Letov Kbely

50°7′58.94″N 14°31′13.67″E / 50.1330389°N 14.5204639°E / 50.1330389; 14.5204639

Letov Kbely
IndustryAerospace
Founded1918 (1918)
FatePurchased by Groupe Latécoère in 2000
Headquarters
Letňany, Prague
,
Czech Republic
ParentGroupe Latécoère
(2000–Present)
Websitewww.latecoere.aero/en/latecoere-ceska-republika/

Letov is an aircraft company located in Letňany, Prague, Czech Republic. It is the oldest aircraft company in the region.[1]

History

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

Letov Š-1
Letov Š-16
Letov Š-20
Letov Š-328
Letov LF-107 Luňák
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

References

Notes

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "Motorizovaný vetroň Letov MK-1 Kocour". Gonzo (in Slovak). 9 March 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

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