Aero A.18

Aero A. 18 Stories

Czech Airlines' first aircraft commitment was the mass production of the Austro-Hungarian Lufthansa-Brandenburg B.I biplane trainer after World War I in 1919. Their next attempt was the first domestic fighter design in the Czech Aviation Ae. 02 of 1920.

However, the absence of a customer meant that only one airworthy prototype was completed. Ae also proved this. 04 Further development of Ae from 1921. 02 Low interest led to completing an example.

This work laid the groundwork for the final version of the aircraft family formed in the Aero A.18, which flew for the first time in March 1923. The design is again credited to Antonin Vlasak and Antonin Husnik. The aircraft had more commercial success than its predecessors, as a production batch of 20 was achieved by the end of the year.

This model was flown for the Czechs until Germany invaded their country in 1939 - long after production ceased.

A. 18 is an evolution of the previous Ae. The 04 itself has a similar biplane wing arrangement. These include many remnants of World War I-era fighter jets: open-air cockpits, fixed landing gear, and hybrid structures.

Compared to previous Aero fighter designs, the A.18 followed more Czech Army requirements and benefited from an early commitment to development with the Aero A.19 and A.20 models, and was well-selected against these challengers.

BMW IIIa 6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engine for Ae with 185 hp. The 04 was retained, the weapon kit of a 2 x 7.7mm Vickers machine gun was retained, synchronised to fire through the rotating propeller blades. The ailerons have now moved from their overhanging position along the upper wing to the actual wingtips.

The cockpit is located aft of the upper wing assembly, offering a relatively impressive view of the aircraft. In contrast to the Ae's thin I-shaped struts, the upper and lower wing sections are connected by parallel struts. 04 and A. 02.

Performance-wise, the A. 18 has a top speed of 142 mph and a range of 250 miles. Service is capped at 30,000 feet. The climb rate is 1,930 feet per minute.

The first flight mentioned above resulted in a contract for 20 aircraft, all of which are in service with the Czech Air Force. From this stock, two were independently modified as "A.18B" and "A.18C" as racing platforms, and these showed great effect in the Czech Aero Club flying competitions in 1923 and 1924.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes