PZL Mielec

PZL Mielec (Polskie Zakłady Lotnicze - Polish Aviation Works), formerly WSK-Mielec and WSK PZL-Mielec is a Polish aerospace manufacturer, based in Mielec. It is the largest aerospace manufacturer in postwar Poland. In 2007 it was acquired by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, retaining the brand. From 1948 until 2014 there were manufactured approximately 15,600 aircraft.
In 1938-1939 a factory was built in Mielec, designated as PZL WP-2 (Wytwórnia Płatowców 2 - Airframe Factory no. 2), which was a division of the biggest Polish aviation works PZL in Warsaw (Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze - State Aviation Works), but the production was only starting there at the outbreak of World War II. In March 1939 started the manufacturing of the first aircraft - PZL.37 Łoś bombers, assembled from components delivered from PZL WP-1 factory in Warsaw. There were 700 workers at that time.
During World War II, Mielec was occupied by the Germans from 13 September 1939. During the occupation the factory became a part of Heinkel works, among others producing tailfins of Heinkel He 111 bombers and repairing Junkers Ju 52 planes. There were 5500 workers in 1944. In July 1944 the withdrawing Germans took all the machines and equipment. Mielec was seized by the Soviet Army on 6 August 1944. At first, the factory was governed by the Soviets as a repair works. On 22 July 1945 it was handed over back to Polish control.

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PZL TS-11 Iskra

The PZL TS-11 Iskra (English: Spark) is a Polish jet trainer, developed and manufactured by aircraft company PZL-Mielec. It has been used by the air forces of Poland and India. It is notable as being the first domestically-developed jet aircraft to be produced by Poland, its service for over 50 years as the principal training aircraft of the Polish Air Force, and as the oldest jet-propelled aircraft still in service in Poland.

PZL Mielec TS-11 Iskra, registration HA623, built ????, serial number 3H-1908
Indian Air Force Museum, Delhi, India, 28 April 2018

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