Nikol A-2

Nikol A-2 was a Polish amphibious flying boat prototype built in 1939 by Jerzy Nikol.

Development history
Nikol started design of a small amphibious flying boat A-2 in 1929, when the Polish Navy showed interest in a small seaplane to use on major ships, starting with the ORP Gryf large minelayer. The plans of fitting Gryf with a board aircraft gear were abandoned. The A-2 was later intended as a patrol and training aircraft of the Polish Navy, and as a technology demonstrator of a proposed bigger four-seater two-engined flying boat A-1 (or A-4). Its possible use was also in the Riverine Flotila in Pińsk. In 1935 the A-2 design was approved by the Aviation Technical Research Institute.

The work on a prototype construction started in 1936 in a semi-amateur way, in workshops of the Naval Aviation Squadron (MDLot) in Puck, without official order of the Navy. The airbase was unsuitable for aeroplane construction and lacked experienced engineers, and it was not until March 1939 that the prototype was completed. It first flew on March 4, 1939, as a pure flying boat, without a landing gear. During later trials it was fitted with a retractable landing gear.

Operational history
After the German invasion of Poland and the first unsuccessful air raid on a base in Puck on 1 September 1939, all Polish seaplanes were evacuated from Puck to Hel Peninsula. The A-2 prototype was evacuated to naval harbour in Hel. It was slightly damaged due to further air raids (older sources claimed it was destroyed).

The damaged prototype was captured by the Germans and taken to Rostock. As is apparent from one photo, it received the non-typical German registration D-GÖTZ. (This might have been false registration.) Its fate is unknown.

Operators

 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * Kriegsmarine captured the only prototype.
 * Polish Navy
 * Polish Navy

Description
Wooden construction high-wing cantilever monoplane flying boat. A fuselage semi-monocoque, plywood-covered, bottom single-stepped. Engine on a strutted pylon above a fuselage, with a three-blade pusher propeller. Two-spar trapezoid wings wing rounded ends, plywood and canvas covered. Twin strutted tailfins. Crew of two, with twin controls, sitting side by side in a closed cockpit. Retractable landing gear, main gear was folding under wings. Auxiliary floats under wings. Fuel tanks 235 l in a fuselage and central wing part.