Shipbucket

Level of work, info and ewube commitment to this project make me proud that I can help him in this great work.

_________________

Nobody expects the Imperial Inquisition!

Thank You, Rhade, but until now I was rather convinced that I am helping You. This thread is Your idea in the first place, and the hardest (IMHO) part of work will be done by You.

Nice to see such modesty, but nothing to be modest about from both gentlemen. Quite apart from the fascination of the project, and the superlative drawings, it shows just how much stretch we still have. I can visualise something similar for other nations: Australia, Argentina, Japan etc.

Thank You Bill!
Yes, such similar threads would be awesome, only that there could be a problem with finding somebody to do it.
I am thinking sometimes about doing something of the kind for smaller nations around, like Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Bulgaria, but that wouldn't be so all-encompasing like this one, but would merely show local designs (of which there were rather few). And even if that would happen at all, then only after doing this (or at least the part we have planned already, that is: airlines until today and military aviation until 1939) - and first I would need a long rest from FD.

Polskie Linie Lotnicze "Lot" (1949-1956 - Stalinist-era stagnation

Early 1950s, period of deep stalinism (and related terror) in Poland, were also a period of a slow-down in LOT's development. Only new international connections opened in that period were to Sofia in 1953 and in 1955 Moscow and Vienna. New political situation made it's firm impact on sources of new equipment: aircraft were bought in Soviet Union with some smaller aircraft obtained from Czechoslovakia and domestically. Political situation caused, however, significant changes among the personnel. Members of personnel (both flying and ground) with pre-war credentials, and especially those who served in Polish Armed Forces in Exile in Great Britain were viewed by uber-vigilant party apparatchiks with distrust. A wave of purges swept through LOT with great majority of experienced pre-war personnel being fired and replaced by "politically reliable" but inexperienced people. Quickly this situation led to several crashed with high loss of life, and "political reliability" of the newbies wasn't in fact so firm as thought, as some of them were quick to defect to the West at first occasion. Only in wake of de-stalinization that started in 1956 these trends were stopped, although unfortunately only very few of the purged personnel returned to LOT in the second half of the 1950s.

First symbol of new political winds in LOT's equipment was a purchase of 5 Ilyushin Il-12 airplanes in 1949 (SP-LHA, -LHB, -LHC, -LHD, -LHE), and in 1952 one more was temporarily loaned from Czechoslovak airlines (SP-LHF). Initially they were delivered in 18 and 21-seat configuration, but quickly they were modified into 24-26-seat configuration and in 1952 into 28-seat configuration (with corresponding increase in number of passenger windows). Il-12's were known for being difficult to fly and for having extremely unreliable engines. Already in 1950 SP-LHE burned down on the ground, while in 1953 SP-LHC was damaged and scrapped. Remaining three airplanes were sold to Air Force in 1957.

Poland, Ilyushin Il-12
Image updated February 2020



In march 1952 three Czechoslovak-built Aero Ae-45 planes were bought for taxi-flights (SP-LLA, -LLB, -LLC). One of them, SP-LLB, has crashed in 1953, while remaining two served until 1957 when they were transferred to aeromedical service where they they were used for around 10 more years.

Poland, Aero Ae-45


In the late 1940s reborn Polish aviation industry created significant amount of new designs, but for various reasons few of them made it to production. In that circumstances, it was decided to begin a license-production of slightly modified Polikarpov Po-2 under designation CSS-13 (Centralne Studium Samolotów - Central Airplane Study - design bureau that oversaw technical side of the enterprise). Since in early 1950s LOT was providing crop-dusting servies, it was decided to use for this role CSS-13's. First 5 of them were obtained from aero-clubs in 1953 (SP-AKZ, -AMT, -AOK, -AOU, -APT). Later in the same year 10 new, factory fresh airplanes were added (SP-ABA, -ABD, -ABF, -ABN, -ABR, -ABW, -ABZ, -ACN, -ADO, -AEL) and in 1954 5 more were purchased (SP-ATA, -ATB, -ASY, -ASW, -ASX). In 1956 all of them (together with crop-dusting duties) were transferred to aero-clubs.

Poland, CSS-13 (Polikarpov Po-2/U-2)

Picture updated, October 2016

In 1955 LOT was using for several weeks a single Antonov An-2 equipped for geophysical research related to detection of metal ore deposits. It was registered as SP-LMA and painted in standard camouflage green but exact locations of registration markings is unknown, therefore - combined with extremely brief period of use - I decided not to show it.

Highly succesful development of unsuccesful Il-12, the Ilyushin Il-14P airplanes replaced Lisunov Li-2 as mainstay of LOT's fleet from mid-1950s to early 1970s. First 6 of them, in 18-seat configuration (6 large windows on each side of passenger cabin) were obtained in 1955 (SP-LNA, -LNB, -LNC, -LND, -LNE, -LNF), and in 1957-1957 they were modified into 26-seaters (with 7th pair of windows added). In 1957 7 more Il-14's were purchased in East Germany and Czechoslovakia (SP-LNG, -LNH, -LNI, -LNK, -LNL, -LNM, -LNN), all in 26-seat configuration. Also, temporarily some Il-14's were leased from the Air Force (SP-LNO, -LNP, -LNR, -LNS, -LNT, -LNW, -LNZ). In the late 1950s all Il-14's were modified into 28-seaters and in early 1960s into 32-seaters (8 pair of windows). Also in the 1960s SP-LNB and SP-LNE were converted into aerial survey version and in 1974 sold to Przedsiębiorstwo Usług Lotniczych (Aviational Services Company). Il-14P in LOT's service had generally good safety record - only in 1957 SP-LNF crashed at Moscow airport. In 1970 SP-LNG was transferred to Zarząd Ruchu Lotniczego i Lotnisk Komunikacyjnych (ZRLiLK, Administration of Air Traffic and Communications Airfields) where, nicknamed Papuga (Parrot) thanks to it's paint scheme, it served, mostly for calibration flights, until 1990s. In 1972 SP-LNA, -LND, -LNH, -LNK, -LNL and -LNM were sold to Soviet Union, year later remaining planes (SP-LNC, -LNI and -LNN) were sold there as well.

Poland, Ilyushin Il-14
Image updated February 2020

Yes! Il-14! The second best twin-engined aircraft ever made!! (Right behind the C-119 )

_________________
Salide - Denton - The Interrealms

I am not very active on the forums anymore, but work is still being done on my AUs. Visit the Salidan Altiverse Page on the SB Wiki for more information. All current work is being done on Google Docs.
If anyone wishes for their nations to interact with the countries of the Salidan Altiverse, please send me a PM, after which we can further discuss through email.

Excellent work! Just love this! Very, Very wellllll don!

This is becoming addictive

great!

_________________
My Worklist
Sources and documentations are the most welcome.

-Koko Kyouwakoku (Republic of Koko)
-Koko's carrier-based aircrafts of WWII
-Koko Kaiun Yuso Kaisha - KoKaYu Line (Koko AU spinoff)
-Koko - Civil Aviation

Thank You Mates for all Your kind comments! There is still lots to come!