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Poland's PZL P.11, fighter^1,2,3

PZL P.11 fighter:

PZL P.11C fighter3:

Design

The PZL P.11 was designed by Zygmunt Pulawski.^1,2 The P.11 was based on the PZL P.7 fighter that was first developed in 1930.³

Cockpit

The cockpit was small, unarmored, and only provided a small windscreen.¹

Engine

The first engine used in the P.11 was the Gnome-Rhône radial.¹ This was replaced by a license built British Mercury VIS.^1,3

Undercarriage

The fixed undercarriage of the P.11 was fixed, but very strong.¹

The tail was a spring loaded skid.¹

Wing

The high parasol wing was innovative when it came into production.^1,2 This allowed the P.11 pilots to outmaneuver the less agile German aircraft.¹

Prototype

The PZL P.11/I prototype first flew in August 1931.³ The PZL P.11/II prototype first flew in December 1931.³
The PZL P.11 first flew in September 1931.^1,2

Production

The P.11a first flew in June 1933.³ The first production version was the P.11b.¹

• Prototypes: 3³
• P-7: 153^2,3
• P.11a: 30³
• P.11b: 50³
• P.11c: 175³
• Total: 258³, 300², 330¹
• P.11f: 80³
  • Produced by: IAR (Romania)³

Variants

• P-7: Had Skoda built Bristol Jupiter VIIF (485 HP) engine.² Could go 170 mph / 274 kph.²
• P-7a: Entered service in 1932 - 1933.²
• P.11/I: Prototype.³ Had Gnome-Rhône built Jupiter IX.ASb engine.³
• P.11/II: Prototype.³ Had Mercury IVA engine.³ This was later replaced by a Gnome-Rhône Mistral (Jupiter) engine.³
• P.11/III: Prototype.³ Had Mercury engine.³
• P.11:
• P.11a: Had Skoda built Bristol Mercury VI engine.^2,3
• P.11b: First production version with two guns.^1,2 Entered service in 1935.¹ Had IAR built Gnome-Rhône 9K (525 HP) engine.² Was built for Romania.³
• P.11c: Had Skoda built Bristol Mercury VIS.2 engine.^2,3
• P.11f: Romanian built version.^1,3 Had Gnome-Rhône 9Krse engine.²
• P.11g: Prototype for final production version.³ Was to be powered by a Mercury VIII engine (840 HP).³ First flew in August 1939.³
• F.24: Improved version made for export.³ These were sent to Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Turkey.³
• P.24: Improved version that was only made for export.¹

Usage

The PZL P.11 was used by Poland and Romania.³

Against Germany

Outnumbered and up against better aircraft the PZL P.11s helped shoot down 125³ / 126 German aircraft.^1,3

There were six regiments that had 128 P.11s.^1,2 Within three days they lost 46.^1,2 PZL P.11 units lost a total of 114 of their own fighters.³

Romania

Romania imported 50 P.11bs.¹

IAR in Bucharest built 120 P.11fs of their own.¹

	PZL P.113	PZL P.11a1,3	PZL P.11b3	PZL P.11c1,2,3
Type	Fighter3	Fighter1,3	Fighter3	Fighter1,2,3
Crew	13	11,3	13	11,2,3
Engine (Type)		Bristol Mercury1 Skoda Mercury IVS23	Gnome-Rhône 9Krsd Mistral (Juniper)3	PZL Mercury VS23 Skoda Bristol Mercury VIS.2 piston1,2
OR				PZL Mercury VIS23
Cylinders		Radial1, Radial 93	Radial 93	Radial1,2, Radial 93
Cooling
Net HP		5001, 5753	6703	5001, 6452 VS2: 6003 VIS2: 6453
Propeller blades	23	21,3	23	21,3
Dimensions
Span				35' 2"1,2,3 10.72 m1,2,3
Length				24' 9"1, 24' 9.25"2,3 7.55 m1,2,3
Height				9' 4"1, 9' 4.25"3, 9' 4.5"2 2.85 m1,2,3
Wing area
Weight
Empty				2,529 lb2,3 1,147 kg2,3
Loaded				3,960 lb1, 3,968 lb2,3 1,800 kg1,2,3
Performance
Speed at sea level				VIS2: 185 mph3 VIS2: 298 kph3
Speed @ 18,000' / 5,500 m				242 mph1 390 kph1
Speed @ 18,050' / 5,500 m				242 mph2 VIS2: 242 mph3 390 kph2 VIS2: 389 kph3
Climb				VIS2: 2,440'/minute3 VIS2: 744 m/minute3
Climb to 16,400' / 5,000 m				6 minutes1
Climb to 16,405' / 5,000 m				6 minutes2
Service ceiling				26,250'1,2 VIS2: 26,245'3 8,000 m1,2 VIS2: 8,000 m3
Range				435 miles1,2 VIS2: 435 miles3 700 km1,2 VIS2: 700 km3
Armament
Fuselage		2: MGs1 2: 7.7 mm MG3	2: 7.7 mm MG3	2: 7.7 mm MG3
Under wings				2: 7.7 mm MG3 2: 7.7 mm KM Wz33 MG1,2
Bombs - under wings				110 lb3 50 kg3

Sources:

1. Aircraft of World War II, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
2. Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
3. Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998

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