Letov KT-04
| Letov KT-04 | |
|---|---|
.jpg) KT-04 on the SP-14 launch vehicle in the Kbely Aviation Museum |
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| Type: | Tow target |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
1972 |
The Letov KT-04 is a Czechoslovak unmanned aerial vehicle designed for the training of fighter pilots and air defense operations . In contrast to remote-controlled self-propelled targeting drones , the KT-04 was operated in aircraft tow, which is why it is referred to as a tow or air target . It was designed for multiple use and therefore equipped with a landing parachute and impact protection.
development
The construction of the KT-04 began in 1970 at the same time as the development of a target tow version of the jet trainer L-39 . This variant, known as the L-39V, differed from the other L-39 mainly in that the armament, the airbrakes and the rear pilot's seat were omitted, which was replaced by a cable drum to accommodate a 1700 m steel cable with a 5 mm diameter. The rope was extended by a small dynamic pressure turbine located under the fuselage, which was driven by the airflow. The prototype X-08 was completed in July 1972 and began its factory testing in October, which included 45 test flights. 30 of them included towing tests with the KT-04. The Czechoslovak Air Force then carried out the troop trials from July to September 1973, which, however, was unsatisfactory and therefore had to be repeated the following year. Subsequently, the L-39V / KT-04 system was certified as being suitable for training air defense units in real weapon use.
In order to win other air forces as users of the concept, lectures on the training possibilities were given in May 1975 at the Prague Aviation Institute in front of army representatives from other Warsaw contracting states, which, however, aroused only moderate interest and no orders followed. As a result, only a small series of eight L-39V and an unspecified number of KT-04s were produced for the Czechoslovak armed forces in the following year.
Use in Germany
The delegation of members of the NVA air force , also present at the presentation in Prague in 1975 , came to the conclusion that the concept was not yet fully developed and recommended that considerations about its use within the NVA be postponed until 1980. But as early as the summer of 1977 the army command asked the Czechoslovak side about a delivery of L-39V and KT-04. However, due to the lack of demand, production had already been discontinued and so the only option was to take over used specimens from the army of the ČSSR, which happened in 1980 with the delivery of two L-39Vs and the corresponding 70 KT-04s. The aircraft were given the tactical numbers 170 and 171 and were assigned to the ZDK-33 in Peenemünde , where they flew in a striking orange and white color scheme. The KT-04 were also designed in a striking orange-yellow-white color. In the summer of 1980 the first tow plows took place on an experimental basis, in March 1981 the first sharp shooting with on- board cannons at a KT-04 followed over the Baltic Sea .
The target display flights were only carried out by experienced pilots, as the handling of the tow train required some attention, especially during the take-off phase. As a rule, the L-39V took off with the tow rope extended to a length of about 100 m and the KT-04 attached, which was on a three-wheeled launch vehicle (also known as the SP-14 launch vehicle). At 150–160 km / h, the aircraft detached itself from the runway and accelerated to 250 km / h while climbing . At a height of 80 m, the KT-04 also detached itself from the take-off landing gear, which was then brought to a stop by a small braking parachute. During the subsequent climb, the current speed was not allowed to be undercut, as otherwise the aerial target usually overtook the aircraft and was automatically disengaged after five seconds when the rope tension was released. For this reason, when the target was displayed, in which the rope was extended to 1550 m, it was also forbidden to go below a speed of 300 km / h. Once the target practice was over, the KT-04 was released at reduced speed about 400 m above the Peenemünde ground shooting range , recovered and transported back to the airfield. If it was not damaged too much by hits or a hard landing, it could then be used several times.
construction
The KT-04 has a simple structure in order to be able to replace damaged components quickly. It is designed as an all-metal mid - decker with a cigar-shaped hull in shell construction and planked with a 6 mm aluminum shell. The wings, which can be exchanged in a short time, are connected to the fuselage with two vertical pins. The wing tips are bent downwards and should help reduce the risk of damage during landing. For a safe landing, the KT-04 has a main and emergency parachute in the front fuselage area as well as an inflatable airbag that protects the underside in the event of an impact, as well as the associated compressed air tank in the middle part.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| span | 5.30 m |
| length | 4.90 m |
| height | 1.20 m |
| Wing area | 3 m² |
| Dimensions | 110 kg without starting trolley 230 kg with starting trolley |
| Towing speed | minimum 300 km / h * maximum 600 km / h |
| Towing height | 1000 m as an anti-aircraft target * 2000 m – 4000 m as an aircraft target * |
* Specified information for use by the NVA.
Users
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German Democratic Republic : Air forces of the NVA
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Slovakia : Slovak Air Force
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Czechoslovakia : Czechoslovak Air Force
literature
- Manfred Kanetzki: MiGs over Peenemünde. The history of the NVA air force units on Usedom . Jagdfliegergeschwader-9 "Heinrich Rau", Aviation Technical Battalion-9 "Käthe Niederkirchner", target display chain-33, radio technical battalion-33. 2nd, revised edition. MediaScript, Berlin 2014, ISBN 978-3-9814822-1-8 , pp. 161 ff .
- Wilfried Copenhagen : Airplanes and helicopters of the NVA from 1971 to the present . Military Publishing House of the GDR, Berlin 1989, ISBN 3-327-00768-3 , p. 47-52 .
Web links
