Shipbucket

wonderful thread

PZL P.11




PZL P.11 was a further refinement of the design line started with PZL P.1. First two (simultaneously built) prototypes - one with Gnome-Rhône 9Asb Jupiter and another with Bristol Mercury engine were flown in 1931 (in August and December respectively). Display of the first prototype in Romania and Turkey led to great interest with the aircraft around the Europe (Romania expressed interest in buying 60 planes, Turkey 36 to 72, Portugal 30, Greece 24, Sweden, Estonia and Yugoslavia 20 each).



However it was the second prototype, with Mercury engine, that was chosen for further development after extensive trials with various arrangements of engine covers as well as modifications of the canopy.



Third prototype also had Bristol Mercury engine formed the basis for the P.11a version, while fourth - converted from PZL P.7a - a newly-developed Gnome-Rhône 9K provided free of charge by manufacturer formed the basis for the export P.11b version.


Production of 50 P.11a for the Polish Military Aviation was actually only second production order on the plane (see below), but that allowed some early experiences gained during manufacture of the P.11b to be implemented. These planes were used mostly by 1 Pułk Lotniczy with several planes being attached also to other units.


Some design flaws of P.11a led to creation of fifth prototype with better visibility (thanks to engine being located slightly lower, pilot's seat slightly higher and some changes in the wing chord at it's base), new vertical stabilizer and armament increased to four (from two) machine guns plus racks for 12,5kg bombs (although not all planes actually received full complement of guns).


This version entered production as P.11c, with total of 150 being made for Polish Military aviation between 1934 and 1936. They were equipping majority (12) of fighter squadrons in all air regiments, and formed the mainstay of the Polish fighter aviation in September 1939.


First combat use of P.11 took place already in 1936, when these planes were used to "discourage" frequent intrusions into the Polish airspace by Soviet military aircraft over Volhynia. In that period one Soviet R-5 was shot down by por. Witold Urbanowicz (who during the was become second highest-scoring Polish fighter ace, though this particular victory - as well as several others - was not included in his "official" tally).



In September 1939 Polish Military Aviation had 130 P.11's in combat units (20 of them P.11a and rest P.11c) and 42 more in training units and reserve. P.11c has the distinction of being the first aircraft to achieve a victory over German aircraft during WW2, when por. Władysław Gnyś of 121 Eskadra Myśliwska shot down two Do-17E2's near Olkusz around 7:00am, 1 September 1939. Unfortunately another such plane has the distinction of being the first aircraft to be shot down in that war (by lt. Frank Neubert from I/StG.2 flying Ju-87). During the whole campaign P.11c were officially recognized with shooting down 126 German aircraft (110 confirmed and 16 probable) and damaging further 14, plus several Soviet aircraft shot down on 17 September (day of Soviet invasion of Poland), at a loss of 97 aircraft in combat.
43 P.11's (10 P.11a and 33 P.11c) were evacuated to Romania and one each to Latvia and Hungary, while some planes were captured by Germany and Soviet Union.

Foreign Operators



First buyer of PZL P.11 was Romania, which purchased 49 P.11b version with French GR 9K engine already in 1933. It was followed by P.11f which was essentialy P.11c with Gnome-Rhône 9Krse Mistral engine. One such plane was built in Poland and 95 more under license by IAR.







Polish planes evacuated in 1939 to Romania were then pressed into service in Romanian Air Force, forming 2 squadrons (49, 50 Escadrila Vânătoare) in addition to 6 already equipped with IAR P.11f (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 Escadrila Vânătoare). These aircraft actively participated in early stages of war with Soviet Union, mainly during operations in Bessarabia and around Odessa. In late 1941 they were grouped in 3 squadrons (43, 44, 50) and moved to air defence duties. During 1942 they werer gradually transferred to the second line, though in 1944 returned to combat operations as night-intruders. In December 1944 Romanian Air Force had 17 P.11b, 16 P.11c and 19 P.11f, but few of them still flyable.



Single P.11a evacuated to Hungary served until 1941 in military aviation and later was transferred to aeroclub as glider tug*. It was destroyed during winter 1944-1945.

Of the P.11's captured by Germans one was exhibited in the Museum of Communications. In 1944 it was evacuated from Berlin and eventually ended up back in Polish hands, now being one of the most important exhibits in Aviation Museum in Kraków.



PZL P.11g Kobuz ("Eurasian Hobby") was the final step in the development of P.1/7/11/24 family (excluding Romanian IAR.80 family) - devised as interim fighter until the arrival of PZL-50, it was essentialy a fuselage of P.11c with wing and canopy of P.24 (in Turkish variant) and engine from PZL-50. First series of 30 was to be converted from spare P.11's, followed by some 60-70 brand new planes. Prototype was flown in mid-august 1939 and in the first days of war it was evacuated to the southeast and on 14 and 15 september, flown by por. Henryk Szczęsny, shot down 2 He-111's until it was damaged.


* - Yes, that's pink. For short time it was a red colour but after some rains it fade in to that horrible pink one.

With good news for Night' next one will be P.24 in very short time.

EDIT: reupload of IAR P.11f

_________________

Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Excellent work. Nice to see such details for the prototype changes too. Can't wait for the P.24 instalment!

_________________
Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

No worries, Rhade is working very hard to ensure that P.24 will be top quality possible.

EDIT: Search tags for the Rhade's post above:

Poland, PZL P.11, P.11a, P.11c, P.11g Kobuz
Romania, PZL P.11b, IAR P.11f, P.11a, P.11c
Hungary, PZL P.11a

and below:

Poland, PZL P.24
Bulgaria, PZL P.24
Turkey, PZL P.24
Romania, IAR P.24
Greece, PZL P.24

Thank you Hood, indeed it was a pretty hard work to show all the versions and prototypes of P.11. As eswube said P.24 will represent not only the same level of quality but even higher level. It's not easy, but I try my best.

I reupload or rather upload P.11f, funny thing I miss it when I put that post because files don't start with PZL but with IAR and they just run off to other part of my planes folder.

_________________

Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Exellent drawings!

_________________
- - -> My Worklist! <- - -

Second that

_________________
Work in progress:
DD County Class PNS Babur (1982)(PAK)
FF Type 21 Class D182 PNS Babur (2000)(PAK)
All relevant Coat of Arms

PZL P.24



Gnome-Rhône offered in 1932 their most advanced GR 14Kds engine to be installed on P.11 fighter. That, however, proved to be impossible without significant modifications to the airframe. As a result of that, a PZL P.24 was born, first prototype of which was flown in may 1933, followed by significantly modernized second prototype in march 1934. In June 1934 P.24/II achieved record speed of 414km/h (later improved to 421km/h) after which it was dubbed "Super P.24", leading to great interest from various air forces, including French one, which tried to circumvent the need to purchase a license by ordering a less-than-perfect copy from Liore company (Lo-46). After the conclusion of long trial schedule, in early 1936 P.24/II was sent on a tour of Balkan countries, that led to production orders. In the end, P.24 was the most advanced Polish fighter plane to be produced in significant numbers before WW2, although it was - sadly - produced only for export.



Bulgaria was first plane to order P.24's in April 1936. 12 P.24B planes (locally called Jastreb - Hawk) were delivered in july 1937, initially forming the mainstay of Bulgaria's fighter aviation in the Istrebitelno Jato, and from 1940 used (with ever-decreasing numbers due to problems with spare parts) as combat trainers until 1944.



Second order came in June 1936 from Turkey, which eventually become a major user of the type. Total of 60 planes were bought - 14 P.24A (with 2 machine guns and 2 cannons) and 26 P.24C (with 4 machine guns) delivered complete in 1937 and 20 more P.24A built under license by Tayyare Fabricasi Kayserii from knock-down kits.



They equipped 4 fighter (21st, 22nd, 42nd and 43rd) and one training squadron (9 planes in each), with rest remaining in reserve. They were used until 1943 when they were replaced by Hurricanes. Single P.24 can now be seen in the Aviation Museum in Yeşilköy.



Romania ordered in october 1936 5 planes with production rights for 25 more, designated P.24E. Deliveries from Poland were realized in summer 1937, while license production by IAR took place between 1938 and early 1939. Interestingly, this plane formed basis for the much more modern Romanian fighter, the IAR.80, which used rear fuselage with tail, engine installation and cockpit equipment. They were initially used by 3 squadrons (Escadrila 61, 62, 63 Vânătoare), but due to reorganizations and attrition, by 1941 there were only 2 such squadrons left (61, 62). Their combat history mirrored that of Romanian P.11's and by the late 1944 there were still 19 of them in existence.



Most famous of P.24 users was Royal Hellenic Air Force, which received total of 36 modernized aircraft (1 P.24H*, 6 P.24F and 29 P.24G) with GR 14N07 engines.
They were delivered in knock-down kits in early 1938 and equipped 21, 22, 23 Mira stationed at Kalambaka, Thessaloniki and Larissa. Squadrons equipped with P.24 fought gallantly against Italian invasion in late 1940, shooting down around 40 aircraft and managing to achieve operational parity over numerically superior Italians. Their numbers, however, were gradually decreasing and by the time of German invasion in april 1941 only 13 were left, though on 19 April most of them were destroyed on ground. Last Greek P.24 was evacuated to Egypt via Crete on 24 April 1941.
Orders for P.24's came also from Hungary and Spain (both sides of the conflict) but never came into fruition.


* - P.24H existence or service in RHAA if not confirmed.

_________________

Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Another superb addition to this history. What more can I say given the continual high-quality?

_________________
Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

That you will give us free cookies ?

Thank you Hood, stay tune for the next planes.

_________________

Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!