LWS Mewa
LWS · Poland · first flew 1938 · fighter
The LWS Mewa was a Polish single-seat fighter monoplane designed and built in the late 1930s by Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów. It represented Poland's effort to modernise its air arm ahead of the Second World War.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-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 interwar low-wing monoplane fighter
- Single radial engine with long cowling
- Retractable undercarriage and tapered wing tips
Low-wing monoplane with a noticeably long nose housing a radial engine and tapered outer wing panels; the undercarriage retracts inward into the wing roots.
Specifications
- The LWS 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: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The Mewa first flew in 1938 and underwent evaluation trials, but production orders were never placed due to the type's modest performance against contemporary European fighters. The outbreak of war in September 1939 ended further development before any aircraft saw squadron service.
Variants
Only a small number of prototypes and pre-series aircraft were completed; no production variants entered service.
Where you'll see it
The Mewa never entered frontline service, remaining a prototype/evaluation aircraft throughout its short existence.
Related aircraft
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