Fabryka Samolotów - More Than Neighbours

History of the first aircraft
manufacturer in Poland
Zakłady Mechaniczne E. Plage i T.
Laśkiewicz in Lublin
(Mechanical Works
of Emil Plage & Teofil Laskiewicz).
The factory produced aircraft between
1920 and 1935.
In 1860 Emil Plage’s father, Albert, opened a workshop in
Bernardynska Street in Lublin, employed 3 workers and manufacuted
steam boilers and bath tubs there. At the end of the century, his son
Emil purchased the workshop from his father, took an engineer,
Teofil Laskiewicz, as business partner and started to build
a modern factory in Bronowice. They named it Mechanical Works
of Emil Plage & Teofil Laskiewicz.
In 1899 they employed 90 people and the production of steam boilers
grew considerably. Plage formed a strong management group and started
to export his products to Russia.
In the 1920s aircraft industry was born and started to develop around
the world. The Mechanical Works E. Plage and T. Laśkiewicz also got
interested in the subject and even established an Aero Club.
The building of the management
April 2012
In 1920 Plage and Laskiewicz started producing aircraft, as the first
works in independent Poland. On February 17, 1920, the Polish
government ordered a licence production of Italian fighters Ansaldo
A1 Balilla and light bombers Ansaldo A300.
However, due to lack of
experience, the quality of
produced aircraft was low,
and there were numerous
crashes.
As a result, the order was
limited to 70 A.300 and 50 A.1
only, produced by 1924.
Despite of unsuccessful beginning, the factory
gained experience, and there were no major
problems with future aircraft series.
In 1924, the Polish government ordered a
licence production of French light bombers
Potez XV, and in 1925-1926, 100 of them were
constructed in Plage & Laśkiewicz. In 19281931 the works produced 150 of more modern
Potez 25. In 1929-1930 the works produced 11
passenger planes Fokker F-VIIb/3m on Fokker
licence, and 20 of own Fokker F-VIIb/3m
bomber modification.
Potez XV
Fokker F-VIIb/3m transporter
Own designs
In the mid-1920s the factory management was
changed, and Jerzy Rudlicki became the main
designer.
Then, apart from licence production, the
works started to produce their own
aircraft, under Lublin name, designated
"R" for Rudlicki.
The first own design was a biplane bomber
Lublin R-VIII, flown in 1928. Six were
produced by 1930, three of them were
later converted to seaplanes and used in
the Polish naval aviation until 1939
Polish reconnaissance/bomber plane Lublin R.VIII
Prototype light passenger planes: biplane R-IX, and high-wing RIX were not ordered by the Polish Airlines. Also sport high-wing
plane Lublin R-XII was not produced in series.
Lublin R-XIII
Another design was a parasol wing liaison
aircraft Lublin R-X, flown in 1929. It won a
contest for a Polish Air Force liaison plane,
but only 7 were produced.
Instead, Rudlicki developed it further and
designed a trainer aircraft R-XIV and an
army cooperation plane Lublin R-XIII,
which became the Polish main army
cooperation plane (and the only massproduced Lublin).
15 of R-XIV were built in 1930-31, and 223
of R-XIII were built in 1932-1935 (further
50 after nationalization).
Its experimental variant R-XIX introduced
the V-tail, invented by Rudlicki
Lublin R-XX
Plage – aircrsafts:
The light passenger plane Lublin R-XVI of 1932 was not
ordered by the airlines, but 6 were produced as air
ambulance R-XVIb. The last construction was a two-engine
torpedo seaplane Lublin R-XX, flown in 1935, but it was not
produced as well. Apart from these, some other designs did
not reach prototype stage.
Managers and engineers
The hangar - the chassis assembly
Production of wings…
Commemorative photo
In 1924-1933 the works
produced also car
bodies, mainly for
Somua (imported) and
Ursus buses, but also for
luxury imported cars
Like the Buik…
Due to plans of Polish aviation
authorities (mainly Ludomiul
Rayski) to gather all aviation
industry in state-owned factories,
Plage & Laśkiewicz works were
forced to bankrupcy.
 After delivering 7 of the 50 R-XIIIF
aircraft ordered in late 1935, the
Polish Ministry of War broke the
contract under a pretext.
 As a result, the factory went
bankrupt and then was
nationalized under the name LWS
(Lubelska Wytwórnia Samolotów Lublin Aircraft Works). Then, 18
almost ready R-XIIIF, bought by
scrap price, were completed, and
the next series of 32 was built.

Laśkiewicz Teofil (1869-1925)
Grave of the
Laskiewicz family
at the cemetery
in Lublin
Plage Emil (1869-1909)
Headstone of Emil Plage at
the Lutheran Cemetery in
Lublin.
The construction of the Świdnik airfield began in 1935 and it was
officially opened on June 4, 1939. Itwas to serve as a training centre with
a pilot school, and was built by the Airborne and Antigas Defence League,
a mass organisation propagating aviation among he general public. During
World War II, it was used by the Luftwaffe after Poland was occupied in
September 1939, and then by the Soviet Air Force once Lublin was
captured by the Red Army in July, 1944. The Germans destroyed the
airfield's buildings before withdrawing.
Medical transport and large fighting with fire
The new airport – Lublin 2012
Terminal
Train at the airport terminal station
Terminal interior – Lublin Airport