PZL P.24 in Romanian Service

PZL P.24 Overview

The PZL P.24 was a Polish-designed monoplane fighter developed in the mid-1930s by Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze (PZL). It was a further development of the successful PZL P.11, fitted with the more powerful Gnome-Rhône radial engine. Unlike the P.11, which was primarily for Polish service, the P.24 was specifically intended for export, as licensing restrictions on the British Bristol Pegasus engine (used in the P.11) prevented its sale abroad.

The P.24 featured a gull-wing configuration, open cockpit, fixed undercarriage, and was heavily armed for its time, with versions carrying 2–4 machine guns or 2 machine guns plus 2 × 20 mm cannon. It proved attractive to countries seeking to modernise their fighter fleets in the late 1930s. Although never operated by Poland itself, it became one of the most widely exported Polish aircraft prior to the Second World War.

Use by Romania

Romania was one of the earliest customers, purchasing six PZL P.24E fighters in 1937 as well as a production license and built 25 E version aircraft in Romania under the local designation IAR P.24P.

The P.24Es were armed with 2 × 20 mm cannons and 2 × 7.92 mm machine guns, making them a powerful component of the Forțele Aeriene Regale ale României (Royal Romanian Air Force). They served as Romania’s frontline fighter during the late 1930s and were still in service when Romania joined the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Romanian P.24s provided air defence around Bucharest and the Ploieşti oilfields from attacks by Soviet bombers. P.24 fighters reportedly managed to shoot down 37 VVS bombers, which were typically unescorted and thereby more vulnerable to interception. The P.24E was also routinely used for ground attack missions until the end of 1941; however, after 1942, the type was relegated to training duties. They were phased out completely by 1943–44, replaced by more modern German and Romanian-built aircraft.