PZL SM-2

Infobox Aircraft
name= SM-2
type=Helicopter
manufacturer=WSK PZL-Świdnik


caption= SM-2 as military air ambulance in museum in Drzonów
designer=
first flight= 18 November 1959
introduction= 1960
retired=1981
status=
primary user= Polish Air Force
more users=
produced =
number built= 85
unit cost=
developed from=Mil Mi-1
variants with their own articles =

The PZL SM-2 was a Polish light utility helicopter, enlarged version of license-built Mil Mi-1, developed and produced by WSK PZL-Świdnik. It was also known as WSK SM-2.

Development

From 1956, the Soviet light four-seat helicopter Mi-1 was produced under license in the Polish WSK PZL-Świdnik works in Świdnik, under a designation SM-1 - and as much, as 1594 were manufactured. In 1957, works started in WSK PZL-Świdnik to modernize the helicopter and fit it with enlarged, five-seat cabin. One of goals was to make training easier, placing two pilots side by side. Main designer was Jerzy Tyrcha.

Most evident difference was larger cabin, extended towards front, but in fact most fuselage parts were reconstructed. The cabin had two wide side doors, sliding rearwards. Unchanged were: engine with transmission and rotor, fuselage boom and landing gear. The prototype flew first on 18 November 1959. It appeared successful and a limited production started in 1960. Its take-off characteristics and performance were slightly worse, than of Mi-1/SM-1 - one of reasons was found an unsuitable carburetor intake, but it was improved only on some helicopters.

Only some 85 helicopters were produced (numbers in some sources vary from 72 to 91). They were produced only for Poland, while the SM-1 remained main export product of Świdnik at that time. Three similar variants were produced: military liaison aircraft, air ambulance and flying crane; their equipment could be exchanged.

Basic liaison and transport variant had seats for three passengers on a rear bench and one seat next to a pilot. In the air ambulance variant, single stretchers were carried in the fuselage - loaded through a special hatch in a fuselage front, on the right side. Additional two injured could be carried in detachable external closed capsules on either side of the fuselage. All variants could carry additional external fuel tank 140 l on the left side, extending range to 500 km (it could not be used with side capsules). The crane variant (known as SM-2D) was used in limited numbers for search and rescue missions, and it had a hydraulic winch, that could lift 120 kg, in a place of a right front seat.

Use

SM-2 were used mainly by the Polish Air Force and Polish Navy - most probably 73 were delivered. Few were used by Ministry of Internal Affairs (police aviation), Border Defence Forces and civilian air ambulance service. Most were withdrawn in late 1970s and replaced with Mil Mi-2, last - around 1981.

Only one SM-2 was exported to Czechoslovakia, used in 1963-1970 by Ministry of Internal Affairs (registration OK-BYK), then Slov-Air until 1975 as commercial utility aircraft (registration changed to OK-RUV) [ [http://www.sm-2.prv.pl/ WSK-Swidnik SM-2 ] ] .

Three SM-2 are preserved in museums in Poland: in Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, in Kołobrzeg and Drzonów. Apart from museums there exist SM-2 in Dęblin and in collection in Góraszka. One is preserved in museum in Great Britain (Weston-super-Mare), and one in Czech Republic (Praha-Kbely).

Operators

;CZS
* Ministry of Internal Affairs
* Slov-Air;POL
* Border Defence Forces
* Ministry of Internal Affairs (police aviation)
* Polish Air Force
* Polish Navy

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=copter
jet or prop?=prop
crew=One
capacity=4 passengers
length main=12.09 m
length alt=39 ft 8 in
span main=14.35 m
span alt=47 ft 1 in
height main=3.30 m
height alt=10 ft 10 in
area main=161.7 m²
area alt=1,740 ft²
empty weight main=1,925 kg
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main=2,550 kg
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)=Lit-3 (licensed Ivchenko AI-26V)
type of prop=7-cylinder radial engine
number of props=1
power main=429 kW
power alt=575 hp
max speed main=170 km/h
max speed alt=
range main=300 km
range alt=
ceiling main=3,000 m
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=

ee also

aircontent
related=
*Mil Mi-1
similar aircraft=
*Westland Widgeon

References

*pl icon Skowroński, Grzegorz: "Śmigłowiec wielozadaniowy SM-2" in: "Lotnictwo z szachownicą" nr.9

External links

*pl icon http://www.sm-2.prv.pl - contains photographs.