Samolot
Wielkopolska Wytwórnia Samolotów " Samolot " S. A. ( roughly: Wielkopolska Aircraft Factory "airplane" AG) was a Polish aircraft manufacturer that existed from 1923 to 1931.
History
The company was established as a limited company in Poznań into being on 11 August 1923. The company was awarded by the Polish government as capital a 3000 m² hangar with adjoining airfield, which was operated in the First World War by the air forces of the German Empire. In addition, the WWS received loans for the purchase of American and French machine tools.
The official inauguration of the new plant took place on 27 April 1924. Only a few weeks earlier, he had received the first order by the Polish army, which commissioned the licensed production of 25 Hanriot HD -14. However, the first aircraft flew in February 1925. Overall production included 117 double decker this type.
It was followed by other productions of the französisichen pattern Hanriot H -19 and H -28 Hanriot License.
The first self-construction Bartel BM -2 was designed in November 1926 by the engineer Ryszard Bartel. However, the Polish army showed little interest in and ordered only two test specimens. The operation came then in financial difficulties, which necessitated the intervention of the state. An attempt to involve the Czechoslovak Škoda Aktiengesellschaft WWS failed.
WWS survived the crisis only by reducing the staff by 27% and assurances for orders from the Polish Ministry of Aviation. The type BM -2 was developed to Bartel BM- 3, which was designed as a training aircraft. In November 1927 issued an order for the production of five machines. The latter was allowed to fall quickly in favor of the development Bartel BM -4. A series of 40 specimens of the latter type was ordered in June 1928. Also, the parallel developed type Bartel BM -5, also a school and liaison aircraft, became interested and it was adopted in June 1929 an order for 23 aircraft, which was soon increased to 40. By installing the newer engine Hispano- Suiza 180KM variant Bartel BM -6, of which in November 1928 was 3 copies were ordered.
On September 12, 1929, the company WWS experienced another setback when a fire destroyed a not inconsiderable part of the production capacity and also almost finished aircraft. The resulting monetary losses ultimately led to bankruptcy, which was filed in November of the same year. Production ceased on 1 February 1931. A portion of the workforce found new work in PWS, the design office, however, has been integrated into the development department of PZL.
Produced types
- Hanriot HD -14
- Hanriot H-19
- Hanriot H -28
- Bartel BM -2
- Bartel BM-3
- Bartel BM -4
- Bartel BM -5
- Bartel BM -6