HISTORY OF THE PZL-33 AND MORE

In 1928 Poland created a new fighter plane to combat the LA-2s and I-15s feilded by the USSR, the plane was called the PZL-33 nicknamed by it's crews as "Rosyjski lobuz" or Russian Bullier.

(Picture of PZL-33 No.335)
The plane was made by Kussarre Co. and it used x4 DSKZ 7.6mm Machine Guns. It easily dominated the battlefield. Then in 1931 the Otesk War started with the Russian invasion of the Polish Side of Otesk, Belarus. The new weapon the Russians were feilding was the I-18 "Iseoph" or Joseph named after Joseph Stalin.

(Picture of the first I-18)
Even though the Polish thought the I-18 would easily beat the PZL-33 to their surprise it didn't, the DPKs on the I-18 we're mounted to high up to effectively hit the PZL-33. Many dogfights ensued causing the PZL-33 to rack up a shocking 15:1 KD ratio.

(First picture of a PZL-33 and I-18 in combat)
Then in 1933 a new Russian plane hit the field. The I-190.

(Picture of a captured I-190, owned by the Polish aviation museum.)
The I-190 was a further development of the I-185 with better everything. The I-190 tore PZL-33s apart taking the KD ratio from 15:1 to 8:1.

(An I-190 easily tears a PZL-33 to shreds)
The polish government tasked Kassarre Co. with designing a new plane to counter the I-190. Kussarre Co. took 5 months to release the first PZL-38 prototype.

(The first and only prototype of the PZL-38)
It was built on a lengthened and up armored PZL-33 Fuselage, although the early prototypes suffered from unreliability due to having the same engine as the PZL-33. The polish government told Kussarre Co. to replace the old engine with the new Danzig Metal Works D-7.

(A PZL-38 takes off from base
When the PZL-38 was put into combat the KPL faced another threat. The MiG-2 "Bizon".

*(A MiG-2 flies towards Moscow)
The MiG-2 was a medium Range bomber with a formidable armament. Although the Polish thought the PZL-38 wouldn't be able to destroy a MiG-2 it was more than able too.


(First picture is a PZL-38 destroying a I-190, Second picture is of a PZL-38 destroying a MiG-2)
Then Gradually the polish began to see less and less I-18s and I-190s. Until there where none left. Now unlike the USSR who would of thought the Polish just gave up, the Poles knew something was wrong. And there was, the introduction of the LA-4N.

(The First LA-4N seen in combat)
The LA-4N was a new design based on the LaGG-3. It was thiner and more mobile with a lighter armament. The La-4N tore into the polish air defenses destroying most of the Polish fighters in the Air. The PZL-38s we're no match.

(A PZL-38 getting shot down by a LA-4N and crashing into a cliff)
Although the PZL-45 Program was a project going on that might be ready in time they weren't taking any chances and ordered the creation of the PZL-54 Program. When Kussarre Co. heard about this new program they proposed the idea of taking the PZL-33 airframe and modifying it again, they were immediately shut down with Brigadier Air General Wawo saying "We need new fuselages made of steal that can tank cannon rounds, not ones made of canvass that can barely take a rock to the side." and Kussarre Co. was immediately kicked out of the program leaving four companies. Those being, Tallinn Co., Warsaw-Vilinus Co., Riga Co., And Kravow Industries. Each company submitted there own design based on their previous aircraft. Except two, Warsaw-Vilinus Co. and Tallin Co.
Riga Co. based their prototype of the PZL-54 on their earlier PZL-32 which was their competition to the PZL-31 (A completely different project). Kracow Industries based their PZL-54 on their competition for the PZL-45 program, except this version was smaller and lighter. Meanwhile the engineers at Warsaw-Villinus Co. and Tallin Co. were designing new purpose built versions.




(First picture is of the PZL-54 TIV, second is of the PZL-54 KIV, third is of the PZL-54 WVCV, and fourth is of the PZL-54 RIV)
After the testing it was a hard decision between the TIV and the KIV because they thought that Tallinns would be more protected against cannon rounds and Kraciws because it was promising in it's base and history. The reason Warsaw-Vilinus wasnt chosen is because they thought that WVs design was too thin to hold enough fuel fight the LA-4Ns while defending bombers. And the reason Riga Co. wasn't chosen is because the design of their design was to old and had been proven the design sucked.
When the TIV and KIV we're out head to head the TIV won because it was safer, and took less maintenance time. Or so they thought. When TIVs reached the battlefield the engines from the original prototype were swapped out with weaker engines that were more unreliable and took 15 hours of maintenance to get running.

(A PZL-54 TIV after takeoff)
Most TIVs that actually got in the air were sitting ducks for LA-4Ns to tear apart. The engine would also randomly explode causing the pilot to catch on fire.

(A PZL-54 getting shot down by a LA-4N)
After the Failure of the TIV, Brigadier Air General Wawo told all the companies that ended up making creating PZL-54 Prototypes we're told to modify them to replace the TIV version. Four designs came in the PZL-54B, The PZL-56, the PZL-57, and PZL-62.



(First picture is of the PZL-56, second is of the PZL-57, and last is of the PZL-62, note that the PZL-54B is basically the same as the PZL-54 TIV so there is no picture here)
Immediately the PZL-54B was thrown out for being a slightly newer PZL-54. Then the PZL-57 was thrown out due to the same reasons Riga was thrown out of the PZL-54 Project. Then it was down to Kracow Industries and Warsaw-Villinus Co. WV Co. eventually won do to having a very fuel efficient engine and infinitely better armor and weapons then the PZL-56.

(The first PZL-62 in combat. This PZL-62 was nicknamed "Co To Jest?" or "What is this?" as a joke thinking that's what the Russians said when they first saw this.)
Then the first PZL-62A hit the production line and went to the 1st Central Squadron known as "Central A" or "Central Burner". Immediately the first PZL-62A was put up there and shot down 18 LA-4Ns. The pilot Syzon, Bartosz later said "The new fighter handled so well in the fight it was like I was on air, and the weapons were strong enough one good hit with the 20mm easily took down most Russian planes."

(PZL-62 "Co To Jest?" after shooting down it's 6th LA-4N ever)
The PZL-62 was the longest running plane being used from 1935-1964.