LWS-3 Mewa
LWS · Poland · first flew 1938 · reconnaissance aircraft
The LWS-3 Mewa (Seagull) was a Polish two-seat observation and close reconnaissance aircraft designed in the late 1930s by the LWS factory in Lublin. It was meant to replace the obsolete Lublin R-XIII.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.5 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Polish two-seat observation aircraft with a braced high wing
- Long glazed canopy over two crew in tandem, with an observer's gun station at the rear
- Fixed tailwheel undercarriage and a radial engine in the nose
A braced high-wing monoplane with a long glazed canopy over two crew in tandem, a radial engine in the nose and a fixed tailwheel undercarriage. The wings fold rearwards.
Specifications
- The LWS-3 Mewa has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.45 m (44 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 360 km/h (224 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First sketches were drawn in 1936 by Zbysław Ciołkosz, and the design was developed further at the LWS bureau after he left in 1937. Three prototypes flew in 1937 and 1938, and in 1938 the Polish Air Force ordered 200 production LWS-3A aircraft. Production began in early 1939.
Variants
The LWS-3A was the production variant. An LWS-3B with a Fiat engine for Bulgaria and an LWS-3H floatplane for the naval aviation were planned but not built. The LWS-7 Mewa II was a planned development.
Where you'll see it
No Mewa entered service before the war began in September 1939, because the propellers had to be delivered from France. A few almost-finished aircraft were handed to observation units in September 1939 and lost or burned, and the rest were captured and scrapped.
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