RWD 4
RWD · Poland · first flew 1930 · light aircraft
The RWD 4 was a Polish sports plane of 1930, constructed by the RWD team of Stanislaw Rogalski, Stanislaw Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fish-shaped fuselage with no direct forward view from the pilot's seat |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Cantilever high-wing monoplane with a one-part trapezoid wing
- Fish-shaped fuselage with no direct forward view from the pilot's seat
- Fixed conventional landing gear with a rear skid
The wooden fuselage was rectangular in section and plywood-covered, with two seats in tandem and individual doors on the right.
Specifications
- The RWD 4 has a length of 7 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.5 m (34 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 205 km/h (127 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was based on the earlier RWD 2 but enlarged and fitted with a more powerful inline engine, and was ordered by the Ministry of Communication for the Challenge 1930 international air competition. The first three aircraft were flown by Jerzy Drzewiecki in early 1930.
Variants
Principal power was a 115 hp Cirrus Hermes, and some aircraft had an 85 hp Cirrus III or 105 hp de Havilland Gipsy II. Nine were built, six more in late 1930 for the Polish Aero Club.
Where you'll see it
The first three took part in the Challenge 1930 competition, and Franciszek Zwirko won the 3rd Polish Light Aircraft Contest on one in 1930. They were later used for training and glider towing by aero clubs, and the last were scrapped in 1936.
Related aircraft
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