When planning a visit to the Polish Aviation Museum, it is well worth taking a look at one of the unique exhibits in the exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation” – the Polish EM-11 “Orka” aircraft. The aircraft has been restored using, amongst other things, industrial 3D printing, thanks to which it has regained its propellers. Museum experts from Krakow are setting new standards in the conservation of aviation heritage by utilising 21st-century technologies.
Since August 2025, the restored ‘Orka’ has been delighting visitors in all its glory, and were it not for the information on the exhibit’s description panel, no one would realise that the twin propellers at the rear of the wings were… 3D-printed. The project, carried out in collaboration with the Polish company Fibometry (New Era Materials), demonstrates how modern solutions can effectively support the preservation of technical heritage.
The EM-11 ‘Orka’ was an aircraft that set new standards in aviation at the start of the 21st century. It was designed by Edward Margański at the Margański & Mysłowski aircraft factory as a four-seater utility aircraft
and combined aeronautical features with solutions familiar from the automotive industry – a comfortable, ‘car-like’ cabin entrance and a well-thought-out layout for the crew and passengers. Particularly distinctive is the arrangement of two engines with pusher propellers, positioned to eliminate the presence of rotating propellers in the entry area, thereby enhancing safety and comfort. At the same time, the “Orka” was designed as a multi-purpose platform – ranging from a private aircraft to a patrol aircraft – which, combined with modern aerodynamics, a composite structure and ambitious development plans, makes it one of the most original and promising Polish aircraft designs of the early 21st century.
The aircraft made its maiden flight in 2003. From the outset, it attracted admiration due to its futuristic composite structure, reminiscent in shape of the streamlined body of marine predators – orcas. Its exceptional styling and innovation were confirmed by two awards at the 14th edition of the nationwide Good Design 2006 competition for the best-designed products on the Polish market: Design of the Year 2006 – a special award from the Minister of Economy for the best product designed by a Polish designer and manufactured by a Polish entrepreneur, and Good Design 2006 for outstanding design qualities
The EM-11 ‘Orka’ prototype, which was donated to the Museum’s collection in 2022, was in generally good condition but incomplete – the engines and propellers were missing. Reconstructing the propellers was crucial to restoring the machine to its original appearance. Traditional methods proved ineffective due to the complexity and high production costs. Consequently, the Museum decided to employ an innovative solution – industrial 3D printing. Fibometry, a company with years of experience in implementing professional 3D printing in industrial applications, was invited to collaborate on the project. Thanks to this technology, it was possible to faithfully and precisely reproduce the original propellers, marking a unique application of 3D printing in the restoration of aviation heritage in Poland.
Using iconographic materials, digital measurements and data obtained by the museum’s Conservation Department from the manufacturer’s technical department (MT-Propeller), engineers from Fibometry created precise 3D models and then printed replicas of the propellers using reinforced polymer composite. This method allowed for a faithful reproduction of the original’s geometry and details, ensuring a high degree of accuracy in the reconstruction. This is one of the first instances in Poland of this technology being used on such a scale in the restoration of an aviation heritage artefact.
The success of this project, which has enabled the propellers to be faithfully and precisely recreated, opens up new prospects for the preservation of technical heritage. The EM-11 “Orka” aircraft has been on display in the permanent exhibition “With the Wind and Against the Wind – Civil Aviation” since its opening in August 2025, where it not only captivates visitors with its appearance but also tells the story of Polish innovation.
