Letov Kbely
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50°7′58.94″N 14°31′13.67″E / 50.1330389°N 14.5204639°E
 LATECOERE Czech Republic | |
 | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1918 |
| Fate | Purchased by Groupe Latécoère in 2000 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Parent | Groupe Latécoère (2000–Present) |
| Website | www |
Letov is an aircraft company located in Letňany, Prague, Czech Republic. It is the oldest aircraft company in the region.[1]
History[edit]
Letov was founded in 1918 by the Czechoslovak Ministry of Defense to repair World War I trophy planes. The first indigenous aircraft, the Letov Š-1, was designed and built in 1920, and some 50 aircraft types were built by 1939. During World War II the factory served as repair shop for the German Luftwaffe. Production lines were also set up during World War II for combat versions of the Ju 290 aircraft, commencing with the Ju 290 A-2, which carried a search radar for its patrol role. Since the 1950s, the plant has manufactured parts for the MiG-15, MiG-19 and MiG-21.
Over 4,000 wings and empennages for L-29 Delfín, a jet trainer aircraft that became the standard jet trainer for the air forces Warsaw Pact nations in the 1960s, were built by Letov. The company has also built wings and empennages for 2500 L-39 Albatros trainer aircraft since the 1970s.
Following the fall of socialism in Czechoslovakia in 1989, Letov failed to assert itself on the international market and in 2000 it was bought by French Groupe Latécoère. The company now manufactures parts for large passenger aircraft.
Aircraft[edit]
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letov Š-1 | 1920 | 28 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Letov Š-2 | 1921 | 64 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Letov Š-3 | 1922 | 2 | Single engine monoplane fighter |
| Letov Š-4 | 1922 | 20 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-5 | 1923 | 1 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Letov Š-6 | 1923 | 35 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| Letov Š-7 | 1923 | 1 | Single engine biplane fighter prototype |
| Letov Š-8 | 1923 | 1 | Single engine monoplane racing airplane |
| Letov Š-9 | 1923 three-engine bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-10 | 51 | Single engine reconnaissance biplane; Hansa-Brandenburg B.I built under license | |
| Letov Š-11 | 1923 twin-engine bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-12 | 1924 | 1 | Single engine monoplane fighter prototype |
| Letov Š-13 | 1924 | 1 | Single engine biplane fighter prototype |
| Letov Š-14 | 1924 | 1 | Single engine biplane fighter prototype |
| Letov Š-15 (I) | 1924 four-engine monoplane airliner project[2] | ||
| Letov Š-15 (II) | 1926 light experimental sports plane | ||
| Letov Š-16 | 1926 | 89 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| Letov Š-17 | 1929 | 1 | Single engine biplane bomber prototype |
| Letov Š-18 | 1925 | 46 | Single engine biplane trainer |
| Letov Š-19 | 1924 | 9 | Single engine biplane airliner; civilian version of Š-6 |
| Letov Š-20 | 1925 | ~118 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-21 | 1 | Single engine biplane trainer | |
| Letov Š-22 | 1926 | 1 | Single engine monoplane fighter |
| Letov Š-24 | 1927 night bomber project; based on Š-16 | ||
| Letov Š-25 | 1930 | 1 | Single engine biplane trainer |
| Letov Š-27 (I) | 1928 three-engine, 18 passenger airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-27 (II) | 1931 training aircraft project; two built but cancelled before completion | ||
| Letov Š-28 | 1929 | 1 | Single engine reconnaissance biplane prototype |
| Letov Š-29 (I) | 1927 four-engine biplane bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-29 (II) | 1929 four-engine monoplane bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-30 | Large four-engine biplane airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-31 | 1929 | 33 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-32 | 1931 | 5 | Three engine monoplane airliner |
| Letov Š-33 | 1930 | 1 | Single engine monoplane bomber |
| Letov Š-34 (I) | late 1920s three-engine bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-34 (II) | 1930 single-engine monoplane bomber project; Š-33 derivative | ||
| Letov Š-39 | 1931 | 21 | Single-engine, high-speed sport monoplane |
| Letov Š-40 | 1934 twin-engine airliner studies | ||
| Letov Š-41 | 1934 twin-engine airliner studies | ||
| Letov Š-42 | 1935 twin-engine bomber project; derivative of Š-40 | ||
| Letov Š-43 | 1936 twin-engine medium bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-44 | 1936 single-seat light fighter project | ||
| Letov Š-49 | 1936 two-seat, two-engine light bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-50 | 1938 | 1 | Two engine monoplane utility airplane |
| Letov Š-51 | 1938 fighter project | ||
| Letov Š-52 | 1938 Twin-engine reconnaissance-bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-56 | 1938 all metal, twin-boom attack aircraft/light bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-57 | 1938 two-seat liaison aircraft project | ||
| Letov Š-116 | 1930 | 12 | Bomber version of Š-16 |
| Letov Š-118 | 1928 | 2 | Š-18 with Walter NZ-85 radial engine |
| Letov Š-128 | 1931 | 12 | Š-28 with Gnome et Rhône-built Bristol Mercury VII engine |
| Letov Š-131 | 1929 | 3 | Racing version of Š-31 |
| Letov Š-132 | 1920s bomber/transport airplane project | ||
| Letov Š-137 | 1920 transatlantic airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-139 | 1933 | 6 | Ŝ-39 with Pobjoy R engine and Townend ring |
| Letov Š-218 | 1926 | 63 | Development of Š-18 with steel-tube frame and Walter NZ 120 engine |
| Letov Š-228 | 4 | Version of Š-28 for Estonia with Walter-built Bristol Mercury VII engine | |
| Letov Š-231 | 1933 | 35 | Š-31 with Walter-built Bristol Mercury engine |
| Letov Š-239 | 1935 | 15 | Š-39 with Walter Minor 4 engine |
| Letov Š-328 | 1933 | ~412 | Production version of Š-28 |
| Letov Š-331 | 1935 | 1 | Š-31 with Walter K.14 engine |
| Letov Š-428 | 1 | Close ground support aircraft version of Š-28 | |
| Letov Š-431 | 1 | Š-31 with Armstrong Siddeley Tiger engine | |
| Letov Š-516 | Š-16 with Isotta-Fraschini Asso 750 engine | ||
| Letov Š-528 | 1935 | 6 | Planned replacement for Š-328 |
| Letov Š-616 | 1930 | 12 | Š-16 with Hispano-Suiza 12Nbr engine |
| Letov Š-716 | 1930 | 1 | Š-16 with Skoda L engine |
| Letov Š-816 | 1931 | 2 | Š-16 with Praga ESV engine |
| Letov Š-916 | Š-16 with Lorraine-Dietrich engine | ||
| Letov L-42 | 1960 twin engine business jet/trainer project | ||
| Letov L-43 | 1960 twin engine STOL light transport/trainer project | ||
| Letov L-48 | 1960 24-seat twin engine regional airliner project | ||
| Letov L-52 | 1947 jet fighter project, based on the Me 262 | ||
| Letov L-53 | Observation/artillery spotting/multipurpose airplane project | ||
| Letov L-101 | N/A | 0 | Two engine monoplane airliner |
| Letov L-103 | 1946 30-seat, twin-engine pressurized airliner project | ||
| Letov L-105 | 1946 ultralight aircraft project | ||
| Letov L-106 | 1948 twin-boom transport airplane project | ||
| Letov L-290 Orel | 1946 | 1 | Four engine transport; Junkers Ju 290 built under license |
| Letov L-501 | 1946 single engine monoplane fighter project; resembled the P-51 Mustang | ||
| Letov LF-107 Luňák | 1948 | 75 | Glider |
| Letov LK-2 Sluka | 1988 | Ultralight | |
| Letov LK-3 Nova | Ultralight | ||
| Letov MK-1 Kocour | Motor glider[3] | ||
| Letov ST-4 Aztek | Ultralight | ||
| Letov XLA-54 | 1950 | 1 | Single engine monoplane trainer |
| Letov XLF-207 Laminar | 1951 | Glider |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Proněk, Tomáš (3 July 2016). "Letov aneb Smutný úděl naší nejstarší letecké továrny" [Letov or Sad Destiny of Our Oldest Airplane Factory]. Letňaské listy (in Czech). Prague.
- ^ "The Third International Aero Show at Prague". Flight. Vol. 16, no. 25. London: Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom. 19 June 1924. p. 399. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ "Motorizovaný vetroň Letov MK-1 Kocour". Gonzo (in Slovak). 9 March 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
Bibliography[edit]
- Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1969). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969–70. London: Sampson Low Marston & Company. ISBN 0-354-00051-9.
External links[edit]
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