PZL.12
| PZL-12 (PZL-H) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Touring amphibious flying boat |
| Manufacturer | PZL |
| First flight | February 1931 |
| Status | Prototype |
| Primary user | Poland |
| Number built | 1 |
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| |
PZL.12 (PZL-H) was a prototype of a Polish amphibious flying boat designed and built in 1931 by Zygmunt Puławski, a pioneering Polish designer. He was killed in a crash involving this design.
Design and development
The Polish designer Zygmunt Puławski of the PZL works designed PZL-H in 1930, as a small touring amphibious aircraft, for his own needs. The factory agreed to construct a single aircraft for Puławski. At the same time, the Polish Navy revealed interest in training and liaison seaplanes, and PZL-H was proposed to the Navy. In late 1930 the prototype was built in the PZL in Warsaw in a semi-amateur way. It finally was given a designation PZL.12.
The prototype was first flown in February 1931 in Warsaw by Puławski, in a land configuration (without auxiliary floats). The plane was not tested on water. During the sixth flight on 21 March 1931, right after take-off, the plane stalled due to strong wind and crashed in Warsaw, killing Puławski. The death of this talented designer of fighter aircraft was recognized as a heavy blow to the Polish Air Force capabilities. Further work upon PZL.12 ceased.
Design
Mixed construction high-wing cantilever monoplane flying boat. A fuselage of duralumin construction, metal-covered, square in cross-section, split into watertight compartments. A V-shaped bottom was single-stepped. Engine on struts above a fuselage, with a two-blade pusher propeller. Two-spar trapezoid wings with rounded ends, of wooden construction, plywood and canvas covered. A tail of wooden construction. Crew of two, sitting side by side in an open cockpit. Retractable landing gear: main gear folding under wings, rear skid. There were planned auxiliary floats under wings. Fuel tank 100 l.
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: 1, pilot
- Capacity: 1
- Length: 7.8 m ()
- Wingspan: 11.05 m ()
- Height: 2.9 m ()
- Wing area: 19 m² (ft²)
- Empty weight: 440 kg ()
- Useful load: 220 kg ()
- Loaded weight: 660 kg ()
- Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy III air-cooled 4-cylinder straight engine, 130 hp ()
Performance
- Maximum speed: 180 km/h
- Cruise speed: 155 km/h
- Stall speed: 75 km/h ()
- Range: 550 km ()
- Service ceiling: 4200 m ()
- Rate of climb: 3.7 m/s ()
- Wing loading: 35 kg/m² ()
Armament
- unarmed
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
- Glass, Andrzej. Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939 ("Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939"). Warsaw: WKiŁ, 1977 (Polish language, no ISBN).
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to PZL.12. |