ÄŒKD-Praga

CKD - Praga ( Praga Českomoravská piston - Danek ) was a Czechoslovakian manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft engines in Prague- Karlin.

In 1907, the first Bohemian-Moravian Machine factory in Prague and Ringhoffer the automobile factory Praga. 1915 emerged as a subsidiary one engine company, whose products were usually called Praga. After the merger of 1927, the plant was part of the Bohemian-Moravian piston Danek Group and in 1929 merged with the car manufacturer.

As between 1930/31, the two designers Pavel Beneš and Miroslav Hajn Avia switched to CKD - Praga, the construction of aircraft began. The first successful development was the E -39 from 1931, a military school biplane, of which 139 units were built. CKD - Praga developed in the following years, several types of aircraft, but either remained projects or never got past the prototype stage.

Under chief designer Jaroslav Šlechta when the company placing more emphasis on civilian aircraft, shuts off 1934 with the E -114 Air Baby, the most well-known construction of CKD - Praga, again a commercial success. This sport aircraft was often built and sold to France, Great Britain, Romania and Iran. It appeared in 1937 in an English version as license Hillson Praga - baby. Still 1946 126 copies with different engines were prepared.

Overall, CKD Praga - 17 aircraft types have been developed, of which 7 reached the production stage.