Plage i Laśkiewicz
| File:Plage i Lakiewicz logo 1930-1935.png Logo utilized between 1930 and 1935 | |
| Formerly | Fabryka Wyrobów Miedziowych |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1860 |
| Defunct | 1935 |
| Fate | Nationalization |
| Successor | Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów |
| Headquarters | , Poland |
Key people | Jerzy Rudlicki |
Plage i Laśkiewicz (Plage & Laśkiewicz) holds the distinction of being Poland’s inaugural aerospace manufacturer, based in Lublin, producing aircraft under the Lublin brand. Its full designation was Zakłady Mechaniczne E. Plage i T. Laśkiewicz — Mechanical Works E. Plage & T. Laśkiewicz. The company was active in aircraft manufacturing from 1920 until 1935, when it was nationalized and became known as the Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów.
Origins and licensed manufacturing
Established in 1860 as Fabryka Wyrobów Miedziowych, the enterprise initially operated as a mechanical workshop focused on copper goods production. By 1919, it had adopted the name Plage i Laśkiewicz and commenced aircraft manufacturing that same year. On February 17, 1920, the Polish government commissioned the company to produce Italian-designed fighters Ansaldo A.1 Balilla and light bombers Ansaldo A.300 under license. The inaugural Polish-built A.300 took flight on June 14, 1921. Due to limited expertise at the time, the aircraft quality was subpar, resulting in numerous accidents. Consequently, production was confined to 70 A.300 bombers and 50 A.1 fighters, completed by 1924.
Although initial efforts were challenging, the factory accumulated valuable experience, leading to smoother production of subsequent aircraft models. In 1924, it undertook licensed manufacturing of French light bombers Potez XV, delivering 100 units between 1925 and 1926. From 1928 to 1931, the factory produced 150 units of the more advanced Potez 25. Additionally, between 1929 and 1930, it built eleven passenger aircraft Fokker F-VIIb/3m under Fokker license and developed twenty bomber variants based on the Fokker F-VIIb/3m design.
Indigenous designs
During the mid-1920s, a change in management brought Jerzy Rudlicki to lead the design team. Alongside licensed projects, the company began creating proprietary aircraft branded as Lublin and designated with an "R" for Rudlicki.
The first original model was the biplane bomber Lublin R-VIII, which first flew in 1928. Six units were completed by 1930; three were later converted into seaplanes serving Polish naval aviation until 1939. Prototype light passenger aircraft such as the biplane R-IX and high-wing R-XI failed to secure orders from LOT Polish Airlines. Likewise, the sport-oriented high-wing Lublin R-XII did not enter series production.
Another creation was the parasol wing liaison aircraft Lublin R-X, which flew in 1929. Although it won a competition for a Polish Air Force liaison plane, only seven units were manufactured. Rudlicki further refined this design into the trainer R-XIV and army liaison Lublin R-XIII—the latter becoming Poland’s primary army liaison aircraft and the sole Lublin model produced in large quantities. Fifteen R-XIV units were built during 1930–31, followed by 223 R-XIII aircraft from 1932 to 1935 (with an additional fifty completed after nationalization). The experimental variant R-XIX featured a novel V-tail, an innovation credited to Rudlicki.
The light passenger model Lublin R-XVI introduced in 1932 did not attract airline orders; however, six were produced as air ambulances designated R-XVIb. The final design was a twin-engine torpedo seaplane, the Lublin R-XX, which first flew in 1935 but never entered production. Several other concepts remained at the drawing board stage without reaching prototype development.
Between 1924 and 1933, the factory also manufactured automobile bodies mainly for imported Somua vehicles and buses from Ursus Tractor Factory, as well as luxury imported cars and domestic Ralf-Stetysz automobiles.
Due to strategic plans by Polish aviation authorities—particularly under Ludomił Rayski—to consolidate all aviation manufacturing within state-owned enterprises, Plage & Laśkiewicz faced financial difficulties leading to bankruptcy. After delivering seven units of an order for fifty R-XIIIF aircraft in late 1935, the Ministry of War terminated the contract citing pretexts. Consequently, the factory declared bankruptcy and was subsequently nationalized as LWS (Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów – Lublin Aircraft Works). Following this transition, eighteen nearly finished R-XIIIF planes were acquired at scrap value and completed by LWS, which then produced an additional batch of thirty-two aircraft.
Aircraft
Notes
Bibliography
- Andrzej Glass: Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893–1939 (Polish Aircraft Designs 1893–1939), WKiŁ, Warsaw, 1977 (in Polish) (ISBN not available)
| Model designation | Maiden flight | Quantity produced | Classification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plage i Laśkiewicz A.1 | 1921 | 57 | Licensed production of a single-engine biplane fighter aircraft | |
| Plage i Laśkiewicz A.300 | 1921 | 79 | Licensed manufacture of a single-engine biplane reconnaissance plane | |
| Plage i Laśkiewicz XV | 100 | Licensed built single-engine biplane light bomber | ||
| Plage i Laśkiewicz XXV | 150 | Licensed constructed single-engine biplane light bomber | ||
| Plage i Laśkiewicz F.VII/m3 | 11 | Licensed produced three-engine monoplane airliner | ||
| Plage i Laśkiewicz F.VII/m3W | 20 | Licensed manufactured three-engine monoplane bomber | ||
| Lublin R-VII | N/A | 0 | ||
| Lublin R-VIII | 1928 | 6 | Single-engine biplane light bomber aircraft | |
| Lublin R-IX | 1929 | 1 | Single-engine biplane airliner | |
| Lublin R-X | 1929 | 7 | Single-engine monoplane liaison aircraft | |
| Lublin R-XI | 1930 | 1 | Single-engine monoplane airliner model | |
| Lublin R-XII | 1930 | 1 | Single-engine monoplane sports aircraft | |
| Lublin R-XIII | 1931 | 273 | Single-engine monoplane liaison aircraft | |
| Lublin R-XIV | 1930 | 15 | Single-engine monoplane trainer | |
| Lublin R-XV | N/A | 0 | Single-engine monoplane observation aircraft | |
| Lublin R-XVI | 1932 | 7 | Single-engine monoplane ambulance plane | |
| Lublin R-XVII | N/A | 0 | Single-engine biplane experimental aircraft | |
| Lublin R-XVIII | N/A | 0 | Three-engine biplane heavy bomber | |
| Lublin R-XIX | 1 | Single-engine monoplane experimental aircraft | ||
| Lublin R-XX | 1935 | 1 | Twin-engine monoplane torpedo bomber seaplane | |
| align = left | Lublin R-XXI | N/A | 0 | - |
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