Allstar SZD 55-2 Nexus with FES first flight

Glider manufacturer Allstar of Bielsko-Biała, Poland have flown the first example of their SZD 55 Nexus glider with a nose mounted FES sustainer motor. Designed in conjunction with Breunig Aerospace  ( Germany ) the modified Allstar SZD 55-2 Nexus e-motion glider is being tested at Giebelstadt airfield ( EDQG ) in Germany with the registration D-KSZD. The first flight took place on September 27th 2023.

 

The glider was initially aero-towed up to 1,000m before switching on the front electric sustainer ( FES ) engine. 

 

More details on the Allstar SZD website

 

 

Bocian G-DFLL - the last from Krosno

Browsing through my old photos I came across this lovely red Bocian G-DFLL I took in December 2009. I had seen this Bocian many times over the years at both Keevil and also as shown here at The Park - Kingston Deverill. 

 

 

This glider was built at the SZD factory at Krosno in 1965 with c/n 877 ( F-877 ) as a SZD 9 Bis Bocian 1D - in fact it was the last SZD glider to be built at their Krosno factory ( note that  Bocian production continued at SZD Jezow ). 

It was delivered new to Finland as OH-336, later becoming OH-KBP. It came to the UK in 1988 taking up the BGA registration BGA 3345 with trigraph "FLL". In September 2009 it moved onto the UK "G" register as G-DFLL with the Bath, Wiltshire and North Dorset Gliding Club at The Park. The registration was cancelled in 2012 with the glider listed as permanently withdrawn from use after 47 years of flying.   

 

New SZD 55-1 Neo from Allstar

Glider manufacturer Allstar SZD test flew their new SZD 55-1 Neo in December 2019 - the glider is registered as SP-4076 and is painted white/blue with a sharksmouth too. This is the 12th example of the 55-1 built by Allstar ( with a further 110 production examples built during the 1990s by the original SZD ).

Photo courtesy Allstar SZD


Production continues with at least two further new build examples for completion in 2020.

ZS Jezow - PW-6U glider in the UK

The Cotswold Gliding Club are based at Aston Down airfield near Cirencester  - they operate many gliders including a pair of modern PW-6U two seater trainers.

The PW-6U was originally designed by the Politechnic Warszawa ( PW ) in Warsaw, Poland. Serial production was underataken by PZL Swidnik - between 2000 and 2004 approximately 30 PW-6U gliders were built at Swidnik with examples exported to New Zealnd, Japan, USA, France, Germany, Norway, Canada and Egypt.

Production at Swidnik ceased in 2004.  The licence and certificate to build the PW-6U was acquired by Henry Mynarski of Zaklad Szybowcowy Jezow ( ZS Jezow ). Mr Mynarski has a long history of glider construction in Poland.

ZS Jezow completed their first newly built PW-6U in 2007 c/n 78.04.01 - this first example was exported to Canada.  To date nine PW-6U have been built at ZS Jezow including exports to the USA, UK and Australia.

The Cotswold Gliding Club operate two PW-6U,

G-CKRU c/n 78.04.07
G-CKRX c/n 78.04.08

 

Link to Cotswold Gliding Club, UK

Link to ZS Jezow builder of the PW-6U glider



Steve

SZD 21 Kobuz 3 glider - For Sale

An example of the rare SZD 21 Kobuz 3 glider is currently shown "for sale" on a Polish auction website.


The SZD 21 Kobuz 3 has a very distinct appearance like a cross between a tuna and a 1960s space rocket ! The single seat Kobuz 3 was an all wood glider designed for aerobatics competitions.


SP-2480 was built in 1965 at the SZD factory at Wroclaw with c/n W-268. Approximately 25 examples were produced in 1965/1966.




If you wish to see the for sale details click through on the link below


http://www.moto.allegro.pl/item896864291_szybowiec_kobuz3.html



The link below gives more details about the SZD 21 Kobuz 3


http://www.piotrp.de/SZYBOWCE/pszd212b.htm



Steve

New SZD 59 Acro glider delivered to Denmark

Allstar PZL have recently delivered a new build SZD 59 Acro to Denmark. This single seat glider was built at the Allstar factory in Bielsko-Biala and was registered in Denmark as OY-TOX in November 2009 with c/n 590.A09.012 - ie the 12th Acro built by Allstar.


For more information about the SZD 59 Acro please see the external LINK to Allstar PZL below

http://www.szd.com.pl/pdf/szd-59_acro_doku_en.pdf




Steve

SZD 25A Lis - HB-750

In the early 1960s the SZD glider factory at Jezow built 30 SZD 25A Lis gliders - this is a very distinctive design and is now a rare glider type as few remain today.

Lis c/n 727 was built in 1961 - it was originally registered as SP-2343 before being exported to Switzerland as HB-750.

HB-750 operated from the Swiss airfield at Porrentruy - it was cancelled from the HB register on 12.11.09 - let's hope the glider will be restored one day in the future.


If you have a photo of HB-750 please let me know - Thank you.



External Link to more information about the SZD 25A Lis

http://www.piotrp.de/SZYBOWCE/pszd25.htm




Steve

Kingston Deverill - The Park 6.12.09

The Bath, Wiltshire and North Dorset Gliding Club operate several Polish built SZD gliders at "The Park" airfield at Kingston Deverill.

Seen on 6.12.09 were


G-CKAN SZD 50-3 Puchacz c/n B-2106 - this Puchacz was built in 1997 and originally sold to The Netherlands as PH-1104. In June 1997 it suffered a major accident and it returned to SZD at Bielsko-Biala for an investigation and rebuild. It was then sold to the UK and became BGA 4938 in December 2001 and G-CKAN in November 2007.




G-DFLL SZD 9 Bis Bocian 1D - this beautiful red training glider was built in 1965 at SZD Krosno with c/n F-877. It was sold to Finland as OH-KBP and later OH-336. In 1988 it arrived in the UK and became BGA 3345 and in September 2009 became G-DFLL.


G-DCEB - the Club also operate this SZD 9 Bis Bocian 1E - the 1E version has a spring loaded nose wheel. G-DCEB is c/n P-433 was built in 1967 at SZD Jezow. It was exported to the UK and became BGA 1474 and then G-DCEB in February 2008.

Hanging on the wall behind you can see another Bocian BGA 4090 which is now withdrawn from use.



Steve