PZL.5
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| PZL-5 | |
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| Type | Sports plane |
| Manufacturer | PZL |
| Maiden flight | May 1930 |
| Introduced | 1930 |
| Retired | 1939 |
| Produced | 1930-1932 |
| Number built | 15 |
The PZL.5 was a Polish sports plane of 1930, constructed and produced by the PZL.
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[edit] Design and development
The plane was designed in 1929 by an amateur designer Władysław Kozłowski. It was a wooden biplane, similar to de Havilland Gipsy Moth. The PZL State Aviation Works in Warsaw took over the design, searching for a plane to participate in a contest for a trainer aircraft, announced by the LOPP paramilitary organization (Air- and Anti-Gas Defense League). Kozłowski worked out a documentation, with a help of PZL bureau and fitted the plane with a stronger 100 hp Gipsy I engine, instead of a planned 85 hp one. The first prototype of PZL.5 was built and flown in May 1930, followed by two pre-series aircraft in June 1930, built on factory's initiative specially for the Challenge 1930 contest (registration SP-ACW and SP-ACX).
After trials, the design was modified, receiving a designation PZL.5a. Among others, a fuselage and wings were shortened a bit, and a nose was modified. The first prototype was rebuilt this way, using 94 hp Cirrus III engine, and received markings SP-AEE. In 1931 a series of 11 aircraft were built, for aeroclubs' orders. They received markings from SP-AFF to SP-AFP and SP-AGF. Most had Gipsy I engines.
The PZL.5 was too difficult to fly to be a basic trainer, therefore a modified variant PZL.5bis was designed and built in 1932. It had 120 hp Gipsy II engine, longer wings and fuselage, larger cockpit openings, changed tail and landing gear. The only prototype was flown in July 1932. It took part in a contest for the basic trainer aircraft for the Polish Air Force, but it was beaten by the RWD-8.
A further development of the PZL.5bis was the WK-3, built privately by Władysław Kozłowski and flown in 1933. The PZL also proposed in 1930 to build a trainer seaplane under a proposed designation PZL.8 (not to confuse with PZL P.8), but the Polish Navy was not interested and it was not built.
[edit] Description
Wooden construction braced biplane. Fuselage plywood (front) and canvas (tail) covered. Rectangular wings with rounded ends, canvas covered. Crew of two, sitting in tandem in open cockpits with windshields. Cockpits with dual controls (a front cockpit had only basic set of controls).
4-cylinder air-cooled straight engine in front: 100 hp de Havilland Gipsy I or 94 hp Cirrus III. Two-blade wooden propeller Szomański of a fixed pitch. Conventional landing gear, with a rear skid. Fuel tank 96 l in upper central wing section. Fuel consumption - 23.5 l/hour.
[edit] Operational history
Two pre-series aircraft took part in the Challenge 1930 international contest in July 1930. Only Ignacy Giedgowd completed the race on the PZL.5 SP-ACW, on the 33nd place (for 35 classified and 60 starting crews). Bolesław Orliński had to withdraw in Spain due to engine failure.
11 PZL.5a's and the prototype were bought by local aeroclubs in Warsaw, Katowice, Kraków, Poznań and Vilnius and intensively used as sports, training and touring planes. Along with pre-series aircraft, they were used in numerous Polish aviation competitions, with some success (for example, 2nd place in the 2nd South-Western Poland Rally in 1930 and the 1st place in the 5th Rally in 1933).
In 1932 SP-ACX was modified to glider towing and fitted with additional fuel tanks, for 8 hours of flight.
SP-AFG was scrapped in 1935, SP-AFH crashed in 1932, SP-AFL crashed in 1935, SP-AFM was damaged in 1933 and scrapped, SP-AFP crashed in 1935. About half survived until 1939, they were longest serving Polish planes of wooden construction. Some were bought by private owners. After the outbreak of World War II, SP-ACX was evacuated to Romania.
[edit] Operators
[edit] Specifications (PZL-5a)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1, pilot
- Capacity: 1, student or passenger
- Length: 6.7 m ()
- Wingspan: 8.4 m ()
- Height: 2.53 m ()
- Wing area: 21.8 m² ()
- Empty weight: 431-448 kg ()
- Loaded weight: 676 kg ()
- Useful load: 245-300 kg ()
- Max takeoff weight: 745 kg ()
- Powerplant: 1× de Havilland Gipsy I 4-cylinder air-cooled straight engine, 100 hp (73 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 164 km/h
- Cruise speed: 130 km/h
- Stall speed: 70 km/h ()
- Range: 530 km ()
- Service ceiling 3,715 m ()
- Rate of climb: 3.4 m/s ()
- Wing loading: 31 kg/m² ()
- Take-off run: 120 m
[edit] References
- Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" (Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 (Polish language, no ISBN)
[edit] See also
Comparable aircraft
[edit] External links
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