RWD-13 im Luftfahrtmuseum Krakau
This RWD 13 (c/n 283) previously saw Romanian Air Force service with the serial '6'. It is now on display in the new entrance building at the Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego. Krakow, Poland. 23-8-2013. The following info is taken from the museum's website:- "RWD - Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki - the three young engineers, who at the beginning of the 1930's, designed the whole family of the excellent sport aircraft. With the RWD 5bis, f/lt Stanisław Skarżyński crossed the Atlantic in 1933, with the RWD 6, f/lt Franciszek Żwirko and Stanisław Wigura, won the 1932 Challenge International des Avions de Torisme and in 1934, f/lt Jerzy Bajan and f/sgt Gustaw Pokrzywka repeated this success, in the RWD 9. In the fall of 1934, as a commission of the Air and Gas Defence League (LOPP), engineers Stanisław Rogalski, Leszek Dulęba and Jerzy Drzewiecki worked on a popular tourist aircraft. Initially, it was planned to carry the RWD 6 bis designation - the three seat RWD 13 was the developed version of the RWD 6 and the RWD 9. Despite resigning from the complex and expensive technology, the aircraft possessed very good flight and STOL characteristics. On a welded truss, the body of wooden longerons and fabric covered formers was imposed to achieve better aerodynamic shape. The whole fuselage was fabric covered and the wings were of plywood with a fabric covering. The cockpit, with good visibility, was equipped with heating and ventilation. Long travel shock absorbers allowed for hard landings. The folding wings (for better storage), were equipped with automatic slots and slotted ailerons. The aircraft was powered by an inverted in - line engine. The first SP - AOA RWD 13 prototype took to the air, on the 15th January 1935, flown by Kazimierz Chorzewski. After introducing a few minor changes into the airframe construction, serial production of the RWD 13 started in May 1935. It was continued until the outbreak of war in 1939. 20 aircraft out of 100 produced were exported. One of the RWD 13 still flies in Brasil. In Poland, the majority of the RWD 13 aircraft were bought by the Ministry of Communication and by LOPP. A few reached private hands and two or three aircraft were bought by military authorities in August 1939. During the flight in September to the base in Brześć, where they had to serve as executive machines, one was shot at mistakenly, by Polish anti aircraft artillery. The aircraft was also licence produced by the Yugoslavian Rogozarski Works. In September 1939, some 30 RWD 13 and 13 S were interned in Romania and one in Sweden. Since 1937, in parallel to the RWD 13, the ambulance version RWD 13 S was produced. During the International Sanitary Aviation Competition in July 1938, in Luxemburg, the RWD 13 S was voted as the best machine. Apart from this, the RWD 13 took part in national and international air shows: International Jamboree in Holland, the 4th International Air Meeting in Zurich and the Air Meeting at the Balaton Lake, Hungary. In May 1939, the luxury version SP - BNY RWD 13 was presented as a wedding gift by the President of the Republic of Poland to the Persian crown prince Mohammed Reza. The RWD 13 served as an ambulance and liaison aircraft during the Spanish Civil War, the Polish Campaign, on the Eastern Front by the Romanians (against Soviets) and by Jews in 1947 against the Arabs. In the same year, four of the RWD 13's interned in Romania had returned to Poland The exhibited aircraft served in aeroclubs until 1935. In 1963 it was given to the Museum."