LWS (aircraft manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
LWS - Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów (Lublin Aircraft Factory) was the Polish
aerospace manufacturer
, located in Lublin
, created in 1936 of Plage i Laśkiewicz
works and producing aircraft between 1936 and 1939.
works, the first Polish aircraft manufacturer. Due to plans of the Polish aviation authorities, headed by Ludomił Rayski, to gather all aviation industry in state hands, Plage & Laśkiewicz works were forced to go bankrupt
in late 1935
. Then, they were nationalized
under the name LWS in February 1936
. Formally, it was owned by the PWS state aircraft manufacturer, in fact it was subordinated to the PZL
. A director was Maj. Aleksander Sipowicz, a technical director and main designer was initially Zbysław Ciołkosz; from autumn 1937 the technical director was Ryszard Bartel
and the main designer Jerzy Teisseyre.
The first LWS aircraft were Plage & Laśkiewicz developments. 18 almost ready Lublin R-XIIIF
army cooperation aircraft were completed in 1936 and bought by the Polish Air Force
(their quality was the pretext for forcing Plage & Laśkiewicz bankruptcy), and the next series of 32 was built for the Polish Air Force by 1938. The factory also continued works upon a two-engine torpedo bomber
seaplane
Lublin R-XX
prototype, now designated LWS-1, but it was not ordered due to a low performance.
In 1937 a light ambulance aircraft LWS-2
prototype of Ciołkosz design was first flown, but despite it was quite successful, it did not enter production, since the factory was busy with military orders.
In 1936, a further development of the medium bomber PZL-30 of Ciołkosz design, was handed to the LWS, under a designation LWS-6 Żubr
. Since it was much inferior to PZL.37 Łoś, a planned serial production was finally reduced to 15 aircraft, built in 1938. However, works upon its modernized variant continued until 1939. The factory also proposed its torpedo-bomber seaplane variant designated LWS-5, but it was not accepted due to a low performance and the prototype was not completed.
From 1938 to 1939 the LWS built a series of 65 licence RWD-14 Czapla
army cooperation aircraft for the Polish Air Force (it was sometimes called the LWS Czapla after the manufacturer). In 1937, there was flown a prototype of a modern reconnaissance aircraft LWS-3 Mewa
of own design. A series of 200 aircraft was ordered by the Polish Air Force, but only a couple were completed just after the outbreak of the World War II
, and about 30 were in not finished state in a factory.
Apart from aircraft production, the LWS modified 47 light bombers Potez XXV (licence produced in Plage & Laśkiewicz and PWS) fitting them with radial engines PZL (Bristol) Jupiter. The LWS also designed the LWS-4 light fighter and LWS-7 Mewa II
reconnaissance plane, but they were not built.
Notes:
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....
, located 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...
, created in 1936 of Plage i Laśkiewicz
Plage i Laskiewicz
Plage i Laśkiewicz was the first Polish aerospace manufacturer, located in Lublin and manufacturing aircraft under Lublin name. Full name was: Zakłady Mechaniczne E. Plage i T. Laśkiewicz - Mechanical Works E. Plage & T. Laśkiewicz...
works and producing aircraft between 1936 and 1939.
History
The LWS was created of a nationalized Plage i LaśkiewiczPlage i Laskiewicz
Plage i Laśkiewicz was the first Polish aerospace manufacturer, located in Lublin and manufacturing aircraft under Lublin name. Full name was: Zakłady Mechaniczne E. Plage i T. Laśkiewicz - Mechanical Works E. Plage & T. Laśkiewicz...
works, the first Polish aircraft manufacturer. Due to plans of the Polish aviation authorities, headed by Ludomił Rayski, to gather all aviation industry in state hands, Plage & Laśkiewicz works were forced to go bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in late 1935
1935 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1935:- Events :* Employing aerial refueling, a sustained flight record of 653 hours 33 minutes is set...
. Then, they were nationalized
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
under the name LWS in February 1936
1936 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1936:- Events :* The Royal Air Forces first monoplane bomber, the Avro Anson, enters service.*The German Luftwaffe begins experiments with helle Nachtjagd techniques, the operation of night fighters with the aid of searchlights.*The Soviet aviator...
. Formally, it was owned by the PWS state aircraft manufacturer, in fact it was subordinated to the PZL
PZL
PZL was the main Polish aerospace manufacturer of the interwar period, based in Warsaw, functioning in 1928-1939...
. A director was Maj. Aleksander Sipowicz, a technical director and main designer was initially Zbysław Ciołkosz; from autumn 1937 the technical director was Ryszard Bartel
Ryszard Bartel
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...
and the main designer Jerzy Teisseyre.
The first LWS aircraft were Plage & Laśkiewicz developments. 18 almost ready Lublin R-XIIIF
Lublin R-XIII
The Lublin R-XIII was the Polish army-cooperation plane , designed in the early-1930s in the Plage i Laśkiewicz factory in Lublin. It was the main army cooperation plane in the Invasion of Poland...
army cooperation aircraft were completed in 1936 and bought by 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...
(their quality was the pretext for forcing Plage & Laśkiewicz bankruptcy), and the next series of 32 was built for the Polish Air Force by 1938. The factory also continued works upon a two-engine torpedo bomber
Torpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes which could also carry out conventional bombings. Torpedo bombers existed almost exclusively prior to and during World War II when they were an important element in many famous battles, notably the...
seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
Lublin R-XX
Lublin R-XX
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 162-164 * at -External links:*...
prototype, now designated LWS-1, but it was not ordered due to a low performance.
In 1937 a light ambulance aircraft LWS-2
LWS-2
-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 169-170 -See also:-External links:*...
prototype of Ciołkosz design was first flown, but despite it was quite successful, it did not enter production, since the factory was busy with military orders.
In 1936, a further development of the medium bomber PZL-30 of Ciołkosz design, was handed to the LWS, under a designation LWS-6 Żubr
LWS-6 Zubr
-See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 * at airwar.ru...
. Since it was much inferior to PZL.37 Łoś, a planned serial production was finally reduced to 15 aircraft, built in 1938. However, works upon its modernized variant continued until 1939. The factory also proposed its torpedo-bomber seaplane variant designated LWS-5, but it was not accepted due to a low performance and the prototype was not completed.
From 1938 to 1939 the LWS built a series of 65 licence RWD-14 Czapla
RWD-14 Czapla
|-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:...
army cooperation aircraft for the Polish Air Force (it was sometimes called the LWS Czapla after the manufacturer). In 1937, there was flown a prototype of a modern reconnaissance aircraft LWS-3 Mewa
LWS-3 Mewa
-Bibliography:* Glass, Andrzej. LWS 3 Mewa, Wydawnictwo Militaria 11. Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Militaria, 1996. ISBN 83-86209-61-5.* Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 . Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności , 1977. .-See also:...
of own design. A series of 200 aircraft was ordered by the Polish Air Force, but only a couple were completed just after the outbreak of 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 about 30 were in not finished state in a factory.
Apart from aircraft production, the LWS modified 47 light bombers Potez XXV (licence produced in Plage & Laśkiewicz and PWS) fitting them with radial engines PZL (Bristol) Jupiter. The LWS also designed the LWS-4 light fighter and LWS-7 Mewa II
LWS-7 Mewa II
-See also:...
reconnaissance plane, but they were not built.
A list of LWS aircraft
| Model name | Describtion | First flight prototype/serial | Number built |
|---|---|---|---|
| LWS-1 (Lublin R-XX Lublin R-XX -See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 162-164 * at -External links:*... ) |
2-engine, 5-seater, torpedo bomber seaplane, low-wing | 1935 / - | 1 |
| LWS-2 LWS-2 -References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 169-170 -See also:-External links:*... |
1-engine, 1+3-seater, ambulance plane | 1937 / - | 1 |
| LWS-3 Mewa LWS-3 Mewa -Bibliography:* Glass, Andrzej. LWS 3 Mewa, Wydawnictwo Militaria 11. Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Militaria, 1996. ISBN 83-86209-61-5.* Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 . Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności , 1977. .-See also:... |
1-engine, 2-seater, army cooperation and reconnaissance, high-wing | 1937 / 1939 | 3+41 |
| LWS-4 | 1-engine, 1-seater, fighter, low-wing (project only) | - / - | - |
| LWS-5 | 2-engine, 4-seater, torpedo bomber seaplane, high-wing (1936, project only) | - / - | - |
| LWS-6 Żubr LWS-6 Zubr -See also:-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 * at airwar.ru... (PZL-30) |
2-engine, 4-seater, medium bomber, high-wing | 1936 / 1938 | 2+152 |
| LWS-7 Mewa II LWS-7 Mewa II -See also:... |
1-engine, 2-seater, army cooperation and reconnaissance, high-wing (1939, project only) | - / - | - |
| LWS Czapla (RWD-14 Czapla RWD-14 Czapla |-References:*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" , WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 -See also:... ) |
1-engine, 2-seater, army cooperation and reconnaissance, high-wing | 1935 / 1938 | 653 |
Notes:
- 3 prototypes, 4 completed, about 25 not completed
- 2 prototypes built in PZLPZLPZL was the main Polish aerospace manufacturer of the interwar period, based in Warsaw, functioning in 1928-1939...
- licence production