Jerzy Rudlicki, the author of many innovative designs for Polish aircraft, constructed a telegraphic apparatus at the age of 14, designed a series of large kites soon afterwards, and at the age of 16 flew his first flight in his own constructed glider.

Rudlicki was born on 14 March 1893 in Odessa. After graduating from the Classical Gymnasium and Officer Candidate School, he received a call-up to the Airborne Division. He was awarded the St Vladimir’s Cross with Swords for his services on the south-western front during the First World War as a soldier in the Russian Army. After finishing pilot school, he returned to the front. He was shot down twice. He abandoned his service in the Tsarist army and enlisted in the Polish First Corps of General Dowbor-Muśnicki. In France, he completed air combat training. From the French squadron he transferred to the Haller Army staff. After participating in the Polish-Bolshevik War, he was awarded the Cross of Valour and was assigned to the Department III of Air Navigation at the Ministry of Military Affairs, and then, after graduating, to the Polish Purchase Mission.

In 1925, he started working at the Institute of Aviation Technical Research, and then, in 1927, undertook the organisation of the construction bureau at the Plage and Laśkiewicz Mechanical Works in Lublin, which was the first factory established in the Second Polish Republic to manufacture aircraft, initially by licence, and later on its own designs known as “Lublin”. Rudlicki worked there until 1935. He was the author of many civil and military aircraft designs (he designed 11 prototypes, which had designations starting with R – the first letter of his surname), he also developed retractable landing gear and an innovative V-type tailplane (butterfly solution). After his discharge in 1935, he settled on the Olbięcin estate near Kraśnik, where he took up agrarian experiments.

In 1939, he was mobilised. After the attack of the Third Reich and participation in the defence war, he managed to get to Romania and then to France. Until the capitulation of France, he worked at the Potez factory, supervising the assembly of armaments in aircraft. He later evacuated to the UK, where he worked until the end of the war. At that time, he constructed a bomb launcher for bombers, developing the concept of another Polish designer, Władysław Świątecki. After the war, he emigrated to the USA. He worked for 16 years in the Republic Aviation, and also participated in projects related to VTOL and space vehicles. He died in Florida on 18 August 1977.