A prototype single-seat parasol monoplane fighter of 1924.
Power was from a 220 hp V-8 Hispano-Suiza 8ba.
Piston
Letov Š.11
A twin-engined commercial monoplane possibly not completed.
Letov Š-8 / Sm-8
A single-seat, shoulder-wing monoplane experimetal aircraft of 1922.
Fitted with an annular radiator and a 450 hp W-12 Napier Lion II.
The Sm-8 designation was possibly applied to a projected or commercial variant.
Letov Š.7
The Š 7 was designed by Alois Smolik and built in 1923 to participate in an official competition for single-seat fighters powered by the 300 hp Skoda-manufactured Hispano-Suiza 8Fb engine. Of similar mixed construction to preceding Smolik¬ designed fighters, the Š 7 was an equi-span single-bay staggered biplane with twin 7,7-mm gun armament. The Š 7 was initially flown with a ring-type frontal radiator, but cooling problems dictated redesign of the radiator system and the prototype was fitted with a redesigned engine cowling and a ventral radiator as the Š 7a. This type failed to attract a production order and further development was discontinued.
Engine: 220 hp V-8 Skoda HS 8Fb
Span, 30 ft 6 ½ in (9,30 m)
Length, 22 ft 10 3/8 in (6,97 m)
Height, 8 ft 8 1/3 in (2,65 m)
Wing area, 238.43 sq ft (22,15 sq.m)
Max speed, 158mph (255 km/h)
Time to 3,280 ft (1 000 m): 15 min
Empty weight, 1,682 lb (763 kg)
Loaded weight, 2,315 lb (1 050 kg)
Letov Š.4 / SHS. 1
Intended as a successor to the Spad 7 and 13 in service with the newly-created Czechoslovak Air Force, and selected in preference to the Š 3 parasol monoplane, the Š 4, initially designated S HS. 1, was a single-bay unstaggered biplane of mixed construction with fabric-covered wooden wings and metal fuselage and tail.
Flown in 1922, the Š 4 was powered by a 220 hp Hispano-Suiza 8Ba engine and carried an armament of two synchronised 7,7-mm Vickers machine guns.
A series of S-4 fighters was ordered, but 20 of these were completed with the 180 hp HS 8Aa engine as Š 4a aerobatic trainers. As a result of low manufacturing standards a number of difficulties were experienced with the S4 which was grounded in 1927, the surviving aircraft being rebuilt in 1928 to Š 4a trainer standard.
Letov Š -4 / SHS-4
Engine: 1 x 220hp Hispano-Suiza 8Ba
Max take-off weight: 980 kg / 2161 lb
Empty weight: 673 kg / 1484 lb
Wingspan: 8.00 m / 26 ft 3 in
Length: 6.58 m / 21 ft 7 in
Height: 2.62 m / 8 ft 7 1/8 in
Wing area: 16.43 sq.m / 176.85 sq ft
Max. speed: 232 km/h / 144 mph
Cruise speed: 200 km/h / 124 mph
Rate of climb: 323 m/min / 1050 ft/min
Climb to 5000m: 21 min 50 sec
Service ceiling: 5500 m
Range: 500 km / 311 miles
Armament: 2 x 7.7mm
Crew: 1
Š -4a
Engine: 180 hp HS 8Aa
Letov Š.3 / SB-3
The first original fighter design to be produced by the Vojenská továrna na letadla (State Aircraft Works) “Letov”. The Š 3 was created by Ing Alois Smolik who had formerly worked for the Austro-Hungarian government Initially designated as S B.1, the original prototype was destroyed in a fire at the Prague-Letnany factory on 5 November 1921, but a second prototype entered flight test early in 1922.
A single-seat parasol monoplane powered by a 185 hp BMW l1la six-cylinder in-line engine and carrying an armament of two 7,7-mm Vickers machine guns, the Š 3 was of mixed construction with a wooden wing and metal fuselage and tail. The Š 3 participated in the International Meeting in Zurich in 1922, taking third place in the precision take-off and landing contest and seventh place in the aerobatic contest. Further development was discontinued in favour of the S 4.
Š.3
Crew: 1
Engine: 1 x 185hp BMW IIIa
Max take-off weight: 928 kg / 2046 lb
Empty weight: 662 kg / 1459 lb
Wingspan: 10.13 m / 33 ft 3 in
Length: 7.08 m / 23 ft 3 in
Height: 3.04 m / 10 ft 12 in
Wing area: 17.60 sq.m / 189.44 sq ft
Max. speed: 225 km/h / 140 mph
Cruise speed: 195 km/h / 121 mph
Rate of climb: 508 m/min / 1650 ft/min
Time to 9,840 ft (3000 m): 5.9 min
Range: 472 km / 293 miles
Armament: 2 x 7.7mm
Letov SH-1 / Š.1 / Š.10 / SM-1 / Š.2 / Šm A 1 / Š.5
Since the first controllable heavier-than-air flights had been made, the Austria-Hungarian administration did not intend to establish aeroplane manufacturing in Bohemian or Moravian Lands. An Aeroplane Repairs Works “Al-Ma” was set up by Dr. Martius, being of German origin, in the Prague district of Holešovice in 1916. Several days after the independent state of Czechoslovakia had come into existence on October 28, 1918 the Air Force Corps was founded and an order to move all the aeroplanes and air material to Prague was issued. On November 18, 1918 nine planes were seized by the Czechs and eight of them ferried from the town of Cheb to Prague situated near border on Germany so that the Germans were prevented from flying them into Germany. This unexpected raid was commanded by Cpt. Adamec [Addammaets] who was later appointed the Aeroplane Arsenal`s CO. The ninth Czech pilot had to land in Germany and his aircraft was confiscated.
Every plane was concentrated at the Prague Fair Facility until February 1919. A young P/O Alois Smolik was in charge of repairs. He used to be as an asistant to the Air Expert and Scholar Profesor Miess. The Sm-1 biplane designed by Alois Smolik and flight-tested in Apríl 1919 persuaded the Czechoslovak government to prefer the home-production aircraft to ones imported from France, though 115 French planes were presented them.
Originally built in 1910 as the SH-1 with 127 kW (230 hp) Hiero L engines, the SH-1 was later redesignated Š-1. 28 were built.
The Letov Š-1 was a single-engined, two-seat biplane surveillance aircraft. Designed by Alois Šmolík at Letov Kbely, it was first military aircraft built in Czechoslovakia.
The Š-1 first flew in 1920.
The SM-1 variant was powered by 194 kW (260 hp) Maybach Mb.IVa engines and later redesignated Š-2. 64 were built. This 2 seater was armed with one forward firing machine gun and had a twin movable machine gun in the rear. 28 were built.
The Sm A 1 was a commercial variant with a canopy over the rear cockpit for 2 passengers.
The Letov Š-10 of 1921 was an Š-1 trainer variant with a 100 hp 6-cyl Breitfeld & Danek Blesk (Czech Mercedes DI) engine.
The Letov Š-5 was an Š-1 modified for evaporate cooling trials.
The primary user was the Czechoslovakian Air Force.
SH-1 / Š.1
Engine: 1 × Hiero 6L inline engine, 169 kW (230 hp)
Wingspan: 13.23 m (43 ft 4.75 in)
Length: 8.31 m / 27 ft 3 in
Height: 3.10m / 10 ft 2 in
Empty weight: 861 kg
Max takeoff weight: 1,375 kg (3,031 lb)
Maximum speed: 194 km/h (120 mph)
Range: 715 km / 445 miles
Climb to 5000 m: 52 min
Service ceiling: 6,000 m / 19,685 ft
Crew: 2
Armament: 1x fixed machine gun, 1x twin machine gun on swivel mount
SM-1 / Š.2
Engine: 1 x 260hp Maybach Mb.IVa
Max take-off weight: 1492 kg / 3289 lb
Empty weight: 970 kg / 2138 lb
Wingspan: 13.02 m / 43 ft 9 in
Length: 8.52 m / 28 ft 11 in
Height: 3.31 m / 11 ft 10 in
Wing area: 36.17 sq.m / 389.33 sq ft
Max. speed: 198 km/h / 123 mph
Cruise speed: 167 km/h / 104 mph
Ceiling: 6500 m / 21350 ft
Range: 667 km / 414 miles
Armament: 3 x 7.7mm, 120kg of bombs
Crew: 2
Š.10
Engine: 100 hp 6-cyl Breitfeld & Danek Blesk
Letord Let. 1 / Let.2 / Let.3 / Let.4 / Let.5 / Let.6 / Let.7
In early 1916 the contemporary reconnaissance aircraft of the Aéronautique Militaire, such as the Caudron G.6, Morane-Saulnier T and Salmson-Moineau SM.1 were proving to be less than sparkling in operations and testing. To provide a suitable replacement The STAé, its Director Colonel Dorand and Établissements Letord, formulated the A3 specification and co-operated in the design of the only respondent, the Letord Let.1.
In 1916, the Letord “Let”, in prototype form, recorded its first flight and this three-man, twin-engined platform was developed along the lines extended-range reconnaissance. To cover the distances required of the type, a multi-engine arrangement was used and this fitted to a relatively large airframe.
The aircraft relied on a traditional biplane wing arrangement for lift and control and the crew required to man its various systems numbered three. “Negative wing stagger” was present in the over-under wing arrangement where the lower planes were set well-forward of the upper sections, making the parallel struts angle rearwards.
Power was from 2 x engines of various makes and models throughout the service life of the aircraft and each was charged with driving two-bladed propellers. The engines were held outboard of the fuselage and atop the lower wing assembly. Each of the three crewmen sat in separate open-air cockpits so communication between them was limited. The undercarriage showcased double-wheeled main legs and a tail skid though a nose leg was usually added to prevent “nose-over” accidents when ground-running (common to larger aircraft of the war). The tail unit was marked by a single vertical fin and low-mounted horizontal planes.
Design of this aircraft was attributed to Emile Dorand.
The Letord A3 reconnaissance bomber family, the Let.1 to Let.7, were essentially similar biplanes with, variously unequal span or equal span wings, with prominent and characteristic negative stagger on their wings, powered by two tractor engines in nacelles mounted short struts or directly on the lower wings and had a fixed tailskid undercarriage. Some aircraft were equipped with a strut-mounted nosewheel to protect the aircraft and its crew from “nosing-over” accidents while landing. The pilot sat in an open cockpit under the upper wing trailing edge, with a gunner in an open position immediately aft, and a third crew-member in an open position in the nose where he could act as gunner, observer, and bomb-aimer.
Aircraft were completed, variously, with equal span 4-bay wings or unequal span 3-bay wings with longer span upper wings braced by an A-frame king-post and wires. All the Letord reconnaissance bombers shared similar plywood covered wooden structure fuselages and wooden structure wings and conventional tail-unit.
Of the 250-300 built, the Letord Let.5 was probably the most numerous of a family of 3-seat reconnaissance bombers, designed and built in France from 1916, originally to an A3 (reconnaissance aircraft 3-seat) specification from the STAé (Service Technique d’Aéronautique).
The Letord reconnaissance bombers saw widespread service throughout the Aéronautique Militaire, from mid-1917, with 121 operational on the Western Front by November 1917. Most were no longer in front-line use by the Armistice in November 1918.
Variants:
A Letord Let.1
Let.1 A.3
initial reconnaissance version
three bay wing.
Engines: two 150 hp (110 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8A
Let.2 A.3
reconnaissance aircraft similar to Let.1
three bay wing.
Engines: two 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8Ba
Let.3 Bn.3
night bomber
four bay wing.
Engines: two 200 hp (150 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8Ba
Let.4 A.3
reconnaissance aircraft also used as a bomber
three bay wing.
Engines: two 160 hp (120 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 8A
Let.5 A.3
reconnaissance aircraft
three bay wing and missing the nosewheel.
Engines: two 240 hp (180 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 8B
Propeller: 2-bladed wooden fixed-pitch
Wingspan: 18.06 m (59 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 62.3 sq.m (671 sq ft)
Length: 11.17 m (36 ft 8 in)
Height: 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
Empty weight: 1,660 kg (3,660 lb)
Gross weight: 2,445 kg (5,390 lb)
Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn) at 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Maximum speed: 152 km/h (94 mph; 82 kn) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Range: 455 km (283 mi, 246 nmi)
Endurance: 3 hours
Service ceiling: 4,900 m (16,100 ft)
Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in 10 minutes
Time to altitude: 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in 20 minutes
Armament: Up to 4 7.70 mm (0.303 in) Lewis machine-guns on single or double T.O.3 flexible mounts.
Bombload: 130–150 kg (290–330 lb)
Crew: 3
Let.6 Ca.3
fighter based on the Let.3
four bay wing.
Engines: two 220 hp (160 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8Be
Armament: 37 mm (1.5 in) cannon
Let.7 Bn.3
night bomber
four bay wing of increased span.
Engines: two 275 hp (205 kW) Lorraine-Dietrich 8B engines
Letord et Niepce 1909 monoplane
The 1909 Letord et Niepce monoplane was designed and built by Letord and Niepce in France
Span: 31’6″
Length: 27.11″
Weight: 772 lb
LET Mont Piper UL / TUL-09 Tulak
The UL Tulak (Rambler) is a side-by-side, factory-built or kit. There is no kit version for the Piper UL.
The Tulak was certified in 1996 and Piper in 1998. The Tulak was marketed by HB Flugtechnik as Dandy and the UL Piper as the Cubby. German name for the Piper UL being Tandem Tulak.
The Piper UL and TUL-09 Tulak feature a high constant-chord wing braced by V struts, with optional tapered or downturned wingtips. The wings fold back for storage and transportation. A Clark Y wing section, thickness/chord ratio 12.5 per cent, is used. Flying controls are conventional and manual wth a flight-adjustable trim tab in each elevator. Plain flaps are fitted.
The fuselage is fabric-covered metal tube and two-spar wooden wing. The engine cowling is metal, and some composites are used.
The landing gear is tailwheel type, fixed, with a steerable tailwheel; 420×150 mainwheels with bungee suspension and cable-operated brakes. Mainwheel spats optional.
Engine options include 58.8 kW (78.9 hp) or 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) BMW; 58.8 kW (78.9 hp) Verner; 62.5 kW (83.8 hp) Tatra; and 51.5 kW (69.0 hp) Limbach..
In total 55 kits and complete aircraft were built by the end of 2002. The ninth factory-built machine was registered in Poland in 2002. Known sales were in Czech Republic, France, Germany and Poland.
HB Flugtechnik marketed the Piper UL and TUL-09 Tulak as the Dandy and Tulak.
Piper UL / TUL-09 Tulak
Engine: Rotax 503 UL-2V, 37.0 kW (49.6 hp)
Propeller: SportProp three-blade, ground-adjustable pitch, glass fibre
Span: 9.82 m (32 ft 2½ in)
Length: 5.96 m (19 ft 6½ in)
Fuel capacity: 50 litres (13.2 US gallons; 11.0 Imp gallons).
Max cruising speed: 70 kt (130 km/h; 81 mph)
Piper UL
Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp
Wing span: 9.6 m
Wing area: 13 sq.m
MAUW: 450 kg
Empty weight: 250 kg
Fuel capacity: 50 lt
Max speed: 180 kph
Cruise speed: 160 kph
Minimum speed: 55 kph
Climb rate: 5 m/s
Fuel consumption: 8 lt/hr
Certification: C2
Seats: 2
Price (1998): 58 780 DM
