W. J. M. Turowicz
| Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz | |
|---|---|
Wladyslaw Turowicz's photo at Monument of Air Cdre Władysław Turowicz in Karachi
|
|
| Born |
23 April 1908 Wadziejewsko, Siberia, Russian Empire |
| Died | 8 January 1980 (aged 71) Karachi, Pakistan |
| Residence | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Citizenship | Pakistan (1956–1980) |
| Nationality | Poland |
| Fields | Aeronautical Engineering |
| Institutions |
Polish Air Force Academy Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission |
| Alma mater | Warsaw Polytechnic, Poland |
| Doctoral advisor | Dr. Antoni Kocjan |
| Notable students | Abdul Majid (physicist) |
| Known for |
Pakistan's Space Program Pakistan Air Force pioneer Missile and Rocket Technology |
| Influenced | Dr. Ryszard Bartel |
| Notable awards |
Sitara-e-Pakistan (1965) Tamgha-i-Pakistan (1967) Sitara-i-Khidmat (1967) Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam (1971) Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Mil) (1972) Abdus Salam Award in Aeronautical Engineering (1978) ICTP Award in Space Physics (1979) |
| Air Cdre Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Air Cdre Wlady |
| Born | 1908 |
| Died | 1980 |
| Allegiance |
 Pakistan United Kingdom Poland
|
| Service/branch |
 Pakistan Air Force (1947–1980) Royal Air Force (1930–1947) Polish Air Force (1927–1930) |
| Years of service | 1927–1980 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Other work | Administrator and chief scientist at SUPARCO |
Polish Air Force Academy
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
Pakistan Air Force Academy
Air Commodore Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz (23 April 1908 – 8 January 1980), usually referred to as W. J. M. Turowicz, was a Polish-Pakistani aviator, military scientist and aeronautical engineer.
Turowicz was the administrator of Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) from 1967 to 1970. He was one of forty five Polish officers and airmen who joined RPAF on contract in the early fifties. After completion of his initial contract, Turowicz opted to stay on in Pakistan and continued to serve in PAF and later, SUPARCO.
Turowicz made significant contributions to Pakistan's missile/rocket program as a chief aeronautical engineer. In Pakistan, he remains highly respected as a scientist and noted aeronautical engineer.
Turowicz was born to an aristocratic family in the village of Wadziejewsko in Siberia (Russia) in 1908, where he graduated from high school. The Polish name of the village may suggest it was inhabited by Poles who were exiled or imprisoned by the Tsar, as it was unusual for Polish aristocrats to live in Siberia for non-political reasons. From an early age on, Turowicz was fascinated by aviation technology and had collected different models of aircraft. Due to this passion, he moved to Warsaw where he attended the most prestigious engineering institute, the Warsaw University of Technology (WTU) in 1920, majoring in aeronautical engineering; upon graduation, he received his PhD with honours in 1926. While at Warsaw University of Technology, Turowicz joined and became a pioneering member of a Aeroklub Polski (better known as Polish Aero Club) where he had previliged to study and work with noted Polish engineers to the field of aerospace engineering. A distinguished member of Polski Club, he had an opportunity to study and work with Ryszard Bartel, Jerzy Drzewiecki, Henry Millicer, to name a few. It was here at the Aero Club that Turowicz met his future wife, Zofia Turowicz with whom he would have 4 children. In addition, he completed an MSc in astrodynamics in 1927 from the same institution. He joined the Polish Air Force as an aeronautical engineer and fighter pilot, but later emigrated to United Kingdom where he joined the Royal Air Force in 1930 as a reservist Polish pilot.
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