Information AboutRwd-14 Czapla |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT RWD-14 CZAPLA | |
| polish military utility aircraft 1930-1939 | |
| polish military reconnaissance aircraft 1930-1939 | |
| world war ii polish aircraft | |
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The RWD-14 Czapla was the Polish observation, close Reconnaissance and Army Cooperation Plane , designed in the mid- 1930s by the RWD team, and produced in the LWS factory from 1938. 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 (''Doswiadczalne 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 were 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 the 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'', 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). COMBAT USE The Czapla entered into service in the Polish Air Force in spring of 1939, equipping some of observation escadres (''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 succesor, the LWS-3 Mewa , did not manage to enter operational units due to war. In the Fighters , Bomber s 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 10-16) and one to Hungary . They were used by Romanian Air Force for auxiliary duties. None of RWD-14b have survived until today. DESCRIPTION Mixed construction (steel and wood) plane, conventional in layout, with braced high-wings, canvas and plywood covered. Wings folded rearwards. Conventional fixed Landing Gear , with a rear wheel. Crew of two, sitting in Tandem in an open Cockpit , 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 . SPECIFICATIONS General characteristics
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RELATED CONTENT Related development: Comparable aircraft: Heinkel He 46 - Henschel Hs 126 - Breguet 270 - Potez 390 Designation sequence: RWD-10 - RWD-11 - RWD-13 - RWD-14 - RWD-15 - RWD-16 - RWD-17 |
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