PZL TS-8 Bies

TS-8 Bies
TS-8 during Góraszka Air Show 2007
Role	Trainer aircraft
Manufacturer	WSK PZL-Mielec
First flight	23 July 1955
Introduction	1957
Retired	1978
Primary users	Polish Air Force Aeroklub Polski
Produced	1957-1960
Number built	251

The PZL TS-8 Bies is a Polish trainer aircraft, used from 1957 to 1970s by the Polish Air Force and civilian aviation.

Development

The aircraft was designed in response to a Polish Air Force requirement for a modern piston-engined trainer with a retractable tricycle landing gear to replace Junak 3 and Yak-11 aircraft. The main designer was Tadeusz Sołtyk – hence a designation letters TS. The plane was named Bies - a folk name for the devil. Work started in 1953 and the first prototype was flown on July 23, 1955. In 1956 and 1957 it beat three international records in its class.^[1] The second prototype was shown at the Paris Air Show in 1957.

In 1957 the first experimental series of 10 aircraft was produced in WSK-Okecie (designated as TS-8 BI). A slightly improved main variant (designated as TS-8 BII) was produced from 1958 to 1960 in WSK Mielec. The last 10 machines were built with better avionics (TS-8 BIII). A total of 251 TS-8 were produced (229 in TS-8 BII variant).

The TS-8 had good handling and performance; a noisy engine was one of its few flaws. It was the first really modern aircraft designed in Poland after the war, also using a Polish engine.

Design

All-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane. A semi-monocoque fuselage, oval in cross-section, metal-covered. Crew of two, sitting in tandem in a closed cockpit, with twin controls (a student in front, an instructor in the rear). Canopy sections above crewmen are sliding rearwards. Three-part single-spar wing, of semi-monocoque design, creating a transverse "W" shape. Tricycle retractable landing gear. 7 cylinder radial engine WN-3 in front, delivering 330 hp take-off power and 283 hp normal power. Two-blade wooden propeller of variable pitch, 2.2 m diameter. The plane had no armament, except for the experimental series TS-8 BI, which had one 12.7mm machine gun and two small bomb pylons.

Operational history

The TS-8s started to be withdrawn from the Polish Air Force in the mid-1960s, replaced by jet trainers PZL TS-11 Iskra. Over 100 aircraft were handed over to the civilian aviation (aero clubs) then. Most TS-8s were withdrawn from civilian aviation by 1978. Three fly until today. Two TS-8s were used in Indonesia.

Variants

TS-8 Bies

TS-8 BII at the Polish Aviation Museum

TS-8

3 prototypes.

TS-8 BI

First experimental series, 10 built.

TS-8 BII

Improved TS-8 BI. Main production version, 229 built.

TS-8 BIII

Version equipped with better avionics, 10 built.

Operators

TS-8 Bies

 Indonesia

• Indonesian Air Force received two aircraft which were based in Bandung.

 Poland

• Polish Air Force
• Polish Navy
• Aeroklub Polski

Specifications

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: Two (student & instructor)
• Length: 8.5 m (28 ft 5½ in)
• Wingspan: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
• Height: 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 19.10 m² (205.6 ft²)
• Aspect ratio: 7.38:1
• Empty weight: 1,070 kg (2,359 lb)
• Loaded weight: 1,550 kg (3,417 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,600 kg (3,525 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Narkiewicz WN-3 7-cylinder radial engine, 239 kW (320 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 312 km/h (169 knots, 194 mph)
• Cruise speed: 270 km/h (146 knots, 168 mph)
• Range: 800 km (432 nmi, 497 miles)
• Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
• Rate of climb: 6.8 m/s (1,340 ft/min)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Yak-11
• Yak-18
• Yak-52
• T-34 Mentor
• Nanchang CJ-6
  

References

1. ^ World records of height 7084.5 m in C-Ic class (weight 1000–1750 kg), distance in a closed circuit 2884.5 km in C-Id class (weight 1750-3000 kg), speed 317 km/h in a closed circuit 2000 km in C-Ic class
2. ^ Taylor 1961, pp. 121–122.

• Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1961.

External links