PZL.55
This aircraft is sometimes incorrectly referred to as "PZL.62", the correct designation is PZL.55.[1]
| PZL.55 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Fighter aircraft |
| National origin | Poland |
| Manufacturer | Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze |
| Status | Project |
| Primary user | Polish Air Force (planned) |
| Developed from | PZL.26 |
PZL.55 was a Polish pre-war project of a fighter aircraft, designed by Jerzy Dąbrowski at the Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze. The design was for a single-seat low-wing all-metal monoplane, developed based on experience with the PZL.26 sports plane and the project of a private sports plane designed by Jerzy Dąbrowski for his own use.
Design and development[edit]
At the end of the 1930s, Polish military aviation urgently needed a modern fighter with high performance and strong armament that would be an answer to designs such as the German Bf 109, the French D.520 or the British Supermarine Spitfire. The Air Command showed great interest in the PZL.55 project. In August 1939, the design and model of the fighter were approved and two prototypes were ordered.
It was intended to use several very modern solutions for the Polish conditions at that time. The fighter was to have a fully retractable landing gear, and powerful armament consisting of 6-8 machine guns was to be placed in the wings. The rest of the internal wing structure was to be taken up by integral fuel tanks. The wings were also equipped with flaps and automatic Handley Page slots. The wing armament was to be complemented by a cannon firing through the propeller shaft. A retractable engine coolant radiator was placed under the hull, but there is a high probability that this rather problematic solution would be abandoned during work on the plane. The pilot's cabin was fully adapted to night flights and had air conditioning and heating. The plane was also equipped with a transmitting and receiving radio station, an oxygen installation and armor for the pilot's seat. The windshield was also to be made of thick armored glass. Some of these solutions have already been tested on the PZL P.24 and PZL.50 fighters.
The first prototype PZL.55/I was designed for the Hispano-Suiza 12Y-49 inline engine but the final production aircraft were to be powered by more powerful Hispano-Suiza 12Z series inline engines.[2]
Planned specifications (PZL.55)[edit]
Data from [3]
General characteristics
- Length: 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 11.25 m (36 ft 11 in)
- Height: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
- Wing area: 22.5 m2 (242 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 2,300 kg (5,071 lb)
- Gross weight: 3,250 kg (7,165 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Hispano-Suiza 12Z V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,200 kW (1,600 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 660 km/h (410 mph, 360 kn)
- Range: 800 km (500 mi, 430 nmi)
Armament
- Guns: 1 x Hispano-Suiza HS.404 20 mm (0.787 in) cannon, 6-8 x 7.92 mm (0.312 in) PWU wz.36 machine guns
References[edit]
Bibliography[edit]
- Glass, Andrzej. Polskie Konstrukcje Lotnicze Vol.3 (In Polish). Sandomierz, Poland: Wydawnictwo Stratus, 2008.
See also[edit]
Related development
 | This aircraft of the 1930s article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |