RWD 10

The aircraft was designed as a single-seater aerobatic sports plane that could also be used as a trainer for fighter pilots. Its chief designer was Jerzy Drzewiecki of the RWD design team at the DWL (Doświadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze) aircraft factory. Its silhouette was similar to the RWD-8. The first prototype (registration SP-ALC), was flown in July 1933 by Drzewiecki. Its stability was not satisfactory, but after modifications, including lengthening of the fuselage, it turned out to be a successful design, completing state trials in 1935. In a mock dogfight with the PZL P.11c fighter, the RWD-10 kept on the P.11's tail. The first public aerobatics show of the RWD-10 took place during the Gordon Bennett Cup in ballooning on September 14–15, 1935 in Warsaw.

In 1936, the LOPP paramilitary organization ordered 20 aircraft, the purchase funded by a public collection for aviation development. They were built in 1937 and then distributed among the Polish regional aero clubs - the largest number going to the Warsaw Aero Club. In 1938, another two were built. In total, approximately 22 serial RWD-10s were produced.

Three aircraft crashed before the war, the rest were probably destroyed during the Invasion of Poland in 1939.

Mixed construction single-engine single-seat braced high-wing (parasol wing) monoplane, conventional in layout. Fuselage of a steel frame, covered with canvas on a wooden frame, in aluminum in engine section. Straight double-trapezoid two-part wing, of wooden construction, covered with canvas and plywood in front, two-spar. The wing was supported by a central pyramid and twin struts. Wooden construction cantilever empennage, covered with plywood (stabilizers) and canvas (rudder and elevators). A pilot in an open cockpit, had a windshield. Conventional fixed landing gear, with a rear skid. Four-cylinder air-cooled inverted straight engine PZInż. Junior (licence built Walter Junior) with 82 kW (110 hp) nominal power and 90 kW (120 hp) take-off power. Two-blade wooden propeller Szomański, of a fixed pitch. Fuel tank in the fuselage: 54 l (fuel consumption 25 l/h).

Data from Polish aircraft 1893-1939[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
• Height: 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 9 m² (97 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 350 kg (772 lb)
• Gross weight: 4,775 kg (10,527 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 54 l (14 US gal; 12 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × PZ Inż. Junior 4-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engine, 90 kW (120 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed Szomański fixed pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 230 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 180 km/h (110 mph, 97 kn)
• Landing speed: 95 km/h (59 mph; 51 kn)
• Range: 400 km (250 mi, 220 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 6,000 m (20,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 6.2 m/s (1,220 ft/min)
• Time to altitude: 1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 2 minutes 55 seconds
• Wing loading: 52.8 kg/m² (10.8 lb/sq ft)
• Power/mass: 0.173 kW/kg (0.105 hp/lb)
  
• Take-off run: 67 m (220 ft)
• Landing run: 100 m (328 ft)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Bücker Bü 131
• Focke-Wulf Fw 56

• Glass, Andrzej (1977). Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893–1939 (in Polish). Warsaw: WKiŁ.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RWD 10.

• Photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba site