WIGURA, Stanisław

Until 1929, W. studied at the Faculty of Mechanics of the Technical College in Warsaw.
Two of his study colleagues, Stanisław Rogalski and Stefan →Drzewiecki, were later also his co-workers. As a student, he already manufactured the first constructions of a passenger aircraft, following the plan of → Drzewiecki. In 1925, together with Rogalski, he manufactured his first „RW-1“ aeroplane in the workshops of the Aviation Department in Warsaw. In 1926, W., Rogalski and →Drzewiecki founded a joint office. The Aviation Department of the Students' Mechanical Society built a prototype of the first „RWD-1“ sports plane in 1928; it was named after the initials of this circle. W. provided the concept of the plane and structural solutions, as well as calculations of aerodynamics and strength. In 1930, three aeroplanes of the „RDW-2“ series took part in „Challenge Internationale des Avions de Tourisme“ in Berlin. A year earlier, with a panoramic flight from Warsaw over Erfurt, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, and back to Warsaw, they flew 5000 km in 42 hours, thus effectively proving the aeroplane's performance.
The subsequent model of 1930, „RWD-3“ with folding wings, did not go into production. New successful models were created in the beginning of the 1930s with the aeroplanes „RWD-4–7“. „RWD 5“ was considered the best Polish sports plane. In 1933, Stanisław Skarżyski set a new distance record with the „RWD-5“ model by flying 3582 km without landing.
The „RWD-6“ aeroplane, built from 1932 onwards, was especially suitable for short landing strips. At a Paris competition of that year, W. and Franciszek Żwirko won against the biggest European competitors by flying this model. The „RWD-7“ aeroplane set a new height and speed record in 1931 with 178 km/h and a flight at the altitude of 6023 m.
The „RWD-8“ training aircraft, used by the army and aeroclubs, was W.'s last construction. On 11th September 1932, W. and Franciszek Żwirko crashed during a harsh storm while flying to an aviation party in Prague.