Samolot
Bartel BM-2
The Bartel BM‑2 was a Polish fighter‑trainer prototype built in the early 1930s by the Samolot factory in Kraków. Designed by engineer Ryszard Bartel, it was intended to replace older biplanes and provide a modern, low‑cost platform for both basic pilot instruction and light‑combat duties. The BM‑2 featured a single‑bay, equal‑span parasol wing of mixed wood and metal construction, giving it excellent visibility and stable handling characteristics. Powered by a 240 hp Walter Venus radial engine, it reached a maximum speed of 250 km/h and had a service ceiling of 7 500 m. Its cockpit was enclosed, a rarity for trainers of the period, and it carried a pair of synchronized machine guns for gunnery training. Although only a small batch was produced before the program was cancelled in 1935 due to budget constraints and the arrival of superior designs such as the PZL P.11, the BM‑2 played a notable role in demonstrating the viability of lightweight, high‑wing monoplanes for training. Its design concepts influenced later Samolot projects and contributed to Poland’s rapid modernization of its air force on the eve of World War II.
