Question from new member on the P.11

[Ruy Aballe]

Hello gentlemen,

I've following with growing interest the activities of this forum and finally I decided to join.
I am currently researching the history of the Portuguese fighter contest (quite an obscure and muddled one to say the truth...) that ocurred in the early Thirties. The British Hawker Fury biplane eventually won the day, but the better placed competitor was indeed the P.Z.L. P.11.
A Portuguese delegation went to Warsaw in the spring of 1932 and tested a series of prototypes while there.
Recently, I discovered an official document, written by one of the officers that went to the P.Z.L. works. His report is - understandbly, if I might say - quite biased towards the all-metal Polish fighters. I also found an official letter directed to the HQs (and indirectly to the War Ministry in Lisbon) written by another officer, with confidential stamps on, dated from December 1st, 1932, whereby the author quotes the flattering opinion forwarded by "some Romanian pilots that went to Poland on an official mission" - he quotes them in French. The quoted "compte-rendu" ends by saying that the overall performance, caractheristics and equipment "font de l'avion "P.11" un excellent instrument de guerre".
I would be most obliged if anyone could give me some leads on the names and ranks of the Romanian pilots that might have been sent to Poland to test the P.11 somewhere during 1932 or that might have been involved in the talks. Any help is welcome!
Salut din Iberia!

Ruy

[woj]

QUOTE

Hello gentlemen, I've following with growing interest the activities of this forum and finally I decided to join.   I am currently researching the history of the Portuguese fighter contest (quite an obscure and muddled one to say the truth...) that ocurred in the early Thirties. The British Hawker Fury biplane eventually won the day, but the better placed competitor was indeed the P.Z.L. P.11. A Portuguese delegation went to Warsaw in the spring of 1932 and tested a series of prototypes while there.   Recently, I discovered an official document, written by one of the officers that went to the P.Z.L. works. His report is - understandbly, if I might say - quite biased towards the all-metal Polish fighters. I also found an official letter directed to the HQs (and indirectly to the War Ministry in Lisbon) written by another officer, with confidential stamps on, dated from December 1st, 1932, whereby the author quotes the flattering opinion forwarded by \"some Romanian pilots that went to Poland on an official mission\" - he quotes them in French. The quoted \"compte-rendu\" ends by saying that the overall performance, caractheristics and equipment \"font de l'avion \"P.11\" un excellent instrument de guerre\".   I would be most obliged if anyone could give me some leads on the names and ranks of the Romanian pilots that might have been sent to Poland to test the P.11 somewhere during 1932 or that might have been involved in the talks. Any help is welcome! Salut din Iberia! Ruy

Just two(+) names from the Polish archival sources.
First - captain Nicolau - expert of the official Romanian delegation which visited Poland in August 1931.
Second - captain Istrati - pilot, engineer. In October 1931 took part in the tests of P.11 (PZL - Warsaw). He was advocate of the Polish offer. The Romanian mission left Poland in March 1932.
And third (not absolutely sure) - "enemy" of P.11 - test pilot of IAR. I can't find the name, but - probably - Papana. I will check it soon.

Woj
P.S.: Could you write something more about documents mentioned above? I prepare book about export of Polish military equipment during interwar period. Unfortunalely - I haven't too many information about P.11 sold to Portugal.

[woj]

I have quoted you twice. Sorry.

Woj

[Ruy Aballe]

Hello Woj,

Thank you very much for your answer. I forgot to mention a small detail in my first message: somehow (this is only an educated guess), I have the impression that the Portuguese and Romanian delegations met each other in Poland, and, at least, some of the men might have kept some sort of correspondence between them.
On the other hand, maybe some of our Romanian friends can provide more details on the identity of the officers, like complete names and eventually ranks, if the men were indeed military pilots.
Cheers,

Ruy