RWD-13

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RWD-13

Type	Touring plane
Manufacturer	DWL
Designed by	RWD team
Maiden flight	1935-01-15
Primary users	Polish civilian aviation Romania, Brazil, Israel
Produced	1935-1939
Number built	approx. 100

The RWD-13 was a Polish touring plane of 1935, designed by the RWD team. It was the biggest commercial success of the RWD.

1 Development
2 Usage
- 2.1 Poland
- 2.2 Foreign use
3 Description
4 Military Operators
5 Specifications
6 References

[edit] Development

The RWD-13 was a touring plane, developed from a line of sports planes RWD-6 (a winner of Challenge 1932 international touring aircraft contest) and RWD-9 (a winner of Challenge 1934). It was designed by Stanisław Rogalski and Jerzy Drzewiecki of the RWD team, in the DWL workshops. The prototype (markings SP-AOA) was constructed using parts of a broken up RWD-6, and first flew on January 15, 1935. Since RWD-13 was not supposed to be a competition plane, main differences from the RWD-9 were: inline engine with lower power output, instead of a radial one, and simpler wing mechanization. It still had advantages, like short take-off and landing and ease of flying, with good stability. By 1939, some 85 were produced.

In 1937 an air ambulance wariant RWD-13S was built (prototype markings SP-BFN), and similar universal variant RWD-13TS (or RWD-13ST), that was fitted with a right hatch for stretchers and could be converted from touring plane to ambulance by removing the right seat. By 1939, 15 RWD-13S were made, including few RWD-13TS. A development of the RWD-13 was 5-seater RWD-15.

A licence was sold to Yugoslavia and several RWD-13 and RWD-13S were made there by Rogožarski.

[edit] Usage

[edit] Poland

Most RWD-13 were used by the Polish civilian aviation: Ministry of Transport, LOPP paramilitary organization (Air and Anti-gas Defence League, Liga Obrony Powietrznej i Przeciwgazowej), that dealt with training pilots, aero clubs and private owners. They were also used for sport flying, taking part in numerous international contests, taking high places. Among others, they took the 1st, 4th, 6th and 7th places in a touring aircraft competition during the 4th International Air Meeting in Zurich in 1937. The RWD-13S won a prize of Esch town for the best air ambulance of an International Ambulance Aircraft Contest in Esch, Luxembourg in July 1938 (the contest was won by another Polish plane, the LWS-2).

RWD-13 in the Polish Aviation Museum

Most Polish RWD-13 were painted in red, with a silver lightning on a fuselage and silver wings. RWD-13S were painted in ivory, with Red Cross markings, while RWD-13TS were painted in ivory, with a red lightning on a fuselage.

RWD-13S belonged to the Polish Air Force, but were registered as civilian machines and used by the Polish Red Cross. Several (at least 5) RWD-13 were mobilized after the start of World War II and used as liaison aircraft during the Polish September Campaign. Some aircraft were evacuated to neighbouring countries, some were destroyed or seized by the Germans.

Only 4 RWD-13 were used in Poland after the war, returned by Romania in 1947 (in 1948 Polish communist government lost interest in all Polish pre-war equipment). They were used until 1953-1955, with markings: SP-MSZ (owned by a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MSZ in short), SP-ARG, SP-ARH, SP-ARL. SP-ARL is currently preserved in the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, with its pre-war markings SP-BNU.

[edit] Foreign use

Around 20 RWD-13 were exported before the war. Four were sold to Spain and used as liaison planes on Franco side during the Spanish Civil War, under a name Polaca (numbers: 30-1 - 30-4). After the civil war, remaining ones were used in aero clubs.

In 1937-1938, 8 RWD-13 were sold to Brazil and used there until the 1960s. One of them still remains in airworthy condition (markings PT-LFY). Single aircraft was used in Estonia. Two RWD-13, sent to the World's Fair, were sold after an outbreak of war in 1939 and used in the USA (N20651 and N20652). 3 (or 1) aircraft were sold to Yemen. In May 1939, a single RWD-13 (SP-BNY) was given by the President of Poland to Persian heir Mohammed Reza Pahlavi as a wedding gift.

Two (or three) RWD-13 were used in Palestine by Aviron company (VQ-PAL, VQ-PAM). On December 17, 1947 one of them undertook the first air attack of Israeli plane, with hand grenades and handguns, during Israeli-Arab skirmishes (earlier, on June 15, 1936, RWD-13 was the first aircraft to land in Tel Aviv). These two RWD-13 were among first aircraft of the newly created Israeli Air Force, used for liaison and transport during the first Israeli-Arab war.

After an outbreak of World War II, 28 Polish RWD-13 were evacuated to Romania (23 RWD-13 and 5 RWD-13S). After a fall of Poland, they were taken over by the Romanian civil and military aviation. After Romania joined the war on Axis side and took part in an attack on the USSR, RWD-13 were used as liaison planes by the Air Force. Especially famous were air ambulances, used by the "Escadrila Alba" (White Escadre), flown by women. 21 survived the war and remaining ones were used in Romania until the 1950s. Single RWD-13 was evacuated to Sweden and then used by the Swedish Air Force, under a designation Tp 11. After the war it was used with civilian markings SE-AOF, until 1951. Several RWD-13 were evacuated to Latvia and one RWD-13S to Estonia, then used by Estonian military aviation. They might be later seized by the Soviets.

Yugoslavian-made RWD-13, including probably 2 RWD-13S, were used by Yugoslavian military aviation.

[edit] Description

Three-seater sports and touring strutted high-wing monoplane of a mixed construction. A fuselage of a metal frame, covered with canvas, in engine section with aluminium sheets. Two-spar rectangular wing of wooden construction, canvas and plywood covered. Wings were folding rearwards, and were equipped with automatic slats. Closed cabin with three places: two front places fitted with double controls, behind them third seat and a place for a luggage. The cabin had a pair of doors. In RWD-13S there were two seats on a left side, and stretchers on a right side. Two-blade wooden propeller. Conventional landing gear, with a rear skid. Fuel tanks in wings - 140 l.

[edit] Military Operators

[edit] Specifications

General characteristics

Crew: 1
Capacity: 2
Length: 7.85 m ()
Wingspan: 11.50 m ()
Height: 2.05 m ()
Wing area: 16.00 m² (172 ft²)
Empty weight: 530 kg ()
Loaded weight: 890 kg ()
Max takeoff weight: 930 kg ()
Powerplant: 1× PZInż Walter Major air-cooled 4-cylinder inline engine, 130 hp (96 kW)