Letov Kbely
Encyclopedia
LETOV is an aircraft
company located in Prague - Letňany
, Czech Republic
. It is the oldest aircraft company in the region.
Letov was founded in 1918 by the Czechoslovakian 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 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 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 markets and in 2000 it was bought by French Groupe Latecoere. The company now manufactures parts for large passenger aircraft.
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
company located in Prague - Letňany
Letnany
Letňany was founded in 1307, and became part of Prague in 1968. Now it is part of the Prague 9 administrative district, form local government district of Prague 18 and its own cadastral area...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. It is the oldest aircraft company in the region.
Letov was founded in 1918 by the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Defense to repair World War I trophy planes. The first indigenous aircraft, the Letov Š-1
Letov Š-1
-Bibliography:...
, 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
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. Production lines were also set up during World War II for combat versions of the Ju 290
Junkers Ju 290
The Junkers Ju 290 was a long-range transport, maritime patrol aircraft and heavy bomber used by the Luftwaffe late in World War II.-Design and development:...
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 L-29 Delfín
Aero L-29 Delfin
|-See also:-References:* Gunston, Bill, ed. "Aero L-29 Delfin." The Encyclopedia of World Air Power. New York: Crescent Books, 1990. ISBN 0-517-53754-0....
, a jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
trainer aircraft that became the standard jet trainer for the air forces Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
nations in the 1960s, were built by Letov. The company has also built 2500 L-39 Albatros trainer aircraft since the 1970s.
Following the fall of socialism
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1989, Letov failed to assert itself on the international markets and in 2000 it was bought by French Groupe Latecoere. The company now manufactures parts for large passenger aircraft.
Aircraft
- Letov Š-1Letov Š-1-Bibliography:...
- reconnaissance plane, 1920 - Letov Š-4Letov Š-4The Letov Š-4 was a Czechoslovak single-bay unstaggared biplane fighter and trainer in the 1920s.-Production history:The Š-4 was first created in 1922 as an intended successor to the SPAD S.VII and S.XIII in service with the newly-created Czechoslovak Air Force...
- fighter, 1922 - Letov Š-10Hansa-Brandenburg B.I|-See also:-External links:*...
- license-built Hansa-Brandenburg B.IHansa-Brandenburg B.I|-See also:-External links:*...
reconnaissance aircraft - Letov Š-16Letov Š-16-See also:...
- bomber, 1926 - Letov Š-18Letov Š-18-See also:...
- trainer, 1925 - Letov Š-19 - transport, 1925
- Letov Š-20 - fighter, 1926
- Letov Š-218Letov Š-18-See also:...
- trainer, 1926 - Letov Š-31 - fighter, 1929
- Letov Š-328 - reconnaissance plane, 1932
- Letov Š-231 - fighter, 1933
- Letov Š-331 - prototype fighter
- Letov Š-428 - ground attack aircraft
- Letov Š-50 - bomber prototype, 1938
- Letov LF-107 LuňákLetov LF-107 LuňákThe LF-107 Luňák is a Czech aerobatic glider designed by Rudý Letov in the late 1940s. The design was developed within a prolific group of aeronautical engineers and sailplane pilots including among others K. Dlouhý, J. Matejcekm and B. Bocek....
- glider - Letov XLF-207 Laminar - glider