DISCONTINUED WAK 02-2006 Polish fighter PZL P.50a Jastrząb

The PZL P.50 Jastrząb was a Polish, all-metal, low-wing, prototype fighter with a landing gear retracted in flight. The drive was provided by a single engine Bristol Mercury VIII with a maximum power of 835 HP. The prototype's flight took place in February 1939 - the machine never entered mass production. The armament was 4 7.92 mm PWU wz.36 machine guns.

The PZL P.50 Jastrząb was created in connection with significant problems and delays that in 1938 began to plague the project of the PZL P.38 Wilk heavy fighter. Therefore, the command of the Polish aviation decided to commission the development of a single-seat, light fighter that would replace the increasingly worn-out PZL P.11 aircraft. One of the main engineers of PZL - Vsiewolod Yakimiuk was responsible for the construction of the new machine. However, work on the PZL P.50 - despite the prototype's flight - was dragging on. This was mainly due to problems with the power unit and the mechanism of the in-flight retractable landing gear, imported from Great Britain. What's more, the PZL P.50 required a lot of corrections, because at the beginning of 1939 it turned out to be low maneuvering, has a very low top speed (around 430-450 km / h) and is an emergency machine. The plane never entered mass production. Only one prototype of this aircraft was built.