RWD-14 Czapla
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| RWD-14b Czapla | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | reconnaissance and liaison aircraft |
| Manufacturer | LWS |
| Designed by | RWD team |
| Maiden flight | 1935 |
| Introduced | 1939 |
| Primary users | Polish military aviation Romania |
| Produced | 1938-1939 |
| Number built | 3+65 |
The RWD-14 Czapla was the Polish observation, close reconnaissance and liaison aircraft, designed in the mid-1930s by the RWD team, and produced in the LWS factory from 1938.
[edit] Development
The aircraft was designed in response to a Polish Air Force requirement of 1933 for a new army cooperation plane, a successor of the Lublin R-XIII. The RWD team of the DWL workshops (Doświadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze) initially proposed the RWD-12 project, basing on the RWD-8 trainer. It was however considered as not better enough, than R-XIII, and another plane RWD-14 was designed by Stanislaw Rogalski and Jerzy Drzewiecki.
The first prototype was flown in late 1935. It won the contest over the Lublin R-XXI project and the PWS factory project, but factory trials showed, that its performance is not satisfactory. Between 1936 and 1937 two modified prototypes were built, designated RWD-14a, but both crashed during trials due to steering mechanism fault (pilots survived). Finally, in early 1938 the fourth improved prototype was built, designated RWD-14b. It was ordered by the Polish Air Force, receiving a name Czapla (the heron), but due to long development, it was regarded only as an interim model, to replace R-XIII until the advent of more modern LWS-3 Mewa. In return for refunding development costs, the DWL gave rights to produce RWD-14b to the state factory LWS (Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów - Lublin Aircraft Works, a successor of the Plage & Laskiewicz).
The LWS built a series of 65 RWD-14b Czapla by February 28, 1939 (they are sometimes called the LWS Czapla).
[edit] Combat use
The Czapla entered into service in the Polish Air Force in spring of 1939, equipping some of observation squadrons (eskadra obserwacyjna). Due to long development, it was not a modern plane then, only a bit better, than Lublin R-XIII. Its advantage was still quite short take-off (140 m) and landing (120 m), enabling it to operate from fields and meadows. Its modern successor, the LWS-3 Mewa, did not manage to enter operational units due to war.
In the Invasion of Poland in 1939, the Polish Air Force had 35 Czaplas in 5 observation squadrons (out of 12): numbers 13, 23, 33, 53 and 63. Each squadron had 7 aircraft. Squadrons were distributed among the field Armies. The remaining 30 Czaplas were in reserve (probably only 4 supplemented combat units during the campaign). Like the R-XIII, the Czapla was no match for any of Luftwaffe fighters, bombers or even reconnaissance aircraft, being much slower, and armed with only two machineguns. In spite of it, they were actively used for close reconnaissance and liaison tasks.
Most of RWD-14b were destroyed during the campaign. About 10 were withdrawn to Romania (there are quoted numbers from 10 to 16) and one probably to Hungary. They were taken over by Romanian Air Force and used for auxiliary duties. None of RWD-14b have survived until today.
[edit] Description
Mixed construction braced parasol high-wing monoplane, conventional in layout. A fuselage of a metal and wooden frame, covered with canvas. Wooden two-spar wings, canvas and plywood covered, fitted with slats. Wings were folded rearwards (width: 3.9 m). Stabilizers of wooden construction. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear wheel. Crew of two, sitting in tandem in open cockpits, with twin controls and individual windshields. The observer had a 7.7 mm Vickers K machine gun, the pilot had a fixed 7.92 mm wz.33 machine gun with interrupter gear. 9 cylinder air-cooled radial engine PZL G-1620B Mors-II with 430 hp (320 kW) nominal power and 470 hp (350 kW) take-off power. Two-blade wooden propeller. Fuel tank 315 l in the fuselage. The aircraft could be fitted with radio and camera.
General characteristics
- Crew: 2, pilot and observer
- Length: 9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 11.90 m (39 ft 0 in)
- Height: 3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 22.00 m² (237 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,225 kg (2,701 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb)
- Useful load: 475 kg ()
- Powerplant: 1× PZL G-1620B Mors-II air-cooled 9-cylinder radial, 470 hp ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: 247 km/h
- Cruise speed: 232 km/h (145 mph)
- Stall speed: <80 km/h ()
- Range: 675 km (421 miles)
- Service ceiling: 5,100 m (16,728 ft)
- Rate of climb: 6.1 m/s (366 m/min) (1,200 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 77 kg/m² (16 lb/ft²)
Armament
1× fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm wz.33 machine gun, 1× flexible, rearward-firing 7.7 mm Vickers K machine gun for observer
[edit] Operators
Comparable aircraft
Heinkel He 46 - Henschel Hs 126 - Breguet 270 - Potez 390
Designation sequence
RWD-9 - RWD-10 - RWD-11 - RWD-13 - RWD-14 - RWD-15 - RWD-16 - RWD-17 - RWD-18
[edit] References
- Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" (Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 (Polish language, no ISBN)
