LWS-2

Infobox Aircraft
name=LWS-2


caption=
type= Air ambulance
national origin = Poland
manufacturer=LWS
designer=
first flight= Autumn 1937
introduced= May 19, 1938
retired=
status=Prototype
primary user=Poland
more users=
produced=1937
number built = 1
unit cost=
variants with their own articles=The LWS-2 was the Polish air ambulance aircraft prototype, designed in the late-1930s in the LWS factory ("Lublin Aircraft Factory").

Design and development

The LWS-2 was designed as a light ambulance aircraft, for a requirement of the Polish Air Force and the Polish Red Cross (PCK), which was operating military ambulances. A preliminary design was made in 1936 by Zbysław Ciołkosz, the main designer of the LWS factory, a detailed design - by Jerzy Teisseyre. It was influenced by RWD-9 and RWD-13 planes of the RWD team, especially their wing construction with rich wing mechanization, that gave it STOL capabilities. The prototype was built using PCK funds. Aircraft was registered SP-ATP and flown in autumn of 1937.

The Polish Red Cross ordered six aircraft, but the LWS factory was busy at that time with military production (RWD-14 Czapla and LWS-3 Mewa), and they were not built by the outbreak of World War II. LWS's next design, the LWS-3 Mewa close reconnaissance plane, utilized many features of the LWS-2, and was generally similar.

Operational history

On May 19, 1938 the prototype was given to the Air Force. Between July 1 and July 4, 1938, the LWS-2 prototype took part in an International Ambulance Aircraft Contest in Esch in Luxembourg, and won first place and a cup for the best accommodation in a cab for the injured.

The prototype was later used by the Polish Red Cross. Its fate during the World War II is not clear, as the damaged plane was captured by the Germans on airfield at Krosno.

Operators

;POL
*Polish Red Cross operated one prototype, ordered 6 aircraft, none delivered.

pecifications (LWS-2)

Description

Mixed construction (steel and wood) braced high-wing monoplane, conventional in layout. Fuselage of a steel frame, canvas covered (engine part with duralumin). Two-spar straight wings of wooden construction, with slats, flaps and flaperons, covered with canvas and plywood (in front), rectangular with rounded tips and narrowing near the fuselage. The wings were supported with V-struts and were folding rearwards. Cantilever empennage, covered with plywood (stabilizers) and canvas (rudder and elevators). Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid. Capacity of four in a closed cockpit: a pilot in front, a doctor behind him, and two lying on stretchers at the back. It had a 9-cylinder air-cooled Avia-built Wright Whirlwind J-5 radial engine delivering 220 hp (164 kW) nominal power and 240 hp (179 kW) take-off power. Two-blade metal propeller Ratier, of variable pitch. A 130 liter fuel tank behind the engine. Cruise fuel consumption 48 l/h.

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Glass, A. (1977)
crew=two, pilot and doctor
capacity=two injured
payload main=
payload alt=
length main= 9.05 m
length alt= 29 ft 8 in
span main= 13.00 m
span alt= 42 ft 8 in
height main= 2.84 m
height alt= 9 ft 4 in
area main= 22.0 m²
area alt= 237 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,185 kg
empty weight alt= 2,612 lb
loaded weight main= 1,680 kg
loaded weight alt= 3,740 lb
useful load main= 495 kg
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)= Avia Wright Whirlwind J-5
type of prop=9-cylinder radial engine
number of props=1
power main= 240 hp
power alt= 180 kW
power original=
max speed main=206 km/h
max speed alt= 128 mph
cruise speed main= 185 km/h
cruise speed alt=
stall speed main=<75 km/h
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 500 km
range alt=312 miles
ceiling main= 4,000 m
ceiling alt= 13,120 ft
climb rate main= 228 m/min (3.8 m/s)
climb rate alt= 747 ft/min
loading main= 76 kg/m²
loading alt=16 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 0.11 kW/kg
power/mass alt=0.06 hp/lb
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

References

*Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" ("Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939"), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977, p. 169-170 pl icon

ee also

aircontent
related=
*LWS-3 Mewa

similar aircraft=
*RWD-13S

lists=

see also=

External links

* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/cww2/lws2.html Photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba]