PZL: История польской авиации

Polish aerospace manufacturer

PZL (Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze State Aviation Works) was the main Polish aerospace manufacturer of the interwar period, and a brand of their aircraft. Based in Warsaw between 1928 and 1939, PZL introduced a variety of well regarded aircraft, most notably the PZL P.11 fighter, the PZL.23 Karaś light bomber, and the PZL.37 Łoś medium bomber. In the post war era, aerospace factories in Poland were initially run under the name WSK (Transport Equipment Manufacturing Plant), but returned to adopt PZL acronym in late 1950s. This was used as a common aircraft brand and later as a part of names of several Polish state owned aerospace manufacturers referring to PZL traditions, and belonging to the Zjednoczenie Przemysłu Lotniczego i Silnikowego PZL PZL Aircraft and Engine Industry Union. Among the better known products during this period is the PZL TS 11 Iskra jet trainer and PZL 104 Wilga STOL utility aircraft. After the fall of communism in Poland in 1989, these manufacturers became separate companies, still sharing the PZL name. In the case of PZL Mielec, the abbreviation was later developed as Polskie Zakłady Lotnicze Polish Aviation Works. Over time, most of the now separate divisions were purchased by foreign concerns, and some continue to use PZL brand.

The PZL Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze (State Aviation Works) was founded in Warsaw in 1928 as a state owned company, and was based on the earlier CWL (Centralne Warsztaty Lotnicze) Central Aviation Workshops. First to be produced was a licensed version of a French fighter, the Wibault 70, but from then on the company produced exclusively its own designs. In the next decade a talented designer Zygmunt Puławski designed a series of high wing, all metal modern fighters: PZL P.1, P.6, P.7 and P.11. The latter two types were used as basic fighters in the Polish Air Force from 1933 onwards. The last variant, PZL P.24, developed after Puławski's death in an air crash, was exported to four countries. PZL also mass produced a light bomber, PZL.23 Karaś, and a modern medium bomber, PZL.37 Łoś, as well as building small numbers of sport aircraft (PZL.5, PZL.19, PZL.26), and liaison aircraft (PZL Ł.2); and developing prototypes of passenger aircraft. In the late 1930s the company also developed several prototypes of more modern fighters and bombers — and a passenger airliner, the PZL.44 Wicher. However, World War II prevented these aircraft from entering production. PZL was the largest Polish pre war aircraft manufacturer. In 1934, the main factory in Warsaw was named PZL WP 1 (Wytwórnia Płatowców 1 Airframe Works 1) in the Okęcie district of Warsaw. A new division PZL WP 2 was built in Mielec in 1938 1939, but production was only just starting there at the outbreak of World War II.

During World War II and the five year German occupation, all Polish aviation industry was taken over by German firms, and as a result, almost completely destroyed. By the end of the war, all factories were either ruined or robbed of tooling. Despite it, from 1944 there were carried out efforts to design new aircraft, in primitive conditions (first of all, in the LWD). No engines nor suitable production facilities were available at first. The post war communist government of Poland wanted to break all connections with pre war Poland: from the late 1940s the name PZL ceased to be used, and new aerospace factories were named WSK (Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego Transport Equipment Manufacturing Plant). Under the Soviet influenced, centrally planned economy, all indigenous projects were abandoned, in a favour of manufacturing Soviet licensed aircraft. It consisted of 19 factories, a research institute, and the Pezetel Foreign Trade Center CHZ Pezetel, which represented all the Polish aerospace industry abroad (Pezetel being the pronunciation of an abbreviation PZL in Polish). It first produced licensed versions of Soviet types and aircraft developed by other Polish companies. From 1958 onwards it started to produce its own designs under the PZL brand, starting with the PZL 101 Gawron. The factory developed mainly light sports, trainer and utility aircraft. An attempt of producing and airliner PZL MD 12 was unsuccessful. The best known designs are the PZL 104 Wilga utility aircraft, which was produced in larger numbers than any other Polish designed aircraft; and the PZL 106 Kruk agricultural aircraft. During the 1970s the factory adopted the name WSK "PZL Warszawa Okęcie", which after the fall of the communist system was changed in 1989 to PZL Warszawa Okęcie. In 2001 the factory was bought by the Spanish company EADS CASA (now part of Airbus Defence and Space) and since then has been known as EADS PZL Warszawa Okęcie SA.

The PZL WP2 factory in Mielec became a part of Heinkel during the German occupation of Poland, and manufactured parts for German aircraft. After the war the factory was named first PZL No.1 works, It manufactured mostly licensed Soviet types, such as the Antonov An 2 transport biplane and early jet fighters: Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 15 (as Lim 1 and Lim 2) and Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 17 (as Lim 5 and Lim 6). It also produced the Polish designed TS 8 Bies piston trainer and TS 11 Iskra jet trainer, and the PZL M 15 Belphegor the world's only jet agricultural aircraft. Large numbers of aircraft were exported abroad, mostly to the USSR. and in 1957 it was renamed to WSK "PZL Świdnik". Since 1956 it has become one of the world's major helicopter manufacturers, producing helicopters under Soviet licences, starting from the SM 1 (Mil Mi 1). In 2002 Allstar PZL Glider Sp. z o. o. acquired the production plant in Bielsko Biala and the Type Certificates of the following SZD sailplanes: SZD 59 1 Acro a single seater for aerobatics and cross country, SZD 54 2 Perkoz – a double seater training glider for aerobatic and cross country, SZD 55 1 Nexus – a single seater glider of the standard class, SZD 51 1 Junior single seater training glider of the club class, SZD 50 Puchacz double seater training glider and SZD 48 3 Jantar Standard 3 – single seater glider of standard class. The company further manufactures and develops the first four SZD glider models. Allstar PZL Glider is also producing and distributing spare parts for all six types mentioned above. On the occasion of the air show “Aero” 2019 in Friedrichshafen Allstar PZL Glider has presented its proof of concept of a new electric propulsion system for the SZD 55 Nexus. The electric sustainer, developed by the company and named “Allstar e motion”, is right now in the advanced certification process. The system will also be available as an assembly kit for retrofitting of existing SZD 55s.

The engine division WS 2 of the PZL was built in Rzeszów in 1937 1939. From 1949 it manufactured Soviet licensed M 11 engines, later, among others, ASh 62IR, turboshaft engines GTD 350 and Polish jet engines SO 1.

In 1952 the engine manufacturer WSK Kalisz was created. It manufactured mostly Soviet licensed engines, first piston (the Shvetsov ASh 82 and the Ivchenko AI 14) and then jet (the Klimov VK 1). It also produced Polish piston engines, such as the WN 3, and other equipment. In October 1996 it was renamed WSK "PZL Kalisz" and became a corporation (SA).

WSK Warszawa II was created in 1952 in Warsaw as a manufacturer of aircraft parts and military equipment parts. In 1995 it was changed from a state factory to a corporation WSK "PZL Warszawa II" SA.

Model name First flight Number built Type PZL P.1 1929 2 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL Ł.2 1930 31 Single piston engine monoplane liaison airplane PZL.3 N/A 0 Four piston engine monoplane bomber PZL.4 1932 1 Three piston engine monoplane airliner PZL.5 1930 15 Single piston engine biplane sport airplane PZL P.6 1930 1 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL P.7 1930 151 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL P.11 1931 325 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL.12 1931 1 Single piston engine monoplane flying boat PZL.16 1932 1 Single piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL.19 1932 3 Single piston engine monoplane sport airplane PZL.23 Karaś 1934 253 Single piston engine monoplane light bomber PZL P.24 1933 184 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL.26 1934 5 Single piston engine monoplane sport airplane PZL.27 1934 1 Three piston engine monoplane airliner PZL.30 Żubr 1936 20 Two piston engine monoplane bomber PZL.37 Łoś 1936 120+ Two piston engine monoplane bomber PZL.38 Wilk 1938 2 Two piston engine monoplane fighter bomber PZL.43 1937 54 Single piston engine monoplane light bomber PZL.44 Wicher 1938 1 Twin piston engine monoplane airliner PZL.45 Sokół N/A 0 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL.46 Sum 1938 2 Single piston engine monoplane light bomber PZL.48 Lampart N/A 0 Two piston engine monoplane fighter bomber PZL.49 Miś N/A 0 Two piston engine monoplane bomber PZL.50 Jastrząb 1939 1 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL.53 Jastrząb II N/A 0 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL.54 Ryś N/A 0 Two piston engine monoplane heavy fighter PZL.55 N/A 0 Single piston engine monoplane fighter PZL.56 Kania N/A 0 Single piston engine monoplane fighter CSS > WSK Okęcie > PZL "Warszawa Okęcie" CSS 10 1948 2 Single piston engine monoplane trainer pl 1948 2 Single piston engine monoplane trainer CSS 13 1948 ~500 License built single piston engine biplane utility airplane LWD Junak 1948 252 Single piston engine monoplane trainer CSS 12 1950 1 Two piston engine monoplane airliner CSS S 13 1953 91 License built single piston engine biplane utility airplane WSK Jak 12 1,191 License built single piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL 101 Gawron 1958 325 Single piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL 102 Kos 1958 10 Single piston engine monoplane sport airplane PZL MD 12 1959 3 Four piston engine monoplane airliner PZL 104 Wilga 1962 1,000+ Single piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL 105 Flaming 1989 2 Single piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL 106 Kruk 1973 275+ Single piston engine monoplane agricultural airplane PZL 110 Koliber 1978 Single piston engine monoplane sport airplane PZL 112 Junior 2000 1 Single piston engine monoplane trainer PZL 130 Orlik 1984 59 Single turboprop engine monoplane trainer PZL 126 Mrowka 1990 2 Single piston engine monoplane agricultural airplane PZL 230 Skorpion N/A 0 Two jet engine monoplane attack airplane WSK Mielec > PZL Mielec PZL Szpak 4T 1948 10 Single piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL S 1 1945 1 Single piston engine monoplane trainer PZL S 4 Kania 1957 3 Single piston engine monoplane trainer PZL TS 8 Bies 1955 251 Single piston engine monoplane trainer PZL M2 1958 2 Single piston engine monoplane trainer PZL M3 Pliszka 1959 3 Glider PZL M7 N/A 0 Two jet engine monoplane trainer PZL M8 Pelikan N/A 0 Glider PZL M4 Tarpan 1961 2 Single piston engine monoplane trainer PZL An 2 1961 11,000+ License built single piston engine biplane utility airplane PZL Lim 1 1952 227 License built single jet engine monoplane fighter PZL Lim 2 500 License built single jet engine monoplane fighter PZL Lim 5 1956 666 License built single jet engine monoplane fighter PZL Lim 6 110 License built single jet engine monoplane attack airplane PZL TS 11 Iskra 1960 424 Single jet engine monoplane trainer PZL TS 16 Grot N/A 0 Single jet engine monoplane trainer PZL M12 N/A 0 Two piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL M19 N/A 0 Two jet engine monoplane trainer PZL M14 N/A 0 Single turboprop engine monoplane agricultural airplane PZL M15 Belphegor 1973 175 Single jet engine biplane agricultural airplane PZL M16 N/A 0 Two jet engine monoplane trainer PZL M18 Dromader 1976 759 Single piston engine monoplane agricultural airplane PZL M17 1977 1 Single piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL M20 Mewa 1979 33 Two piston engine monoplane utility airplane PZL M19 N/A 0 Two turboprop engine monoplane transport airplane PZL M21 Dromader Mini 1982 2 Single piston engine monoplane agricultural airplane PZL M26 Iskierka 1986 9 Single piston engine monoplane trainer PZL An 28 1984 Two turboprop engine monoplane transport PZL M28 Skytruck 1993 Two turboprop engine monoplane transport PZL M30 N/A 0 Single turboprop engine monoplane agricultural airplane PZL M32 N/A 0 Two turboprop engine monoplane utility airplane PZL M34 N/A 0 Two turboprop engine monoplane transport PZL I 22 Iryda 1985 17 Two jet engine monoplane trainer WSK "PZL Świdnik" > PZL Świdnik PZL SM 1 1956 1,594 License built single piston engine utility helicopter PZL SM 2 1959 89 Single piston engine utility helicopter PZL Mi 2 1965 5,400+ License built two turboshaft engine utility helicopter PZL SM 4 Łątka N/A 1 Single piston engine utility helicopter PZL Kania 1979 19 Two turboshaft engine utility helicopter PZL W 3 Sokół 1979 149 Two turboshaft engine utility helicopter PZL SW 4 Puszczyk 1996 40 Single turboshaft engine utility helicopter PZL PW 5 1993 Glider PZL PW 6 1998 ~26 Glider pl 1999 2 Single piston engine monoplane sport airplane PZL Bielsko > Allstar PZL Glider SZD 50 3 Puchacz 1979 333 Glider double seater SZD 48 3 Jantar Standard 3 1983 349 Glider standard class SZD 51 1 Junior 1984 246 Glider club class SZD 59 1 Acro 1993 48 Glider single seater, aerobatic and utility SZD 55 1 Nexus (Promyk) 1998 125 Glider standard class SZD 54 2 Perkoz 2010 30 Glider double seater, aerobatic and utility