View source for RWD 16

{|{{Infobox aircraft begin 
|name =RWD-16
|image =RWD 16.jpg
|caption =RWD-16 in its initial shape
}}{{Infobox aircraft type 
|type =Sports plane 
|manufacturer =[[Doświadczalne Warsztaty Lotnicze|DWL]]
|national origin = Poland
|designer = [[RWD (aircraft manufacturer)|RWD]] team
|first flight =[[1936 in aviation|1936]]
|introduced =
|retired =
|status = prototype
|primary user =Poland
|more users = 
|produced =
|number built =1
|unit cost =
|variants with their own articles = [[RWD-21|RWD-16bis]]
}}
|}

The '''RWD-16''' was a Polish two-seat low-wing sports plane of [[1936 in aviation|1936]], constructed by the [[RWD (aircraft manufacturer)|RWD]] team, that remained a prototype.

==Development==
The aircraft was designed in [[1935 in aviation|1935]] by Andrzej Anczutin of the [[RWD (aircraft manufacturer)|RWD]] bureau, as a light and economical sports plane. The plane was a wooden low-wing monoplane, with two seats side-by-side in a closed cockpit, powered by 50&nbsp;hp [[Walter Mikron]] I straight engine.<ref name=glass>Glass, A., op.cit., p. 322-323.</ref>

The prototype was built and first flown in early [[1936 in aviation|1936]] (registration SP-AXY), funded by the Polish division of [[Osram]] factory. The plane did not appear a successful design, though. Test revealed lack of directional stability, therefore its rudder was much enlarged, the wings were fitted with fixed [[Leading edge slats|slats]] and a windshield was redesigned. It did not improve the situation much, and in 1937-1938 the prototype was rebuilt and fitted with stronger 60&nbsp;hp Avia 3 engine in a lengthened nose, while the vertical stabilizer and rudder were made smaller. Most significant feature became a front windshield with a negative slope.<ref name=glass/>

After final changes, the prototype still was not satisfactory, but it served as a basis for the [[RWD-21|RWD-16bis]] design, which was a new, redesigned aircraft, produced as the [[RWD-21]]. The prototype RWD-16 was given then to a known touring aviator [[Zbigniew Babiński]].<ref name=glass/>

==Description==
Wooden construction low-wing cantilever [[monoplane]], conventional in layout, with a fixed landing gear and a closed cockpit. The fuselage was semi-[[monocoque]], plywood-covered. Single-piece trapezoid wings with rounded tips, two-spar, plywood (in front) and canvas covered. Conventional cantilever [[empennage]], plywood (fins) and canvas (elevators and rudder) covered. Two seats side-by-side, with twin controls, under a common canopy, with a fixed windshield. Conventional fixed [[landing gear]] with a rear skid.<ref name=glass/>

{{convert|50|hp|abbr=on}} [[Walter Mikron]] I inline engine in front, with two-blade wooden propeller Szomański, 1.8 m diameter. In later variant, {{convert|60|hp|abbr=on}} Avia 3 inline engine was installed.

==Specifications (RWD 16bis) ==
[[File:Walter Mikron a RWD 16 (1936).jpg|thumb|Walter Mikron a RWD-16 (1936)]]
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=''Polish aircraft 1893-1939'',<ref name=Cynk>{{cite book |last1=Cynk |first1=Jerzy B |title=Polish aircraft 1893-1939 |url=https://archive.org/details/polishaircraft1800cynk/page/556 |url-access=registration |publisher=Putnam |date=1971 |isbn=0-370-00085-4 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/polishaircraft1800cynk/page/556 556-561] }}</ref> ''Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893–1939'' <ref name=Glass>{{cite book |last1=Glass |first1=Andrzej |title=Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893–1939 |date=1977 |publisher=WKiŁ |location=Warsaw |pages=322–323|language=Polish}}</ref>
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|crew=1
|capacity=1
|length m=7.8
|length note=
|span m=11
|span note=
|height m=2.27
|height note=
|wing area sqm=14.9
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
|airfoil='''root:''' Warsaw Aerodynamic Institute 16%; '''tip:''' Warsaw Aerodynamic Institute 10%
|empty weight kg=385
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=615
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity={{cvt|73|L|USgal impgal}} in a centre-section tank; {{cvt|7|L|USgal impgal}} oil
|more general=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=[[Avia 3]]
|eng1 type=4-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine
|eng1 hp=60-64
|eng1 note=<br>
::::or [[Walter Mikron]]

|prop blade number=2
|prop name=Szomański
|prop dia m=1.75
|prop dia note=fixed-pitch wooden propeller
<!--
        Performance
-->
|max speed kmh=180
|max speed note=at sea level
|cruise speed kmh=155
|cruise speed note=<br>
*'''Landing speed:''' {{cvt|70|km/h|mph kn}}
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=700
|range note=
|ferry range km=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=4150
|ceiling note=
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude={{cvt|1000|m}} in 6 minutes 30 seconds
|wing loading kg/m2=41.5
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption kg/km=
|power/mass={{cvt|0.0467|hp/lb|order=flip}}
|more performance=<!--<br />
*'''Take-off run:''' {{cvt||m|0}}
*'''Take-off run to {{cvt|15|m|0}}:''' {{cvt||m|0}}
*'''Landing run:''' {{cvt||m|0}}
*'''Landing run from {{cvt|15|m|0}}:''' {{cvt||m|0}}-->
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|RWD 16}}
*[http://www.airwar.ru/enc/law1/rwd16.html Photos and drawings at Ugolok Neba]

{{RWD aircraft}}

[[Category:1930s Polish sport aircraft]]
[[Category:RWD aircraft|RWD-16]]
[[Category:Low-wing aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1936]]