PZL

PZL is a former Polish aerospace manufacturer that was operational from 1928 to 1989. It was founded as a state-owned company in Warsaw and later became the main aerospace manufacturer in Poland during the interwar period. PZL developed a wide range of aircraft during this period including the PZL P.11 fighter, the PZL.23 Karaś light bomber, and the PZL.37 Łoś medium bomber.

In the post-war era, Polish aerospace factories were initially run under the name WSK (Transport Equipment Manufacturing Plant), but they returned to adopting the PZL acronym in the late 1950s. This was used as a common aircraft brand and later as a part of names of several state-owned aerospace manufacturers belonging to the Zjednoczenie Przemysłu Lotniczego i Silnikowego PZL – PZL Aircraft and Engine Industry Union.

Some notable post-war products under the PZL brand include the PZL TS-11 Iskra jet trainer and the PZL-104 Wilga STOL utility aircraft. After the fall of communism in Poland in 1989, these manufacturers became separate companies, but still shared the PZL name. Today, some of the separate divisions continue to use the PZL brand.