PWS-18
1930s Polish trainer aircraft
title: "PWS-18" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1930s-polish-military-trainer-aircraft", "pws-aircraft", "biplanes", "single-engined-piston-aircraft", "aircraft-with-fixed-conventional-landing-gear"] description: "1930s Polish trainer aircraft" topic_path: "geography/poland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PWS-18" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1930s Polish trainer aircraft ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | PWS-18 |
| type | Trainer aircraft |
| manufacturer | PWS |
| retired | 1939 |
| primary_user | Polish military aviation |
| produced | 1935-1936 |
| number_built | 40 |
| developed_from | Avro Tutor |
| :: |
|name =PWS-18 |image = |caption = |type =Trainer aircraft |manufacturer =PWS |designer = |first_flight = |introduction = |retired = 1939 |status = |primary_user =Polish military aviation |more_users = |produced =1935-1936 |number_built =40 |unit cost = |developed_from =Avro Tutor |variants =
The PWS-18 was a Polish trainer aircraft, used from 1937 to 1939 by the Polish Air Force, a modified licence variant of the British Avro Tutor.
Development
In 1934, the Polish government, looking for an intermediate military trainer, bought two Avro Tutor trainer aircraft together with a licence to produce the aircraft. Production was ordered in the PWS (Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów - Podlasie Aircraft Factory). In 1935, Antoni Uszacki of the PWS modified the design, fitting it with a Wright Whirlwind engine, produced under licence in Poland. The new engine cowling was much longer than the previous Townend ring type, with a carburetor air intake below it. The wing construction was changed from metal to wooden, better fitted to PWS capabilities, and the rectangular wing tips were rounded. Also some other details were changed, such as a tailskid instead of a tailwheel.
A series of 40 aircraft was built in 1935-1936 (1936-1937 according to some references). They were assigned military numbers 80-1 to 80-40. They were not produced in larger numbers because a successful indigenous Polish advanced trainer, the PWS-26, using the same engine, was designed and entered production.
Operational history
PWS-18s were used in the Polish military aviation, among others in Airforce Training Center in Dęblin, an NCO school for minors in Bydgoszcz and in training escadres of air regiments. None survived World War II.
Operators
;
Specifications
|ref=Poser - PWS - Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów : PWS-50, Polish Aircraft 1893–1939 |prime units?=met General characteristics
|crew=2 |length m=8.02 |span m=10.97 |height m=2.92 |wing area sqm=29.2 |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=900 |gross weight kg=1250 |max takeoff weight kg= |fuel capacity=150 L |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=PZL-Wright J-5B Whirlwind |eng1 type=9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine |eng1 hp=220
|prop blade number=2 |prop name=Szomański fixed-pitch propeller |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop dia note= Performance
|max speed kmh=200 |max speed note=at sea level |cruise speed kmh=170 |stall speed kmh=70 |never exceed speed kmh= |minimum control speed kmh= |range km=465 |combat range km= |ferry range km= |endurance= |ceiling m=4950 |g limits= |roll rate= |climb rate ms=5 |time to altitude=3000 m in 16 minutes 10 seconds |wing loading kg/m2=42.8 |fuel consumption kg/km= |power/mass=0.079 hp/lb |more performance= Armament
|guns=1 x 7.92 mm machinegun, pilot's or observer's (optional), |bombs=2 x 12 kg bombs (optional)
References
References
- "PWS - Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów : PWS-18".
- Cynk, Jerzy. (1971). "Polish Aircraft 1893–1939". Putnam Publishing.
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