description The aircraft was conventional in layout, mid-wing all-metal cantilever monoplane, metal-covered. The fuselage was semi-monocoque, oval in cross-section. Double tail fins. The crew consisted of three: pilot, observer/bombardier and rear gunner. The bombardier's combat station was in a gondola underneath the fuselage, where he also operated an underbelly machine gun. The gondola could be retracted into the fuselage to decrease drag. The fixed undercarriage had aerodynamic teardrop covers. Radial engine, PZL-built 840 hp Bristol Pegasus (PZL Pegaz) XXB (maximum power 940 hp), in a NACA-style cowling. Three-blade metal propeller Hamilton Standard. Fuel tanks: 750 L in a central wing section. Operational history During World War II, the first prototype was left in Warsaw, because of a landing gear damage. On 5 September 1939 the second prototype was evacuated from Warsaw to Lwów, then on 17 September to Bucharest in Romania, where it was interned. On 26 September 1939, under pretext of delivering the plane to IAR factory in Brasov, it was flown by Riess with other three crewmen (including Witold Urbanowicz) from Romania to besieged Warsaw. The crew delivered orders from the Polish C-in-C Edward Rydz-Śmigły for the commander of Warsaw defence Juliusz Rómmel. On 27 September 1939, with most of the Polish territory occupied by Germans or Soviets, it flew to Kaunas in Lithuania. The plane was interned and left there and later captured there and tested by the Soviets. Variants PZL.46/I First prototype. PZL.46/II Second prototype. PZL.46A Main production version, 160 ordered for Polish Air Force, none delivered. PZL.46B Export version powered Gnome-Rhône 14N21 engine. Operators Bulgarian Air Force preliminarily ordered 12 aircraft, none delivered. Polish Air Force Soviet Air Force operated one captured prototype for evaluation. Specifications (P.46/I) See also References Andrzej Glass: "Polskie konstrukcje lotnicze 1893-1939" (Polish aviation constructions 1893-1939), WKiŁ, Warsaw 1977 (Polish language, no ISBN) External links PZL-46 Sum with photos and drawings (translated page from Ugolok Neba) 1930s Polish bomber aircraft 1930s Polish military reconnaissance aircraft World War II Polish light bombers PZL aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Mid-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1938