The P.23 Karas (Carp) was the standard attack aircraft of the Polish air force during the 1930s, and one of the most modern designs in the world of its time. Designed by a team led by Stanislaw Prauss, the P.23 based on an earlier light transport known as the P.13 and was radical for its use of smooth skin of light alloy/balsa sandwich construction as well as being able to carry a considerably heavier bomb load than its contemporaries although its defensive armament was rather weak. At the outbreak of war, a total of 12 squadrons were equipped with the Karas and were tasked with the majority of bombing and recon missions against the Germans: despite the heroism of their pilots, about 95 percent of aicraft had been destroyed. Still, the P.23 was exported to Bulgaria and Romania before the war some of which were used in combat later against the USSR.

Maiden flight of the first prototype P.23/I took place in August 1934, it was decided to lower the engine for improved visibility and redesign the bomb bay on later prototypes. The first production P.32a encountered problems with its Pegasus engines relegating them to trainers. Later, the P.32b became the main production variant. Other versions included the improved P.43 which were intended for Bulgaria.