RWD-3

infobox Aircraft
name =RWD-3
type =Sports plane
manufacturer =Warsaw University of Technology workshops


caption =
designer = RWD team
first flight =April 1930
introduced =1930
retired =
status =
primary user =Polish civilian aviation
more users =
produced =
number built =1
unit cost =
variants with their own articles = The RWD-3 was a Polish sports plane and liaison aircraft prototype of 1930, constructed by the RWD team, a single-engine high-wing monoplane.

Development

The RWD-3 was constructed by the RWD team of Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki in Warsaw. Since their earlier design, the RWD-2 sports plane appeared quite successful, the Polish Military of Defence ordered in 1929 to develop its enlarged variant as a liaison plane. It retained the same fish-shaped fuselage without a direct view towards forward from the pilot's seat, though the view improved due to a thin fuselage profile before the pilot. At the same time, the RWD developed similar enlarged sports plane, the RWD-4, which shared many features with the RWD-3, but was powered with an inline engine and did not have folding wings.

One prototype was built for ground trials and one flying prototype. It was completed and flown by the designer Jerzy Drzewiecki in April 1930. Since it was found unsatisfactory as a liaison plane, it was handed over to sports aviation - Academic Aero Club in Warsaw, with the civil registration SP-WAA. It was used for training and in some competitions. Unlike the RWD-3, the RWD-4 appeared more successful design.

Description

Wooden construction single-engine high-wing cantilever monoplane, conventional in layout. The fuselage was rectangular in cross section (triangular in upper part), plywood-covered. Two-spar wings, covered with canvas, in front with plywood, were folding rearwards, unlike other early RWDs. Cantilever empennage, covered with plywood (stabilizers) and canvas (rudder and elevators). Crew of two was sitting in tandem in the fuselage. The cockpits were open in upper part on the sides, with individual doors on the right side. 5-cylinder air-cooled 88 hp radial engine Armstrong Siddeley Genet (80 hp nominal power, 88 hp take-off power) was mounted in front and drove two-blade wooden propeller. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid. Fuel tank in central wing section.

pecifications (RWD-3)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref=Glass, A. (1977)
crew= one, pilot
capacity=one passenger
length main= 7 m
length alt= 22 ft 11 in
span main= 10.5 m
span alt= 34 ft 5 in
height main= 2.26 m
height alt= 7 ft 5 in
area main= 15.0 m²
area alt= 161.5 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 380 kg
empty weight alt= 836 lb
loaded weight main= 560 kg
loaded weight alt= 1,232 lb
useful load main= 180-310 kg
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 690 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 1,518 lb
more general=
engine (prop)=Armstrong Siddeley Genet
type of prop=5-cylinder radial engine
number of props=1
power main= 65 kW
power alt= 88 hp
power original=
max speed main= 170 km/h
max speed alt= 91 knots, 105 mph
cruise speed main= 140 km/h
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main= 68 km/h
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= 37 kg/m²
loading alt= 7.56 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
*RWD-2 - RWD-4 - RWD-7
similar aircraft=

lists=

see also=

References

*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" ("Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939"), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 288-289 pl icon