The Polish Aviation Museum is continuing its series of films dedicated to exhibits from the exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation”, which won the prestigious Sybilla 2025 award. The second episode features the ‘Kukułka’ – an amateur aircraft with an extraordinary history, which enabled people to fly from behind the Iron Curtain towards freedom.
The aeroplane was built by Eugeniusz Pieniążek – an amateur aircraft designer who was harassed by the Security Service of the People’s Republic of Poland for his contacts with foreign pilots and his refusal to cooperate with the security apparatus. Unable to leave the country legally, he decided to build his own aeroplane. The construction took place mainly in an 8-square-metre room in a block of flats in Leszno – parts that would not fit through the stairwell were hauled out through the window on ropes. The construction utilised, amongst other things, the wings and cockpit fairing from a crashed SZD-8 Jaskółka glider – the subject of the first episode of our series, which you can watch HERE.
In the latest episode, we discuss the story of how the Kukułka was built, Eugeniusz Pieniążek’s daring escape aboard her, and what became of the designer and his creation.
The aircraft can be seen in person at the exhibition ‘Downwind and Upwind – Civil Aviation’ in Hangar No. 5, which won the prestigious Sybilla 2025 award for Museum Event of the Year. You can also read about the history of this aircraft on our website >>> HERE.
