Aero A.42

Aero A.42

Role: Bomber
Manufacturer: Aero
First flight: 1929
Introduced: 1930
Retired: 1940
Status: Prototype
Primary user: Czechoslovak Air Force
Number built: 2

The Aero A.42 was a Czechoslovakian bomber aircraft of 1929 that was only ever produced in prototype form. For its day, it was an advanced design, with a sleek monoplane configuration. However, the Czech Air Force was not satisfied with it for a number of reasons, in particular, the aircraft's take-off and landing rolls were felt to be excessively long, and crew complained about the cramped cabin. The air force suggested a set of modifications to Aero, including replacing the wooden wing with a metal one, but Aero discontinued development.

On September 20, 1930, one of the two prototypes set international speed records of 253.428 km/h over a 1,000 km (621 mile) closed circuit, carrying payloads of 500 kg (1,100 lb) and 1000 kg (2,200 lb).

One prototype was used by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1938, then by the Slovak Air Force. Probably it was scrapped in 1940.

The A.42 was a single-engined high-wing cantilever monoplane, with a fixed landing gear.

Specifications (A.42)

General characteristics

Crew: three, pilot, observer/bombardier, radio operator/gunner
Length: 13.8 m (45 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 20.8 m (68 ft 3 in)
Height: 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 54 m² (580 ft²)
Empty weight: 2,940 kg (6,480 lb) ()
Loaded weight: 4,740 kg (10,450 lb) ()
Powerplant: 1x— Isotta-Fraschini Asso, 597 kW (800 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 270 km/h (170 mph)
Service ceiling: 7,000 m (23,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 100 m/min (330 ft/min)
Wing loading: 88 kg/m² (18 lb/ft²)
Power/mass: 80 W/kg (0.08 hp/lb)

Armament

1 x— 7.9 mm machine gun in ventral position
1 x— 7.9 mm machine gun in dorsal turret
400 kg of small bombs

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia