LWS-7 Mewa II
The LWS-7 Mewa II ("Seagull") was a Polish observation and close reconnaissance aircraft, designed in the 1939 by the LWS factory as a development of the earlier LWS-3 Mewa. Aircraft development was ordered by the Polish Air Force, but no prototypes were built.
Design and development
In 1939, the LWS-7 Mewa II was being developed at the LWS as the development of the LWS-3 Mewa. New wings and a semi-monocoque fuselage with less drag were introduced. It was to be fitted with a more powerful 916 hp (683 kW) PZL Pegaz XX engine (Bristol Pegasus XX) or a planned 1000 hp (750 kW) PZL Waran. A maximum speed of 400–420 km/h was estimated.
Before the war, only a wooden model for aerodynamics tests was made. Tests performed by Aerodynamic Institute of Warsaw University of Technology showed that the maximum speed of the LWS-7 could be estimated at 420–425 km/h - about 60 km/h more than the LWS-3 Mewa.
Complete technical drawings were prepared in Summer 1939 (still not confirmed) and the first prototype was planned to be built in Autumn 1939. First flight was planned in Spring or Summer 1940 and start of production was planned for Autumn/Winter 1940. The first production LWS-7 Mewa II would be handed over to Polish Air Force in early 1941. All these plans were halted due to the outbreak of World War II.
Drawings of LWS-7 were evacuated in September 1939 to the Polish embassy in Romania by the LWS director Aleksander Sipowicz. Many publications claim that they were handed over to Bulgarians, but it is not clear (possibly, it concerned the LWS-3B plans, in fact).
Operators (planned)
Specifications (planned)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2 (pilot and observer)
- Length: 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in)
- Wingspan: 13.45 m (44 ft 1 in)
- Height: 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 26.0 m² (280 ft²)
- Empty weight: 1,750 kg (3,858 lb)
- Loaded weight: 2,420 kg (5,335 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × 1× PZL-Bristol Pegasus XX or PZL-Bristol Pegasus XIX 9-cylinder air cooled radial engines Three-blade metal variable pitch propeller, 674 kW (916 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 420-425 km/h (estimated)
- Guns: 2× fixed, forward-firing 7.92 mm KM Wz.36 machine guns, 1× rearward-firing 7.92 mm KM Wz.37 machine gun for the observer
See also
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- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Henschel Hs 126 - Westland Lysander - KB-11 Fazan - WM-21 Solyom - IAR-39
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