Letov Š-50

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Letov Š-50
Drawn side view of the Letov Š-50
Type: Reconnaissance plane
Design country:

Czechoslovakia 1920Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia

Manufacturer:

Letov

First flight:

1938

Number of pieces:

1 prototype

The Letov Š-50 is a twin-engine, three-seat cantilever mid - wing aircraft that was developed as a reconnaissance aircraft .

history

Letov Š-50

The first flight of the machine took place in 1938. The pattern was produced in the Letov factory in Letnany near Prague in Czechoslovakia. The construction was carried out by Alois Šmolík . The tail wheel landing gear was not retractable. The center section of the wing was initially at a constant depth, and then tapered to a point after the motor nacelles. The motors each drove an adjustable two-bladed propeller . The machine had a glass bow for the observer and a machine gun turret on the back of the fuselage. The horizontal stabilizer had a distinct V-shape and was braced against the fuselage stern with V-struts. There were double rudders at the ends to give the shooter in the hull turret a good field of fire.

There was space in the fuselage for extensive photographic equipment. The radial engines of the type Avia Rk-17 reached 309 kW of power.

A 1: 1 model of the machine was shown at the National Air Show in Prague in 1937 and caused quite a stir because this type was the first truly modern aircraft developed by the Letov factories. The machine was aerodynamically competitive, and foreign countries were interested in it.

Factory pilot Kovanda started the first flights with the Š-50 in 1938. Due to the German occupation, however, there was no further testing and production. The prototype of the Letov Š-50 was exhibited in Brussels in 1938 with German civil registration numbers . The German Air Force took over the machine and had it flown in Rechlin .

This was the last type designed by Alois Šmolík. With this type also the engine airplane development at Letov ended.

Technical specifications

Parameter Data
crew 3
length 12.60 m
span 17.30 m
height ? m
Wing area 43 m²
Empty mass 2475 kg
Max. Takeoff mass 5708 kg
Cruising speed 260 km / h
Top speed 305 km / h
Service ceiling 6200 m
Range 1300 km
Engines 2 × 9-cylinder radial engine Avia Rk-17 with 309 kW (420 PS) each
Armament 1 × fixed and 2 × movable 7.92 mm machine guns
up to 600 kg bombs

See also

List of aircraft types

literature

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

Web links