D.U.S. III Ptapta
Lubelski Klub Lotniczy · Poland · first flew 1928 · light aircraft
The D.U.S. III Ptapta was a two-seat sports and touring biplane, and only the second Polish aircraft built with aluminium alloy construction.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.39 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Biplane with a larger-span, larger-chord upper wing and marked stagger
- Single interplane strut on each side, with flared ends
- Walter radial engine with exposed cylinders in a pointed nose
It is a biplane with rectangular wings with slightly angled tips, and only the upper wings carry ailerons. The triangular tailplane is placed at the top of the fuselage and braced from below by a strut on each side.
Specifications
- The D.U.S. III Ptapta has a length of 5.39 m (18 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8 m (26 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 160 km/h (99 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed by Jerzy Dabrowski and Antoni Uszacki, hence the name D.U.S., and was strongly influenced by the Skraba S.T.3. The Lubelski Klub Lotniczy, formed in 1928 by employees of the Plage and Laskiewicz factory, referred to it as the LKL I. It first flew either on 21 September 1928, flown by Antoni Mroczkowski, or on 10 October.
Variants
In summer 1929 the front cockpit was covered over and replaced by a large fuel tank for a lightplane distance record attempt, and a 52 kW (70 hp) Walter NZ engine was fitted.
Where you'll see it
About six weeks after its first flight it finished eighth in the Second National Lightplane Contest. The record attempt on 30 April 1930 ended in the destruction of the heavily loaded aircraft, which stalled on take-off from Poznan.
Related aircraft
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