16 October 1929 is one of those dates permanently inscribed in the history of Polish aviation. On that day, Franciszek Żwirko and Antoni Kocjan — pilot and designer — set the first Polish world record in aviation, ratified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). Their feat was not only a spectacular technical and sporting achievement, but also a symbolic confirmation that young Polish aviation, barely a decade after regaining independence, could match the best in Europe.
The flight was made in the light aircraft RWD-2, designed and built by three young engineers from the Warsaw Polytechnic — Stanisław Rogalski, Stanisław Wigura and Jerzy Drzewiecki, whose initials form the name of the aircraft: RWD.
The crew — pilot Franciszek Żwirko and designer Antoni Kocjan — took off from Warsaw and, climbing to a height of 4,004 metres, set a world altitude record in the category of aircraft with an empty weight of up to 280 kilograms. It was the first achievement of this kind registered by the FAI for Poland — an event that aroused enormous interest both at home and abroad.
This record was a breakthrough — for the first time, a Polish aircraft designed, built and piloted by Poles found itself at the forefront of world sport and experimental aviation.
In recognition of this achievement, the Academic Aero Club in Warsaw commissioned a unique trophy — a cup that you can admire today at our new permanent exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind — Civil Aviation”.
This beautiful cup made of silver-plated metal alloy impresses with its elegance and symbolism. It consists of a goblet with two handles on a straight stem decorated with a ring, topped with a profiled lid adorned with a metal pine cone and engraved laurel leaves in the Empire style.
The upper part features a motif of oak leaves and acorns, and just below it the proud inscription:
The first Polish world aviation record
Award of the Academic Aero Club in Warsaw
16.X.1929
This trophy is not just an award — it is a symbol of the courage, passion and genius of Polish aviators who, through their feat, showed that our nation is at the very forefront of aviation technology as well as skilled pilots and designers.
The RWD-2 aircraft was a development of the earlier RWD-1 design, and also the first truly successful project by the young engineers from the Warsaw Polytechnic. It was a single-engine, high-wing monoplane of mixed construction — with a fuselage made of steel tubes covered in fabric and a wooden wing. The machine was characterised by an exceptionally light construction (empty weight not exceeding 280 kg) and very good flight stability.
It was powered by a Salmson 9Ad radial engine producing 40 HP, which gave the aircraft a maximum speed of approximately 140 km/h and a range exceeding 600 km.
Six examples of the RWD-2 were built, and they took part in numerous competitions and flights, both domestic and international, bringing Polish designers recognition and their first successes on the world stage. It was the RWD-2 that became the starting point for the further development of the famous RWD series of aircraft, culminating in Żwirko and Wigura’s victory in the international Challenge competition in 1932.
Franciszek Żwirko was one of the most talented Polish pilots of the interwar period — a Polish Army officer, instructor and test pilot who courageously tested new aircraft designs. His cooperation with the RWD engineers and participation in numerous air rallies made him an icon of Polish sport aviation.
Antoni Kocjan, co-author of the record, was not only a designer and glider pilot, but also one of the most outstanding aviation engineers of his generation. During the war, he became famous as a member of the resistance movement and the man who contributed to cracking the secrets of the German V-2 rocket — for which he is often called “the man who won the war”.
At the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków, visitors can today see exceptional memorabilia connected with this historic event. Among the exhibits are:
These exceptional exhibits not only illustrate the development of Polish engineering thought, but also allow visitors to feel the atmosphere of pioneering times, when flying was not only a passion but also a mission to build the prestige of a young nation.
The first Polish world aviation record from 1929 was more than just a sporting achievement — it was a manifesto of Polish ingenuity, determination and courage. It was thanks to people like Żwirko, Kocjan, Rogalski, Wigura and Drzewiecki that Polish aviation entered the world’s elite.
Today, nearly a hundred years later, their spirit of innovation and passion still hovers in the air — in the halls of our Museum, among the aircraft that tell the story of Polish wings.
