AA48002 PZL W-3A SOKÓŁ 'CZECH AIR FORCE'

The PZL W-3 Sokół is a contemporary, Polish multi-purpose helicopter with a fixed-wheel undercarriage, in a typical arrangement with the main rotor and a rear rotor on the tail beam. The drive is provided by - in the W-3A version - two PZL-10B engines with a capacity of 900 HP each. The first prototype flew in 1979, and serial production started in 1986 and is still going on. There are over 150 helicopters of this type in service - both in Poland and at foreign operators. The PZL W-3 was developed as the successor of the Mil M-4 helicopter, based on the Mil Mi-2 machine. Initially, the PZL plant in Świdnik worked quite closely on the new project with the Mil plant, but relatively quickly took the initiative in constructing the machine. Many development versions of this helicopter were created in the course of serial production. The civilian versions include the W-3 (basic transport version), W-3AE (evacuation version) or W-3AM (version with a fixed - float undercarriage). However, the W-3 was quickly adapted to perform military tasks, which also resulted in many development versions. Among them, the following can be indicated: W-3T (transport version), W-3W (version with a gun and jibs for suspended weapons), W-3RM Anakonda (sea version, rescue version) or W-3RL (land rescue helicopter). The Polish armed forces remain the main user of the PZL W-3 helicopter, but the machine was also exported to Algeria, the Czech Republic and the Philippines. Helicopters of this type took part in the stabilization mission in Iraq.