Ryszard Bartel
Encyclopedia
Ryszard Bartel was a Polish
engineer, aircraft designer and aviator, one of Poland's aviation
pioneers.
Bartel was born in Sławniów village near Pilica. He was interested in aviation from his youth, and in 1911 he built his own gliders capable of short flights. In 1916, he enrolled in the Warsaw University of Technology
, being one of three founders of the Aviation Section of that university's Students' Mechanical Club. In 1917, he completed a pilot course, and he joined the underground aviator organization (Warsaw was under German
occupation at that time). In 1918, after Poland regained its independence, he volunteered for the Polish Air Force
. He completed further military flying courses and he took part in the Polish-Soviet War
, flying Breguet 14
s in the 16th Reconnaissance Squadron and in the Central Lithuania
n Air Squadron. He was demobilized in December 1920, and graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology in 1924 as an Engineer
. He also took second place in the first Polish soaring
competition in 1923.
In 1925, his design of the Bartel BM-1
Maryla fighter aircraft
received an award in the first Polish contest for military aircraft, but the design was not built. In 1924-1926 he worked in France
, supervising production of aircraft for Poland and he also undertook research on aerodynamics there. From 1926, he was a chief designer of the Samolot
aircraft manufacturer in Poznań
. He designed and built there a prototype of a trainer aircraft, the Bartel BM-2
(1926), then trainers Bartel BM-4
(1927) and Bartel BM-5
(1928), built in small series for the Polish Air Force (the BM-4 was Poland's first domestic design that was put into production).
From 1930 he worked in the Aviation Department of the Polish War Ministry, then, from 1932 to 1937, in the PZL
aircraft works in Warsaw, which had obtained several of the Samolot projects upon that company's closure. His duties included overseeing aircraft production. During 1937-1939 he was a technical director for the Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów
(LWS) works and supervised licensing some Polish designs to Romania
and Turkey
. During World War II
he stayed in Poland and worked under the German
occupation as a teacher in technical schools.
After Poland's liberation in 1945, Bartel worked in the Polish Civil Aviation Department of Ministry of Communication, but in 1948, with the advent of Stalinism
in Poland, the communist authorities removed him from work in aviation, along with many other pre-war experts. He worked among other places in the Polish Normalization Institute. From 1951 he was a professor at the Warsaw University of Technology. He retired in 1966. From the 1960s, his passion became the history of the Polish aviation industry. He was active in aviation associations such as the Polish Aero Club
.
He received the Knight's Cross of the Polonia Restituta
and the Polish Cross of Merit (silver in 1927, gold in 1948). Bartel also held a Field Pilot Badge (1922).
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...
engineer, aircraft designer and aviator, one of Poland's aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
pioneers.
Bartel was born in Sławniów village near Pilica. He was interested in aviation from his youth, and in 1911 he built his own gliders capable of short flights. In 1916, he enrolled in the Warsaw University of Technology
Warsaw University of Technology
The Warsaw University of Technology is one of the leading institutes of technology in Poland, and one of the largest in Central Europe. It employs 2,453 teaching faculty, with 357 professors . The student body numbers 36,156 , mostly full-time. There are 17 faculties covering almost all fields of...
, being one of three founders of the Aviation Section of that university's Students' Mechanical Club. In 1917, he completed a pilot course, and he joined the underground aviator organization (Warsaw was under German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupation at that time). In 1918, after Poland regained its independence, he volunteered for the Polish Air Force
Polish Air Force
The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
. He completed further military flying courses and he took part in the Polish-Soviet War
Polish-Soviet War
The Polish–Soviet War was an armed conflict between Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine and the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic—four states in post–World War I Europe...
, flying Breguet 14
Breguet 14
-See also:-References:*Tomasz J. Kowalski, Samolot Breguet 14, TBiU no.197, Warsaw 2002, ISBN 83-11-09461-6...
s in the 16th Reconnaissance Squadron and in the Central Lithuania
Central Lithuania
Central Lithuania may refer to:*Republic of Central Lithuania, a short-lived puppet state created in 1920 in the Vilnius Region*Geographical region of Lithuania, the central region in Lithuania around Kaunas, Kėdainiai, and Jonava...
n Air Squadron. He was demobilized in December 1920, and graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology in 1924 as an Engineer
Professional Engineer
Regulation of the engineering profession is established by various jurisdictions of the world to protect the safety, well-being and other interests of the general public, and to define the licensure process through which an engineer becomes authorized to provide professional services to the...
. He also took second place in the first Polish soaring
Glider aircraft
Glider aircraft are heavier-than-air craft that are supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against their lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Mostly these types of aircraft are intended for routine operation without engines, though engine failure can...
competition in 1923.
In 1925, his design of the Bartel BM-1
Bartel BM-1
-References:* http://www.powiat.mielec.pl/poser/samoloty/samolot/bm1.htm...
Maryla fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
received an award in the first Polish contest for military aircraft, but the design was not built. In 1924-1926 he worked in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, supervising production of aircraft for Poland and he also undertook research on aerodynamics there. From 1926, he was a chief designer of the Samolot
Samolot
Samolot was the Polish aerospace manufacturer, located in Poznań and active between 1924 and 1930. It manufactured among others aircraft under the Bartel name.-History:...
aircraft manufacturer in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
. He designed and built there a prototype of a trainer aircraft, the Bartel BM-2
Bartel BM-2
|-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at...
(1926), then trainers Bartel BM-4
Bartel BM-4
|-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at...
(1927) and Bartel BM-5
Bartel BM-5
|-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at...
(1928), built in small series for the Polish Air Force (the BM-4 was Poland's first domestic design that was put into production).
From 1930 he worked in the Aviation Department of the Polish War Ministry, then, from 1932 to 1937, in the PZL
PZL
PZL was the main Polish aerospace manufacturer of the interwar period, based in Warsaw, functioning in 1928-1939...
aircraft works in Warsaw, which had obtained several of the Samolot projects upon that company's closure. His duties included overseeing aircraft production. During 1937-1939 he was a technical director for the Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów
LWS (aircraft manufacturer)
LWS - Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów was the Polish aerospace manufacturer, located in Lublin, created in 1936 of Plage i Laśkiewicz works and producing aircraft between 1936 and 1939.-History:...
(LWS) works and supervised licensing some Polish designs to Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. During 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...
he stayed in Poland and worked under the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
occupation as a teacher in technical schools.
After Poland's liberation in 1945, Bartel worked in the Polish Civil Aviation Department of Ministry of Communication, but in 1948, with the advent of Stalinism
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
in Poland, the communist authorities removed him from work in aviation, along with many other pre-war experts. He worked among other places in the Polish Normalization Institute. From 1951 he was a professor at the Warsaw University of Technology. He retired in 1966. From the 1960s, his passion became the history of the Polish aviation industry. He was active in aviation associations such as the Polish Aero Club
Polish Aero Club
Aeroklub Polski is the Polish central association of persons practising air sports or recreational flying. It was founded in 1921 and is a member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. It has a headquarters in Warsaw....
.
He received the Knight's Cross of the Polonia Restituta
Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta is one of Poland's highest Orders. The Order can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, science, sport, culture, art, economics, defense of the country, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries...
and the Polish Cross of Merit (silver in 1927, gold in 1948). Bartel also held a Field Pilot Badge (1922).
List of Aircraft Designs
- Bartel BM-1Bartel BM-1-References:* http://www.powiat.mielec.pl/poser/samoloty/samolot/bm1.htm...
(1925) Single-seat single-engine parasol-wing fighter aircraft design. Not constructed
- Bartel BM-2Bartel BM-2|-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at...
(1926) Two-seat single-engine biplane trainer aircraft design. One prototype was constructed
- Bartel BM-3 (1926) Two-seat single-engine advanced trainer aircraft design. Not constructed
- Bartel BM-4Bartel BM-4|-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at...
(1927) Two-seat single-engine trainer aircraft design. Constructed in quantity
- Bartel BM-5Bartel BM-5|-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at...
(1928) Two-seat single-engine advanced trainer aircraft design, a development of the BM-4. Constructed in quantity
- Bartel BM-6Bartel BM-6|-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -External links:* at -See also:...
(1930) Two-seat single-engine advanced trainer aircraft design. Two prototypes were constructed
Sources
- Jerzy R. Konieczny, Tadeusz Malinowski: "Mała encyklopedia lotników polskich - Tomik II" (Small encyclopaedia of Polish aviators, II) , WKił, Warszawa 1988, ISBN 83-206-0734-5 (in Polish).
- Ryszard Bartel web page (in Polish).