View source for PZL TS-8 Bies

{{Short description|Retired Polish trainer aircraft}}
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name =TS-8 Bies
 |image = File:TS-8 Bies Goraszka 2007.jpg
 |caption =TS-8 during Góraszka Air Show 2007 
 |type =[[Trainer aircraft]] 
 |manufacturer =WSK [[PZL-Mielec]]
 |designer = 
 |first_flight =23 July 1955
 |introduction = [[1957 in aviation|1957]]
 |retired = [[1978 in aviation|1978]]
 |status = 
 |primary_user = [[Polish Air Force]]
 |more_users = ''[[Aeroklub Polski]]''
 |produced = [[1957 in aviation|1957]]–[[1960 in aviation|1960]]
 |number_built = 251
 |unit cost = 
 |variants = 
}}

The '''PZL TS-8 ''Bies''''' (Devil) is a Polish [[trainer aircraft]], used from [[1957 in aviation|1957]] to the 1970s by the [[Polish Air Force]] and civilian aviation.

==Development==
The aircraft was designed in response to a Polish Air Force requirement for a modern piston-engined trainer with a retractable [[tricycle landing gear]] to replace [[TS-9 Junak 3|Junak 3]] and [[Yak-11]] aircraft. The main designer was [[Tadeusz Sołtyk]] – hence the designation letters TS. The plane was named ''Bies'' – a folk name for the [[devil]]. Work started in [[1953 in aviation|1953]] and the first prototype was flown on July 23, 1955. In [[1956 in aviation|1956]] and [[1957 in aviation|1957]] it beat three international records in its class.<ref>World records of height 7084.5 m in C-Ic class (weight  1000–1750 kg), distance in a closed circuit 2884.5 km in C-Id class (weight 1750–3000 kg), speed 317 km/h in a closed circuit 2000 km in C-Ic class</ref> The second prototype was shown at the [[Paris Air Show]] in 1957.

In [[1957 in aviation|1957]] the first experimental series of 10 aircraft was produced by [[Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze|WSK-Okecie]] (designated as '''TS-8 BI'''). A slightly improved main variant, designated as the '''TS-8 BII''', was produced from 1958 to 1960 by [[PZL-Mielec|WSK Mielec]]. The last 10 machines, '''TS-8 BIII''', were built with better avionics, in total 251 TS-8 were produced of which 229 were the TS-8 BII variant.

The TS-8 had good handling and performance; a noisy engine being one of its few flaws. It was the first really modern aircraft designed in Poland after the war, that also used a Polish engine.

==Design==
The TS-8 was an all-metal low-wing cantilever [[monoplane]], with metal-covered [[semi-monocoque]] fuselage, oval in cross-section. The three-part single-spar wing, of semi-monocoque design, creating a transverse [[Gull wing#Inverted gull wing|inverted gull wing]] "W" shape. It had a [[tricycle landing gear|Tricycle retractable landing gear]], and a 7-cylinder WN-3 [[radial engine]] in front, delivering 330&nbsp;hp take-off power and 283&nbsp;hp normal power to a 2.2 m diameter two-blade variable pitch wooden propeller.

The crew of two, sat in a tandem  enclosed [[cockpit]], with twin controls, the student in front with the instructor in the rear. Canopy sections above the crewmen slid rearwards.

The plane had no armament, except for the experimental series TS-8 BI, which had one 12.7mm machine gun and two small bomb pylons.

==Operational history==
The TS-8s began to be withdrawn from Polish Air Force service in the mid-1960s, being replaced by [[PZL TS-11 Iskra]] jet trainers. Over 100 withdrawn aircraft were handed over to the civilian aviation ([[Polish Aero Club|aero clubs]]). Most TS-8s were finally withdrawn from civilian aviation by [[1978 in aviation|1978]], with three currently remaining airworthy. Two TS-8s were used by [[Indonesia]].

==Variants==
[[File:TS-8 Bies RB.jpg|thumb|right|TS-8 Bies]]
[[File:TS-8 Bies Cracow.jpg|thumb|right|TS-8 BII at the [[Polish Aviation Museum]]]]
;TS-8
:3 prototypes.
;TS-8 BI
:First experimental series, 10 built.
;TS-8 BII
:Improved TS-8 BI. Main production version, 229 built.
;TS-8 BIII
:Version equipped with better avionics, 10 built.

==Operators==
[[File:PZL TS-8 Bies.jpg|thumb|right|TS-8 Bies]]
;{{IDN}}
*[[Indonesian Air Force]] received two aircraft which were based in [[Bandung]].
;{{POL}}
*[[Polish Air Force]]
*[[Polish Navy]]
*''[[Aeroklub Polski]]''
*[[Private Operator]]: Single TS-8 S/N 1E-1004, F-AYTS, from 2018 to 2021 France, Bordeaux (LFCS).

==Specifications==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62<ref name="JAWA61 p121-2">[[John W. R. Taylor|Taylor, John W. R.]] ''Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1961–62''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1961. pp. 121–122.</ref>
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=Two (student & instructor)
|length m=8.50
|span m=10.50
|height m=3.0
|height ft=
|height in=
|wing area sqm=19.10
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=7.38:1
|airfoil=[[NACA airfoil|NACA 23012]]<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref>
|empty weight kg=1070
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=1550
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=1600
|fuel capacity={{cvt|215|L|USgal impgal|1}} in three fuselage tanks, with optional under-wing tanks
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Narkiewicz WN-3]]
|eng1 type=7-cylinder [[radial engine]]
|eng1 hp=320
|eng1 note=,rated power at 2350 rpm
::::{{cvt|340|hp|order=flip}} maximum emergency power at 2500 rpm

|prop blade number=2<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop name=W.R.1 constant-speed propeller
|prop dia m=2.20<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
|prop note=
<!--
        Performance
-->
|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=312
|cruise speed kmh=270
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|range km=800
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=6000
|climb rate ftmin=1340
|more performance=
<!--
        Armament
-->
|bombs= underwing racks for up to {{convert|200|kg|lb|abbr=on}} of practice bombs

|avionics=
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Poland|Aviation}}
{{Aircontent|
|related=
|similar aircraft=
* [[Beechcraft T-34 Mentor]]
* [[Nanchang CJ-6]]
* [[North American T-28 Trojan]]
* [[Yakovlev Yak-11]]
* [[Yakovlev Yak-18]]
* [[Yakovlev Yak-52]]
|lists=
|see also=
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|PZL TS-8}}

{{PZL aircraft}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:PZL aircraft]]
[[Category:1950s Polish military trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:1950s Polish civil trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1955]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear]]