PZL.3
title: "PZL.3" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1920s-polish-bomber-aircraft", "pzl-aircraft"] topic_path: "geography/poland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PZL.3" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | PZL.3 |
| aircraft_type | Heavy bomber |
| manufacturer | PZL |
| designer | Władysław Zalewski |
| status | project |
| number_built | 0 |
| :: |
| name = PZL.3 | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Heavy bomber | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = | manufacturer = PZL | design_group = | designer = Władysław Zalewski | builder = | issuer = | status = project | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 0 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded =
The PZL.3 was a Polish four-engine monoplane heavy bomber project designed by Władysław Zalewski in 1928-1930 at Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze.
Design and development
At the time of the formation of PZL the Polish Department of Aeronautics gave the new design office the task of designing a heavy bomber. Zalewski drew heavily on his 1924 WZ-IX Pteranodon bomber and during the winter of 1928-29 the detailed design took shape. He proposed a large low-wing cantilever monoplane with four our 500 hp Bristol Jupiter engines in push-pull tandem nacelles over the wings mounted on pylons. A semi-monocoque stressed skin fuselage was to have its structural members and skinning be in Duralumin. The PZL.3 would have had twin fins and a fixed trousered tail-wheel undercarriage. Armament would have included 3 machine-guns and up to 3000 kg of bombs.
Due to the dire economic situation at the start of the 1930s and the substantial cost and risk, funds for a prototype were not forthcoming and the project was dropped. After this, Zalewski left PZL and subsequently refused to work on Government sponsored projects.
Specifications
|ref=Polish Aircraft 1893-1939 |prime units?=met |crew=5 or 6 |length m=22|span m=36|height m= |wing area sqm= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=7,500|gross weight kg=12,500 |fuel capacity= |eng1 number=4|eng1 name=Bristol Jupiter|eng1 type=9-cyl. Air-cooled radial engines|eng1 kw=373 |prop blade number=|prop dia m= |max speed kmh=280 |max speed note= at sea level (estimated) |range km= |endurance= |ceiling m= |climb rate ms= |time to altitude= |wing loading kg/m2=73.6 |guns= 3x manually aimed machine-guns in nose, dorsal and ventral positions.. |bombs= up to 3,000kg of bombs
References
References
- Cynk, Jerzy B.. (1971). "Polish Aircraft 1893-1939". Putnam & Company Ltd..
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