Lublin R-X

Plage i Laśkiewicz · Poland · first flew 1929 · reconnaissance aircraft

The Lublin R-X was a Polish single-engined, two-seat liaison and observation parasol monoplane built in 1929 by Plage i Laśkiewicz.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Braced parasol wing held over the fuselage by an inverted-V cabane and parallel struts
T — Tail	Conventional

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

Spot it by:

Braced parasol wing held over the fuselage by an inverted-V cabane and parallel struts
Wing rectangular in plan with semi-elliptical tips, able to fold back alongside the fuselage
Two tandem open cockpits, with a gun ring on the rear one, and a radial engine

Look for a two-seat parasol monoplane with a radial engine, struts running down to the lower fuselage and a braced tailplane.

Specifications

The Lublin R-X has a length of 8.33 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.5 m (44 ft).
Its maximum speed is 180 km/h (112 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

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

History

It was designed by Jerzy Rudlicki in 1928 for a War Ministry contest for an army liaison aircraft. The prototype first flew on skis off snow on 8 February 1929, and both prototypes were the first Polish aircraft fitted with Townend rings.

Variants

The R-Xa was a strengthened, unarmed long-distance version with a 1,000 litre fuel tank, giving 18 hours' endurance. The Lublin R-XIII was a descendant built in large numbers.

Where you'll see it

Seven were completed and four served with Polish air regiments as liaison aircraft and staff transports. The R-Xa made long-distance flights, including a 14,390 km journey from Warsaw to Kabul and back in 1932.

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