As WWII loomed on the horizon, a number of the more progressive thinkers on the Polish general staff realised that mobility would be a great factor against the German panzers if fighting broke out. This meant rapid movement of their elite cavalry and horse drawn artillery - faster than even the Polish railway system could carry them. Finally a design submitted by the famous Polish aero firm of Dombrowski Sedlitz was settled upon, a secret helicopter-autogiro machine powerful enough to lift a mounted cavalry battalion of five 85mm artilerry pieces and caissons. However, its 6000-hp diesel locomotive engine, coupled with the riveted, sheet iron construction of the fuselage, left the Dombrowski Sedlitz weighing a hefty 56 tons. This gave it barely enough power to lift itself into the ozone, much less its payload. What's more, the engine took up so much room that the only remaining space was consumed by the pilot and three mechanics it took to operate the craft while in flight. This handicap, plus a vexing tendency for the machine to break its manual, non-synchro three speed transmission - leaving the propellors powerless - forced its grounding after two flights. Minus its wheels and propellors, it presently powers a ferris wheel and merry go round at the peoples amusement park in Bydgoszcz.
