PZL P.II – FIRST TO FIGHT

All photos Henryk Clapa collection

- Jan Polc

Polish fighter pilots were the first airmen to defend their country against Nazi Germany in September 1939. They flew the elegant PZL P.11 with its characteristic gull-wing - a modification of the shoulder-mounted wing. This positioned the wings just above the upper edge of the fuselage, connected to the fuselage by means of wing roots that are bent downwards. When viewed from the front, the wing roots form a'V'and the wing resembles that of a gull. The advantage of this wing arrangement is improved visibility for the pilot, and in addition, aircraft with these wings turned out to be particularly agile. The wing came to be named after its inventor, Polish engineer Zygmunt Puławski, who initially devised the concept that was copied by other producers in various countries. Sadly, Puławski, a talented aircraft designer, lost his life in an accident at the age of only thirty.

The history of the PZL (Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze - State Aviation Works) P.11 began in 1929, when Puławski commenced work on designing an all-metal structure, metal-covered monoplane fighter aircraft. Prior to this, Polish aviation construction had concentrated on the licensed production of foreign-designed aircraft, particularly French. Puławski's all-metal approach therefore represented a considerable step-change for Polish industry.