PZL P.24

The PZL P.24 was a Polish single‑engine, low‑wing fighter developed in the early 1930s by the state aircraft factory PZL (Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze). It evolved from the successful P.11 monoplane, incorporating a more powerful radial engine – the Gnome‑Rhone 14K‑s – and a refined wing with laminar‑flow sections. First flown in 1933, the P.24 entered service in 1934, equipping the Polish Air Force and, through export contracts, several Middle‑Eastern and South‑American operators such as Greece, Turkey, Romania and Yugoslavia. The aircraft could reach 470 km/h (292 mph) at altitude, carried up to 300 kg of armament—typically two 7.92 mm machine guns and two 20 mm cannons—and featured an all‑metal fuselage with fabric‑covered control surfaces, a retractable undercarriage, and a distinctive spatted wheel design. Although overtaken by newer monoplane fighters before World War II, the P.24 demonstrated the capability of Polish engineering to produce competitive combat aircraft for export markets. Its service during the early phases of the war, especially in the Greek and Romanian air forces, highlighted the strategic importance of indigenous design and contributed to the legacy of PZL as a prominent pre‑war aviation manufacturer.

PZL

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