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Stanisław Wigura | |
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 Stanisław Wigura in 1932 | |
| Born | (1901-04-09)April 9, 1901 |
| Died | September 11, 1932(1932-09-11) (aged 31) |
| Resting place | Powązki Cemetery |
| Nationality | Polish |
| Alma mater | Warsaw University of Technology |
| Occupation(s) | Aviator, aircraft designer |
Stanisław Wigura (9 April 1901 – 11 September 1932) was a Polish aircraft designer and aviator, co-founder of theRWD aircraft construction team and lecturer at theWarsaw University of Technology. Along withFranciszek Żwirko, he won the international air contestChallenge 1932.
Wigura was born inWarsaw. In his youth he was interested in mechanics and aviation, and he was also aBoy Scout. In 1920, during thePolish-Soviet War, he volunteered for the 8th Field Artillery Regiment. In 1921, he started studies atWarsaw University of Technology (Warsaw Tech), where he metStanislaw Rogalski andJerzy Drzewiecki. He was one of the founders of the Aviation Section of Students' Mechanical Club. In December 1925, students of the Section founded their own workshop, where they built aircraft. In 1926, Wigura and Rogalski designed their first light aircraft WR-1, built in 1927.
In 1927, three designers: Rogalski, Wigura, and Drzewiecki started working together, creating theRWD team (it was an acronym of their names). Wigura's task was for all the initial design calculations and development. In 1928, they built their first sportsplaneRWD-1. In 1929, Wigura graduated from Warsaw Tech, receiving theEngineer title. In the same year, he completed a pilot course in the AcademicAeroclub. The RWD team began constructing more successful aircraft - sportsplaneRWD-2 of 1929 (4 built) and the biggerRWD-4 of 1930 (9 built). They were used in Polish sports aviation, with some success.
Wigura himself became active in sports aviation. It was thanks to his friendship with 8-years-older pilotFranciszek Żwirko, assigned by the military as a liaison officer in the Aeroclub. They often flew together, Wigura as a mechanic and second pilot. Between August 9 and September 6, 1929, Żwirko and Wigura flew on theRWD-2 prototype across Europe, on aWarsaw-Paris-Barcelona-Milan-Warsaw route of 5,000 kilometers. On October 6 they won a Polish air race. In July 1930, Żwirko and Wigura took part in the International Tourist Plane Competition (Challenge 1930), flying theRWD-4, but they had to withdraw on July 25 due to engine failure after a compulsory landing in Spain. During September and October 1930, they won in two Polish contests, flying on RWD-2 and RWD-4, and in September 1931, they won another one, flying on a prototypeRWD-5.
In the meantime, Wigura with others designed further aircraft: liaison planeRWD-3 in 1930 (one built), record sportsplaneRWD-7 in 1931, and a sportsplaneRWD-5 in 1931. The latter was made famous as the lightest plane that made atransatlantic flight (20 built). He also started designing theRWD-8 basic trainer. In 1932, he developed a modern sportsplane, theRWD-6, that was intended for the International Tourist Plane Competition (Challenge 1932), which took place between August 20–28, 1932. Żwirko, intended as a pilot, chose Wigura as his crewmate. They won a competition, over the heavily favored German and other teams, and both became heroes in Poland. The success was brought by Żwirko's piloting skills and the high quality and performance of the plane.[1]
On 11 September 1932, while flying to an air meet inPrague, Żwirko and Wigura fatally crashed in their RWD-6 in the forest inCierlicko nearCieszyn, when the wing broke in a heavy storm.
Stanislaw Wigura was awarded the Knight's Cross of theOrder of Polonia Restituta and the PolishGold Cross of Merit.
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