PZL PZL.50 Jastrząb
PZL · Poland · first flew 1939 · fighter
The PZL.50 Jastrząb (Hawk) was a Polish single-seat fighter monoplane designed as a successor to the PZL P.11 family, featuring a low-wing cantilever layout and retractable undercarriage. It represented a significant modernisation effort for the Polish Air Force on the eve of World War II.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Gull-wing fuselage fairing blending into tapered wing |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Low-wing Polish monoplane fighter prototype
- Gull-wing fuselage fairing blending into tapered wing
- Only two prototypes completed before German invasion
Distinguished by its clean low-wing layout with a long, tapering fuselage, retractable main gear, and enclosed cockpit; closely resembles other late-1930s European monoplane fighters but with Polish PZL construction details.
Specifications
- The PZL PZL.50 Jastrząb has a length of 8.02 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.2 m (33 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 520 km/h (323 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Development began in the late 1930s as Poland recognised that its gull-wing high-wing fighters were falling behind contemporary European designs. The prototype first flew in February 1939, but development was disrupted by the German invasion in September 1939, with only two prototypes completed and the production programme abandoned.
Variants
Only the two pre-series prototypes were completed; planned production variants with more powerful engines never progressed beyond drawing boards.
Where you'll see it
The Jastrząb never entered operational service, with both prototypes seized or destroyed following the German occupation of Poland in 1939.
Related aircraft
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