Kraków 2012-03-20
Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze – Communication Equipment Factory – Mielec.
1957 – 1959. Part 3.
PZL S-4 Kania 3. 1957 year.
In the early 1950s, Eng. Eugeniusz Stankiewicz developed a training plane intended for training pilots and towing gliders, designated as PZL S-3 Kania. The plane was built in 1951, but was not allowed to operate, and the prototype built at the Warsaw Aero Club airport was finally destroyed. However, in 1956, the Communication Equipment Factory in Mielec became interested in this plane. The design was modified and the new aircraft was designated PZL S-4 Kania 2. The prototype was flown on September 2, 1957.
Then another prototype was built, designated as PZL S-4 Kania 3, which had an enlarged vertical tail. This prototype flew on September 19, 1958. The construction of another prototype was also started, designated as PZL S-4 Kania 4, which was not completed until 1964 at the Aviation Repair Works in Krosno. After the construction of the second prototype at WSK Mielec, he resigned from further construction of this type of aircraft, as the production of M 11 engines, which were to be used for propulsion of the aircraft, was discontinued in Poland. Ultimately, three prototypes of the PZL S-4 Kania aircraft were built.
PZL M-1.
From 1956, own planes were developed in the design office established at PZL WSK Mielec. Their fate varied, but usually they did not exceed the prototype construction stage. It was in 1956 that work began on the aircraft designated PZL M-1 (Mielec construction No. 1). The engineer Stanisław Jachyra has developed a training and aerobatic single-seat, low-wing, metal construction plane with retractable landing gear. No prototype was built and the plane remained only on paper.
Mikrus MR-300 passenger car.
The Mikrus was supposed to be a cheap, mass car. This one of the few Polish car constructions was created somewhat by accident. At the end of 1956, the authorities decided to use the production capacity of the WSK Mielec and WSK Rzeszów aviation plants and start the production of passenger cars. WSK Rzeszów developed the engine documentation, and Mielec took care of the chassis and body of the future micro-car. The engine was a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine based on the design of the engine used in WSK motorcycles. At the National Automotive Meeting in early 1957, the designs were shown, and on July 22, 1957, the first prototypes were presented in Warsaw. The new car was named Mikrus MR 300 (MR from Mielec, Rzeszów). At the end of the year, the first series was ready.
The interest in Mikrus was very high. High production costs did not help to create the foundations for mass, individual motorization. Large-scale production was not launched, which would allow a significant reduction in the price. The high price of the car did not allow these ambitious plans to be realized. Mikrus cost 50,000 zlotys, or about 50 average salaries at the time. The price of the car in Warsaw was PLN 120,000. In the years 1957-1960. Only 1,728 Mikrus cars were produced.
PZL M-2/M-5. 1958 year.
In 1958, engineer Stanisław Jachyra tried to continue the PZL M-1 project by developing a two-seater training aircraft. The aircraft was designated PZL M-2. A prototype was built and registered with the SP-PAC. The first flight, on June 26, 1958, was made by Tadeusz Gołębiewski. Attempts were also made to expand the program by developing the M-5 aircraft. All design work was discontinued in 1960.
Description of the photo: In the nearby town of Radomyśl Wielki, in the center of the Market Square, there is a PZL M-2 plane on a pedestal, SP-PAC registration. 2012 year. Photo by Karol Placha Hetman.
Lim-5/6 bis attack aircraft.
In 1957, a program to develop its own attack aircraft was launched in Poland. Since the Muscovites did not work on attack aircraft, in Poland it was decided to modernize the Lim-5 fighter. The stimulus for modification was the familiarization with the requirements for a modern fighter attack aircraft developed by NATO staff in 1954. After a detailed analysis, it turned out that the Lim-5 is close to meeting these requirements. The modification of the CF (Lim-5) aircraft was codenamed CM. At the beginning of 1958, in Mielec under the supervision of Eng. Feliks Borodzik, work on the Lim-5 M model began. Due to the fact that the Lim-5 aircraft was a license version of the Soviet MiG-17 aircraft, and also due to the political realities prevailing at that time, on September 27, 1958, he went to Moscow for consultations there are two designers from the Mielec R&D office. There, as a result of several meetings, including those with the participation of Artiom Mikoyan himself, the planned modification works were analyzed.
In order to accelerate modernization, changes were introduced gradually. The military delivered the 1C 10-30 aircraft for reconstruction, and a few months later the 1C 16-01. At the beginning of 1958, the CM-I aircraft was built. The prototype, serial number CM-10-30, was tested on July 2, 1959. The pilot was Mr. Zbigniew Słonowski. After the first stage trials were completed, without approval and without waiting for the completion of flights, serial production was prepared. Flight tests were carried out in the period 1959 – 1960.
A little later than the CM-I (CM 10-30), the CM-II project was created. In this aircraft, double main landing gear wheels and fairing-tanks at the fuselage in front of the wing were introduced. At this stage, the CM-II aircraft was named the Lim-5 M. On December 28, 1959, both prototypes, officially known as the Lim-5 M, were transferred to the field airfield and tested there. The purpose of these tests was to determine whether the assumed tactical and technical effects were achieved. The results were positive. Double wheels made the fighter completely dependent on concrete strips. Even cracks during the landing of one of the tires turned out to be harmless. The parachute shortened the run by 250 m. The take-off was a bit worse. The take-off time increased by 40%, which was the result of a change in the aerodynamics of the wing. However, they did not worry about it, as there were still rockets left in reserve, which were not finally tested. These tests were decisive for the production of the machine.
In 1960, the serial production of the Lim-5 M fighter-attack aircraft began. The first Lim-5 M aircraft No. 1F 01-01 made its first flight on November 30, 1960. By May 10, 1961, 60 aircraft in 3 production series had been built. Over time, all these aircraft were rebuilt to the Lim-6 bis standard.
The production of the Lim-5 M aircraft did not mean the completion of further modernization works. It was related to the CM-II project. The main theme of this project was to blow compressed air onto the wing flaps. The aim was to make the flaps more effective. The analysis showed that for the system to be fully effective, a plate-type horizontal tail should be used. However, such a tail was never built.
The works were carried out on the already known CM 10-30. The first attempts at blown flaps were encouraging. The specific solution was tested from January 1961. The aircraft received the designation Lim-5 M-II. The engine adapted for blowing was marked Lis-5 M. The air to be blown was led from the engine through a pipe placed inside the wing and it was equipped with numerous nozzles. However, trouble arose over time. On January 7, 1961, pumping occurred for the first time on the plane. It was not until July 1961 that the problem was positively solved by installing check valves on the system. After the state trials, on March 29, 1962, further tests were interrupted due to insufficient benefits and too much difficulty in operation.
In 1960, the army handed over the 1C 19-04 aircraft for testing. The fully completed copy of the CM 16-01 was approved as the model of the CM-II program and was given the designation Lim-5 M-II.
Immediately after the end of production of the Lim-5 M aircraft, in May 1961, even before the complete tests of the Lim-5 M-II (CM 16-01) aircraft, a series of 40 examples were built, which were finally given the designation Lim-6. The engines were rebranded from Lis-5 M to Lis-6. The aircraft numbers from 1J 04-01 to 1J 04-40. As a side note, it should be remembered that the CM 16-01 was rebuilt many times.
In addition to the flap airflow and the parachute at the base of the tail, the Lim-6 received many other minor changes. For example, additional side cooling of the engine, which was to be a prelude to the desirability of developing side air intakes. However, in this form, the Lim-6 aircraft was never taken over by the military. The planes were rebuilt after time.
Some of the Lim-6 machines not taken over by the army were used for further trials. These were, among others; 1J 04-02, -03, -04, -05. Information from the units on the operation of Lim-5 M aircraft and the conducted research forced changes. On April 24, 1962, a meeting of the Lim-6 aircraft commission was held. Attention was drawn to the worsened pilotage with fairing-tanks and the low efficiency of the airflow on the flaps. It was postulated to abandon these solutions. At the beginning, the fairing-tanks were removed. Aircraft with fairing-tanks had a thicker wing. In flight, it put up more resistance and fuel consumption increased. Additionally, along with the depletion of fuel from the tanks, the center of gravity shifted. The main goal – the increase in range was not so significant.
The double-wheeled chassis lasted longer. However, they required fairings that worsened the flight properties. The tests showed vibrations and fluctuations of the plane in flight. In addition, the importance of using ground airports was decreasing, so it was decided to give up the double wheels. Airflow on the wings has been removed. On the other hand, additional boom-knots for weapons appeared on the plane. On June 19, 1962, trials of the 1C 19-04 aircraft began. They concerned various variants of armament. The trials were completed on August 6, 1962, after 63 flights had been completed. The pilot was Zbigniew Słonowski. It found good flight performance, especially with the Mars-2 armament on internal hubs.
On June 25, 1962, the Ministry of National Defense approved the assumptions of the CMR program, i.e. the assault-reconnaissance version. As mentioned above, various under-wing reconnaissance pods were unsuccessful, so it was ultimately allowed to mount cameras only under the fuselage. This solution was tested from June to August 1962. As an aside, we will mention that the first Lim-5 aircraft equipped with the AFA-39 camera was the 1C 13-18, and the work was carried out in 1959. The first tests of the weaponry were carried out on August 28, 1962, when the Lim-6 bis CM 10-30 prototype used FAB-250, OFAB-100 and e.g. S-5.
On September 13, 1962, binding decisions were made. It was decided to rebuild the produced Lim-6 to the Lim-6 bis standard, with the option of building 70 new machines by the end of 1963. In 1964, it was planned to build an additional 56 aircraft in the typical reconnaissance version Lim-6 R. The latter plan was not implemented, as the production of training TS-11 was started. So it was decided that the Lim-6 bis series V and VI will be equipped with an AFA-39 camera placed under the fuselage. The name Lim-6 bis R or Lim-6 R was even proposed, but the idea was dropped.
On November 7, 1962, the final version of the attack aircraft, the Lim-6 bis, was approved. On December 5, 1962, factory trials began, which lasted until April 16, 1963. At the beginning of 1963, the conversion of Lim-6 aircraft to the Lim-6 bis variant began. Just those previously produced and not delivered to the military. The first 1J 04-07 airplane left WSK Mielec on March 23, 1963. 70 more aircraft were built from scratch, in two series, V and VI. The last one was 1J 06-40, built on February 25, 1964.
All Lim-5 M planes were converted to the Lim-6 bis version. The work was carried out in the LZR-4 in Bydgoszcz. Later, 1J 16-01 was transferred to military units, which was the experimental CM 16-01 (June 15, 1965) and 1J 04-41 (September 30, 1969). Unfortunately, copy 1J 04-41 turned out to be unlucky. On November 19, 1971, Lieutenant Pilot Antoni Wiciński was killed on that plane. Honor his memory !
From April 15, 1964 to June 27, 1964, state trials of the aircraft were carried out. Several minor faults were highlighted and ordered to be rectified. The Lim-6 bis type aircraft officially entered service on September 14, 1964, when the state test protocol was approved.
Lim-5 P. 1959 year.
The MiG-17 PF fighter is an aircraft capable of performing tasks at night and in difficult weather conditions due to the installation of a radar station. MiG-17 PF planes imported to Poland belonged to the early production series. They were equipped with the Izumrud RP-1 radar station. However, a pattern from a later production series with the RP-5 radar station was selected for serial production.
At the beginning of 1959, the plant in Mielec launched the license production of the MiG-17 PF, under the designation Lim-5 P. The first unit with the serial number 1D-01-01 left the plant on January 18, 1959. After the flight, he was directed to Modlin. In the years 1959-1960, 129 aircraft were built in 6 production series. 40 of them were sent to the GDR. The last 1D 06-41 was manufactured on December 29, 1960. The main production lasted 24 months and the average production rate was 6 machines per month.
PZL M-3 Pliszka glider.
PZL M-3 Pliszka is a training and aerobatic glider of metal construction. The M-3 was the first structure designed in the Polish People’s Republic with an all-metal structure. In 1957, the first project called M-3 Pliszka was presented, developed by a team led by Eng. Zdzisław Żok, and in aerodynamic calculations he was supported by the Glider Experimental Plant in Bielsko-Biała. In September 1958, the assembly of the first elements of the glider began. On March 20, 1959, the first prototype of the glider with the number SP-2064 was flew by Eng. pil. Sławomir Makaruk. Due to low wing elongation and poor performance, comparable to gliders of the early 1950s, Pliszka did not enter production. Further development versions of Pliszka could be used to develop the construction of a two-seater metal training glider. In the end, only 4 examples of this glider were built.
PZL M-7. 1959 year.
In 1959, the design office from Mielec started a very bold project. Development of a supersonic training and training aircraft. The team was headed by engineer Anatoliusz Inowolski (?). The plane was to have a metal structure and a clean delta layout, a medium wing. Two-seater cab in tandem configuration. The plane resembled the French Mirage I. A wooden model was made in a reduced scale and sent to Warsaw to the Institute of Aviation, where tests were to be carried out. In 1960, the program was abandoned.
PZL M-9 Ziemowit.
The PZL M-7 turbojet training and training plane was not the only structure of this type that was attempted to be developed in Mielec. Another group of designers (Stanisław Jachyra, Adam Borowski and Marek Augustyniak) undertook the development of a metal training and training aircraft with a turbojet drive and retractable landing gear. Competitor for the TS-11 Iskra aircraft. The plane was designated PZL M-9 Ziemowit. Design works lasted from 1959 to 1960 and did not go beyond the design.
PZL M-8 glider.
Also in 1959, in Mielec, another group of designers started working on the PZL M-8 Pelikan glider. The works were carried out by engineers Zdzisław Żok and Andrzej Kowalski. The glider was to be a high-performance, two-seater, metal construction, intended mainly for advanced training. Models of the glider and a fully equipped life-size model of the cabin were made.
PZL M-10.
Another program was launched in Mielec in 1959. It was a project for a transport-multipurpose aircraft. The machine was to take up to 18 people on board in the passenger version. Metal construction. Projected versions; passenger, cargo, agricultural, fire, sanitary, landing, photogrammetric, geophysical, other. Undoubtedly, it was to be a competitor of the An-2 aircraft. Design work was discontinued in 1960.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman