Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów

Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów, commonly abbreviated LWS and translated as Lublin Aircraft Factory, was a Polish aircraft manufacturer based in Lublin. It operated for only a short period, from its establishment in February 1936 until the German invasion of Poland and the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, but it inherited an important industrial site and contributed to several Polish military-aircraft programmes. The company was created through the nationalization of the Plage i Laśkiewicz works, regarded as Poland's first aircraft manufacturer. The earlier company was forced into bankruptcy in late 1935 amid a broader policy promoted by Polish military aviation authorities to consolidate the country's aviation industry under state control. After nationalization, the works were reorganized as LWS. In formal terms, the factory was owned by the state aircraft manufacturer PWS, although its practical administrative relationship was with PZL, the dominant Polish aircraft-industrial organization of the period. LWS initially concentrated on completing and manufacturing aircraft derived from Plage i Laśkiewicz designs. Eighteen nearly finished Lublin R-XIIIF army-cooperation aircraft were completed in 1936 and purchased by the Polish Air Force. A further 32 aircraft were produced by 1938. The factory also continued development of the Lublin R-XX twin-engine torpedo-bomber seaplane, redesignated LWS-1, but the design was not ordered because its performance was considered inadequate. The company pursued both original designs and inherited programmes. The LWS-2 ambulance aircraft, designed by Zbysław Ciołkosz, flew as a prototype in 1937 and was considered successful, but it did not enter production because the factory was occupied with military orders. LWS also assumed responsibility for the PZL-30 medium-bomber development, which became the LWS-6 Żubr. The Żubr was inferior to the PZL.37 Łoś, so planned production was sharply reduced; only 15 were built in 1938, while work on an improved version continued until 1939. Licensed production became another important part of the company's activity. Between 1938 and 1939, LWS built 65 RWD-14 Czapla army-cooperation aircraft for the Polish Air Force. The aircraft was sometimes referred to as the LWS Czapla because of its manufacturer. LWS also developed the LWS-3 Mewa reconnaissance aircraft. The Polish Air Force ordered 200 examples, but only a few had been completed when war began, with approximately 30 more airframes still unfinished at the factory. Other projects remained proposals or prototypes. These included the LWS-5 torpedo-bomber seaplane variant, which was rejected and never completed, the LWS-4 light fighter, and the LWS-7 Mewa II reconnaissance aircraft. In addition to new construction, the factory modified 47 Potez XXV light bombers by installing PZL-built Bristol Jupiter radial engines. The German occupation ended LWS's prewar role as an independent Polish aircraft manufacturer. During the Second World War, the former factory site became part of the Majdanek concentration-camp complex. As a result, LWS is remembered both as a brief but significant element of interwar Polish aviation manufacturing and as a site incorporated into one of the most notorious Nazi concentration-camp systems.

LWS emerged from the Polish state's prewar effort to consolidate aircraft production. The predecessor, Plage i Laśkiewicz, had been Poland's first aircraft manufacturer, but the works were forced into bankruptcy in late 1935. The nationalized plant was reorganized in February 1936 as Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów. Although PWS formally owned the enterprise, LWS was practically subordinated to PZL. Major Aleksander Sipowicz served as director. Zbysław Ciołkosz initially held the technical-director and chief-designer responsibilities; from autumn 1937, Ryszard Bartel became technical director and Jerzy Teisseyre served as chief designer. The factory's first output consisted largely of inherited designs. In 1936 it completed 18 almost finished Lublin R-XIIIF army-cooperation aircraft for the Polish Air Force, followed by 32 additional aircraft by 1938. LWS continued work on the Lublin R-XX twin-engine torpedo-bomber seaplane, redesignated LWS-1, but the aircraft was not ordered because its performance was inadequate. The LWS-2 ambulance aircraft, designed by Ciołkosz, flew in 1937 and was regarded as a promising design, yet it did not enter production because the plant was committed to military orders. Another inherited programme was the PZL-30 medium bomber, developed at LWS as the LWS-6 Żubr. Its performance was substantially below that of the PZL.37 Łoś, leading to a reduction of the planned production run to 15 aircraft, built in 1938. LWS continued work on a modernized version until 1939 and also proposed the LWS-5 torpedo-bomber seaplane, but that variant was rejected and its prototype was never completed. LWS also undertook licensed production. From 1938 to 1939 it manufactured 65 RWD-14 Czapla army-cooperation aircraft for the Polish Air Force. The type is sometimes identified as the LWS Czapla because of the factory that built it. At the same time, LWS attempted to establish an indigenous reconnaissance-aircraft line with the LWS-3 Mewa. The prototype flew in 1937, and the Polish Air Force ordered 200 aircraft. The outbreak of war meant that only a few examples were completed, while roughly 30 airframes remained unfinished at the plant. The company modified aircraft as well as building them. It re-engined 47 Potez XXV light bombers with PZL-built Bristol Jupiter radial engines. Other LWS projects, including the LWS-4 light fighter and LWS-7 Mewa II reconnaissance aircraft, did not reach construction. The German invasion in September 1939 ended the factory's interwar Polish operation. During the occupation, the former factory became part of the Majdanek concentration-camp complex, linking the industrial site's history to the wider history of Nazi persecution and mass imprisonment in occupied Poland.

• 1939

  Prewar operations end

  [1]Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotówen.wikipedia.org

  The German invasion interrupted LWS production and left part of the LWS-3 Mewa order unfinished.

• 1938

  Żubr production and Czapla manufacture

  [1]Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotówen.wikipedia.org

  LWS built 15 LWS-6 Żubr bombers and began producing the RWD-14 Czapla under licence.

• 1937

  LWS-2 and LWS-3 prototypes fly

  [1]Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotówen.wikipedia.org

  The LWS-2 ambulance aircraft and LWS-3 Mewa reconnaissance-aircraft prototypes entered flight testing.

• 1936

  LWS is created

  [1]Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotówen.wikipedia.org

  The nationalized Lublin aircraft works were reorganized as Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów.

• 1936

  Initial Lublin R-XIIIF deliveries

  [1]Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotówen.wikipedia.org

  LWS completed 18 nearly finished Lublin R-XIIIF army-cooperation aircraft for the Polish Air Force.

• 1935

  Plage i Laśkiewicz is forced into bankruptcy

  [1]Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotówen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor works entered bankruptcy amid a state policy of bringing Poland's aviation industry under government control.

A state-controlled Polish military-aircraft manufacturer focused on army-cooperation, reconnaissance, bomber, naval-aircraft, and licensed-production programmes during the late interwar period.

• Army-cooperation aircraft · 1936

  Lublin R-XIIIF

  The Lublin R-XIIIF was an inherited Plage i Laśkiewicz design used for army-cooperation duties. LWS completed 18 nearly finished aircraft in 1936 and produced a further 32 for the Polish Air Force by 1938. Its production was among the factory's earliest tangible outputs after nationalization.

• Torpedo-bomber seaplane

  LWS-1

  LWS-1 was the designation applied to the continuing development of the Lublin R-XX twin-engine torpedo-bomber seaplane. The project was not ordered for service because its performance was considered insufficient.

• Ambulance aircraft · 1937

  LWS-2

  Designed by Zbysław Ciołkosz, the LWS-2 was a light ambulance aircraft whose prototype first flew in 1937. Despite being considered relatively successful, it did not enter production because LWS was occupied with military programmes.

• Medium bomber · 1938

  LWS-6 Żubr

  The LWS-6 Żubr was LWS's version of the PZL-30 medium-bomber development. It was judged inferior to the PZL.37 Łoś, limiting production to 15 aircraft built in 1938. Work on an improved variant continued until 1939.

• Army-cooperation aircraft · 1938

  RWD-14 Czapla

  The RWD-14 Czapla was manufactured by LWS under licence for the Polish Air Force. Sixty-five aircraft were built between 1938 and 1939, and the type was sometimes called the LWS Czapla in recognition of its production site.

• Reconnaissance aircraft · 1937

  LWS-3 Mewa

  The LWS-3 Mewa was an internally developed reconnaissance aircraft. Its prototype flew in 1937 and the Polish Air Force ordered 200 examples, but the Second World War began before the order could be completed. Only a few aircraft were finished and approximately 30 airframes remained incomplete.

• Aircraft modification

  Potez XXV modifications

  LWS modified 47 Potez XXV light bombers by fitting them with PZL-built Bristol Jupiter radial engines. This work complemented the company's new-build and licensed-production activities.

• Torpedo-bomber seaplane

  LWS-5

  The LWS-5 was proposed as a torpedo-bomber seaplane variant. It was not accepted and its prototype was never completed.

• Light fighter

  LWS-4

  The LWS-4 was a proposed light-fighter design that did not proceed to construction.

• Reconnaissance aircraft

  LWS-7 Mewa II

  The LWS-7 Mewa II was a proposed follow-on reconnaissance aircraft. The design was not built before LWS's prewar activities ended.

• 1938

  Reduction of LWS-6 Żubr productionGeneration change

  Background

  The LWS-6 Żubr medium bomber was assessed as substantially less capable than the PZL.37 Łoś.

  Action taken

  Planned series production was reduced to 15 aircraft, while work on a modernized version continued.

  Aftermath

  The Żubr remained a limited-production type and did not become a principal Polish bomber.

  Source

• 1936

  Nationalization and state consolidationStrategy

  Background

  Polish military aviation authorities sought to place the national aviation industry under state control. The failure of Plage i Laśkiewicz preceded the creation of LWS from its former works.

  Action taken

  The state nationalized and reorganized the Lublin plant as LWS, with formal ownership assigned to PWS and practical subordination to PZL.

  Aftermath

  LWS became a state-directed supplier for Polish military aviation, but the arrangement lasted only until the German invasion in 1939.

  Source

1. 1Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotówen.wikipedia.org