Lotnicze Warsztaty Doswiadczalne
Encyclopedia
Lotnicze Warsztaty Doświadczalne (LWD) was the Polish
aerospace manufacturer
and construction bureau, located in Łódź, active between 1945
and 1950
. The name meant Aircraft Experimental Workshops. It was the first Polish post-war aerospace construction bureau.
The World War II
and German occupation destroyed the whole Polish aviation industry. As soon as eastern part of Poland was liberated, in October 1944
a group of designers gathered in Lublin
in a Design Bureau of Ministry of Communication. It was directed by Aleksander Sułkowski, but the main designer became Tadeusz Sołtyk
. In primitive conditions, the bureau started works upon a utility aircraft Szpak-1. In early 1945 the construction bureau moved to liberated Łódź and on April 1, 1945 there were created the Aircraft Experimental Workshops (LWD), subordinated to the Ministry of Communication (a trivia is, that the name in Polish equals to Doświadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze
- pre-war manufacturer of RWD
planes).
The Szpak-1 was not built, but there was designed and built its development variant, the LWD Szpak
-2 utility plane. It first flew on October 28, 1945, as the first Polish post-war plane. Szpak-2 and Szpak-3 remained in single units, but in 1947 there was designed the LWD Szpak
-4, which was the first Polish post-war plane built in series - a short series of 10 was manufactured in PZL-Mielec
.
The next design was LWD Żak
, two-seater touring and trainer plane of 1947. A series of 10 Żak-3 was built in LWD in 1948, plus prototypes of Żak-1, Żak-2 and Żak-4.
Most successful design of LWD was a military and civilian trainer LWD Junak
of 1948. Its improved variants Junak-2 and Junak-3 were produced from 1951 in the WSK-4 Okęcie
in Warsaw (a total of 252), although its further development was carried out outside of LWD. A civilian aerobatics and trainer variant of Junak was LWD Zuch
of 1948; it was a successful design, but only 7 were built in LWD because of lack of proper engines.
LWD designed also two-engine light transport plane LWD Miś of 1949, but it was not successful and was not produced. The last LWD design was LWD Żuraw
, two-seater military liaison and utility high-wing plane prototype completed in 1951. It was not produced either.
In 1950 LWD was converted from a construction bureau and experimental works to a production factory and renamed WSK-6 (Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego 6 - Communication Equipment Factory 6). This put an end to its activity. Soon it was disbanded because of too small production capabiities. Tadeusz Sołtyk
, a talented designer, organized next a construction bureau in the Aviation Institute in Warsaw.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
aerospace manufacturer
Aerospace manufacturer
An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft....
and construction bureau, located in Łódź, active between 1945
1945 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1945:- Events :* The probe-and-drogue aerial refueling system, in which the tanker aircraft trails a hose with a stabilizing conical drogue at its end which mates to a fixed probe mounted on the receiving aircraft, is perfected...
and 1950
1950 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1950:- Events :* Arrow Air is founded.* The Brazilian Navy begins to reestablish an air arm of its own when an aeronautics directorate is created within the Ministry of the Navy.-January:...
. The name meant Aircraft Experimental Workshops. It was the first Polish post-war aerospace construction bureau.
The World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and German occupation destroyed the whole Polish aviation industry. As soon as eastern part of Poland was liberated, in October 1944
1944 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1944:-January:* United States Coast Guard pilot Lieutenant, junior grade, Stewart Graham makes the first helicopter flight from a merchant ship in convoy in the North Atlantic Ocean...
a group of designers gathered in Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
in a Design Bureau of Ministry of Communication. It was directed by Aleksander Sułkowski, but the main designer became Tadeusz Sołtyk
Tadeusz Sołtyk
Tadeusz Sołtyk - was a Polish aircraft designer and engineer, most famous as the creator of the PZL TS-11 Iskra...
. In primitive conditions, the bureau started works upon a utility aircraft Szpak-1. In early 1945 the construction bureau moved to liberated Łódź and on April 1, 1945 there were created the Aircraft Experimental Workshops (LWD), subordinated to the Ministry of Communication (a trivia is, that the name in Polish equals to Doświadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze
Doswiadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze
Doświadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze was the Polish aircraft manufacturer, active in 1933-1939. It was a home of the RWD construction team and manufactured aircraft under a brand RWD.-History:...
- pre-war manufacturer of RWD
RWD (aircraft manufacturer)
RWD was a Polish aircraft construction bureau active between 1928 and 1939. It started as a team of three young designers, Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki, whose names formed the RWD acronym.-History:...
planes).
LWD Szpak
-References:*Babiejczuk, Janusz and Grzegorzewski, Jerzy: Polski przemysł lotniczy 1945-1973 , Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1974 *Krzyżan, Marian: Samoloty w muzeach polskich, Warsaw 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432...
-2 utility plane. It first flew on October 28, 1945, as the first Polish post-war plane. Szpak-2 and Szpak-3 remained in single units, but in 1947 there was designed the LWD Szpak
LWD Szpak
-References:*Babiejczuk, Janusz and Grzegorzewski, Jerzy: Polski przemysł lotniczy 1945-1973 , Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1974 *Krzyżan, Marian: Samoloty w muzeach polskich, Warsaw 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432...
-4, which was the first Polish post-war plane built in series - a short series of 10 was manufactured in PZL-Mielec
PZL-Mielec
PZL Mielec , formerly WSK-Mielec and WSK "PZL-Mielec" is the Polish aerospace manufacturer, based in Mielec...
.
The next design was LWD Żak
LWD Zak
|-See also:-References:*Babiejczuk, Janusz and Grzegorzewski, Jerzy: Polski przemysł lotniczy 1945-1973 , Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1974 * Bridgman, Leonard. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953-54. London:Jane's,1953....
, two-seater touring and trainer plane of 1947. A series of 10 Żak-3 was built in LWD in 1948, plus prototypes of Żak-1, Żak-2 and Żak-4.
Most successful design of LWD was a military and civilian trainer LWD Junak
LWD Junak
|-See also:-References:*Kempski, Benedykt. Samolot szkolno-treningowy Junak, TBiU #110, Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1986, ISBN 83-11-07341-4 *Krzyżan, Marian. Samoloty w muzeach polskich, Wydawnictwo WKiŁ, Warsaw 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432...
of 1948. Its improved variants Junak-2 and Junak-3 were produced from 1951 in the WSK-4 Okęcie
PZL
PZL was the main Polish aerospace manufacturer of the interwar period, based in Warsaw, functioning in 1928-1939...
in Warsaw (a total of 252), although its further development was carried out outside of LWD. A civilian aerobatics and trainer variant of Junak was LWD Zuch
LWD Zuch
|-References:*Kempski, Benedykt, Samolot szkolno-treningowy Junak, Typy Broni i Uzbrojenia #110, Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1986, ISBN 83-11-07341-4 -See also:-External links:*...
of 1948; it was a successful design, but only 7 were built in LWD because of lack of proper engines.
LWD designed also two-engine light transport plane LWD Miś of 1949, but it was not successful and was not produced. The last LWD design was LWD Żuraw
LWD Zuraw
-References:Krzyżan, Marian: Samoloty w muzeach polskich, Warsaw, 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432-X*-See also:...
, two-seater military liaison and utility high-wing plane prototype completed in 1951. It was not produced either.
In 1950 LWD was converted from a construction bureau and experimental works to a production factory and renamed WSK-6 (Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego 6 - Communication Equipment Factory 6). This put an end to its activity. Soon it was disbanded because of too small production capabiities. Tadeusz Sołtyk
Tadeusz Sołtyk
Tadeusz Sołtyk - was a Polish aircraft designer and engineer, most famous as the creator of the PZL TS-11 Iskra...
, a talented designer, organized next a construction bureau in the Aviation Institute in Warsaw.
| A list of LWD-designed aircraft | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | description and first flight | number built |
| LWD Szpak LWD Szpak -References:*Babiejczuk, Janusz and Grzegorzewski, Jerzy: Polski przemysł lotniczy 1945-1973 , Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1974 *Krzyżan, Marian: Samoloty w muzeach polskich, Warsaw 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432... (Szpak 2,3,4) |
1-engine, 4-seater, utility and touring plane, low-wing, 1945 | 13 (3 in LWD) |
| LWD Żak LWD Zak |-See also:-References:*Babiejczuk, Janusz and Grzegorzewski, Jerzy: Polski przemysł lotniczy 1945-1973 , Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1974 * Bridgman, Leonard. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953-54. London:Jane's,1953.... (Żak 1,2,3,4) |
1-engine, 2-seater, touring and trainer plane, low-wing, 1947 | 13 |
| LWD Junak LWD Junak |-See also:-References:*Kempski, Benedykt. Samolot szkolno-treningowy Junak, TBiU #110, Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1986, ISBN 83-11-07341-4 *Krzyżan, Marian. Samoloty w muzeach polskich, Wydawnictwo WKiŁ, Warsaw 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432... (Junak 1,2,3) |
1-engine, 2-seater, trainer plane, low-wing, 1948 | 252 (1 in LWD) |
| LWD Zuch LWD Zuch |-References:*Kempski, Benedykt, Samolot szkolno-treningowy Junak, Typy Broni i Uzbrojenia #110, Wydawnictwo MON, Warsaw 1986, ISBN 83-11-07341-4 -See also:-External links:*... (Zuch 1,2) |
1-engine, 2-seater, trainer and aerobatics plane, low-wing, 1949 | 7 |
| LWD Miś | 2-engine, 10-seater, transport plane, high-wing, 1949 | 1 |
| LWD Żuraw LWD Zuraw -References:Krzyżan, Marian: Samoloty w muzeach polskich, Warsaw, 1983, ISBN 83-206-0432-X*-See also:... |
1-engine, 2-seater, liaison and utility plane, high-wing, 1951 | 1 |