PZL.50 Jastrząb - Poland Hawk

[Would you like to see this in-game?]
  • Yes, as tech tree vehicles
  • Yes, as rank 1 premiums
  • Yes, as event vehicles
  • No
0 voters
Where should it be in?
  • German Tech Tree
  • Sweden Tech Tree
  • British Tech Tree
  • French Tech Tree
  • Future Polish Air Tree
  • I said no
0 voters

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Introduction:
The PZL.50 Jastrząb was a Polish late-1930s fighter aircraft, later changed to interceptor . Designed as the successor to the PZL.11 and PZL.24, it was intended to be a multi-purpose fighter and escort aircraft. Only two prototype and a few unfinished airframes were built before the invasion of Poland.
In game both the PZL.50A and PZL.50B would be nice rank 1 fighter or interceptor (to give it airspawn) with the A version being 1.3-1.7 and the B at 2.0 - 2.3. The PZL.50/1 could also be a rank 1 premium or a low tier event vehicle.
History:

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In the mid-1930s, the Polish Air Force planned to replace their outdated PZL.11 and PZL.24 fighters with the PZL.38 Wilk but the project was cancelled after encountering numerous engine and performance problems. In late 1936, the Armament Committee (KSUS) issued an order for a single-seat fighter aircraft. The PZL.50 Jastrząb design was chosen, and work began in late 1936 under the direction of PZL’s Chief Designer, Wsiewołod Jakimiuk. The first prototype (PZL.50/I), was completed in late 1938 and first flown on February 22nd, 1939. It was fitted with an 840 hp Bristol Mercury VIII engine. A British Dowty retractable landing gear was intended to be fitted, but delays in delivery forced the use of the heavier Polish Avia 4L gear. The aircraft was only able to achieved a top speed of 420 km/h at 3,600 meters, which was only slightly faster than the PZL.24. Maneuverability was also subpar compared to the older plane, even losing a mock dogfight to a PZL.37 Łoś light bomber carrying no payload while lacking armaments or equipment. Low-speed turns was very bad and the plane also tends to wobble at top speed. The prototype also suffered from low engine power issue, which was found out later that May to be the small carburetor air intake. After modification to the intake and improving the control surface, top speed was improved to 442 km/h. The second prototype (PZL. 50/II), was redesignated as an interceptor and featured a redesigned fuselage with a razorback design, a larger wing and some other design changes which value climb rate more than top speed. This variant was planned to be equipped with an even more powerful engine, either a 1,100 hp Gnome-Rhône 14N21 (as an export option), a 1,060 hp Bristol Taurus II/III, or a Polish PZL Waran engine, but none were ever installed. It is estimated that it could reach 470-480 km/h. Jakimiuk also proposed a version with the 1,100 hp Hispano-Suiza 12Y inline engine, designated PZL.56 Kania (Kite) but was not accepted. There were 2 planned production variants:

  • PZL.50A: Planned production variant of the PZL.50/I prototype with a razorback fuselage. Powered by an 840 horsepower Bristol Mercury VIII engine, top speed was improved to 500 km/h.
  • PZL.50B: An improvement on the PZL.50A design, featuring a more powerful 870hp Gnome-Rhone 14Kirs engine which plans for 1,100hp Gnome-Rhone 14K or the 1,000hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp. There was also 1 PZL.50A fitted with the 870hp Gnome-Rhone 14Kirs engine as a testbed.

Unfortunately, the outbreak of the war halted development and production. As the war began, the Warsaw PZL factory was evacuated. Jerzy Widawski attempted to escape with the PZL.50/I prototype, but due to engine problems or running out of fuel, he crash-landed the plane. The other airframes were moved from the WP-1 factory in Okęcie to the Citroën/Renault warehouse on Gónośląska and Czerniakowska Streets awaiting the larger interceptor wings but were captured by the Germans in 1940 and presumably scrapped.

Specifications:

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PZL.50A:
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PZL.50B:
Engine: 870hp Gnome-Rhone 14Kirs
Maximum speed: N/A

Armaments:

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PZL.50A: 4x 7.92mm wz. 36 machine guns on the wings or 2x cowl-mounted and 2x wing-mounted 7.92mm wz. 36 machine guns, 2x 50kg bombs.
PZL.50B: 2x cowl-mounted 7.92mm wz. 36 machine guns and 2x wing-mounted 20mm nkm FK wz.38D cannons, 1x 300kg bomb. Some sources also said that it have the 2x cowl-mounted and 2x wing-mounted 7.92mm wz. 36 + 2x wing-mounted 20mm nkm FK wz.38D).
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More pictures:

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Pic of the PZL.50/I prototype with the hump back fuselage.
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PZL. 50/II, note the razorback fuselage and the lack of wings.
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Note the machine gun mount showing off the 4x cowling-mounted configuration.
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Italian Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano inspects the P.50/I prototype, Feb 1939.

Sources:

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PZL P.50 Jastrząb | Plane-Encyclopedia
Dlaczego Jastrząb zawiódł? Część I
Wikipedia
Visegrad Group - Aviation tech tree, Page 9 old WT forum.
Old WT forum PZL.50 post.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROJECT OF HISTORICAL AIRCRAFT VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTIONS AS A WAY OF POPULARIZING SCIENCE, Page 47-50.

Afternote:

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This one was tough to write as many sources conflict each other and information are sacred, i believe there is also one post about this on the old forum but it was copy paste and didn’t even make the suggestion list. If i am wrong about that then uh oops, sorry.
Any feedbacks are appreciated if you think that anything is wrong or have any suggestions.

4 Likes

+1 for a future Polish tree and a future Polish tree only

2 Likes

+1 but I have to ask. What version is this suggestion for in particular? The first prototype, second prototype or the unfinished A versions?

This is more of a general suggestion for the plane as a Poland tt might be very far off in the future. I would rather not make 4 separate suggestion for 4 variants as there aren’t much info on them in the first place.

2 Likes

I could give you some of the information I have about this plane if you want.

Sure, dump them all onto me.

Given that we don’t know if there’ll ever be a Polish tech tree (I’m not opposed to it), I just said add it to the French tree since the British have enough.