Czerwiński CW IV

ZASPL · Poland · first flew 1930 · glider

The one-off, experimental Czerwiński CW IV was a Polish high-performance glider and the nation's first two-seater. It set several national records.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × none, embedded-mounted
F — Fuselage	Triangular fin with a tall rounded rudder and a blunted triangular tailplane on top of the fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

High cantilever three-part wing with a rectangular centre section and double-tapered outer panels
Wing raised on a streamlined pylon with an open front cockpit and a second enclosed cockpit under the wing
Triangular fin with a tall rounded rudder and a blunted triangular tailplane on top of the fuselage

Look for a large wooden glider with a high wing carried on a long streamlined pylon, an open cockpit in front and an enclosed rear cockpit with semi-circular side openings.

Specifications

The Czerwiński CW IV has a length of 8.3 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 18 m (59 ft).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

It was the fourth glider design built by ZASPL, the aviation association of students of the Lwów Technical University, designed by Wacław Czerwiński chiefly to explore thermal lift techniques. It first flew in October 1930 during the group's annual expedition to Bezmiechowa.

Variants

Only one was built. In 1932 it went into the ZASPL shops for refurbishment and minor improvements.

Where you'll see it

Szczepan Grzeszczyk set a national duration record of 2:30:15 hours in it on 29 October 1930. In 1934 it raised the two-seat national record to 4:33 hours and then to 9:07 hours.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.