PZL.44 Wicher

{{Short description|Polish airliner prototype}} {{Infobox aircraft |name = PZL.44 Wicher |image =PZL Wicher 1.jpg |caption = |type = Passenger plane |manufacturer =[[Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze]] |designer = |first_flight = 12 March 1938 |introduction = |retired = 1939 |status = Prototype |primary_user = [[LOT Polish Airlines]] |produced = 1938 |number_built = 1 (prototype) |unit cost = |variants = }} The '''PZL.44 Wicher''' (''gale'') was a [[prototype]] of 14-seat, twin-engine Polish [[airliner]], built in the [[Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze]] (PZL) in [[1938 in aviation|1938]]. It was to compete with the [[Douglas DC-2|DC-2]] and [[Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra|Lockheed Super Electra]].

==Design and development== In mid-1930s the Polish Ministry of Communication ordered a development of an own passenger plane for [[LOT Polish Airlines]], using imported airliners so far, mostly [[Lockheed Model 10 Electra]] and [[Douglas DC-2|DC-2]]. The plane was designed in the state factory [[Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze]] under direction of [[Wsiewołod Jakimiuk]] in 1936-1937.

The prototype was flown on March 12, [[1938 in aviation|1938]] by [[Bolesław Orliński]]. The aircraft was designated '''PZL.44 Wicher'''. In December 1938 it was given to LOT for evaluation, with registration SP-BPJ. Initially LOT airlines ordered 10 PZL.44s but high cost of a single plane and delays in development were reasons for decreasing order to 4, then for cancelling it in 1939. LOT bought a batch of 10 cheaper [[Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra]] in 1938 and 1939 instead.

Wicher was the first modern airliner designed in Poland. Its construction was very modern, but it is estimated, that the whole program was too ambitious, because a development of an own passenger plane, without much hope of export, was unprofitable. Moreover, LOT airlines found operation features of well-proven Lockheed Super Electra more satisfactory. Lockheed offered a possibility of licence production as well. Besides, the Wicher development caused delays in development of new fighter aircraft, like [[PZL.50 Jastrząb]], that were more needed in an advent of the war.

===Description=== Twin-engine low-wing cantilever [[monoplane]] of all-metal construction, metal covered (with Alclad sheet). Fuselage semi-[[monocoque]]. Crew cockpit in front with a crew of 4: two pilots, radio operator and a mechanic. Passenger cab with 14 seats in two rows, dimensions: length 9 m, width 1.7 m, height 1.85 m. In the rear, WC and (planned) buffet with steward's seat. Crew doors on the left in front, passengers' doors on the left at the rear. Baggage space was between cockpit and the passenger cab and in a tail section, capacity: 5 m<sup>3</sup>. Elliptical wing (shape similar to [[PZL.37 Łoś]] bomber). Engine nacelles in wings. Three-blade Hamilton Standard propellers. Retractable conventional [[landing gear]] - main gear with single wheels retractable to engine nacelles. Double elliptical tailfin. Fuel tanks 2200 L in wings (normal load 1800 L).

==Operational history== [[File:PZL44 Wicher.jpg|thumb|right]] After the outbreak of [[Polish September Campaign|World War II]], on 1 September 1939, the prototype was evacuated from Warsaw to [[Lwów]], but it damaged a landing gear and was left there. It was next captured by the [[Soviet invasion of Poland (1939)|invading Soviets]] and evaluated in Moscow.

==Operators == ;{{POL}} *[[LOT Polish Airlines]] operated single prototype and was expected operator of a series.

==Specifications (PZL.44)== [[File:PZL.44 Wicher 3-view.jpg|thumb|3-views of the PZL.44.]] {{Aircraft specs |ref=''Polish aircraft 1893-1939''<ref name=Cynk>{{cite book |last1=Cynk |first1=Jerzy B |title=Polish aircraft 1893-1939 |url=https://archive.org/details/polishaircraft1800cynk |url-access=registration |publisher=Putnam |date=1971 |isbn=0-370-00085-4 |pages=244–250}}</ref> |prime units?=met  |crew=4 |capacity= 14 passengers |length m=18.45 |length note= |span m=23.8 |span note= |height m=4.8 |height note= |wing area sqm=75 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=5990 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=9260 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg=9500 |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity={{cvt|1800|L|USgal impgal}} fuel; {{cvt|110|L|USgal impgal}} oil |more general=  |eng1 number=2 |eng1 name=[[Wright GR-1820-G2 Cyclone]] |eng1 type=9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine |eng1 hp=1000 |eng1 note=

|prop blade number=3 |prop name=[[Hamilton-Standard]] constant-speed propellers |prop dia m= |prop dia note=for take=off ::::{{cvt|850|hp|order=flip|0}} at {{cvt|1675|m}}  |max speed kmh=360 |max speed note=at {{cvt|2000|m}} |cruise speed kmh=280 |cruise speed note=at 65% power |stall speed kmh=110 |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed note= |range km=1840 |range note= |combat range km= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m=6850 |ceiling note=<br> *'''Single engine ceiling:''' {{cvt|2300|m}} |g limits= |roll rate= |climb rate ftmin=1365 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |wing loading kg/m2=123.5 |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |power/mass={{cvt|0.084|hp/lb|order=flip}} |more performance= }}

==See also== {{aircontent| |similar aircraft= *[[Douglas DC-2]] *[[Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra]] |lists= }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== {{commons category|PZL.44 Wicher}} * {{cite book |last1=Glass |first1=Andrzej |title=Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893–1939 |date=1977 |publisher=WKiŁ |location=Warsaw |language=pl }}

[[Category:1930s Polish airliners]] [[Category:Low-wing aircraft]] [[Category:PZL aircraft|Wicher]] [[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1938]] [[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]]