Which Bartel aircraft ended up as a gift to a king?

Short answer

The first prototype, the BM.4b with a 67 kW (90 hp) Walter Vega radial engine, was given to the King of Afghanistan Amanullah Khan during his visit to Poland in 1928. The BM.4, designed by Ryszard Bartel at the Samolot factory in Poznań, was the first Polish-designed aircraft put into production.

Published: November 4, 2026 · Updated: November 4, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which Bartel aircraft ended up as a gift to a king?

Bartel BM-4

From the BM.2 to the Samolot factory in Poznań

The aircraft was designed by Ryszard Bartel at the Samolot factory in Poznań. It was a development of the Bartel BM.2, which did not go beyond the prototype stage. Thanks to a lower weight than the BM.2, it could use less powerful engines, so its performance improved. It had good handling and good stability and was resistant to spinning. It was the first Polish-designed aircraft put into production.

The BM.4b prototype and King Amanullah Khan

The BM.4 prototype flew on 20 December 1927 in Poznań. The first prototype was designated BM.4b and was fitted with a Walter Vega radial engine of 67 kW (90 hp). That first BM.4b prototype was given to the King of Afghanistan, Amanullah Khan, during his visit to Poland in 1928. The second prototype, designated BM.4d, flew on 2 April 1928 with the experimental Polish WZ-7 radial engine of 63 kW (85 hp).

Engines and production versions

The production variant was the BM.4a, because the Polish Air Force had a stock of Le Rhône 9C engines. Three BM.4a aircraft were converted into BM.4e in 1930, with the experimental Polish Peterlot radial engine of 63 kW (85 hp). After the 1932 trials, all three had their Le Rhône 9C engines reinstated.