PZL P.37 Łoś

PZL · Poland · first flew 1936 · bomber

The PZL P.37 Łoś (Elk) was a twin-engine medium bomber considered among the most advanced aircraft in the world at the time of its introduction. Its performance and bomb load rivalled contemporary British and German designs.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	12.92 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Twin-engine Polish medium bomber with elegant elliptical-style wings
Glazed nose and dorsal/ventral gun positions
Retractable undercarriage rare for its era

Distinguished by its elegant tapered wings, twin radial engines in neat cowlings, and the twin-fin tail of the production B-version. The retractable undercarriage and glazed nose are key recognition points.

Specifications

The PZL P.37 Łoś has a length of 12.92 m (42 ft).
It has a wingspan of 17.93 m (59 ft).
Its maximum speed is 445 km/h (277 mph).
Typical crew: 4.

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

History

First flown in 1936, the Łoś entered Polish Air Force service in 1938. Despite its capabilities, only about 100 had been built by the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. The aircraft saw combat during the German invasion of Poland and later escaped to Romania.

Variants

The P.37A had single vertical tail fins and was the initial production version; the P.37B featured twin fins and became the main production variant. An export version, the P.37C, was evaluated by several countries.

Where you'll see it

Operated exclusively by the Polish Air Force before and during the September 1939 campaign. Some aircraft that escaped to Romania were seized and briefly used by the Romanian Air Force. No examples survive today.

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