RWD-2

infobox Aircraft
name =RWD-2
type =Sports plane
national origin = Poland
manufacturer =Warsaw University of Technology workshops



caption =RWD-2 during the Challenge 1930
designer = RWD team
first flight =July 1929
introduced =1929
retired =1935
status =
primary user =Polish civilian aviation
more users =
produced =1929-1930
number built =4
unit cost =
variants with their own articles = The RWD-2 was a Polish sports plane of 1929, a single-engine high-wing monoplane constructed by the RWD team.

Development

The RWD-2 was constructed by the RWD team of Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki in the Aviation Section of Mechanic Students' Club of Warsaw University of Technology. It was a development of their first design RWD-1. Its feature was a unique, fish-shaped fuselage, with good aerodynamics, but without a direct view forward from the pilot's seat. For this reason, they were later nicknamed: "blind mice".

The first prototype (registration SP-ACE) was completed and flown by the designer Jerzy Drzewiecki in July 1929. Since it appeared successful in sports flying, three more RWD-2s were built in 1930 (registration SP-ADJ, -ADG, -ADH).

Use

In August-September 1929, Franciszek Żwirko and Stanisław Wigura flew the prototype across Europe, on the 5000 km Warsaw-Paris-Barcelona-Warsaw route (it was the first long foreign raid of the Polish-designed aircraft). On 16 October, 1929, Żwirko and Antoni Kocjan set an international FAI altitude record of 4,004 m (13,133 ft) in the light tourist plane class (below 280 kg / 616 lb empty weight).

Three serial aircraft took part in the Challenge 1930 international touring planes competition in July 1930. Stanisław Płonczyński took the 19th place, as the best Pole (for 35 classified and 60 starting crews), and Edward Więckowski took the 21st place (the third Józef Muślewski was disqualified due to time exceeding, but he completed the rally off the contest). In the Challenge, RWD-2s won the trial of lowest fuel consumption (5.2 kg / 100 km). RWD-2s were also used in several Polish air competitions and other minor international ones, with some success. They were also used for training in the Polish Aero Club in Warsaw, Poznań and Vilnius. They were withdrawn in 1935 (one was bought by a private owner and flew for some time longer).

Description

Wooden construction high-wing cantilever monoplane, conventional in layout. Fuselage rectangular in cross-section, plywood covered. Single-spar one-part wing of a trapezoid shape, covered with canvas and plywood in front. Cantilever empennage, covered with plywood (stabilizers) and canvas (rudder and elevators). Crew of two, sitting in tandem, with dual controls. The crew cabs were open on the sides in upper part, they had individual doors on the right side. Salmson 9Ad, 46 hp (40 hp nominal power), 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine in front, driving two-blade metal propeller (wooden in the prototype). Conventional fixed landing gear, sprung by rubber rope, with a rear skid. Fuel tank 75 l in fuselage front (fuel consumption - 9.5 l/ flight hour).

pecifications (RWD-2)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Glass, A. (1977)
crew=One, pilot
capacity=One, trainee / second pilot
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 6.15 m
length alt= 20 ft 2 in
span main= 9.8 m
span alt= 32 ft 2 in
height main= 1.9 m
height alt=6 ft 3 in
area main= 13.6 m²
area alt= 146.3 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 268 kg
empty weight alt= 590 lb
loaded weight main= 450 kg
loaded weight alt= 990 lb
useful load main= 200-250 kg
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 500 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 1,100 lb
more general=
engine (prop)= Salmson 9Ad
type of prop=9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine
number of props=1
power main= 46 hp
power alt= 33.8 kW
power original=
max speed main= 155 km/h
max speed alt= 96 mph
cruise speed main= 130 km/h
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main= 65 km/h
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 550 km
range alt= 342 miles
ceiling main= 3,500 m
ceiling alt= 11,480 ft
climb rate main=3 m/s, 180 m/min
climb rate alt= 590 ft/min
loading main=33 kg/m²
loading alt= 161.4 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
*Take-off run: 120 m
*Take-off run over 8.5 m gate: 260.5 m
*Landing run behind 8.5 m gate: 219 m
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
*RWD-1 - RWD-3 - RWD-4 - RWD-7
similar aircraft=
*Messerschmitt M17

lists=

see also=

References

* Glass, Andrzej: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" ("Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939"), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 286-288 pl icon

External links

* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/law1/rwd2.html Photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba]