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The PZL-104 Wilga 35A is a single engine, four-seat, highwing,
general-pupose STOL aircraft built by PZL (Patowe Zaklady Lotnicze) "Warszawa-Okęcie". Studies
for a four-seat general-purpose monoplane as successor of the in Poland
under license built Yakovlev Yak-12M and the PZL-101 Gawron started in
the late fifties, and resulted in the early sixties in the designing of
the PZL-104 Wilga (Thrush or Golden Oriole).
In 1961, production of the PZL-104 Wilga prototype started and this
experimental Wilga 1 flew first on 24 April 1962.This experimental
prototype was powered by a Narkiewicz WN-6 six-cylinder
horizontally-opposed engine. The Wilga 1 prototype exposed a number of
serious design faults, that resulted in an airframe review that
thoroughly redesigned the aircraft. Retaining major structural elements
and successful sub-assemblies from the cantilever wings in the initial
design, a completely new slimmer, strengthened fuselage was added that
also offered an excellent rear view aspect for the crew during glider
towing operations, and the side doors were re-engineered to open upwards
for better aero observation or parachute jump sorties. The prototype of
the redesigned PZL-104 Wilga 2 flew first on 5 August 1963. Five
versions of the Wilga 2 were projected, including the Wilga 2A
glider-tug; the Wilga 2P general-purpose fouw-seater; the Wilga 2S
ambulance; and the Wilga 2R agricultural aircraft. A version added was the Wilga 2C,
the export variant with a 225 hp Continental O-470 engine proposed to manufacture under the name
Lipnur Gelatik (Rice Bird) under licence in Indonesia as in 1961 a contract
was signed between PZL- Okęcie in Warzaw and Lembaga Persiapan Industri Penerbangan (LAPIP) in Bandung
concerning the production of the PZL-104 Wilga in Indonesia. In fact, the prototype PZL-104 Wilga 2 was followed
by a short production run Wilga 2 variants, later converted
to the Wilga C and Wilga 3 configurations. With the PZL-104 Wilga
developing over the years, the aircraft was in continuous production
from 1962 to 2010. The main variants of the PZL-104 are the Wilga 2,
Wilga 3, Wilga 3A, Wilga 3S, Wilga C, Wilga 32, Wilga 35, Wilga 35A,
Wilga 35H, Wilga 35P, Wilga 80, PZL-104M Wilga 2000 and the Lipnur
Gelatik. In service since 1967, it is Poland's most successful light
aircraft development with over 1000 aircraft built. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
