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The RWD 1 was a Polish sports plane of
Photos and description (in Polish)
{{RWD aircraft 1920s Polish sport aircraft RWD 01 High-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1928
1928
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, a single-engine high-wing monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
constructed by the RWD design team.
Development
The RWD 1 was the first aircraft constructed by the RWD team of Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura andJerzy Drzewiecki
Jerzy Drzewiecki (7 August 1902 – 15 May 1990) was a Polish aeroplane constructor, an engineer and one of the founders of the RWD construction bureau, along with Rogalski and Wigura. He was born in Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), of ...
in the Aviation Section of Mechanic Students' Club of Warsaw University of Technology. It was designed in late 1927
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. The plane was built with a financial help of the LOPP organization. One prototype was built for static trials, and one flying prototype (registration SP-ACC), completed and flown by the designer Jerzy Drzewiecki in September 1928
Events January
* January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA.
* January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...
.
Its unusual feature was a unique, fish-shaped fuselage, similar to early Messerschmitt's designs ( M17). Two crewmen sat in tandem inside the fuselage and had only side openings in its upper part. In front of the pilot's head there was an upper part of the fuselage, supporting wings, limiting his view forward, though its profile was thin. This shape was repeated in following RWD designs. The aircraft was evaluated as a quite good design, with an original construction. It had high glide ratio of 12, and its payload was bigger than its empty weight. It was not built in any quantities, but gave a basis to further more successful RWD designs: RWD 2, RWD 3
The RWD 3 was a 1930 Polish sports aircraft and liaison aircraft prototype, constructed by the RWD team, a single-engine high-wing monoplane.
Development
The RWD 3 was constructed by the RWD team of Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and J ...
, RWD 4
The RWD 4 was a Polish sports plane of 1930, constructed by the RWD team.
Development
The RWD 4 was constructed by the RWD team of Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki in Warsaw. It was based upon their earlier RWD 2 des ...
, RWD 7
The RWD 7 was a Polish sports plane of 1931, constructed by the RWD team.
Development
The RWD 7 was constructed by the RWD team of Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki in Warsaw. It was based upon their earlier designs, e ...
, and, partly RWD 5
The RWD 5 was a Polish touring and sports plane of 1931, a two-seat high-wing monoplane, constructed by the RWD team. It was made famous by its transatlantic flight, being the smallest aircraft to cross the Atlantic.
Development
The RWD 5 was c ...
.
The prototype took part in the 2nd Polish Light Aircraft Contest in 1928, but did not complete it due to engine breakdown. In 1929 it undertook a raid around Poland. It was scrapped in winter of 1929/1930.
Description
Wooden construction single-engine high-wing cantilevermonoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
, conventional in layout. The fuselage rectangular in cross-section, narrowing in upper part, plywood covered. Single-spar one-part trapezoid wings, covered with canvas and plywood in front. Cantilever empennage
The empennage ( or ), also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third ed ...
, covered with plywood (stabilizers) and canvas (rudder and elevators). The crew of two sat in tandem. The crew cockpits were open on the sides in upper part, and had individual doors (first cockpit on the right, second one on the left). A 2-cylinder air-cooled 40 hp ABC Scorpion II
The ABC Scorpion is a 30 hp (22 kW) two-cylinder aero engine designed by British engineer Granville Bradshaw for use in light aircraft. The engine was built by ABC Motors Limited and first ran in 1921.Gunston 1989, p.9.
Variants
;S ...
boxer engine (34 hp nominal power) was in front, driving two-blade wooden propeller Szomański (1.5 m diameter). Conventional fixed landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
, sprung with a rubber rope, with a rear skid. Fuel tank in fuselage front (fuel consumption 9 L/h).
Specifications (RWD 1)
See also
References
Further reading
*External links
Photos and description (in Polish)
{{RWD aircraft 1920s Polish sport aircraft RWD 01 High-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1928