RWD-17

infobox Aircraft
name =RWD-17
type =Trainer aircraft
manufacturer =DWL

---

caption =RWD-17W floatplane prototype
designer = RWD team
first flight =7 August 1937
introduced =1938
retired =1939
status =
primary user =Poland
more users = Romania
produced =1938-1939
number built =~30
unit cost =
variants with their own articles = The RWD-17 was a Polish aerobatics-trainer aircraft of 1937, parasol wing monoplane, constructed by the RWD team.

Development

The aircraft was designed for an order of the LOPP paramilitary organization, as an interim trainer aircraft between primary trainer RWD-8 and single-seater aircraft, demanding higher skills, like RWD-10. It was also fitted to aerobatics. The construction of the new plane was very similar to the RWD-8, but almost all parts were newly designed. Main visual difference were twin struts supporting wings, instead of V-struts, and two-part wing instead of three-part, without central section. The works started in 1936, and the main designer was Bronisław Żurakowski of the RWD bureau. The first prototype (registration SP-BMX) was flown in August 1937 in Warsaw. After state trials in 1937, it was accepted for production, and in 1938 there was produced a short series of RWD-17 (there were 23 serial RWD-17 in the Polish registry, carrying registrations: SP: -BNZ, BOA-BOJ, BOL-BOZ).

In early 1938, there was also designed a floatplane variant RWD-17W, differing among others in a stronger radial engine Bramo Sh 14a convert|160|hp|abbr=on instead of a straight engine. It had interchangeable floats or land undercarriage. When on floats, a bigger tailfin, extending downwards was mounted. The prototype was flown with a land undercarriage in June 1938, then tested on floats. Next, there were ordered 5 RWD-17Ws for the Polish Naval Aviation Squadron ("MDLot") in Puck as trainers. They were built in 1939.

In early 1939 there was developed a new wing for the RWD-17, slightly longer, with thinner profile and narrowing wingtips. It gave better aerobatics capability. Because of problems with its counterpart PWS-35, the Polish Air Force got interested in the modified RWD-17 as a successor of the PWS-26 intermediate trainer. There were plans to order 50-120 aircraft, with a likely designation RWD-17bis, but they were not built due to outbreak of the war.

Usage

RWD-17 were used in the Polish civilian aviation - in the Polish Aero Club and an aviation school in Świdnik before the World War II. During the Invasion of Poland in September 1939, eight of them, including the prototype, were evacuated to Romania. Reportedly, 2 were evacuated to Latvia. One RWD-17 was used by the 56th Observation Escadre as a liaison plane, and it crashed on September 12.

Apart from the prototype RWD-17W, carrying civilian registration SP-BPB, there were produced 5 RWD-17W floatplanes. Two were commissioned with the Polish Navy just before the outbreak of the war, but they did not get to the Polish Naval Aviation Squadron. The prototype was kept camouflaged in a forest on Hel Peninsula during its siege. It was crashed in the sea near the peninsula on August 30, due to an engine fault, during an attempt to evacuate to Sweden (the crew was saved). It was the last flight of the Polish aircraft during the Polish September Campaign. Three other RWD-17W, being in a factory in Warsaw, with land undercarriage, were evacuated to Romania (nos. 311, 312, 314), while remaining two (nos. 313 and 315) were used as liaison planes near Warsaw and destroyed thereafter [http://www.samoloty.ow.pl/str168.htm pl icon] .

In Romania RWD-17s were used until late 1940s. None returned to Poland after the war, and none have survived to today.

Description

Mixed construction braced high-wing (parasol wing) monoplane, conventional in layout, single-engine, with open cockpits. Fuselage of a steel frame (Cr-Mo), covered with canvas on a wooden frame. Swept rectangular two-part wing, of wooden construction, covered with canvas and plywood in front, two-spar. Wing was supported by a central pyramid and twin struts. Wooden construction braced empennage, covered with plywood (stabilizers) and canvas (rudder and elevators). Crew of two, sitting in tandem, with twin controls and individual windshields. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear wheel, or twin floats (RWD-17W).

Engine in front with two-blade wooden propeller Szomański, of a fixed pitch. RWD-17 had 4 cylinder air-cooled inverted straight engine PZInż. Major 4 (licence built Walter Major 4) or de Havilland Gipsy Major, convert|120|hp|abbr=on power and convert|130|hp|abbr=on take-off power. A 150 hp Cirrus Major was expected as an option for the future. RWD-17W had 7-cylinder radial engine Bramo Sh 14a, convert|160|hp|abbr=on take-off power. Fuel tank in a fuselage: 111 l.

Military Operators

* Poland
* Romania

pecifications (RWD-17)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Glass, A. (1977)
crew=Two (student and instructor)
capacity=
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 7.7 m
length alt= 25 ft 3 in
span main= 10.0 m
span alt= 32 ft 10 in
height main= 2.45 m
height alt= 8 ft
area main= 18.70 m²
area alt= 201.2 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 520 kg
empty weight alt= 1,144 lb
loaded weight main= 760 kg
loaded weight alt= 1,672 lb
useful load main=240-290 kg
useful load alt=lb
max takeoff weight main= 810 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 1,782 lb
more general=
engine (prop)= PZInż. Major 4
type of prop=4 cylinder air-cooled inverted straight engine
number of props=1
power main= 130 hp
power alt=97 kW
power original=
max speed main=195 km/h
max speed alt= 121 mph
cruise speed main=165 km/h
cruise speed alt=mph
stall speed main=80 km/h
stall speed alt=mph
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 680 km
range alt= 422 miles
ceiling main= 5,000 m
ceiling alt= 16,400 ft
climb rate main= 4.5 m/s, 270 m/min
climb rate alt= 885 ft/min
loading main= 40.5 kg/m²
loading alt= 8.3 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* RWD-8
* RWD-10
similar aircraft=

lists=

see also=

References

* Glass, Andrzej: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" ("Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939"), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 323-326 pl icon

External links

* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other2/rwd17.html RWD-17] and [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other2/rwd17w.html RWD-17W] photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba site