Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów
| File:Preview Lubelska Wytwornia Samolotow logo (1).jpg | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Plage i Laśkiewicz |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Headquarters | , Poland |
Key people | |
| Parent | Podlaska Wytwórnia Samolotów (1936–1939) |
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Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów (abbreviated as LWS; translated from Polish as Lublin Aircraft Factory) was a Polish aerospace producer based in Lublin. Established in 1936 from the assets of Plage i Laśkiewicz, it manufactured aircraft until 1939.
History
The foundation of LWS stemmed from the nationalization of the Plage i Laśkiewicz company, Poland’s inaugural aircraft manufacturer. Under directives from Polish military aviation leadership, led by Ludomił Rayski, which aimed to consolidate the aviation sector under state control, Plage & Laśkiewicz was compelled to declare bankruptcy at the end of 1935. Subsequently, in February 1936, it was nationalized and renamed LWS. Although officially under the ownership of the state enterprise PWS, operational control was effectively exercised by PZL. Leadership included Maj. Aleksander Sipowicz as director, with initial technical direction and chief design by Zbysław Ciołkosz; from autumn 1937, technical director duties passed to Ryszard Bartel, and chief designer to Jerzy Teisseyre.
Early LWS models were continuations of Plage & Laśkiewicz designs. In 1936, 18 nearly finished units of the Lublin R-XIIIF army cooperation aircraft were completed and acquired by the Polish Air Force. The aircraft’s quality had been used as justification for forcing the prior company’s bankruptcy. An additional batch of 32 was produced for the Air Force by 1938. The factory also pursued development of a twin-engine torpedo bomber seaplane prototype, initially designated Lublin R-XX and later LWS-1; however, it failed to secure orders due to inadequate performance.
In 1937, a prototype ambulance aircraft, the LWS-2 designed by Ciołkosz, took flight. Despite showing promise, it did not proceed to production because the factory prioritized military contracts.
The medium bomber project PZL-30, also designed by Ciołkosz, was transferred to LWS in 1936 and redesignated as the LWS-6 Żubr. Its performance lagged behind that of the superior PZL.37 Łoś, resulting in a reduced production run limited to 15 units completed in 1938. Nonetheless, efforts to modernize this model continued until 1939. The company additionally proposed a torpedo-bomber seaplane variant named LWS-5; this design was ultimately rejected due to poor performance and its prototype remained unfinished.
Between 1938 and 1939, LWS manufactured a series of 65 licensed army cooperation aircraft based on the RWD-14 Czapla for the Polish Air Force—occasionally referred to as the LWS Czapla after its manufacturer. A prototype of an advanced reconnaissance plane, the LWS-3 Mewa developed internally, flew in 1937. Although an order for 200 units was placed by the Polish Air Force, only a few were completed shortly after World War II began; roughly 30 remained incomplete at the factory.
Besides producing aircraft, LWS upgraded 47 Potez XXV light bombers—originally license-built by Plage & Laśkiewicz and PWS—by installing radial PZL (Bristol) Jupiter engines. The company also designed but did not build the LWS-4 light fighter and the reconnaissance aircraft LWS-7 Mewa II.
During World War II, the former factory premises were incorporated into the Majdanek concentration camp.
Aircraft
| Model designation | Maiden flight | Quantity produced | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| LWS-1 | 1935 | 1 | Twin-engine monoplane torpedo bomber seaplane |
| LWS-2 | 1937 | 1 | Single-engine monoplane ambulance aircraft |
| LWS-3 Mewa | 1938 | 20[lower-alpha 1] | Single-engine monoplane liaison aircraft |
| LWS-4 | N/A | 0 | Single-engine monoplane fighter aircraft[2] |
| LWS-5 | N/A | 0 | Twin-engine monoplane medium bomber floatplane |
| LWS-6 Żubr | 1937[3] | 16 | Twin-engine monoplane medium bomber aircraft |
| LWS-7 Mewa II | N/A | 0 | Single-engine monoplane liaison aircraft |
| LWS Czapla | 65 | Licensed production of single-engine monoplane liaison aircraft |
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