The RWD 9 was a Polish

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...

 sports plane of 1934, constructed by the 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:...

 team.

Development

The aircraft was a further development of the RWD 6 - the winner of the IIIrd Challenge de Tourisme International Challenge 1932

Challenge 1932

The Challenge 1932 was the third FAI International Tourist Plane Contest , that took place between 12 and August 28, 1932 in Berlin, Germany. The four Challenges, from 1929 to 1934, were major aviation events in pre-war Europe.-Overview:...

 international tourist aircraft contest. The RWD-9 was designed specially for the purpose of competing in the IVth Challenge de Tourisme International to be held in Warsaw during August-September 1934 . It was constructed by Stanisław Rogalski and Jerzy Drzewiecki

Jerzy Drzewiecki

Jerzy Drzewiecki was a Polish aeroplane constructor, an engineer and one of the founders of the RWD construction bureau, along with Rogalski and Wigura. Among his most notable constructions is the RWD-7 aeroplane....

 of the RWD team in the DWL workshops in Warsaw. To meet new contest regulations, the new plane was designed as four-seater, with increased mass and engine power and yet better STOL

STOL

STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...

 capabilities.

The first prototype was completed in October 1933, with a 265 hp Menasco inline engine, and first flew on December 4, 1933. In January 1934 it was fitted with Czech Walter Bora radial engine (220 hp), and in spring 1934 with newly constructed Polish radial engine Skoda GR-760 (290 hp). In 1934 there were built 8 RWD 9s: 4 RWD 9W with Walter Bora engine (registrations: SP-DRA, SP-DRB, OK-AMC, OK-AMD) and 4 RWD 9S with GR-760 engine (registrations: SP-DRC, -DRD, -DRE, -DRF). RWD-9W had worse performance, comparing to RWD-9S (maximum speed 260 to 281 km/h).#

RWD 20

For research into Tri-cycle undercarriages D.W.L. converted the prototype RWD 9 to the RWD 20 fitting a 130 hp Walter Major engine, steerable noseleg, moving the main undercarriage legs rearwards, and removing the rear seats door and windows which were faired over with plywood. Extensive testing was carried out with take-offs, landings and taxiing on different surfaces including unprepared fields as well as ploughed land. Conversion was completed in 1938 and the flight trials proved the stability and manoeuverability of the tri-cycle undercarriage during extensive taxiing trials, (landings and take-offs were carried out with the nosewheel steering locked). The fate of the RWD 20 is unknown but it did not survive WWII.

Usage

Six RWD 9s were used by the Polish Challenge team, while the remaining two were ordered by the Czechoslovak

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

 team (OK-AMC, -AMD). The Czechoslovak OK-AMC was crashed during trainings, and had not been repaired before the contest.

In the Challenge 1934

Challenge 1934

The Challenge 1934 was the fourth and last FAI International Tourist Plane Contest , that took place between August 28 and September 16, 1934 in Warsaw, Poland. The four Challenges, from 1929 to 1934, were major aviation events in pre-war Europe...

, held between August 28-September 16, 1934, Polish RWD 9S took the first (pilot Jerzy Bajan

Jerzy Bajan

Jerzy Bajan was a prominent Polish sports and military aviator, winner of the Challenge 1934 contest.-Early military career:...

, SP-DRD) and second places (pilot Stanisław Płonczyński, SP-DRC). They won among others against German low-wing monoplanes Messerschmitt Bf 108

Messerschmitt Bf 108

-Popular culture:Bf 108s and postwar Nord 1000s, played the role of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters in war movies, including The Longest Day, 633 Squadron, Von Ryan's Express and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-See also:-References:Notes...

 and Fieseler Fi 97

Fieseler Fi 97

|-References:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft , 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 1812/3* -External links:*...

. Polish RWD 9 took also the 7th and 15th places, and the Czechoslovak OK-AMD took the 8th place (pilot Jan Anderle).

After the Challenge, RWD 9 were used by the sporting aviation. In 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...

 two of them (SP-DRA, -DRB) were sold to Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

, and the third SP-DRE to French institute Centre d'Essai in Villacoublay (markings: F-AKHE). On July 16, 1936, RWD 9 SP-DRC crashed to the Baltic sea

Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...

 due to low flying, killing crew, with Polish General Gustaw Orlicz-Dreszer

Gustaw Orlicz-Dreszer

Gustaw Konstanty Orlicz-Dreszer was a Polish general, and a political and social activist.Before World War I, Orlicz-Dreszer was involved in pro-independence activities in partitioned Poland. In 1914-17 he served in the 1st Brigade of the Polish Legions. He was arrested during the Oath Crisis...

 aboard. The remaining two Polish RWD 9s were used in 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....

 (SP-DRF was crashed later).

The Spanish aircraft were probably used as liaison aircraft

Liaison aircraft

A liaison aircraft is a small, usually unarmed aircraft primarily used by military forces for artillery observation or transporting commanders and messages. The concept developed before World War II and included also battlefield reconnaissance, air ambulance, column control, light cargo delivery...

 on the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War

Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...

.

Description

Four-seater sports and touring strut

Strut

A strut is a structural component designed to resist longitudinal compression. Struts provide outwards-facing support in their lengthwise direction, which can be used to keep two other components separate, performing the opposite function of a tie...

ted high-wing monoplane

Monoplane

A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...

 of a mixed construction. A fuselage of a metal frame, covered with canvas

Canvas

Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...

 on a wooden frame, in engine section with aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....

 sheets. Two-spar rectangular wing of wooden construction, canvas and plywood

Plywood

Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...

 covered. Wings were folding rearwards, and were equipped with automatic slats

Leading edge slats

Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, so by deploying slats an aircraft can fly at slower...

, flap

Flap (aircraft)

Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...

s and interceptors. Closed cabin with four places in two rows, two front places fitted with double controls. The cabin had a pair of doors. Two-blade wooden propeller with a fixed pitch. Conventional fixed landing gear

Landing Gear

Landing Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7, 2008. It was his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...

, with a rear skid. Fuel tanks in wings and fuselage - 160 l. Take-off: 76.1 m (to altitude 8 m), landing: 76.9 m (from altitude 8 m - best results from the Challenge contest).

Specifications (RWD 9S)

See also