The SZD-18 Czajka (''

Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny Szybowcowy Zakład Doświadczalny (SZD), ''Glider Experimental Works'' was a glider aircraft, glider design and research centre of the Polish aerospace industry after World War II, located in Bielsko-Biała. Through its history it underwent many or ...

'' - Glider Experimental Works) (Czajka in en, Lapwing) was a single-seat glider designed and built in Poland in 1956.

Development

The last attempt by the LPŻ ('' Liga Przyjaciół Żołnierza'' – Soldier's Friends League) paramilitary organization to design a single-seat training glider, after SZD-15 and SZD-16 designs, was the SZD-18 Czajka ('' lapwing''), which appeared in 1956. It had a simple structure, box fuselage, strutted high wing and low performance typical for the primary type of training glider. The LPŻ held a competition in 1955 for the design of a new primary style single-seat trainer, which was won in March 1955 by the design by Tadeusz Grudzieński, named X-11.Krzyżan, Marian, ''Samoloty w muzeach polskich'' ircraft in the Polish museums Warsaw: Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Łączności, 1983, , p. 140 The prototype glider was constructed in the SZD in Bielsko by

Władysław Okarmus Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to: Famous people Mononym *W ...

, and designated SZD-18. Flight trials began on 30 November 1956 (pilot

Adam Zientek Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...

) proving, that the SZD-18 had good handling qualities and performance adequate for its intended role. It was regarded as one of the best gliders in its class Babiejczuk, Janusz and Grzegorzewski, Jerzy. ''Polski przemysł lotniczy 1945-1973'' (Polish aerospace industry 1945-197). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo MON, 1974, p. 123 and the Polish best training glider. However, the aero clubs, now independent of the LPŻ, rejected the single-seat training concept, moving towards the more conventional two-seat pupil/instructor method, which had been proven to be quicker, more efficient and safer. No production was carried out and the sole prototype (SP-1640) flew as a club glider with the Warsaw aero club until 1966, when it was given to the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków. SZD18 Czajka2

Specifications (SZD-18 Czajka with nacelle)

References

External links

*http://www.dasvirtuelleluftfahrtmuseum.de/htmi/itf/szd18.htm *http://www.abpic.co.uk/search.php?q=PZL-Bielsko%20SZD-18%20Czajka&u=type *http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=PZL-Bielsko%20SZD-18%20Czajka&distinct_entry=true *http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1087370/ *http://www.muzeumlotnictwa.pl/zbiory_sz.php?ido=93&w=a {{Polish gliders SZD-18 1950s Polish sailplanes Aircraft first flown in 1956

Development

Specifications (SZD-18 Czajka with nacelle)

See also

References

Further reading

External links