Question on P.Z.L. P.37

Hello,

I understand that a single P.37 was tested by Soviet VVS at what is today the Chkalovskaya base near Moscow. The testing happened at the test base of the Air Force Scientific Research Institute, the NII VSS (unfortunately, I don't know whether the aircraft was actually flight tested or if it was only examined to the last rivet in the ground).
According to a Russian contact of mine, the bomber was actually photographed at the NII VSS facilities around late 1939. Was it the only P.37 captured by the Russians? I would like to know if there was any Romanian machine of the same type captured at a later date.
Any information is welcome. Thanks!
Cheers,

Ruy

There is no ARR 'Los' unaccounted for.

Gen. Dénes

According to J. B. Cynk, "Samolot bombowy PZL P-37 Łoś", Warszawa 1990 between 6 and 9 Łoś bombers captured by Russians (but - probably - only two serviceable, captured near Mozyrz, 13th September 1939). One was damaged during crash (in ground) with I-15 fighter (date unknown). In the book written by A. Morgała, "Samoloty wojskowe w Polsce 1924-1939", Warszawa 2003, p. 176) you can find mention about 3 bombers of this type captured by Russians.
Woj

This post has been edited by woj on January 12, 2005 05:55 pm

Thanks Woj!

I do have the first title you mentioned: will take a look! Thanks for the lead. As for the second one, I will order it as soon as possible. So, then we have at least 3 P.37's captured by the Russians according to the latest work.
"I-15" must be a mistake: the aircraft involved in the accident was, most probably, a I-153 "Chaika".
Dénes, thanks for your note on Romanian "Los". I also checked your book in the meanwhile.
Cheers,

Ruy

You must be right. I have checked text again, and found: "fighter plane I-15 "Chaika"." There was one victim - pilot of this fighter - Koshtchavcev (in Polish text - Koszczawcew), deadly hurt. This accident took place during tests of Polish bomber (test-pilot Lisycyn).
Additional deatails you can find (did you already find?) here: http://win.www.airwar.ru/enc/bww2/pzl37.html

Thanks Woj, I already knew this text, where the same "I-15" mistake is reapeated: Летчик-инженер Б. Кощавцев выруливал на старт на истребителе И-15, оснащенном гермокабиной Щербакова. Curiously enough, the plane supposedly involved was an experimental high-altitude version of the "Chaika" fitted with a pressurized cockpit designed by Aleksandr Sherbakov, the I-153GK, which only started its tests early in the Summer of 1940. No accident is associated to the I-153GK tests, so the aircraft was most probably a similarly modified, experimental I-15bis. We can rule out the high-altitude I-15B prototype (also fitted with a special pressurized cockpit designed by A. Sherbakov), since it was tested much earlier, in 1937. Must check this, though...

Ruy

P.S.: In principle, if everything goes as planned, a comprehensive article on the captured P.37's will be published in R.E.H.M. somewhere during this year.