PWS-54

PWS-54
Role	Passenger and mail plane
Manufacturer	PWS
First flight	1933
Introduction	1933
Status	prototype
Primary user	Polish civilian aviation (LOT Polish Airlines)
Number built	1

The PWS-54 was a Polish single-engine passenger and mail plane for 3 passengers, built in 1933 in PWS factory, which remained a prototype.

Development

The aircraft was designed by Zbysław Ciołkosz for an order of the Ministry of Communication for a fast plane for carrying mail or 4 passengers, with higher performance, than airliner PWS-24. Much attention was given to aerodynamics, and the plane was 40 km/h faster, than PWS-24, with the same engine. A prototype was built in 1932 and flown in early 1933 in Biała Podlaska (markings SP-AHY).

The plane was evaluated in LOT Polish Airlines from 1933, but after few years it was withdrawn from use and returned to factory. The design was not quite successful; main fault was small payload, which limited either its capacity or range. The plane was designed to carry 4 passengers, but the range would be too small (500 km), so it was completed with only 3 places. However, because of not too good handling, it was not used to carry passengers at all, but for cargo and mail transport, with little intensity. It also had quite long landing run, despite air brakes in landing gear covers. On the other hand, modernized PWS-24bis with stronger engine offered the same performance.

Description

High-wing cantilever monoplane of mixed construction, with closed cab and single engine. A fuselage of a steel frame, covered with canvas on a wooden frame. Straight one-piece wooden wing, of trapezoid-elliptical shape, two-spar, plywood covered. Tailfins of steel frame, canvas covered. Crew of one, in a cab before the wing, well glazed, with pointed front windshield. Next and slightly below in a fuselage, under the wing, there was a cabin for 3 passengers (dimensions: 1.8x1.05x1.25 m), with doors on both sides. Initially there was a fourth folding seat conceived.

Radial engine Wright Whirlwind J-5 (240 hp take-off power, 220 hp nominal power, produced in Polish Skoda Works) in fuselage front, fitted with a Townend ring. Two-blade metal propeller of variable pitch. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear wheel; struts with shock absorbers joined the main gear with wings. Main gear had cowlings. Fuel tanks 320 l in central wing section (cruise consumption 60 l/h).

Specifications

Data from^{[citation needed]}

General characteristics

• Crew: 1, pilot
• Capacity: 3
• Length: 9.24 m ()
• Wingspan: 12.3 m ()
• Height: 2.53 m ()
• Wing area: 21.3 m² (ft²)
• Empty weight: 940 kg ()
• Loaded weight: 1530 kg ()
• Useful load: 590 kg ()
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright Whirlwind J-5 air-cooled 9-cylinder radial, 240 hp ()

Performance

• Maximum speed: 231 km/h
• Cruise speed: 200 km/h
• Stall speed: <102 km/h ()
• Range: 900 km ()
• Service ceiling: 4,000 m ()
• Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s ()
• Wing loading: 72 kg/m² ()

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• PWS-24
  

Notes

References

• Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" (Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 (Polish language, no ISBN)

External links

• Photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba site