Letov Kbely
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2008) |
 | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1918 |
| Fate | Purchased by Groupe Latécoère in 2000 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Parent | Groupe Latécoère (2000–Present) |
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
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| 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 |
| Letov Š-8 | 1923 | 1 | Single engine monoplane racing airplane |
| Letov Š-9 | 1923 three-engine bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-10 | 51 | License built single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane | |
| Letov Š-11 | Unbuilt twin-engine commercial monoplane | ||
| Letov Š-12 | 1924 | 1 | Single engine monoplane fighter |
| Letov Š-13 | 1924 | 1 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-14 | 1924 | 1 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-15 | 1924 four-engine monoplane airliner project[2] | ||
| Letov Š-16 | 1926 | 89 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| Letov Š-17 | 1929 | 1 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| Letov Š-18 | 1925 | 46 | Single engine biplane trainer |
| Letov Š-19 | 1924 | 9 | Single engine biplane airliner |
| 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-25 | 1930 | 1 | Single engine biplane trainer |
| Letov Š-27 | 1928 single engine monoplane airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-28 | 1929 | 1 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Letov Š-29 | 1929 four-engine monoplane bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-30 | Biplane airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-31 | 1929 | 36 | 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 | Unbuilt three-engine bomber | ||
| Letov Š-37 | Seven-engine twin-boom airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-38 | two-seat reconnaissance airplane | ||
| Letov Š-39 | 1931 | 23 | Single engine monoplane sport airplane |
| Letov Š-40 | two-engine, twin-boom airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-41 | 1934 two-engine airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-42 | Two-engine, twin-boom bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-43 | Two-engine, three-seat, twin-tail bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-44 | Single-seat light fighter project | ||
| Letov Š-45 | Two-seat strike aircraft/light bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-46 | Unbuilt attack aircraft | ||
| Letov Š-49 | 1936 two-seat, two-engine light bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-50 | 1938 | 1 | Two engine monoplane utility airplane |
| Letov Š-51 | Single engine fighter project | ||
| Letov Š-52 | Two engine bomber-trainer project | ||
| Letov Š-56 | All metal, twin-boom attack aircraft/light bomber project | ||
| Letov Š-57 | Two-seat liaison aircraft project | ||
| Letov Š-116 | 1930 | 12 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| Letov Š-118 | 1928 | 2 | Single engine biplane trainer |
| Letov Š-128 | 1931 | 12 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Letov Š-131 | 1929 | 3 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-132 | Bomber/transport airplane project | ||
| Letov Š-137 | 1920 transatlantic airliner project | ||
| Letov Š-139 | 1933 | 6 | Single engine monoplane sport airplane |
| Letov Š-218 | 1926 | 63 | Single engine biplane trainer |
| Letov Š-228 | 4 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane | |
| Letov Š-231 | 1933 | 35 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-239 | 1935 | 15 | Single engine monoplane sport airplane |
| Letov Š-328 | 1933 | ~412 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Letov Š-331 | 1935 | 1 | Single engine biplane fighter |
| Letov Š-428 | 1 | Single engine biplane attack airplane | |
| Letov Š-431 | 1 | Single engine biplane fighter | |
| Letov Š-516 | Single engine biplane bomber | ||
| Letov Š-528 | 1935 | 6 | Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane |
| Letov Š-616 | 1930 | 12 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| Letov Š-716 | 1930 | 1 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| Letov Š-816 | 1931 | 2 | Single engine biplane bomber |
| 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 | License-built four engine transport |
| Letov L-501 | 1946 single engine monoplane fighter project | ||
| 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
- ^ 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
- 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
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