POLAND

POLAND / POLSKA.

50th Anniversary of the First Participation of Poland in the Challenge Cup,
International Tourist Aircraft Competition.
Simplified map of Europe showing the 1932 and 1934 Challange air routes.
Minisheet with 2 stamps issued on 05.05.1982.
Face value of stamps: 23 and 31 Polish złotych.
Design: Jacek Brodowski (b. Karków, 05.07.1943).
Printed by Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych (PWPW), Warszawa.
Printing: Photogravure.
Print: 1,100,000 copies.
Size: 90 x 102 mm.

Catalogues
- Fischer (PL) No. BL 117.
- Michel No. BL 87.
- Scott No. 2516a.
- StampWorld No. 2807-2808.
- Stanley Gibbons No. MS 2810.
- Yvert et Tellier No. BF 95.

The Challenge was a contest of tourist aircraft, so competing aircraft had to be able to take at least two persons aboard, take off and land on a short field and cover a distance with a good cruising speed. In fact, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Italy developed modern sports aircraft specifically to meet the demands of the Challenge.
Germany organized the 1932 competition because the German pilot Fritz Morzik won the previous Challenge in 1930. In this edition Germany (16 teams), France (8 teams), Italy (8 teams), Poland (5 teams), Czechoslovakia (4 teams) and Switzerland (2 teams) participated. The Polish team made up of pilot Franciszek Żwirko and mechanic Stanisław Wigura won the test.
The 1934 contest was organized by the Aeroklub Polski (Polish Aero Club), and Germany (13 teams), Poland (12 teams), Italy (6 teams) and Czechoslovakia (3 teams) participated. The test was won by the Polish team made up by pilot Jerzy Bajan and mechanic Gustaw Pokrzywka.

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Thanks to Sylvester Dulewski for his contribution (https://birdsposta.blogspot.com/).