Letov is an aircraft company located in Letňany district of Prague, Czech Republic. It is the oldest aircraft company in the region.

History Letov was founded in 1918 by the Czechoslovak 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 wings and empennages for 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 wings and empennages for 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 market and in 2000 it was bought by French Groupe Latécoère. The company now manufactures parts for large passenger aircraft.

Aircraft

Model name First flight Number built Type Letov Š-1 1920 28 Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane Letov Š-2 1921 64 Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane Letov Š-3 1922 2 Single engine monoplane fighter Letov Š-4 1922 20 Single engine biplane fighter Letov Š-5 1923 1 Single engine biplane reconnaissance airplane Letov Š-6 1923 35 Single engine biplane bomber Letov Š-7 1923 1 Single engine biplane fighter prototype Letov Š-8 1923 1 Single engine monoplane racing airplane Letov Š-9 1923 three-engine bomber project Letov Š-10 51 Single engine reconnaissance biplane; Hansa-Brandenburg B.I built under license Letov Š-11 1923 twin-engine bomber project Letov Š-12 1924 1 Single engine monoplane fighter prototype Letov Š-13 1924 1 Single engine biplane fighter prototype Letov Š-14 1924 1 Single engine biplane fighter prototype Letov Š-15 (I) 1924 four-engine monoplane airliner project Letov Š-15 (II) 1926 light experimental sports plane Letov Š-16 1926 89 Single engine biplane bomber Letov Š-17 1929 1 Single engine biplane bomber prototype Letov Š-18 1925 46 Single engine biplane trainer Letov Š-19 1924 9 Single engine biplane airliner; civilian version of Š-6 Letov Š-20 1925 ~118 Single engine biplane fighter Letov Š-21 1 Single engine biplane trainer Letov Š-22 1926 1 Single engine monoplane fighter Letov Š-24 1927 night bomber project; based on Š-16 Letov Š-25 1930 1 Single engine biplane trainer Letov Š-27 (I) 1928 three-engine, 18 passenger airliner project Letov Š-27 (II) 1931 training aircraft project; two built but cancelled before completion Letov Š-28 1929 1 Single engine reconnaissance biplane prototype Letov Š-29 (I) 1927 four-engine biplane bomber project Letov Š-29 (II) 1929 four-engine monoplane bomber project Letov Š-30 Large four-engine biplane airliner project Letov Š-31 1929 33 Single engine biplane fighter Letov Š-32 1931 5 Three engine monoplane airliner Letov Š-33 1930 1 Single engine monoplane bomber Letov Š-34 (I) late 1920s three-engine bomber project Letov Š-34 (II) 1930 single-engine monoplane bomber project; Š-33 derivative Letov Š-39 1931 21 Single-engine, high-speed sport monoplane Letov Š-40 1934 twin-engine airliner studies Letov Š-41 1934 twin-engine airliner studies Letov Š-42 1935 twin-engine bomber project; derivative of Š-40 Letov Š-43 1936 twin-engine medium bomber project Letov Š-44 1936 single-seat light fighter project Letov Š-49 1936 two-seat, two-engine light bomber project Letov Š-50 1938 1 Two engine monoplane utility airplane Letov Š-51 1938 fighter project Letov Š-52 1938 Twin-engine reconnaissance-bomber project Letov Š-56 1938 all metal, twin-boom attack aircraft/light bomber project Letov Š-57 1938 two-seat liaison aircraft project Letov Š-116 1930 12 Bomber version of Š-16 Letov Š-118 1928 2 Š-18 with Walter NZ-85 radial engine Letov Š-128 1931 12 Š-28 with Gnome et Rhône-built Bristol Mercury VII engine Letov Š-131 1929 3 Racing version of Š-31 Letov Š-132 1920s bomber/transport airplane project Letov Š-137 1920 transatlantic airliner project Letov Š-139 1933 6 Ŝ-39 with Pobjoy R engine and Townend ring Letov Š-218 1926 63 Development of Š-18 with steel-tube frame and Walter NZ 120 engine Letov Š-228 4 Version of Š-28 for Estonia with Walter-built Bristol Mercury VII engine Letov Š-231 1933 35 Š-31 with Walter-built Bristol Mercury engine Letov Š-239 1935 15 Š-39 with Walter Minor 4 engine Letov Š-328 1933 ~412 Production version of Š-28 Letov Š-331 1935 1 Š-31 with Walter K.14 engine Letov Š-428 1 Close ground support aircraft version of Š-28 Letov Š-431 1 Š-31 with Armstrong Siddeley Tiger engine Letov Š-516 Š-16 with Isotta-Fraschini Asso 750 engine Letov Š-528 1935 6 Planned replacement for Š-328 Letov Š-616 1930 12 Š-16 with Hispano-Suiza 12Nbr engine Letov Š-716 1930 1 Š-16 with Skoda L engine Letov Š-816 1931 2 Š-16 with Praga ESV engine Letov Š-916 Š-16 with Lorraine-Dietrich engine Letov L-42 1960 twin engine business jet/trainer project Letov L-43 1960 twin engine STOL light transport/trainer project Letov L-48 1960 24-seat twin engine regional airliner project Letov L-52 1947 jet fighter project, based on the Me 262 Letov L-53 Observation/artillery spotting/multipurpose airplane project Letov L-101 N/A 0 Two engine monoplane airliner Letov L-103 1946 30-seat, twin-engine pressurized airliner project Letov L-105 1946 ultralight aircraft project Letov L-106 1948 twin-boom transport airplane project Letov L-290 Orel 1946 1 Four engine transport; Junkers Ju 290 built under license Letov L-501 1946 single engine monoplane fighter project; resembled the P-51 Mustang Letov LF-107 Luňák 1948 75 Glider Letov LK-2 Sluka 1988 Ultralight Letov LK-3 Nova Ultralight Letov MK-1 Kocour Motor glider Letov ST-4 Aztek Ultralight Letov XLA-54 1950 1 Single engine monoplane trainer Letov XLF-207 Laminar 1951 75 Glider

See also Aero Vodochody Avia Beneš-Mráz Let Kunovice Zlin Aircraft

References Notes

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