Aero Ae 02

Last updated
Ae 02
Aero Ae-02.jpg
Role Fighter
National origin Czecho-Slovakia
Manufacturer Aero
Designer Husnik and Vlasak
First flight 1920
Number built 1
Developed into Aero Ae 04

The Aero Ae 02 was the first fighter aircraft to be designed and built in Oshowitz. The Aero aircraft first flew in 1920.

Fighter aircraft Military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat against other aircraft

A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat against other aircraft, as opposed to bombers and attack aircraft, whose main mission is to attack ground targets. The hallmarks of a fighter are its speed, maneuverability, and small size relative to other combat aircraft.

Aero Vodochody company in the Czech Republic

Aero Vodochody is a Czech aircraft company. The factory and factory airport is located in Prague-East District, on the territory between Vodochody and Odolena Voda region. It was active from 1919, notable for producing the L-29 Delfin, L-39 Albatros, L-59 Super Albatros, and the L-159 Alca military light combat jet. From 1929 until 1951 Aero also made a range of small and medium-sized cars with two-stroke engines, and in 1946–47 it built the Škoda 150 truck under licence.

Contents

Design and development

Designed by Husnik and Vlasak, it was of conventional biplane configuration. The orthodox two spar upper wing was straight, without dihedral and constructed in one piece, was supported above the fuselage on two sets of outward sloping N struts and an inverted V cabane. The lower wing was in two sections attached to stub 'winglets' on the fuselage. Top and bottom planes were separated by one built up strut of [ formation with the main upright of the strut between the rear spars of the wings and the 'feet' pointing forward and attached to the front strut. Balanced ailerons were fitted to the top wing only operated by a rod and tubular hinge mechanism, rather than the more usual cables. A lifting cantilevered tailplane was fitted with divided and balanced elevators and the triangular tail fin carried a balanced rudder. The fuselage was designed to be built in Duralumin, but the prototype used welded steel tube. It was of approximately rectangular section with slightly convex panels all round and was internally wire braced. An auxiliary petrol tank of aerofoil section was mounted between the wheels and could be jettisoned by means of a quick release mechanism. [1] The aircraft's performance was adequate for a fighter of its day, but the Czechoslovak Air Force was not interested in purchasing it.

Biplane airplane wing configuration with two vertically stacked main flying surfaces

A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage over a monoplane, it produces more drag than a similar unbraced or cantilever monoplane wing. Improved structural techniques, better materials and the quest for greater speed made the biplane configuration obsolete for most purposes by the late 1930s.

Czechoslovak Air Force 1918-1992 aerial warfare branch of Czechoslovakias military

The Czechoslovak Air Force or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia ceased to exist on 31 December 1992. By the end of the year, all aircraft of the Czechoslovak Air Force were divided between the Czech Air Force and the Slovak Air Force.

Flown by Josef Novak, the Ae 02 went on to win the Silver Cup at the Czech Aeroclub's annual flying meet of 1921 for best overall performance. Development continued as the Ae 04.

The Aero Ae 04 was a Czechoslovakian biplane fighter aircraft of 1921. A development of the Ae 02, it was no more successful than its predecessor in attracting purchase orders, and it flew only in prototype form. Undaunted by the lack of interest, development continued as the A.18.

Specifications (Ae 02)

General characteristics

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph; 121 kn)
  • Rate of climb: 2.87 m/s (565 ft/min)

Armament

Vickers machine gun 7.7 mm medium machine gun

The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The machine gun typically required a six to eight-man team to operate: one fired, one fed the ammunition, the rest helped to carry the weapon, its ammunition, and spare parts. It was in service from before the First World War until the 1960s, with air-cooled versions of it on many Allied World War I fighter aircraft.

See also

Related development

Related Research Articles

Aero A.10 biplane airliner by Aero Vodochody

The Aero Letňany A.10 was a biplane airliner produced in Czechoslovakia shortly after World War I. It was the first commercial aircraft to be built in Czechoslovakia and was known as the Ae-10 Limousine. It was designed by Husnik and Vlasak and was intended to meet the growing need for aerial communication to and from the country. Behind the single nose-mounted engine was a cabin with seats for three and two tables, upholstered on the underside, and able to be inverted to provide another two seats if required. A double skinned firewall between the engine and cabin, together with double skinned surfaces to the walls, floor and roof and Triplex windows gave a (relatively) quiet ride. A rear window gave communication with the pilot, whose open cockpit was above and behind the cabin. The cockpit also accommodated the navigator who had a seat directly behind the pilot.

Polikarpov I-3

The Polikarpov I-3 was a Soviet fighter designed during the late 1920s. It entered service in 1929, but was retired in 1935 with the advent of fighters with higher performance.

Rumpler D.I

The Rumpler D.I was a fighter-reconnaissance aircraft produced in Germany at the end of World War I. It was a conventional single-bay biplane with wings of unequal span braced by I-struts. It featured an open cockpit and a fixed, tailskid undercarriage. The upper wing was fitted with aerodynamically balanced ailerons and fuselage had an oval cross-section.

De Havilland Dormouse

The de Havilland DH.42 Dormouse and its two variants the de Havilland Dingo I and II were two-seat single-engined biplanes designed for fighter-reconnaissance and army cooperation roles. They did not achieve production.

The Parnall Pike was a 2/3-seat biplane reconnaissance aircraft, capable of operating off carrier decks or from water, built to an Air Ministry specification in 1927. Only one was constructed.

P.Z.L. P.8

P.Z.L. P.8 was a fighter designed by Ing. Zygmunt Puławski and constructed by P.Z.L. from 1930.

Wibault 8 Simoun 1920s fighter aircraft

The Wibault 8 or Wib 8 Simoun (Simoon) was a tandem seat, parasol wing fighter aircraft designed and built in France to a 1925 specification which was later withdrawn; only one Wib 8 was completed.

Wibault 12 Sirocco

The Wibault 12 Sirocco or Wib 12 Sirocco was a two-seat, parasol wing fighter aircraft designed and built in France in the 1920s. Three fighter prototypes were completed, one for the RAF and two Army co-operation variants. There was no series production.

Wibault 170 Tornade

The Wibault 13C.1 Trombe (Whirlwind), later known as the Wib 130C.1 Trombe was a single seat, parasol wing lightweight fighter aircraft designed and built in France in the 1920s. It was developed into the more powerful Wib 170C.1 Tornade (Tornado) but government interest in lightweight fighters soon waned.

Hanriot HD.15

The Hanriot HD.15 was a French two seat fighter aircraft fitted with a supercharger for good high altitude performance, built in the 1920s. Three were ordered by Japan but lost at sea during delivery.

Hanriot H.26

The Hanriot H.26 was a French single seat fighter aircraft prototype completed in 1923. Only one was built.

Hanriot H.31

The Hanriot H.31 was a single engine, single seat French biplane fighter aircraft built in 1925 to compete in a government programme. It was not successful and only one prototype was completed.

The Bonomi BS.10 Ardea was an Italian single seat high performance glider, designed and built in the mid-1930s. Only one was built.

Potez 35

The Potez 35 was a twin engine bomber aircraft, designed and built in France in the late 1920s. Only one was completed.

Descamps 17

The Descamps 17 A.2 was a two-seat reconnaissance fighter built under a French government programme of 1923. Two versions, with different engines, were tested and six examples were built under licence by Caudron as the Caudron C.17 A.2.

The de Marçay 4 was a single seat monoplane fighter built in France in 1923 for a government competition. It did not receive a production contract.

Les Mureaux 3

The Les Mureaux 3 C.2 and Les Mureaux 4 C.2 were French two seat, parasol winged fighters, flown in 1927-8, which differed only in their engines. They were developed into near identical army co-operation types, the ANF Les Mureaux 130 A.2 and ANF Les Mureaux 131 A.2, in 1929-31.

The Villiers 26 was a French naval seaplane which used Handley Page slats to provide the wide speed range required for escort and patrol duties. It was tested, behaved satisfactorily but received no production order.

The Régnier 12 was a 1930s Belgian touring aircraft offering variants with different engines and seating plans. Only one was built.

The Caproni Ca.66 and Caproni Ca.67 were Italian night bomber aircraft designed to re-equip the post-World War I Regia Aeronautica.

References

  1. FlightMay 26th 1921 page 361 et seq