Letov Å -50
The Letov Š -50 is a twin-engine, mid-wing cantilever dreisitziger, which was developed as reconnaissance aircraft.
History
The first flight of the machine took place in 1938. The pattern was made in the Letov works in Letnany in Prague in Czechoslovakia. The design resulted from Alois Smolik. The spur wheel landing gear was not retractable. The wing center section was first with a constant depth, then pointed outclassed by the nacelles. The engines drove depending on an adjustable two-bladed propeller. The machine had a glazed nose for the observer and on the fuselage a gun turret. The elevator had a distinct V-shape and was braced with V- struts to the rear fuselage. The double rudder were at the ends to give the shooter in the tail turret a good field of fire can.
The hull was room for an extensive photographic equipment. The radial engines of the type used Avia Rk -17 reached 309 kW.
A 1:1 model of the machine was shown in 1937 on the national aviation exhibition in Prague and attracted great attention, because this guy was the first truly modern aircraft, which had developed the Letov works. The machine was aerodynamically competitive and abroad interested.
Pilot plant Kovanda started with the Š -50 1938 first flight. However, due to the German occupation, there was no further testing and production. The prototype of the Letov Š -50 was issued in 1938 with the German civil flag in Brussels. The German Air Force took over the machine and let it fly after in Rechlin.
This was the last type, which is designed by Alois Smolik. With this type also ended the aircraft engine development at Letov.