PZL P.8

{{Infobox aircraft | name = PZL P.8 | logo = | logo_size = | image = PZL P8 I.jpg | alt = | caption = PZL P.8/I | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Fighter | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = | manufacturer = PZL | design_group = | designer = Zygmunt Puławski<ref name="Cynk">{{cite book|last=Cynk|first=Jerzy B.|title=Polish Aircraft 1893-1939|publisher=Putnam & Company Ltd.|location=London|year=1971|isbn=0-370-00085-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/polishaircraft1800cynk}}</ref> | builder = | issuer = | status = Prototypes only | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 2<ref name="Cynk"/> | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = August 1931<ref name="Cynk"/> | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = PZL P.1 | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}

'''PZL P.8''' was a Polish fighter aircraft designed by Zygmunt Puławski, from the family of fighters with Polish wing (also called the Puławski wing), developed and produced by Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze (PZL) in the early 1930s.<ref name="Cynk"/>

==Design and development==

The PZL P.8 was loosely based on the PZL P.1, retaining the slab-sided fuselage and strut braced gull wing characteristic of Puławski's fighters throughout the 1930s. Despite official preference toward radial engines Puławski won authority to develop a new fighter powered by V-12 engines up to {{convert|800|hp|abbr=on}}. The two fighter designs which emerged were designated P.8 and P.9, re-using the designations of two seaplane designs that had been rejected by the Polish Navy. Two power-plants were fitted to the two prototypes; the P.8/I was fitted with a {{convert|640|hp|abbr=on}} Hispano-Suiza 12Mc; the P.8/II was fitted with a {{convert|760|hp|abbr=on}} Lorraine 12Hfrs Pétrel Chasse.<ref name="Cynk"/>

The airframe of the PZL P.8 continued Puławski's theme of semi-monocoque stressed skin Aluminium alloy structure with fabric covered control surfaces. The wings were built up around two I-section Aluminium alloy spars with alloy ribs and finely corrugated sheet Duralumin. High set gull style wings were attached to the upper fuselage with about 5 degrees dihedral out to the joint between centre-section and outer wings which had zero dihedral. Support for the wings came from pairs of struts attached to the lower fuselage and at the thickest section of the outer wings at about 1/3span. A fixed tail-wheel undercarriage consisted of strut mounted mainwheels attached to the fuselage at the wing strut attachment points and a steel shod tail-skid. Cooling for the engine was achieved by a large radiator bath under the rear fuselage on the P.8/I and by special surface heat exchangers under the rear fuselage of the PZL P.8/II. The special heat exchangers caused cooling difficulties and were replaced by small radiators either side of the rear fuselage aft of the cockpit.<ref name="Cynk"/>

Flight testing of the first prototype began in 1931, with the second prototype following in 1932, competing in that year's International Air Meeting in Warsaw and the 1932 Salon de l'Aeronautique at Paris. The PZL P.8/I was also due to appear at the 1932 Zurich Meeting, replacing the PZL P.8/II but was damaged beyond repair during a landing at Innsbruck. Beset by cooling problems and with the death of Puławski in 1931, the Department of Aeronautics could not be persuaded to continue with development of V-12 powered fighters, continuing development of the radial engined PZL P.7. Production versions of the PZL P.8 would have been designated P.8 for Hispano-Suiza powered versions, PZL P.9 for Lorraine Pétrel powered versions and PZL P.10 for a proposed {{convert|570|hp|abbr=on}} Rolls-Royce Kestrel powered derivative.<ref name="Cynk"/>

==Variants== ;P.8/I :The first prototype powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12Mc engine.<ref name="Cynk"/> ;P.8/II :The second prototype powered by a Lorraine 12Hfrs Pétrel Chasse engine.<ref name="Cynk"/> ;P.9 :Production version of the P.8/II, powered by a Pétrel engine.<ref name="Cynk"/> ;P.10 :A proposed version to be powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine.<ref name="Cynk"/>

==Specifications (PZL P.8/II)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=Polish Aircraft 1893-1939<ref name="Cynk"/><!-- for giving the reference for the data --> |prime units?=met<!-- imp or kts first for US aircraft, and UK aircraft pre-metrification, met(ric) first for all others. You MUST choose a format, or no specifications will show --> <!-- General characteristics --> |genhide=

|crew=1 |capacity= |length m=7.56 |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m=10.5 |span ft= |span in= |span note= |upper span m= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |mid span m= |mid span ft= |mid span in= |mid span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |swept m=<!-- swing-wings --> |swept ft=<!-- swing-wings --> |swept in=<!-- swing-wings --> |swept note= |dia m=<!-- airships etc --> |dia ft=<!-- airships etc --> |dia in=<!-- airships etc --> |dia note= |width m=<!-- if applicable --> |width ft=<!-- if applicable --> |width in=<!-- if applicable --> |width note= |height m=2.75 |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm=18 |wing area sqft= |wing area note= |swept area sqm=<!-- swing-wings --> |swept area sqft=<!-- swing-wings --> |swept area note= |volume m3=<!-- lighter-than-air --> |volume ft3=<!-- lighter-than-air --> |volume note= |aspect ratio=<!-- give where relevant eg sailplanes --> |airfoil= |empty weight kg=1,102 |empty weight lb= |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=1,573 |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |lift kg=<!-- lighter-than-air --> |lift lb=<!-- lighter-than-air --> |lift note= |more general= <!-- Powerplant --> |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Lorraine 12Hfrs Pétrel Chasse |eng1 type=V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine |eng1 kw=570<!-- prop engines --> |eng1 hp=<!-- prop engines --> |eng1 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines --> |eng1 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines --> |eng1 note= (P.8/II & P.9) |power original= |thrust original= |eng1 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners --> |eng1 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->

|eng2 number=1 |eng2 name=Hispano-Suiza 12Mc |eng2 type=V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine |eng2 kw=480<!-- prop engines --> |eng2 hp=<!-- prop engines --> |eng2 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines --> |eng2 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines --> |eng2 note= (P.8/I) |eng2 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners --> |eng2 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->

|eng3 number=1 |eng3 name=Rolls-Royce Kestrel |eng3 type=V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine |eng3 kw=430<!-- prop engines --> |eng3 hp=<!-- prop engines --> |eng3 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines --> |eng3 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines --> |eng3 note=(P.10) |eng3 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners --> |eng3 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners --> |more power=

|prop blade number=2<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop name=Ratier |prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft --> |prop note=

|rot number=<!-- helicopters --> |rot dia m=<!-- helicopters --> |rot dia ft=<!-- helicopters --> |rot dia in=<!-- helicopters --> |rot area sqm=<!-- helicopters --> |rot area sqft=<!-- helicopters --> |rot area note= <!-- Performance --> |perfhide=

|max speed kmh=350 |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note=at sea level |max speed mach=<!-- supersonic aircraft --> |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh=<!-- aerobatic --> |stall speed mph=<!-- aerobatic --> |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh=105 |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km=500 |range miles= |range nmi= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance=<!-- if range unknown --> |ceiling m=9,100 |ceiling ft= |ceiling note=absolute |g limits=<!-- aerobatic --> |roll rate=<!-- aerobatic --> |glide ratio=<!-- sailplanes --> |climb rate ms=11.1 |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude=5,000m in 7min 30s |sink rate ms=<!-- sailplanes --> |sink rate ftmin=<!-- sailplanes --> |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2=87 |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |disk loading kg/m2= |disk loading lb/sqft= |disk loading note=

|power/mass=0.5hp/kg |thrust/weight=

|more performance= <!-- Armament --> |guns= 2 x 7.7mm synchronised machine guns in the upper engine cowling |bombs= |rockets= |missiles=

|hardpoints= |hardpoint capacity= |hardpoint rockets= |hardpoint missiles= |hardpoint bombs= |hardpoint other=

|other armament=

|avionics= }}

==See also== {{aircontent |related= *PZL P.1 *PZL P.6 *PZL P.7 *PZL P.11 *PZL P.24 |similar aircraft= |lists= }}

== References == {{commons category|PZL P.8}} {{Reflist}}

{{PZL aircraft}}

Category:Gull-wing aircraft Category:PZL aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1931 Category:Single-engined piston aircraft