PWS-10
| PWS-10 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Fighter aircraft |
| Manufacturer | PWS |
| First flight | March 1930 |
| Introduction | 1932 |
| Retired | 1939 |
| Primary users |
Polish Air Force Spanish Air Force |
| Produced | 1931-1932 |
| Number built | 80 |
The PWS-10 was a Polish fighter aircraft, constructed in the PWS (Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów - Podlasie Aircraft Factory). It was the first Polish-designed fighter to enter serial production.
First work on a domestic fighter to replace ill-fated French SPAD 61s in the Polish Air Force was initiated by PWS in 1927. Main designers were Aleksander Grzędzielski and Augustyn Zdaniewski. In 1929 the first prototype was built and it first flew in March 1930. At the same time, the more modern fighter PZL P.1 was developed by the PZL. Despite the P.1 being a more capable fighter, the War Ministry decided that it needed further work, and a series of 80 PWS-10 was ordered as a temporary measure. In comparison with the advanced P.1, the PWS-10 was a more classic design, a high-wing parasol monoplane of mixed construction.
The series was built from 1931 to 1932, numbered from 5-1 to 5-80.
A variant of PWS-10 was a biplane PWS-15, being basically PWS-10 with another pair of wings. A single prototype was made in order to compare with a monoplane, on factory's own initiative. It first flew in spring of 1931. It offered better manoeuvrability and climb ratio with slightly lower maximum speed. PWS-15 was not produced and was soon broken up.
Mixed construction high-wing parasol monoplane, canvas and plywood covered. A fuselage of a metal frame, covered with duralumin in front section and canvas in rear section. Two-spar elliptic wings, of wooden construction, canvas and plywood covered. Stabilizers, rudder and elevator of metal construction, canvas covered. Open pilot's cockpit, with a windshield. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid. Engine: 12-cylinder water-cooled inline W engine Lorraine-Dietrich LD-12Eb, built by licence in Polish Skoda Works. Water radiator under a fuselage front. Two-blade wooden propeller of a fixed pitch. Fuel tank 280 l in a fuselage. Armament: two fixed 7.7 mm Vickers machineguns with interrupter gear, in hull sides.
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