PZL P.46 Sum (Swordfish)

PZL p. 46 Sum (Swordfish) History

Before World War II, Poland had a notable aviation industry, producing well-known monoplane models like the PZL fighter. However, Poland's aircraft development was interrupted by the German-led invasion at the start of the war. One of their endeavors was the PZL light bomber, known as the PZL.46. Development began in 1936 as a replacement for the aging PZL fleet. The PZL.46/I and PZL.46/II prototypes were powered by British Bristol "Pegasus" engines, while the export version used French Gnome-Rhone engines. The Polish Air Force intended to build a fleet of 300 PZL.46A bombers, but due to the war, only 160 were ordered and delivered from 1940 onwards. Bulgaria became the first foreign customer, receiving 12 PZL.46B bombers. The aircraft featured an enclosed cockpit for the three crew members and had a traditional design with modern elements. The structure was all-metal with a semi-monocoque hull. The landing gear was fixed, as retractable gear technology was not available in Poland at the time. The prototype had a length of 34.4 feet, a wingspan of 47.10 feet, and a height of 10.9 feet. It was powered by a PZL-Bristol Pegasus XXB radial engine, delivering 918 horsepower and driving a three-bladed propeller.

Specification

BASICS

Years of Service: 1939

Origins: Poland

Status: Development ended.

Crew: 3

Production: 2

Manufacturer

Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze (PZL) Poland

Operators

Bulgaria (ordered, not delivered); Poland (prototype only); USSR (evaluation of captured specimens).

Roles

Ground attack (bombing, strafing)

The ability to conduct air strikes against ground targets using (but not limited to) artillery, bombs, rockets, rockets, etc.

X-Plane (development, prototyping, tech demos)

Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.

Dimensions and Weight

Length: 34.4 feet (10.50m)

Width/span: 47.6 feet (14.50m)

Height: 10.8 feet (3.30m)

Cured weight: 4,409 lbs (2,000 kg)

MTOW: 7,826 lbs (3,550 kg)

Wgt difference: +3,417 lbs (+1,550 kg)

Performance

Installed: 1 x PZL-Bristol Pegasus XXB 9-cylinder, 918 hp, air-cooled radial piston engine driving a three-bladed front mounted propeller unit.

Maximum speed: 264 km/h (425 km/h | 229 knots)

Maximum: 25,262 feet (7,700 m | 5 km)

Area: 808 km (1,300 km | 2,408 nautical miles)

Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (366 m/min)

Range (MPH)

Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Hypersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Weapons

2 x 7.92mm FK wz. Inside the hood were 36 machine guns, firing synchronously through rotating propeller blades.

2 x 7.92mm FK wz. Wing 36 machine guns (one per wing member).

1 or 2 x 7.92mm KMO machine guns for flexible mounting in the rear cockpit.

1 x 7.92mm KMO machine gun in rear-facing ventral position (retractable). Optional: Conventional throwing weapons up to 1,325 lbs can be carried under the wings.