1/72 R.W.D. (What-if)

Gallery Article by Dave Shepherd

 

Doswiadczalne
Warsztaty  
Lotnicze  
(R.W.D.) 

History/Background  
In the 1930’s, the Polish Air Force decided to adopt several innovations that had been developed by the Royal Air Force. Among these was the concept of the “Welded Wing Formation.”  In order to develop an appropriate training aircraft, the Polish Air Force ordered a prototype from R.W.D. The result is the aircraft represented by the model.  

 

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By the time the unfortunate misunderstanding in the translation had been discovered the aircraft had been completed.  In order to get full use from the aircraft, plans were drawn up to use it as a glider tug.  These plans were dropped when it was discovered that the Polish Air Force did not have any gliders.   

The ultimate fate of the aircraft is not known but a rumour persists that in the final days of the Polish Air Force the prototype was used by two pilots attempting to escape from the German advance.  Apparently one pilot wanted to go East and the other wanted to go West.  The aircraft was last seen zigzagging over the Baltic.

Dave Shepherd

      

Photos and text © by Dave Shepherd