lower wing had nozzles for the dispensing of granular or liquid chemicals.
The cabin normally housed a mechanic or two, but could carry up to 21 passengers for ferry purposes.
Its usual working speed was 80 knots, but it could “dash” to the next job at over 140 knots.
Plans had been made to manufacture 3,000 M-15s, which had been given the name Belphegor during 1979, but production ended in 1981 after only 120 had been built because the aircraft was uneconomical in operation, P.Z.L. producing the turboprop An-3 instead.
Engine: 1 x Ivchenko AI-25 turbofan, 1500kg / 3307 lb
Wing span: upper 72 ft (22 m); lower 49 ft (15 m)
Wing area: 67.9 sq.m / 730.87 sq ft
Length: 13.13 m / 43 ft 1 in
Height: 5.34 m / 18 ft 6 in
Max take off weight: 11686.5 lb / 5300.0 kg
Max. speed: 200 km/h / 124 mph
Cruise speed: 175 km/h / 109 mph
Range: 480 km / 298 miles
Crew: 1-2
Hopper cap: 2500kg
Full name is Wytwomia Sprzetu Komunikacyjnego “PZLMielec” SA. The Transport Equipment Manufacturing Centre (WSK) at Mielec was the largest of the Polish pre-Second World War aircraft factories, having been founded in 1938.
Postwar, it built Soviet MiG-15 fighters under license until 1959. Decline in fighter orders led to development of the TS-8 Bies two-seat aerobatic trainer (first flown 1955) and the TS-11 Iskra jet trainer (1960). Nearly 12,000 Russian (now Ukrainian) Antonov-designed An-2 biplane transports built in several versions since 1960. Design office formed for M-15 Belphegor three-seat and turbofan-powered agricultural aircraft (1973) and M-17 two/three-seat light aircraft. I-22 Iryda advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft first flew March 1985, and small number joined Polish Air Force, along with several M-93K derivatives, but production terminated in 1997; upgrade to modified M-96 standard was planned. Production of M18 Dromader agricultural aircraft continues, with some 700 production aircraft built in several versions since 1979. Production also continues of the M20 Mewa, first flown 1979 as development of U.S. Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II. Antonov An-28 transport built since 1984, more recently in M28 Skytruck form; larger development expected to be certificated in 1999 as M28.03 or 04 Skytruck Plus. M26 Iskierka piston trainer first flew in 1986 and entered production in 1995. Tampico Club TB 9 built under Socata contract.
Under political reorganization in 1956, the Polish aircraft industry was revived with production of Soviet aircraft and some indigenous types. In foreign markets most Polish aircraft subsequently appeared under the PZL title, such as the PZL-101 Gawron and PZL-104 Wilga utility aircraft of 1960 and 1962 respectively, the first being a development of the Yak-12. The Gawron was used extensively as an agricultural aircraft, along with the PZL-built An-2 biplane, but later purpose-built dusters and sprayers were built. PZL types are produced under three separate organizations: PZL “Warszawa-Okecie” SA, WSK “PZL-Mielec” SA, and PZL-Swidnik SA.
Designed by Dipl-lng Adam Meus, this high performance tandem two-seater is intended to succeed the popular SZD-9 Bocian for training and performance flying, and resembles the SZD-42 Jantar 2 and 2B but with a shorter span and the addition of the second seat. The Puchacz (or Eagle Owl) has been modified and developed from a prototype known as the SZD-50-1 Dromader which first flew on 21 December 1976; the Puchacz first flew a year later.
The first production aircraft flew on 13 April 1979 and nine had been built by the beginning of 1980. It is mainly of glassfibre sandwich construction, and has cantilever mid-set wings with slight forward sweep, plain ailerons and air bakes in the upper and lower surfaces. The glassfibre fuselage is supported in the central portion by two wooden frames, to which the wings and undercarriage are attached, and the landing gear consists of a non-retractable semi-recessed nose wheel, a sprung monowheel mounted behind the cg with a disc brake, and a tailskid which can be replaced by a tail wheel. There are two towing hooks, one in the nose for aero tows and the other mounted on the eg for winch launching. The tail unit is of glassfibre sandwich, the rudder being fabric-covered. The two pilots sit under a flush-fitting one-piece cockpit canopy that opens sideways, and have dual controls; the instrumentation for the front seat is easily visible from the rear seat.
The improved 50- 3 is the major production model with larger horizontal tailplane situated part of the way up the fin and enlarged rudder. It has a fixed main wheel, top and bottom surface Schempp-Hirth type airbrakes, and is stressed for erect and inverted aerobatic maneuvers. It has been used widely throughout the soaring world both as an initial and intermediate training sailplane, and as an aerobatic instructional platform and entry level aerobatic contest ship.
No. Built: 300
Puchacz 2
Wing span: 16.67 m (54 ft 8 in)
Length: 8.38 m (29 ft 10 in)
Height: 1.92 m (6 ft 10.5 in)
Wing area: 18.16 sq.m (195.5 sq ft)
Wing section: Wortmann
Aspect ratio: 15.3
Empty weight: 331 kg (730 lb)
Max weight: 550 kg (1,216 lb)
Water ballast: None
Max wing loading: 30.3 kg/sq.m (6.2 lb/sq.ft)
Max speed: 119 kt (220 km/h)
Stalling speed: 60 kt (110 km/h)
Min sinking speed: 0.7 m/sec (2.3 ft/sec) at 40 kt (75 km/h)
Max rough air speed: 81 kt (150 km/h)
Best glide ratio: 30 at 52 kt (96 km/h)
SZD 50-3 Puchacz
Wing span: 16.67 m / 54 ft 8.25 in
Wing area : 18.1 sq.m / 195.5 sq.ft
Length: 29 ft 10 in
Height: 6 ft l0.5 in
Empty Weight: 360 kg / 794 lb
Payload: 220 kg / 485 lb
Gross Weight: 570 kg / 1257 lb
Wing Load: 31.49 kg/sq.m / 6.43 lb/sq.ft
Max speed: 136 mph (in smooth air)
Max aero-tow speed: 93 mph
L/DMax: 32 89 kph / 48 kt / 55 mph
MinSink: 0.70 m/s / 2.4 fps / 1.42 kt at 48.5 mph
Best glide ratio: 30:1 at 60 mph
Aspect ratio: 15.3
Airfoil: Wortmann
Structure: GFRP
Seats: 2
The Ogar (or Greyhound) two-seater motor glider designed by Dipl-lng Tadeusz Labuc is SZD’s first self-launching to go into production and was intended for training from ab initio to advanced stages, and for cross-country flying.
Of mixed glassfibre and wooden construction, the Ogar’s single-spar cantilever shoulder-mounted wooden wings have a moulded plywood stressed skin covered with glassfibre, and slotless ailerons of glassfibre sandwich construction; there are air brakes above and below each wing. The Ogar features sailplane rigging. The main nacelle of the pod and boom fuselage is a glassfibre/epoxy resin shell built on two wooden frames which carry the wings, engine mounting and fuel tank (up to 48.5lb of fuel can be carried) and also the tail boom. The two pilots sit staggered side-by-side with dual controls as standard under a two-piece flush-fitting canopy, the rear portion of which opens upwards for exit and entry. The fin is integral with the tail boom and there is a fully-castoring tailwheel under the rudder plus a semi-retractable monowheel with shock absorbers and a disc brake; for flying school use outrigger legs and wheels are mounted under the wing tips.
It first flew in prototype form on 29 May 1973 with a 45hp Stamo engine mounted behind the cabin and driving a two bladed Hoffmann pusher propeller; the T-tail unit is carried on a tubular duralumin boom that passes under the airscrew disc. Because the German Stamo engine was no longer in production a 68hp Sportavia-Limbach four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine was later fitted to the prototype which was also later fitted with wing tip winglets, first flying with these on 10 September 1979. This modificatiion was devised by MrW. Blazewicz of Warsaw Technical University.
The production SZD-45A is powered by a 68hp Limbach SL 1700EC powerplant driving a two-blade Hoffman pusher propeller. In 1978 a version of the Ogar was proposed powered by a 60hp PZL-Franklin 2A-120C (later 2A-120CP) ‘flat twin’engine, which was to become the standard engine for production aircraft. The Franklin-engined SZD-45-2 Ogar-F first flew on 13 March 1979. A total of 65 Ogars had been built by the beginning of 1980, and the type had been exported to both East and West Germany, Sweden, the UK and the USA. The U.S. import is powered with the dual ignition, turbocharged, Revmaster engine. Production has now ended.
PZL Bielsko / SZD SZD 45 a Ogar
Engine: 51 kW/ 68 bhp Limbach SL 1700
Wing span: 17.53 m / 57 ft 6.25 in
Wing area: 19.1 sq.m / 205.6 sq.ft
Length: 26 ft 1 in / 7.95 m
Aspect ratio: 16.25
Airfoil: Wortmann FX 61-168/ FX 60-1261
Height: 1.72 m / 5 ft 7.75 in
Empty Weight: 470 kg / 1036 lb
Payload: 230 kg / 507 lb
Gross Weight: 700 kg / 1543 lb
Water ballast: None
Wing Load: 36.6 kg/sq.m / 7.49 lb/sq.ft
L/DMax: 22.6:1 at 97 kph / 52 kt / 60 mph
MinSink: 0.96 m/s / 3.15 fps / 1.87 kt at 50 mph / 39 kt / 72 km/h
Max. speed: 121 kts / 225 km/h / 112 mph at sea level
Stalling speed: 37 kt / 68 km/h
Landing speed: 42 kts / 78 km/h
Cruising speed: 51 kts / 95 km/h
Max rate of climb at S/L: 168 m/min / 551 ft/min
Take-off run: 200 m / 656 ft
Range with max fuel: 341 miles / 550 km / 296 nm
Seats: 2
All Aero 