After months of intensive restoration work, the PZL-106AR Kruk aircraft has regained its historic appearance. This Thursday, 25 June, at 11.00 am, in the exhibition hall of the Main Building of the Polish Aviation Museum, there will be a ceremonial presentation of the restored exhibit – one of the most distinctive aircraft in the history of Polish civil aviation.
The event will be accompanied by a talk on the history of the Kruk aircraft and a presentation of photographs documenting the various stages of the work carried out by the Museum Conservation Department. This will be a unique opportunity not only to see the final result, but also to learn about the process of bringing back to life an object that stands as an important testament to the development of Polish engineering.
Designed by engineer Andrzej Frydrychewicz as the successor to the ageing PZL-101 Gawron, it was the first fully Polish specialised agricultural aircraft developed with demanding agricultural aviation tasks in mind. The first prototype took to the air in 1973, and series production began three years later. The aircraft quickly became the main workhorse of the Agricultural Aviation Services, carrying out crop protection treatments, fertilisation and aerial seeding.
The Kruk was a response to the growing needs of modern agriculture and, at the same time, a testament to the high level of expertise within the Polish aviation industry. At a time when Poland was among the world’s leaders in agricultural aviation services, it was these very aircraft that were in operation not only at home but also abroad. Today, they remain a symbol of an era in which Polish aircraft played a part in the day-to-day, often unnoticed work carried out for the benefit of the economy. That is why preserving such aircraft for future generations has significance that goes far beyond the mere conservation of technical heritage.
Importantly, one of the Kruk aircraft is already on display at the permanent exhibition ‘Downwind and Upwind – Civil Aviation’, which opened last year and was honoured with the prestigious SYBILLA 2025 award for the best new permanent exhibition in Poland.
The work on the Kruk involved almost every part of the aircraft. It began with a thorough washing and cleaning of the airframe, as well as the removal of corrosion and damaged fabric components. The conservators then dismantled the skin panels, propeller blades, cockpit fittings and aircraft equipment. Old paint layers were removed by hand using chemicals, so as not to damage the original anodised finish of the components.
The old wing and tailplane struts were removed; the skin panels were straightened and repaired; gaps in the corroded tail truss were filled; the fabric and wooden fittings were restored; the tunnel-type fuel dispenser was refurbished; the tyres were replaced; and missing instruments in the cockpit were replaced. Each component was then prepared for reassembly and gradually repainted in accordance with the historical colour scheme.
Recreating the aircraft’s markings proved particularly challenging. Using the surviving fragments and documentation, the conservators digitally reconstructed the aircraft’s full lettering, preparing stencils to restore its authentic appearance.
– The most challenging aspects were the aircraft’s dimensions and the constant battle against corrosion. There were times when, instead of coming loose, the bolts would simply snap off, and every such incident meant extra work. We also derived great satisfaction from recreating the original markings – we managed to assemble the entire alphabet and restore the Kruk to its historical character,” – says Tadeusz Wysocki, Head of the Museum Artefacts Conservation Department at the Polish Aviation Museum.
The restoration of the ‘Kruk’ has once again demonstrated the expertise of the museum’s Conservation Department. It is made up of outstanding specialists, ranked amongst the best conservators of aviation heritage in Poland. Combining professionalism, many years of experience and a genuine passion for aviation, they restore aircraft that have witnessed the history of Polish aviation to their former glory with masterful precision.
During the Kruk presentation, Dr. Krzysztof Mroczkowski, Deputy Director of the Polish Aviation Museum for Research, will talk about the entire, complex renovation process and present photos from individual stages of the work.
The ceremony of introducing the restored Kruk to the exhibition will be honored by the presence of Henryk Bronowicki, one of Poland’s most distinguished test pilots. During the event, he will deliver a short lecture on the PZL-106 Kruk aircraft and the history of Polish agricultural aviation, the development of which he contributed to as a pilot and observer of the changes taking place in Polish aviation over several decades.
Henryk Bronowicki is a well-known figure in the aviation community. Born in 1948, he began his aviation adventure at the Mielec Aeroclub, eventually progressing through every level of his aviation career – from gliding and sports aviation, through agricultural and passenger flights, to the highest level of aviation expertise – working as a factory test pilot. At the PZL Mielec plant, he participated in the first flights of newly manufactured aircraft and worked on prototypes of aircraft that have become a permanent part of the history of the Polish aviation industry, including the M-15 Belfegor, M-18 Dromader, M-28 Bryza, M-28 Skytruck, and I-22 Iryda. He completed over 14,000 flights in 56 aircraft types, logging nearly 9,600 hours in the air, including over 3,200 hours in test flights.
The meeting with Henryk Bronowicki will be a unique opportunity to listen to the memories of a man who not only observed the development of Polish aviation from close up, but also co-created its history.
We warmly invite you to attend the presentation of the restored PZL-106AR Kruk and to find out more about the behind-the-scenes work involved in one of the most challenging conservation projects carried out by the Polish Aviation Museum in 2026!
25 June 2026 (Thursday), 11.00 am
Exhibition Hall, Main Building of the Polish Aviation Museum
Free admission.
The project was co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special-purpose fund.
