RWD-14 Czapla

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
RWD-14b Czapla
Role reconnaissance and liaison aircraft
Manufacturer
LWS
First flight 1936
Introduction 1939
Primary users Polish Air Force
Romanian Air Force
Produced 1938–1939
Number built 65 (+4 prototypes)

The RWD-14 Czapla (LWS Czapla) was a Polish

LWS factory from 1938. A series of 65 aircraft were built and most were used by the Polish Air Force observation squadrons during World War II
in 1939.

Design and development

The aircraft was designed in response to a

Stanislaw Rogalski and Jerzy Drzewiecki instead.[1] Designer Tadeusz Chyliński prepared its technical documentation.[2]

The first prototype was flown in early

LWS (Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów – Lublin Aircraft Works, a successor of the Plage i Laśkiewicz).[1]

The LWS built a series of 65 RWD-14b Czapla by February 1939. They were also known under a military designation LWS Czapla.[4]

Operational history

A wrecked RWD-14b in September 1939

The Czapla entered service in the Polish Air Force in the spring of 1939, equipping some observation squadrons (eskadra obserwacyjna). Due to its long development, it was not a modern aircraft, only a little better than the Lublin R-XIII. Its advantage was its short take-off (140 m) and landing (120 m), enabling it to operate from fields and meadows.[1] Its modern successor, the LWS-3 Mewa, did not manage to enter operational units due to the war.[5]

By the

invasion of Poland in 1939, the Polish Air Force had 35 Czaplas in five observation squadrons (out of twelve): No.'s 13, 23, 33, 53 and 63, each with seven aircraft.[1] Squadrons were distributed among the field Armies. The remaining 30 Czaplas were initially in reserve. Several were used to supplement the combat units during the campaign (the mentioned squadrons and several others). In total, 49 Czaplas were used in units.[4] Like the R-XIII, the Czapla was no match for any Luftwaffe fighter, bomber, or even reconnaissance aircraft, being much slower, and armed with only two machine guns. In spite of this, they were actively used for close reconnaissance and liaison tasks.[4]

Most – 35 RWD-14b were destroyed during the campaign.[4] At least 14 were withdrawn to Romania (the sources quote numbers from 14 to 17).[4] They were taken over by the Romanian Air Force and used for training and auxiliary duties. Several aircraft were captured in Poland by the Germans or the Soviets, but were not used by them. No RWD-14b has survived.[4]

Technical description

Mixed construction braced

wz.33 machine gun with an interrupter gear.[1] 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.[1] Two-blade wooden propeller. A fuel tank with a capacity of 315 litres in the fuselage, dropped in emergency.[1][4] The aircraft could be fitted with radio N2L/T and camera.[4]

Operators

 Poland
 Romania

Specifications (RWD-14b)

Data from Polish Aircraft 1893–1939[6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Capacity: 475 kg (1,047.2 lb) useful load
  • Length: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
  • Wingspan: 11.9 m (39 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 3 m (9 ft 10 in)
  • Wing area: 22 m2 (240 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 1,225 kg (2,701 lb)
  • Gross weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × PZL G-1620B Mors-II 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 350 kW (470 hp) at 2,375 rpm for take-off
430 hp (321 kW) at 2,150 rpm at sea level
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Szomański fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 247 km/h (153 mph, 133 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 232 km/h (144 mph, 125 kn)
  • Stall speed: 80 km/h (50 mph, 43 kn) ca
  • Range: 675 km (419 mi, 364 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 5,100 m (16,700 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 6.1 m/s (1,200 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 77 kg/m2 (16 lb/sq ft)

Armament

  • 1 × fixed, forward-firing
    wz.33 machine gun
  • 1 × flexible, rearward-firing
    Vickers K
    machine gun for observer

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RWD 14.
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glass A. (1977), pp. 318–320
  2. ^ Andrzej Glass (2003). Słownik biograficzny techników polskich, SBTP: Warsaw, p. 24)
  3. ^ Mazur W. (2014), p.12
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Morgała. A (2003), pp. 201–205
  5. ^ Morgała. A (2003), pp. 210
  6. ISBN 978-0-370-00085-5
    .
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