Aero A.34

Aero A.34 Blackbird

National origin: Czechoslovakia
Manufacturer: Aero Vodochody
First flight: 1928

The Aero A.34 Kos (Czech: "Blackbird") was a small sports and touring biplane built in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s.

It was designed in 1929. The design was similar to De Havilland Gipsy Moth. Of conventional biplane configuration, wooden construction, it featured wings that could be folded to allow it to be towed to and from airfields by automobile (width 2.91 m).

A prototype (registration L-BASO) had an 85 hp Walter Vega radial engine. It took part in the Challenge 1929 international contest (piloted by Josef Novak), but had to withdraw due to engine failure and crash landing on August 8, 1929.

Seven A.34s and its variants were built, with different engines: three A.34J had the Walter Junior engine, and three A.134 the 100 hp Walter Venus. They were used as trainers and sportsplanes in Czechoslovak civilian and military aviation.

Variants

A.34
A.34J
A.34W : Three aircraft powered by the 105 hp (78 kW) Walter Junior in-line piston engine.
A.134 : One prototype powered by the 130 hp (97 kW) Walter NZ radial piston engine.

Specifications (A.34)

General characteristics

Crew: one, pilot
Capacity: one passenger
Length: 6.80 m (22 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 8.80 m (28 ft 10 in)
Height: 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 21.3 m² (229 ft²)
Empty weight: 400 kg (880 lb)
Loaded weight: 640 kg (1,408 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— Walter Vega, 63 kW (85 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 160 km/h (100 mph)
Range: 320 km (200 miles)
Rate of climb: 127 m/min (416 ft/min)
Wing loading: 30 kg/m² (6.1 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 100 W/kg (0.06 hp/lb)

Comparable aircraft

De Havilland Gipsy Moth
PZL.5
Caudron C.230

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Source: WikiPedia