RWD-9
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| RWD-9 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Sports plane |
| Manufacturer | DWL |
| Designed by | RWD team |
| Maiden flight | 1933-12-04 |
| Introduced | 1934 |
| Primary users | Polish civilian aviation Czechoslovakia, Spain, France |
| Produced | 1933-1934 |
| Number built | 1+8 |
The RWD-9 was a Polish sports plane of 1934, constructed by the RWD team. It was a winner of the Challenge 1934 international tourist aircraft contest.
Contents |
[edit] Development
The aircraft was a further development of the RWD-6 - the winner of Challenge 1932 international tourist aircraft contest. The RWD-9 was designed specially for the purpose of competing in the next Challenge contest. It was constructed by Stanisław Rogalski and Jerzy Drzewiecki of the RWD team in the DWL workshops in Warsaw. To meet new contest regulations, the new plane was designed as four-seater, with increased mass and engine power and yet better STOL capabilities.
The first prototype was completed in October 1933, with Menasco inline engine (265 hp), and first flew on December 4, 1933. In January 1934 it was fitted with Czech Walter Bora radial engine (220 hp), and in spring 1934 with newly constructed Polish radial engine Skoda GR-760 (290 hp). In 1934 there were built 8 RWD-9s: 4 RWD-9W with Walter Bora engine (registrations: SP-DRA, SP-DRB, OK-AMC, OK-AMD) and 4 RWD-9S with GR-760 engine (registrations: SP-DRC, -DRD, -DRE, -DRF). RWD-9W had worse performance, comparing to RWD-9S (maximum speed 260 to 281 km/h).
The prototype was rebuilt to an experimental aircraft RWD-20 in 1937, to learn about usage of tricycle landing gear. It was fitted with Walter Major 4 inline engine (130 hp) and a taller tailfin, what made its look similar to RWD-13. Rear seats and windows were removed. It had a fixed tricycle landing gear. The plane was tested in 1937, then it was broken up and the airframe was destroyed during the war in 1939.
[edit] Usage
Six RWD-9s were used by the Polish Challenge team, while the remaining two were ordered by the Czechoslovak team (OK-AMC, -AMD). The Czechoslovak OK-AMC was crashed during trainings, and had not been repaired before the contest.
In the Challenge 1934, held between August 28-September 16, 1934, Polish RWD-9S took the first (pilot Jerzy Bajan, SP-DRD) and second places (pilot Stanisław Płonczyński, SP-DRC). They won among others against German low-wing monoplanes Messerschmitt Bf 108 and Fieseler Fi 97. Polish RWD-9 took also the 7th and 15th places, and the Czechoslovak OK-AMD took the 8th place (pilot Jan Anderle).
After the Challenge, RWD-9 were used by the sporting aviation. In 1935 two of them (SP-DRA, -DRB) were sold to Spain, and the third SP-DRE to French institute Centre d'Essai in Villacoublay (markings: F-AKHE). On July 16, 1936, RWD-9 SP-DRC crashed to the Baltic sea due to low flying, killing crew, with Polish General Gustaw Orlicz-Dreszer aboard. The remaining two Polish RWD-9s were used in Polish Aero Club (SP-DRF was crashed later).
The Spanish aircraft were probably used as liaison aircraft on the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War.
[edit] Description
Four-seater sports and touring strutted high-wing monoplane of a mixed construction. A fuselage of a metal frame, covered with canvas on a wooden frame, in engine section with aluminium sheets. Two-spar rectangular wing of wooden construction, canvas and plywood covered. Wings were folding rearwards, and were equipped with automatic slats, flaps and interceptors. Closed cabin with four places in two rows, two front places fitted with double controls. The cabin had a pair of doors. Two-blade wooden propeller with a fixed pitch. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid. Fuel tanks in wings and fuselage - 160 l. Take-off: 76.1 m (to altitude 8 m), landing: 76.9 m (from altitude 8 m - best results from the Challenge contest).
[edit] Military Operators
[edit] Specifications (RWD-9S)
General characteristics
- Crew: One, pilot
- Capacity: Three passengers
- Length: 7.6 m (24 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 11.64 m (38 ft 1 in)
- Height: 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 16.00 m² (172 ft²)
- Empty weight: 560 kg (1,232 lb)
- Loaded weight: 790 kg (1,738 lb)
- Useful load: 370 kg (814 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 930 kg (1,860 lb)
- Powerplant: 1× Skoda GR-760 air-cooled 9-cylinder radial engine, 216 kw (290 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 281 km/h
- Cruise speed: 255 km/h (152 knots, 175 mph)
- Stall speed: <54.1 km/h (29 knots, 33 mph)
- Range: 800 km (432 nm, 497 mi)
- Service ceiling 7,000 m (22,960 ft)
- Rate of climb: 6.1 m/s (1,200 ft/m)
- Wing loading: 58 kg/m² (max weight) (11.9 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 3.2 hp/kg ()
[edit] References
- Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" (Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 (Polish language, no ISBN)
[edit] See also
Related development
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