SZD-9 Bocian
Szybowcowy Zaklad Doswiadczalny (SZD) · Poland · first flew 1952 · glider
The SZD-9 Bocian (Polish for stork) is a Polish wooden two-seat training and competition sailplane, produced from the early 1950s.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.2 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Forward-swept wings on a wooden two-seat glider
- Fixed undercarriage of a wooden nose skid, a main wheel and a rear skid
- Two-part canopy over the two seats on the 1E version
A wooden two-seater with distinctly forward-swept wings, a fixed skid and wheel undercarriage and no engine.
Specifications
- The SZD-9 Bocian has a length of 8.2 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18.1 m (59 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 200 km/h (124 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Marian Wasilewski's team at Bielsko-Biala, the first prototype flew on 10 March 1952. The improved SZD-9bis Bocian-1A entered production, its first example flying on 13 March 1953.
Variants
Production ran from the Bocian-1A to the 1E of 1967, which had straight wingtips, a two-part canopy and shock-absorbing landing gear. The 1E was built in the greatest numbers, 366.
Where you'll see it
Bocians were exported to 27 countries, including Austria, Australia, India, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Polish pilots set many international records in the type.
Related aircraft
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